The Ashton Aged Maduro No.50 rolls out as a 7"x48 parejo-sized showstopper wrapped in oily Connecticut Broadleaf. This Dominican-made stick from Fuente's legendary factory comes packed in 25-count boxes, offering 90+ minute smoking sessions perfect for lazy afternoons. Its dark maduro wrapper smells like a chocolate factory accident - in the best possible way.
Cold draw serves espresso grounds and molasses. Initial puffs burst with black cherry reduction sauce sweetness - the kind that sticks to your teeth. Smoke output stays medium, requiring deliberate draws to keep the burn line even. Retrohale reveals baking spices dancing around cedar plank aromas.
Flavors deepen into bitter chocolate territory with roasted almond crunch. The ash holds firm for two inches before dropping, exposing concentric burn rings. Noticeable caramel undertones emerge when paired with black coffee, though nicotine creep starts registering around this point.
Leather and earth tones dominate as the cigar heats up. Last inch brings peppery tingle on the tongue, though never crosses into harshness. Savory umami note lingers post-smoke like good dark roast coffee grounds. Best to nub it before the final 1.5" to avoid tar buildup.
The triple-seam cap peels cleanly with a sharp cutter. Wrapper sheen suggests proper 65% RH humidor conditioning. Draw resistance sits in the goldilocks zone - not too tight, not airy. Combustion stays true despite the thick maduro leaf, requiring only 2-3 touch-ups.
