The corona is the format every other Havana size is measured against: roughly 135 to 154 mm with a 40 to 47 ring gauge, and about 45 minutes of smoking.

Cuba's factories build coronas across several vitolas de galera — Coronas, Coronas Gordas, Corona Gorda and their limited-edition cousins — but the character is consistent. There is enough length for the blend to change from first third to last, and a ring gauge narrow enough that the wrapper still leads. If you want to understand what a marca actually tastes like, this is the size to buy.

Current examples include the Cohiba Siglo IV, the Partagás Línea Maestra Origen, Hoyo de Monterrey Regalos and a run of Ramón Allones and H. Upmann coronas gordas.

Shorter and quicker: Cuban petit coronas. Longer and slower: Cuban lonsdales. Or compare with the New World coronas from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.