The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-05-05
ABOUT CIGARS.
Gossip on the Box Marks, Brands
and Names.

the make, shape, size, color and quality
of cigars. One may hear gentlemen
offer Concha, Regalia, or Londres,
under the impression that they convey
the idea of some superior brand Of es-
pecially fine quality. Instead of this
they only offer cigar OF a certain size
or shape, the quality of which may be
anything, from the finest "Upmann" or
"Cabarga" to the purest Connecticut"
or you are offered Maduro, which is
not made by Mr.. Madura, but is simply
a cigar Of a ripe or dark color.
TO any one with very scant smat-
tering OF Spanish, the various marks
used by the trade on their cigar-boxes
are readily explainable. The first and
most important Of these is Of course, the
brand, so called from being usually
burned on the box by hot iron. This
is either the name of the individual pro-
prietor, the manufacturing firm, or the
special fancy name given by the factory,
in accordance with Cuban custom that
SO desgnates their retail shops; as The
Pear" " The Rose OF Seville" &c, in
stead of by,their name. The brands, then,
are either such as "Upmann d Co, "
"Cabanasey Corbajal," 'Cabarga d Co. ."
or the we'll known Figaro" La Co
roma" ("The Crown" )-Antonia Ca
bargas brandon =" Flor del Fumar
C'The flower ofSmoking" }. These are
the trade marks of the factories indi-
Gated.
Next in order comes the indications
of style, i. e., size and shape; and the
terms used are, as a rule, common to
all manufacturers, very few making any
designated shape or size exclusively.
This mark is stenciled, usually, on the
front of the box The best known and
most familiar Of these, to our ears, now
are: Regalis-about the same as our
word present" or "gift'-largest ordi-
nary size; Media Regalia-half Re
galia-a smaller cigar; Regalia del Rey
liking Regalia" smaller; Regalia
de la Reina-"Queen Regalia smaller
STILL Londres, London, a medium
size for length and thickness, SO called
as being a a favorite in England Bre-
vas, named from lucious variety Of
the fig grown in Spain; Concha, mean
ing shell" but really named after
the late Captain General Concha; Con
chas de Regalo, "Conchas for presents,
Napoleounes and Imperiales are extra
large fancy sizes, but little used except
for showy presents. Besides these there
are sone compound indications Of size
and style, as Regalia Britannica, Re-
gala de Londres, Londres CorteZ
(short), and others.
Another indicator OF the style of
cigar, or, more properly, its style OF
packing, is found in two words-Cilin-
drados' and Pepsador-which may be
applied 10 any size or shape. The first
merely signifies that they are in cylin-
drical punches, folded in paper or tied
with ribbon; the second, that they are
pressed while moist, so as TO tlatten the
surfaces. The indication Of shape, size
and style are collectively understood 10y
the Havana makers as the Vitola--ac-
cent on the second syllable.
Among shape and size marks there
are two, now seldom heard, but no
doubt familiar to manv readers-the
Trabuco ("BluDderbus } short, thick,
stumpy cigar, and its direct opposite,
the Pauetela, ("Sponge-cake long,
slim article, apt to be hard rolled, and
difficult to smoke, evidently the sort re-
ferred to by DR.. Holmes in his Latter
Day Warnings"
"When Cuba's weeds have quite forgot
The power of suction TO resist"
Next in order comes the indices Of
quality or grade OF tobacco. Flor
("Flower') is now the most usual mark
for the best or what used to be called
"Firsts.' Segundo ('second } or, with
some makers, superior for the next.
Lower grades, known as Thirds are
not generally marked, although some
factories use Bueno (''Good } for that
quality. These marks are stenciled,
usually on one end OF the box, while on
the other is indication OF color. This
is, Of course, expressed by the proper
Spanish word; as Claro, i, E., light col
ored. Colorado Qiterally red) brown /;
Maduro (ripe, mature), dark Oscuro
(obscure), very dark. These, again,
are combined TO fit intermediate shades,
as Colorado Claro eight brown, Colo
RADIO Maduro dark brown The guides
to color are, however, not very. accur-
ale, as the hight brown" Of one box
may open as dark as the sample brown
OF another. A still lighter color than
Ciaro-seldom seen here, as it goes
mostly TO Spain-is Psgizor. or straw
color-a very mild grade OF the weed,
which, if my memory serves me, used
to be known as Injuriada. Fashion lie
as fickle in cigars as in other matters,
and the brand or shape in vogue to-day
is out OF favor tomorrow. The once
popular Normas and Noriegas have dis
appeared like the Trabucos and Pate
has, and that old favorite, the little black
Principe, OF fine Yara tobacco, with its
fine white ashes, is no more to be seen
Of men. In those days, too, firstclass
cigar could be had for 81 30 the thous-
and-the good old times "-Erekangs
Paper.