Definitions of 'puros' and 'vitola'?

[woops]

Originally Posted by krisko

I think 'vitola' means a cigar made with tobaccos from the same area. For instance a cuban cigar would be a vitola...am I right? What exactly is a 'puro'?

Good post krisko. I was wondering about the 'vitola' also.

[Cheo Malanga]

It is actually a little complex.

Puro is Spanish for pure, but in many places it is used to mean cigar. This probably originated from Cuban cigars saying they were "Puros Habanos" and the term stuck. So when the term puro is used in the cigar industry, by an English speaking person, they usually mean a cigar made w/ tobaccos from one region.

Vitola is more of a mess. This word has meant a million different things over the years. Funny thing is nobody knows where it comes from. In Spain they called the cigar ring a vitola. Guillermo Cabrera Infante in his book "Holy Smoke" quotes old lilterature in which it is used to mean the epitome of a good cigar. IE, an ISOM Monte #2 is a vitola. Nowadays it is mostly used to refer to a shape.

[FriendlyFire]

Uro = Pure , I think

[DBall]

Originally Posted by Glacierman

Then you have the term "frontmark" which is the manufacturer's name, i. e., the Don Pepin Black 1977 (the frontmark) is a lancero (shape/vitola) although some call a lancero a corona especiale.

This, in reference to cuban cigars, is also called the "marca". (I love all the info I've found on these BBs.)

Bolivar (marca) Petite Corona (vitola).

(disclaimer... based on reading I've done, I believe the above to be a correct statement)