Corona

What is Corona? Corona is a classic parejo cigar vitola, a straight-sided format with a rounded head measuring roughly 5½ inches (14 cm) in length with a 42 ring gauge, which works out to about 17 mm in diameter. Historically, the Corona has been treated as the benchmark size of the cigar world, the reference point against which every other vitola is measured. Its proportions are considered an ideal canvas for showcasing the balance of filler, binder, and wrapper, which is why it occupies such a central place in the catalogues of premium manufacturers.

Size, Shape and the Corona Family

The standard Corona belongs to the parejo family, the group of cigars with straight, parallel sides and a rounded cap. This sets it apart from the figurado category, which covers irregularly shaped formats such as the Torpedo, Pyramid, and Perfecto. Industry sources sometimes extend the typical Corona range slightly, pairing the 5½ inch length with a ring gauge of 42 to 44. Ring gauge itself is measured in 64ths of an inch, so a 42 ring gauge equals 42/64 of an inch, or about 16.7 mm across.

Around the classic Corona sits a whole family of related vitolas. The Petit Corona shortens the format to 5⅛ inches at the same 42 ring gauge, while the Corona Grande stretches it to 6⅛ inches without changing the diameter. The Corona Gorda, literally 'large crown', keeps the length close to 5⅝ inches but widens to a 46 ring gauge, giving a fuller, richer draw. At the top of the range, the Double Corona reaches 7⅝ inches with a 49 ring gauge and uses roughly twice as much tobacco as the original Corona.

Why the Corona is a Benchmark

Master blenders and tobacconists return to the Corona again and again when developing a new blend. At this size, the ratio of filler to binder to wrapper is considered close to optimal, allowing each component to speak clearly without one element overwhelming the others. The result is a format that reveals a blend's true character, which is why a Corona is often the first vitola rolled when a new line is being tested.

The name itself carries the weight of this status. 'Corona' is Spanish for 'crown', and several theories explain how the size earned the title. Some accounts tie it to the cost of the tobacco being one corona, the old Spanish monetary unit. Others suggest the vitola was simply 'crowned' the best of its kind, or that it served as a royal standard in Spain. Whichever origin you prefer, the name fits a format that has long held a sovereign place in the world of premium cigars.