The band is the cigar’s label: a printed paper ring, usually just below the head, showing the brand, often the line, and sometimes the name of an anniversary or special release on a second band. Some cigars also have a band at the foot. Makers use bands to identify their cigars, and collectors keep them.
Whether to remove the band is a matter of preference. A band is usually glued to itself where its ends overlap, not to the wrapper, but a drop of glue or a tight fit can tear the leaf if you pull the band off while the cigar is cold. The usual advice is to let the cigar warm up for a while and then slide the band off gently, or to leave it on and put the cigar down before the burn reaches it. There are several stories about how cigar bands began; this page does not choose between them.
Smoke Rings collects bands in the Cigar Band Museum, and each brand hub shows the bands for that company.