Gordo vs Robusto Cigars: What's the Difference?

A robusto is the shorter, slimmer cigar and finishes in about half the time of a gordo. The robusto runs about 30 to 45 minutes. The gordo runs about 60 to 90 minutes.

The gordo's shortest typical session (60 minutes) is 15 minutes longer than the robusto's longest (45 minutes). The two sizes do not overlap on the clock. If you have half an hour, light a robusto. If you have blocked out a full evening on purpose, light a gordo.

The second difference is heat. The gordo's 60 ring gauge adds tobacco, and a thick cigar burns cooler and slower. A mid-size robusto or toro in the 48 to 52 range gives most of that cooling benefit in a shorter, easier smoke.

A cigar size is written as length by ring gauge. A 5 x 50 robusto is five inches long with a 50 ring gauge. Ring gauge is the diameter in 64ths of an inch, so 64 would be a full inch across.

• Robusto, 5 x 50: 50/64 of an inch across, about 0.78 inches, or 19.8 mm. Length is 12.7 cm.
• Gordo, 6 x 60: 60/64 of an inch across, about 0.94 inches, or 23.8 mm. That is nearly a full inch. Length is 15.2 cm.

To convert any size yourself, multiply inches by 2.54 for centimeters. For millimeters, divide the ring gauge by 64 and multiply by 25.4. By that math, the gordo is 2.5 cm longer and 4 mm wider than the robusto.

Our cigar sizes guide also lists the toro and Churchill.

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Dimension	Gordo	Robusto
Typical size	6 x 60	5 x 50
Metric size	15.2 cm x 23.8 mm	12.7 cm x 19.8 mm
Ring gauge	60/64 inch, nearly a full inch	50/64 inch
Smoke time	About 60 to 90 minutes	About 30 to 45 minutes
Burn and heat	Cooler, slower burn	A little warmer and faster than a gordo
Filler volume	More filler relative to wrapper	Less filler than a gordo
Time to light	Can take closer to a minute	20 to 40 seconds
Hand feel	Big in the mouth, can feel awkward in hand	Shorter, easier smoke
Best for	A full evening with nowhere to be	A half-hour to 45-minute smoke

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A thick cigar burns cooler and slower than a thin one. A wider roll holds more filler relative to the wrapper. That extra filler is why big-ring-gauge cigars usually smoke longer.

The same blend can taste different in a robusto and a gordo. A 60 ring gauge gives a blender room to combine three or four filler leaves in one roll. Many boutique brands built their reputation on 60-plus gordo sizes over the last decade. Thicker ring gauges in the 54 to 60 range have grown popular in recent years, while classic sizes still sit near 42 to 52.

The tradeoff runs the other way for the wrapper. An unusual or pricey wrapper shows through more clearly on a thinner cigar than it does inside a gordo's filler core. If you bought a cigar for its wrapper, the thinner robusto shows that leaf more clearly.

Neither size is better in general. Pick by taste and by the time you have. Our thick vs thin cigars guide covers ring gauge across more sizes.

Length alone does not set smoke time. Compare the gordo with the toro. Both are six inches long, yet the toro at 6 x 50 runs about 45 to 60 minutes and the gordo at 6 x 60 runs about 60 to 90.

The only difference between those two sizes is 10 points of ring gauge. That extra width adds tobacco, and the added tobacco adds time.

Your pace changes the clock too. Smoke times are rough; our long vs short cigars guide compares smoke time across lengths. If you are not sure how slowly you smoke, plan a gordo for a night when you can let it run long.

A full light takes 20 to 40 seconds for most sizes, including the robusto. A wide-ring gordo can take closer to a minute. A full light means toasting the foot until you see an even glowing ring.

Rushing the light is the biggest cause of an uneven, canoeing burn. Give the gordo the full minute. Our how to light a cigar guide walks through the steps.

The gordo is the more forgiving size for a fast puff. A thin ring gauge punishes an uneven draw or a fast puff faster, because there is less tobacco mass to buffer the heat, and a beginner puffing too fast on a thin cigar is more likely to taste harsh, bitter combustion notes than on a gordo.

The robusto still sits in a forgiving spot on time and lighting. The 46 to 52 range covers the robusto and toro sizes most brands build around. That range is more forgiving of early mistakes with draw or light than a 60-plus gordo, which also asks for a long time commitment.

For most people newer to cigars, the robusto is the easier first size. It lights in 20 to 40 seconds and finishes in 30 to 45 minutes. See our best cigars for beginners for starter picks.

A gordo is the wrong pick if you only have half an hour. It is also the wrong pick if a fat ring gauge feels awkward in your hand. In both cases, a robusto is the easier call.

A robusto is the wrong pick if you have set aside a full evening and want one cigar to last it. You would finish in 30 to 45 minutes.

A planned full evening changes the pick: the extra hour a gordo asks for becomes the point, even for someone newer to cigars. Our answer also changes if a brand's "gordo" or "robusto" is sized well outside 6 x 60 or 5 x 50. In that case, compare by the listed length and ring gauge instead of the name.

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Pick a gordo if:

• You have 60 to 90 minutes, or a full evening with nowhere to be
• You want the coolest, slowest burn of these two sizes
• You like a big cigar in the mouth and in the hand
• You want a blend built with more filler in the roll

Pick a robusto if:

• You have 30 to 45 minutes
• You are newer to cigars and want a size that forgives draw and lighting mistakes
• You want the wrapper to show through more clearly
• You want a cigar that lights in 20 to 40 seconds

Our verdict is the robusto for most smokes and the gordo for planned long evenings. Start with a robusto from our best robusto cigars roundup, then try a gordo the first night you have 90 minutes free.

Before you buy, write down how much time you usually have for a cigar. If the number is under 45 minutes, buy robustos. If it is over an hour, add a few gordos to the box.

If you smoke a blend that comes in both sizes, smoke one of each on separate nights and note how the flavor changes. Log each one in the Humidor Tracker so you can see which size you actually finish and enjoy. To compare the robusto with other neighbors, read our corona vs robusto, toro vs robusto, and Churchill vs robusto comparisons.

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Famous Smoke Shop is the retailer we link for both sizes. Dimensions vary slightly by brand.

Browse gordo and robusto cigars at Famous Smoke Shop, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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