Maduro means “mature” or “ripe” in Spanish, and that’s exactly what these dark brown leaves are. Making a true Maduro wrapper involves a great deal of time. After picking, the leaves stored in a curing barn for up to 45 days, until they turn from green to a rich brown. They are then aged for years to achieve an even darker colour and bring out the natural sugars in the tobacco leaves, giving many maduro cigars a distinct caramel or molasses sweetness.