THE ROBUSTO; A SHORT AND THICK SMOKE
Cuban Cigars come in many shapes and sizes, providing a variety of choice for cigar-smokers. Whether you prefer slimmer smokes like the Panatela format or like thicker cigars like the Gordito – the cigar market has it. One of the most classic sizes is the ‘Robusto’ format – short and thick; it remains as a must-have cigar for many aficionados all over the world.
The Robusto format is measured at 124 mm by 50 ring gauge, which is certainly a lot thicker in comparison to other formats. But thanks to this much fatter size, it is said to bring much more flavour and a much more developed profile, and is, therefore, very popular among experienced smokers. You can expect around 45 minutes to an hour worth of smoking time thanks to its much stockier size. One of the most well-loved Robusto cigars out in the market at the moment is the Ramon Allones Specially Selected Cigar and the Romeo y Julieta Short Churchills Cigar.
The clear trend in the cigar industry is a preference for much thicker cigars, just have a look at the Cohiba Behike range, which exhibits ring gauges over 50 – primarily, 52, 54 and 56. Some may even reach up to 60! So, when looking at the future of the Robusto format, it certainly seems bright. There are no signs for the demand of this format slowing down, as more aficionados are grabbing some of these stocky smokes.
HISTORY OF THE ROBUSTO FORMAT
It’s almost hard to believe that just 30 years ago, the word ‘Robusto’ did not exist. But today, it continues to be one of the most well-loved formats in the market. Back then, the most widely-smoked formats were the Lonsdale and Corona sizes. In 1989, Cohiba decided to innovate and release new formats, introducing the Esplendido, Exquisito and Robusto; they did not realise that Robusto would become a cult favourite. However, that doesn’t mean that the Robusto did not exist beforehand. It is said that the Partagas D4 made its debut in the 1930s, while the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 Cigar and the Ramon Allones Specially Selected date back to the 50s and 60s, but they were just not well-known.
The Robusto is a ‘parejo’ format, which means that it is straight-sided. It is believed that the creation of Montecristo brought the popularity of parejo sizes, as prior to this, the figurado (or tapered) shapes were the most widely recognised. While the double corona was referred to as a prominent and the torpedo as pirâmide, it was the first time that a vitola de Galera became successful as a vitola de Salida – in order words, the factory name for the format was being used.
If you want to try a range of Robusto cigars yourself, we suggest you order the official Habanos Seleccion Robustos LCDH box, where you get to try a few smokes with this classic format.
For more fascinating cigar-related articles, head over to our Cigar Blog:
- The Art of Turning Cigar Boxes into Guitars
- Are 'Thicker Cigars' Better?
- The Rising Value of Cuban Cigars: A Worthwhile Investment