Long and Short Filler?

Can you please explain what is meant by "long filler" and "short filler" in cigar composition?

Posted: August 20, 2012

Submited via CigarAficionado.com

Two words, whole and chopped, help one to remember the difference between long- and short-filler.

Long-filler, known as tripa in Spanish, consists of whole tobacco leaves that run the length of a cigar. Most premium, handmade cigars use nothing but long-filler. Whereas short-filler, also known as picadura, or chop, is the main tobacco type used in machine-made cigars.

Short-filler is chopped up scraps of tobacco leaf that tend to burn quicker and hotter than its long counterpart. Some cigars, known as mixed-fill cigars or Cuban sandwiches, use a blend of short- and long-filler tobacco.

To find out more about tobacco filler, check out our Cigar 101: Inside a Cigar video.

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