Is Your Maduro Legit?

[ColdCuts]

It's common knowledge that "legit" maduro leaf is produced by spending more time on the plant, and once harvested, more time in fermentation. This explains why oftentimes the maduro version costs a bit more than the natural version of a given marca.

Perhaps it's less common knowledge that there are ways to produce a dark-looking "phony" maduro leaf. I've read that tobacco leaf can be quickly made dark by fermenting it at extraordinarily high temperatures; or by rolling wet tobacco leaves between the palms of the hands; or by, God forbid, artificial coloring.

Thing is, I don't know about you, but I can't tell by looking. Maybe I've only ever seen legit maduro wrappers. I don't know. Of course, manufacturers aren't going to volunteer the information unless they're producing maduro leaf the time-tested, old-fashioned way.

I don't want to assume that all inexpensive maduro bundles out there are made with phony maduro leaf, but then how do they do it? How do we know? I've heard it said that a dyed leaf will leave color on your fingers or lips when you smoke it. I've smoked a fair share of inexpensive maduro cigars, and that's never happened to me.

Can anyone shed some light?