Dave:  I really don’t like those dark wrapped cigars, they’re all too strong.

Me: Well, that’s not actually true, there are some mild maduro, they’re the dark ones… maduros.

Dave:  Like which?

Me:  Well, there’s the Macanudo Maduro, the Nat Sherman lines, the…  (you get the idea)

Later, however, the discussion about maduro wrappers got interesting as we started talking about the stronger maduro wrapped cigars out there.  Those of us that favored full bodied maduros each thought of our three favorite, medium to full bodied cigars, regardless of price.

For me, the list was simple.  My favorite three fuller maduros are all cigars I keep on hand in my humidors.  What I like about this list, and why these cigars are all in my collection, is that there is one cigar from each price point and they’re all great cigars.

Here are my top three medium/full to full-bodied maduro cigars:

Sancho Panza Double Maduro Cervantes (6 ½ “ x 48) – With a price somewhere right around $3.00 a cigar, the Sancho Panza Double Maduro Cervantes may be one of the best kept secrets in the cigar world.  The Sancho Panza Double Maduro features an oscuro Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that’s thick and oily, a “dark” Connecticut Shade binder, and a filler blend with Dominican Piloto Cubano as well as Honduran and Nicaraguan leaves.  These cigars have great construction and are crisply box-pressed.  Very full bodied, and very full flavored, these cigars temper slightly with age, but never lose their balls.  Definitely not for beginners!

A. Turrent Triple Play Toro (6” x 54) – Priced around $6.50 per cigar, the A. Turrent Triple Play Toro is an “all maduro” blend produced by Alejandro Turrent and the folks at the Flor del Copan factory of Altadis.  The Triple Play uses a dark Mexican San Andres Morron wrapper over a Connecticut Broadleaf binder and longfillers from Honduras and Nicaragua, along with some more San Andres leaf for gusto.  This is a medium/full bodied cigar with rich, thick smoke and great aromas from start to finish.

Camacho Triple Maduro 50/4.5 (4 ½ “ x 50) – My favorite heavy maduro is also currently my favorite cigar, one that I go to time and again for a good dose of dark, rich tobacco flavors.  Tobacconist University advocates smoking a fine cigar while taking any of their certification exams; this is the cigar I chose when I took my exam; And, it was a good choice.  The Camacho Triple Maduro is the original “all maduro” cigar.  To top it off, the Camacho Triple Maduro is a Honduran Puro and features no less than five different maduro leaves in its composition.  A very rich and full bodied cigar, the flavors are hearty and bold.  The Camacho Triple Maduro is perhaps less ballsy than the Sancho Panza, but it does not lack in strength, it just has a smoother composition.

So, there you go my top three medium/full to full bodied maduro wrapped premium cigars.  These are certainly not the only maduro cigars out there; and these are certainly not the only maduro cigars I enjoy.  There are many more, high quality, premium handmade maduro wrapped cigars on the market and at all price points.

What are your favorite medium/full to full bodied maduro cigars?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!

- Marty K.