The colour of the wrapper hints at the flavour: the darker it is, the longer it was usually fermented, and the sweeter and fuller the smoke often is, with notes of chocolate, coffee or earth. One thing matters, though: dark doesn't automatically mean stronger.
Why the wrapper matters so much
The wrapper is the outermost leaf and contributes a large share of the aroma. That's why its colour says more about the direction of the flavour than about a cigar's sheer strength.
The colour scale from light to dark
- Double claro: very light, almost greenish, mild and delicately herbaceous.
- Claro: light, mild, often with fine, hay-like notes.
- Colorado: reddish-brown, balanced, frequently nutty.
- Colorado Maduro: warm reddish-brown, richer and slightly sweet. This is where our SB Robusto sits.
- Maduro: dark brown, sweet, with chocolate and coffee from long fermentation.
- Oscuro: almost black, the darkest and most intense in character.
The most common myth: dark doesn't mean strong
A cigar's strength comes mainly from the filler inside, especially the powerful ligero tobacco, not from the colour of the wrapper. A dark Maduro can be mild and sweet, a light Claro quite strong. Colour is a flavour hint, not a strength gauge.
What this means for the SB Robusto
Our wrapper sits in the warm Colorado Maduro shade, rich and slightly sweet, without tipping into heaviness. That suits the creamy, chocolatey-nutty profile we're after.
Why a cigar can still turn sharp is covered in Why does a cigar turn bitter?.
Frequently asked questions
Is a dark cigar stronger?
- No. Strength depends on the filler, not on the colour of the wrapper.
What does a Maduro wrapper taste like?
- Often sweet, dark notes such as chocolate, coffee and earth, created by the longer fermentation.
What does Colorado Maduro mean?
- A warm reddish-brown between Colorado and Maduro, rich and slightly sweet, but balanced and not too heavy.
From the house of SB Cigars. Read why a cigar can still turn bitter here. More about our SB Robusto here.