Top 10 Best Maduro Cigars

1. Drew Estate Liga Privada No 9

For many, the Liga Privada No. 9 is regarded as the quintessential maduro cigar. While newer productions have aged in a way that doesn’t deliver quite the same experience, it’s still a wonderful specimen.

An opulent cigar, it delivers initially bracing notes of fresh walnut and cedar before producing a more gourmand bouquet of dark chocolate, rosewood, leather, and espresso. As a late-night cigar, few come close.

2. Cohiba Maduro 5

The Cohiba Maduro 5 is said to be one of the most faked cigars in the world. However, the genuine article will provide you with one of the most refined experiences you can ask for. Having undergone 5 years of ageing, the ligero tobacco (or “corona” in Cuba) is rich, succulent, and flavoursome.

3. Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro

Once a limited yearly production, the Melanio Maduro became part of Oliva’s regular production relatively recently. Like the regular Melanio blend, it’s a box-pressed cigar but instead features an oily Mexican San Andrès wrapper.

It’s a wonderfully rich blend with deep flavours of molasses, nuts, and liquorice. However, it’s balanced and doesn’t overwhelm the smoker with excessive strength. An overall great option for those who enjoy cognac or dark and aged spirits with their cigar.

4. Penn Standard Pennsylvania Broadleaf Maduro

Pennsylvania Broadleaf is sparsely used in premium cigars in the modern-day. This is mainly due to the fact that this tobacco is heavy and thick, making it difficult to work with and at times, too spicy or strong.

However, Penn Standard has married a beautifully-dark PA Broadleaf Maduro wrapper with Habano binders and fillers to produce a delectably sweet, lightly spicy, and creamy maduro cigar that, most notably, remains incredibly affordable when compared to more popular maduro ranges.

5. Avo Classic Maduro

First released in the 1980s as one of the first collaborations between Avo Avezian and Hendrik Kelner, the Avo Classic Maduro was discontinued in 2015. However, it was reintroduced in 2020!

A surprisingly delicate and refined cigar, it’s a great specimen that illustrates how maduro blends don’t need to be strong. Its first third reveals a creamy malt mouthfeel with spicy notes of clove and Kirschwasser or cherry schnapps.

Meanwhile, the latter two-thirds are wonderfully gourmand while offering only restrained strength. If you’re sampling your first maduro cigar, it would be our recommendation for beginners.

6. Foundation Cigars The Wise Man Maduro

Founded in 2015 by Drew Estate blender, Nicholas Melillo, Foundation Cigars is a cigar brand with a rich visual identity. A number of his creations like Highclere Castle and The Tabernacle are very well known. El Güegüense, which is the name of a wise man in Nicaraguan folklore, was a highly successful blend.

Although it was a Nicaraguan puro, the maduro version uses a succulent and dark Mexican San Andrès wrapper. It delivers bold flavour without sacrificing complexity and harmony. Like the Mombacho Cosecha, it’s a great artisanal option for the connoisseur.

7. Perdomo 20th Anniversary Maduro

Like the Sun Grown blend of the 20th Anniversary range, the maduro is a Nicaraguan puro. As a result, it only contains Nicaraguan-grown tobacco. However, while its wrapper leaf was aged for 8 years, it then spent an additional 14 months maturing in bourbon barrels.

Consequently, it’s a wonderfully gourmand experience with notes of cinnamon, tonka bean, charred bay leaf, pepper, and agarwood. If you’re looking for a rich and well-ornamented cigar, the 20th Anniversary Maduro is an excellent choice.

8. Oliva Master Blends 3

Although the first three Master Blends were released in quick succession, the Master Blends 3 has been on the market for well over a decade. Indeed, it’s a highly sought-after cigar, so it probably doesn’t need updating just yet!

This maduro cigar produces intriguing notes of marzipan juxtapositioned with black pepper. Meanwhile, rosewood, iron oxide, and dark chocolate emerge in the second third before a gourmand finish of liquorice, agarwood, and coffee bean.

9. Nub Double Maduro

Affectionately known as the “Nub Dub”, the Nub Double Maduro is a cult favourite for some. It earns its name by featuring two layers of Brazilian Maduro wrapper.

A deep blend with a full yet smooth bouquet, it provides you with a gourmand experience with notes that range from bitter espresso to charred oak. Throughout the smoke, the flavour is dominated by a rich liquorice root and dark chocolate accord.

10. Perdomo Champagne Noir

Perdomo’s Champagne Noir features a triple-fermented Cuban-seed Maduro wrapper that has been fermented for over 14 months. This Nicaraguan puro has an additional step and the wrapper is then aged for 6 months in oak bourbon barrels.

Indeed, the overall process is not dissimilar to the 20th Anniversary above. However, there are some distinctive features. Similarly, the Champagne Noir is a cult favourite cigar and can be picked up at a very affordable price!