Cigar sales spike in the summer as tobacco shoppers trade up for gatherings and garden parties.

This summer, with the EU Tobacco Products Directive 2 now in force, there is a huge opportunity to increase sales – if you can get your range right.

If you are looking to trade your tobacco shoppers up you need to make sure you and your staff understand the products you are selling. Jeremy Blackburn, head of communications for JTI, says: “It is important to ensure staff are knowledgable about the range of cigars sold in store, so they can respond to any questions.” Talk to your reps to understand the different cigars in your range.

Here are the key terms you need to know:

Barrel – The main part of a cigar

Corona – The most common style of premium cigar.

Habana (Havana) – When this word is found on a cigar it means that it is cuban.

Handmade – The way premium cigars are made

Humidor – A room or container that is designed to preserve cigars by maintaining a humidity of around 70% and a temperature of 21°C.

Hygrometer – A tool used to measure humidity.

Panetella – A long, thin cigar

Ring gauges – A measure for the thickness of cigars, which is based off 64ths of an inch

Vintage – refers to the year the tobacco was harvested.