Q&A: Are Maduros Stronger?

[bazookajoe]

Here's some interesting information from an email newsletter from cigar.com. Probably old news to many of you but it's something I've wondered about...

"Q: I am having a hard time selecting a cigar to suit my taste. I prefer to smoke stronger cigars. Should I be buying more maduro cigars?

A: This is a great question and the answer revolves around one of the biggest myths about cigars. A darker or maduro wrapper does not mean the cigar will be stronger or fuller bodied. Maduro literally means "ripe" in Spanish. A maduro wrapper is not a type of seed or even a specific type of wrapper, but refers to a process by which the tobacco is fermented for a longer period of time at a higher temperature. During this extended process that can be twice or three times longer than the fermentation of most other wrappers, the sugars and oils are drawn out of the leaf. The longer the cigar ferments, the darker the wrapper becomes.

A properly fermented maduro wrapper will actually be considerably milder than most natural wrappers depending on the seed type. A good maduro cigar is very flavorful (a quality that is sometimes mistaken for strength or body) and is often sweet on the lips.

The myth that maduro cigars are stronger originated during the cigar boom of the 1990's, when demand for premium cigars outweighed supply by a vast margin. To turn their tobacco into cash as quickly as possible, many tobacco growers and cigar makers artificially colored stronger unfermented natural wrappers in an attempt to make them look like maduros. This practice is rarely seen today, but the myth these wrappers created lives on.

The body or strength of a cigar is most often determined by its filler not its wrapper. The use of tobacco leaves taken from higher plant primings in the filler (especially those referred to as ligero) create a stronger, more full bodied cigar."

[montecristo#2]

I thought the leaves were allowed to grow longer on the plant (before priming) as well, is this not true? I thought it was the extra time on the plant that actually made them sweeter as the leaves store more sugar from added photosynthesis. Maybe I am mistaken?

I do love the added sweetness of maduros.

[Fumioso]

There are some fairly mild maduros out there, CAO MX2 comes to mind. I tend to think that flavor and aroma come from the wrapper, and body (or strength, if you prefer) come from the filler leaves.

[garilla]

Yup, as a certified Patelian, those OWR Maduros are sitting right there for when I'm looking for a rich smooth smoke.

Of course, the assumption is almost always that Maduros are "stronger". That's when I hand over a RP Edge Toro Corojo to someone making the Maduro claim and ask them to tell me which is "stronger". ;-)

Basically, from what I've found, Maduros seem to be generally richer in flavor, with adding a bit of strength, but not as much as most would assume, staring at a jet-black wrapper. I still find my Edge cigars to be stronger overall. I would almost put some sun growns (AF Double Chateau comes to mind) somewhere above Maduros in strength for those looking for a powerhouse flavor.

Of course, this is but one rather young apes opinion on the matter...

- Garilla

[Boston_Dude05]

"During this extended process that can be twice or three times longer than the fermentation of most other wrappers, the sugars and oils are drawn out of the leaf."

If the above is true and sugars are drawn out, how can the resulting smoke be sweeter? I've found maduros to be less sweet than other wrappers. They are more full in flavor however.

Good informative post.

[eWRXshun]

Originally Posted by Fumioso

There are some fairly mild maduros out there, CAO MX2 comes to mind. I tend to think that flavor and aroma come from the wrapper, and body (or strength, if you prefer) come from the filler leaves.

i've only tried the Mx2 once and, at least to my perception of strength, it was one of the strongest cigars i've ever smoked.

edit: it tasted like crap to me as well albiet the only other maduro i've smoked was a natural dirt, which i liked.

[bartok]

Well, they're not necessarily any stronger in terms of nicotine. They tend to taste a bit spicier, or louder, or harsher - depending on how you look at it.

I'm not a big fan of maduros, overall. I find that a maduro wrapper masks a lot of the more subtle flavors.