Cigars come in a spectrum of colours — from the pale green of a Double Claro to the deep midnight black of an Oscuro. Most smokers know this has something to do with fermentation, but when it comes to the darkest wrappers of all, the story gets far more intriguing.
From Green to Brown: A Quick Primer
Green cigars (Double Claro) are flash-dried to lock in chlorophyll, which is why they stay green. The warm browns we typically associate with cigars result from varying degrees of curing and fermentation.
Fermentation itself is a kind of controlled composting: tobacco leaves are moistened, piled into pilones, and allowed to heat up as bacteria produce carbon dioxide and ammonia. The piles are taken apart and rebuilt, over and over, until the harshness disappears and the leaves are ready for use.
Push this too far, though, and the tobacco simply breaks down — unusable as a wrapper. So how do we get those gorgeous, oily maduro leaves that range from rich chocolate brown to near-black? That’s where a little cigar “alchemy” comes in.
Turning Up the Heat
Some cigar makers employ steam chambers after fermentation. This gentle boost of heat darkens and sweetens the leaf without introducing anything artificial. It’s accepted practice and gives us the dark brown colour many smokers love. But steam alone won’t create the almost black shades we see in Oscuros.
The Secrets of “Cigar Alchemy”
When fermentation and steam aren’t enough, tradition meets innovation:
- Sugar Catalysts
A sugar solution can be used to push fermentation further. This darkens the wrapper and adds sweetness, though sometimes at the expense of complexity. - Betume (Bethune)
Here’s where things get mysterious. Some cigar makers apply a natural solution — known as betume — to the wrapper to enhance both colour and flavour. The recipes are guarded secrets, whispered through generations. Smokers who notice herbal notes unlike any natural cigar have likely encountered this hidden touch. - Colouring
The industry’s dirty little secret of the 1990s was painting cigars to mimic maduro. The result? Awful taste, stained lips and fingers, and a very unhappy smoker. While this practice is now rare, some producers still use natural colouring agents (like tobacco juice) to even out mottled wrappers. Acceptable? Perhaps. Overdone? Definitely messy.
Purists vs Pragmatists
Many purists reject anything beyond traditional fermentation. For them, only cigars like Cuba’s Cohiba Maduro 5represent a “true” maduro. And yet — irony of ironies — the very concept of betume was born in Cuba, originally used for the rollers’ own enjoyment.
For the rest of us, maduro cigars are a delight. They add variety, richness, and a sweet intensity that contrasts beautifully with the earthy spice of a classic Habano. Some of the best non-Cuban producers use every tool at their disposal to create cigars that are bold, complex, and memorable.
The Final Trick
Like magic, perhaps it’s better not to dwell too much on the method. Whether by steam, secret solutions, or clever fermentation, what matters is the result: a cigar that dazzles with dark, sweet, and complex flavours. After all, variety is the true luxury of the cigar world — and with maduro cigars, every puff feels a little like a magician pulling another wonder out of the hat.