Cigar Bands

Dutchman Gustave Bock, one of the first Europeans to become involved in the Havana cigar industry, introduced cigar bands to the industry. Bock did so for the same reason as the introduction of the cigar box and labels - to distinguish his brand from the rest of the brands in the marketplace.

The band also has another use: to protect the cigar smoker’s fingers from becoming stained. This is still the case today, but was particularly important when gentlemen wore white evening gloves whilst smoking cigars.

Difference in the Bands

The cigar bands of the older brands of cigar, are usually much more elaborate when compared to modern brands, often using gold life in the design. Cohiba, Davidoff, Dunhill and Montecristo, which target the more affluent cigar buyer, tend to have bands that are designed to look simple and more elegant. Non Havana cigars that have Cuban brand names, tend to have bands that are similar in design to the original, but where the original Havana Cigar will feature the word Havana on the cigar band, the non Havana version is more likely to feature the date of manufacture.

It is the cigar smoker’s personal choice whether to smoke their cigars with the band on or off. In some circles, it is traditionally frowned upon to advertise the brand of cigar that you are smoking in Britain; however this reservation doesn’t apply anywhere else in the world.

If you decide to remove the band, it is normally best to wait until you have smoked the cigar for a short time. The band will be loosened from the wrapper due to the heat of the smoke, making the gum on the band less adhesive and easier to remove. If you do not wait for a few minutes you will risk damaging the wrapper and possibly even the cigar.