JFR Lunatic Maduro cigars are the sibling blend to the JFR Lunatic Habano, which has hogged the spotlight as long as both have existed. Once it made Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 Cigars of 2018 list with a 93-point rating, its dominance was firmly established. But (with apologies to Shakespeare and Caesar) we come to bury the Habano, not to praise it.
More complex than the original blend, Cigar Aficionado described the JFR Lunatic Maduro cigar this way, giving it 90 points: “An initial blast of spice calms down to show a nutty, herbal smoke with hints of graham cracker and an anise finish.” For many, this will be more interesting than the traditional flavor profile of the Habano. And we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that we’re still getting an all-star filler blend of Nicaraguan tobacco. It’s really the wrapper that changes.
The wrapper on JFR Lunatic Maduro cigars is a Mexican San Andrés Maduro leaf. This is where the sweetness and intriguing spice notes come from. It actually makes sense to grab both blends and to compare them – it’s one of the best ways to elevate your palate and get a real feel for what blenders are doing when they swap out one leaf for another. We should mention, though, that this is not a super dark Maduro. While some are fermented for a very long time, this one was mellowed out a bit and then put right to work before it lost too much potency.
That’s the tradeoff with Maduro, and the surprising fact behind so many of those super dark cigars you see out there. The dark leaf might look meaner, but it’s really traded a lot of strength and spice for earthy flavor and sweetness. It’s these light brown guys you need to keep your eye on. Well, that and the Ligero that some blenders pack into the filler blend – that’s where the most nicotine and spice are going to come from.
Did we mention the ring gauges? You can get this freakin’ blend in an 8 x 80. That’s the Lunatic part of things. If you want an absolutely massive cigar, you’ve got it.
JFR Lunatic Maduro cigars are a product of Aganorsa Leaf and use tobacco from their sunny Nicaraguan farms to take this blend to the level of a top-notch smoke. Given that half of Aganorsa Leaf’s crop is sold to premium manufacturers like Illusione, Warped, Viaje, Foundation, and Drew Estate for use in many of their highly-rated blends, that should tell you all you need to know about the quality of the tobacco in this cigar. It’s a fine blend and a suitable companion smoke to the chart-topping Lunatic Habano.
Please browse our selection of JFR Lunatic Maduro cigars at your leisure.
JFR Lunatic Maduro cigars are for those who loved the sound of the Lunatic, but who are a little too hooked on maduro to branch out. Or, just for people who loved the original and want to enjoy it a new way.
