When a customer asks for a cigar, the brand and blend are only part of the answer. Size determines how much time that guest is committing, how the cigar feels in the hand, and how the blend may present itself. For retailers and lounge operators, size also determines which boxes deserve the most space in the humidor.
Start with length and ring gauge
Cigar dimensions are commonly expressed as length in inches by ring gauge, the diameter measured in sixty-fourths of an inch. A classic robusto is often around 5 x 50; a classic toro is around 6 x 50, although makers use these names for varying dimensions. That extra length can make a toro a better fit for a longer lounge visit, while a robusto often suits a shorter occasion. Actual smoking time depends on the cigar and the person's pace.
Why the toro deserves prime shelf space
Recent U.S. retailer surveys put the toro firmly in first place. In Cigar Insider's 2025 retailer survey, 66.2% of shops named toro or corona gorda their No. 1 selling size, while 16.9% named robusto. A separate Premium Cigar Association retail survey found that 78% of respondents named toro their most popular size. These figures describe the share of stores naming a size as their top seller; they are not the share of all cigars sold. They are a useful signal for an opening assortment, not a substitute for your own sales data.
Why robustos still belong in the core
The robusto gives a guest a familiar shape with a smaller time commitment than a comparable toro. It works especially well when someone wants a cigar before dinner, during a shorter visit, or as an introduction to a blend they have not tried. A shorter cigar is not automatically stronger: strength comes from the blend, and size alone cannot tell a guest how powerful a cigar will feel.
The same blend can feel different in a different size
Changing dimensions can change the balance of wrapper, binder, and filler, as well as the way a cigar develops as it burns. The effect depends on how the maker blends each vitola. If a customer likes a robusto, suggesting the toro in the same line is a useful comparison, but do not promise that it will taste identical. Let the guest decide whether they prefer the compact expression or the longer experience.
A practical buying rule for retailers
- Lead with proven demand: carry toros in the brands your customers repeatedly request.
- Keep a robusto option: offer a shorter format across several strengths and price points.
- Leave room for discovery: use some shelf space for coronas, Churchills, or larger ring gauges when your guests ask for them.
- Review by SKU: compare sales of the robusto and toro within each blend. A national survey cannot tell you which size sells best in your own store.
For a new lounge, the right question is not how many sizes a brand makes. It is which sizes your guests will actually choose and reorder. Start with toro and robusto as the working core, then refine the mix from sales and staff feedback. For more on building that opening mix, read our wholesale buying checklist and reorder guide.
Buying advice from operators who run cigar retail
Cigars Island is the wholesale division of Entre Humos, a business that also operates cigar retail outlets and lounges. Our team works with the day-to-day realities of stocking a humidor, training staff to recommend cigars, and adjusting an assortment as customer preferences change. That operating experience informs the way we advise wholesale accounts.
For a lounge, we can discuss the balance between shorter visits and longer sessions. For a hotel or resort, the mix may depend on the venue and guest occasion. For a tobacconist, sales by size and blend should guide the shelf space you give each box. We can help you think through those choices and build a focused purchasing plan; the final assortment should always reflect your customers and actual sell-through.
Building or refreshing a humidor? Apply for a Cigars Island wholesale account and tell us which sizes sell in your market. We can help you review a focused assortment for your lounge or store.