Wrapper: Cameroon Seed/Cuban Seed Hybrid
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6 x 54
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $14 single ($10.58 at Cigar Page)
Factory: Tabacalera Perdomo
The Story:
10-year age stated tobacco, Cameroon and Habano seed hybrid. That’s like cigar porn. For an unabashed fanboy of Cameroon with a teenager’s crush on Cuban tobacco this love child of two fav’s was destined to be failed exercise in fiscal restraint.
Phil gave me very explicit and detailed instruction for this review he said, “hey write about whatever cigar you want whether I’ve previously reviewed it or not”. Spoiler alert, he’s probably gonna be sorry about that little hall pass.
As I thoroughly enjoy Perdomo’s 30th in Sun Grown and the Maduro – When I saw the hybrid leaf on the Legacy, I hit the preorder button at 2guysCigars.com faster than I failed at dry January this year. By the way, pair the Legacy Shade Grown with your smoothest 90 proof bourbon, trust me. Don’t go proof crazy, you’ll regret it if you do, not for the least of which is waking up in a pool of dog slobber.
Any-who, my coveted gems had finally arrived, and I secreted them away beyond my loving wife’s adoring eyes. In reality it was wife “side eye” – but I’m telling my side of the story. If you’re reading Katman and love short stories made long, you know the exact look of disdain and spousal disapproval expressed in that particular version of wife side eye laid on me.
Well back to my first and likely last guest review, or at least the preamble to it. Look I’ve already said cigar porn so if your still with me then a bit of cigar review foreplay wasn’t unexpected.
Where was I, yeah first contact with the goods. Boxes in hand (yes, boxes, I bought all three versions) I sheepishly retire to my happy place and like a kid on Christmas morning I ripped into the Shade Grown box, fired one up at a pace that would make premature ignition history.
The first sharp, pungent puff of smoke hits my tongue, and throat and eruption of all the pent-up anticipation leading to this moment, I can’t feel my hands, knees weak and nether region on alert, I seemingly lost all self-control and reflexively retrohale the first friggin puff. Forgive me, I was overcome in the moment.
My sinuses ablaze, all my ENT Doc’s expert work is in serious jeopardy of permanent and irreparable harm. Somehow, I manage to keep from guffawing lunch, and I exhale one of the sharpest and most off-putting billowing swill of postindustrial pollution ever to leave a human being’s mouth or nose. I swear in that thin ethereal cloud escaping skyward from my wrenching pie hole I see the disapproving face of the ghost of Cigars smoked to soon, strangely looked like an older version of Katman. Haranguing reviewers who never tell you how long they rest their babies or if they are naked or not, the cigars not the reviewers. Under fermentation, undisclosed leaf stats we all should know, we’ve read all Katman’s greatest work, his regularly scheduled recitation of the rest he gives to his loved ones. But the one and only guiding principle, his sermon on the mount (sorry New Testament reference) yep, the biggie – Katman’s golden rule – “let’m rest” – I sinned, I’m crushed.
I’ve got a car payment tied up in a pile of tobacco rolls of which one is at that moment filling my happy place with an aroma, a sharp and biting, aroma not on any flavor or aroma wheel, as best I can describe it is like a bonfire of old jockstraps burning in my barn, plasticky, acrid, and some other scents better not mentioned.
Dejected, embarrassed, disappointed, I hide these boxes away (no easy task) and erase them from memory the only evidence of this purchase is the line on the credit card statement and those three beautiful boxes, yeah that first smoke may have broken my heart and burned my olfactory nerves to the nub, but those boxes, wow are they eye catching, shiny, new, curvy and voluptuous and they just sit there for months and stare at me from incarceration.
Three months and a presidential pardon later the gorgeous boxes and resident sticks are sprung from lockup.
5 months after release and Katman gives me a hall pass to write about any cigar I want….
And now for the rest of the story….
This is my 22nd stick in the last 4 months. This review more accurately describes overwhelmingly most of my actual experiences with this stick – Smoking ROTT was an issue. Lesson learned, again, and again, and again. We can’t help ourselves.
My name is Jeff and I smoke cigars too soon. I’m here to be your guest reviewer – audience response – “Hi Jeff….”
Draw is Perdomo perfect, open with just enough resistance to build flavor and slow burn. Perdomo is often slighted by some as a lesser brand, lesser sophisticated, non-S class stick. I’m not a fan of a lot of the Perdomo line but when one hits your palate, what a treat. Doesn’t bend you over and charge $20+ for barrel aged tobacco and unique top tier leaf.
This stick had 8 months of rest, covered in the witness protection program.
My schnozzle has since recovered, and my olfactory nerves detect hay/barnyard and a generic sweetness on the foot and less so on the wrapper.
The cold draw had notes of honey, brown sugar/molasses.
First Third-
At first light there’s a bold pepper zing. In this stick I’m smoking for review, and one of the only times I’ve experienced a series of quick noted pepper transitions in first third of this cigar. The pepper started out as green Serrano with a pretty good punch. Sharp but not acrid. You can taste the pepper flavor, distinctly green. The first puffs were all about green pepper. Like a chameleon the flavor after just several puffs, less than ¼”in, transitioned into red pepper, and within half an inch to black pepper, and then just before the end of the first morphed to white pepper. Pepper was the dominant flavor note, though all pepper notes were represented, kind of nifty progression. A hint of citrus takes second chair teasing the palate for more, with a doughy not quite bready flavor along for the ride. Body is medium, flavor is medium and smoke is smooth and a bit dry. Not parching but on the dry side.
Second Third –
Flavor profile is fully developed at this point; pepper gymnastics are long gone. Citrus and a light creamy note start to move forward but not quite front and center. Warm baking spices weave in and out with pepper/white pepper eventually giving way to warm baking spices, cinnamon, cardamum, and citrus, more blood orange than orange. If you’ve ever had Weisser Glühwein, it’s a warm, sweet, mulled white wine that is laced with orange slices and cinnamon sticks. Not be confused with Glühwein which is the older bolder sibling made of mulled red wine. On this day there’s a bit of that melding of alcohol like bite from the spice going on with this stick. If you have an Oktoberfest near you give Weiss Wien a try. You might enjoy it. Char Oak, blood orange, and croissant are secondary notes. Not full Hawaiian sweet bread but a nice light body pastry with a hint of sweetness makes its way into the second third. Body moves to medium Full just a bit under full, this stick had noticeably more nicotine in the sweet spot than others I have smoked. Usually, the second third is spot on Medium – plus. Flavor is medium but by no stretch a flavor bomb. Smoke has mellowed out and is creamy with a bit sweetness. Not as dry as the first third. Smoke is creamy plentiful and satisfying.
Final Third –
Coffee notes appear as overall flavor moves a bit darker with the return some pepper on the palate, the pepper bite and the coffee give off an Irish coffee vibe, heavy on the Irish. Char oak compliments this Irish coffee well. Likely the bourbon barrel aging in play. Again, it’s there but not dominant. There is a faint hint Blood orange sweetness left. Smoke is not dry or satiating but has a bit heft to it, no longer creamy smooth, just a bit sticky on the tongue. The cigar burns at an ideal temp, clean burn line, very little wave all the way to the nub.
Overall –
Moral of this story let cigars rest after shipment, especially new releases. First box was a pre-release so it may have been too fresh to get the best experience. Glad I had to smoke another. It’s now a cigar that I smoke regularly. Overall, this vitola does not require a lot attention to enjoy but commands enough of your attention to be a satisfying in most situations. Not overly complex but not linear. If you really take your time with this stick you can pick up Cameron and Cuban Habano notes. What a wicked little job of seed varietal wizardry. It’s a great burner, stays lit if you ignore it more than you should. I smoke it on the porch to chill and often light it up on the golf course as its stellar construction, maintenance free smoking experience and sneaky boldness make it a reliable go to. All in all, a versatile and enjoyable smoke. Nicolas Perdomo III knocked it out of the park with this one on his first effort. A great tribute to his father and the family Legacy. Try a couple of each blend before you buy boxes.
Smoke your good ones now, save the bad ones for when you’re gone!
Stay smokey my friends,
J. Diaz
P.S. – my Apple Watch just told me I met my writing goal for the next 6 months….
Katman here: You can purchase the Perdomo Legacy Shade Grown (in 4 sizes) from sponsor Cigar Page. You won’t pay $14.00. You won’t pay a little over $10 for the already discounted price. Alex Gougher stood tall with a promo code DOMO10 for 10% off. That’s $9.52 for the Toro with equal savings for the other sizes.
RATING: 94
Katman here again: This morning, Smoking Hub provided info on a Perdomo 10-cigar sampler plus 15 other great brand samplers at killer prices. Click here to visit Cigar Page Discord Rare Fare Exclusive Samplers. I asked Alex for a promo code, but he replied that they are near the breakeven price points with these prices. Alex is not a bullshitter so I believe him; and so should you. I would like to add that I don’t get a dime for deals from my sponsors that I post on a regular basis. I don’t ask. I should. But I don’t. They are always more than kind to me in other ways. Like loyalty. Most sponsors have no idea what that means. If you get my drift.
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I still can’t figure out why all cigar makers do not put a box date on their product. Somebody should put their feet to the fire. All Cuban cigars are box dated, it is the right thing to do.
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