Due to the long, thin nature of Panatelas, they are widely hailed as an elegant and popular choice for female smokers. This stereotype is not entirely true as both men and women alike enjoy this size.

The panatela size had somewhat of a renaissance in the 1960’s and 1970’s when a brand called Dino did some very effective mass-marketing by featuring a James Bond character clad in tuxedo holding and smoking this long sophisticated stick.

Soon other manufacturers like Garcia y Vega Cigars followed suit, and the Garcia y Vega Gallantes became all the rage.

Much higher in quality then the now defunct Dino, the Gallante is machine made with Caribbean Basin Cuban Seed short filler, Homogenized Tobacco Leaf binder, and genuine top-quality Indonesian wrapper.

Today the Gallante retains its large niche following, as do many other machine and handmade smokes in this variety.

Panatelas are relatively difficult to make, as they are smaller and contain less filler. The danger in manufacture is that if the roll is too tight or too loose; this can affect the draw and the smoke quality.
That is why this size thrives in the domestic market. When made by machines, this size always smokes to perfection.

Unlike larger sized smokes, the Panatela offers an air of sophistication, and a cool warm smoke that many enthusiasts find appealing.