Since 2006, the CORESTA Cigar Smoking Methods Sub-Group conducts periodic collaborative studies in order to improve repeatability and reproducibility measurement methods of different cigar sizes and types.

A collaborative study was conducted on handmade cigars smoke analysis (TPM, water, nicotine, NFDPM, CO and puff count). The purpose was to establish mean values for NFDPM, nicotine and carbon monoxide for different sizes and types of cigar products and test pieces to provide a tool for participating laboratories to prove competence in cigar smoke analysis.

The coefficients of variation of the repeatability (r) and reproducibility (R) found in this study are higher than historical values for machine made cigars. Both the r and R values are very high, but they are relatively close meaning that only limited additional variation is found when testing the products in different laboratories.

Further studies are required to determine what is driving the variability in handmade cigars, but at this stage it must be concluded that while the method appears robust it is not possible to discriminate smoke yields of handmade cigars unless these are very significantly different in weight.