The Ashton Aged Maduro No. 10 stands out as a 5x50 parejo with Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that glows like polished mahogany. This Dominican-made robusto delivers 60 minutes of creamy smoke at $11.65 per stick - decent value for a maduro that's earned its cult following since 2014. I fired up my latest box-pressed specimen after 3 weeks in the humidor, noticing tighter draw than last year's round vitola batches.
The cold draw tasted like molasses-soaked raisins. Initial puffs delivered wet cedar notes with burnt caramel sweetness - classic maduro territory. Smoke output surprised me, thicker than Ashton's VSG line but cooler than Liga Privada.
At the 25-minute mark, espresso grounds emerged alongside baking spices. The ash held strong for 1.5" despite quick puffing. Draw resistance increased slightly, requiring deeper pulls to maintain combustion.
Dark chocolate bitterness took over by the band point, with nicotine strength peaking at medium-full. I nubbed it to 1" remaining where black pepper notes outmuscled the sweetness.
Store at 68-70% RH to prevent wrapper cracking. These maduros respond well to 6+ months aging - my 2020 box developed plum-like undertones missing in fresh rolls. Pair with stout beer or añejo tequila to cut through the sweetness.
