Cigar Review: Perdomo Legacy Nicaraguan Shade Grown

Cigar Name: Legacy Nicaraguan Shade Grown

Brand: Perdomo

Vitola: Epicure 6x54

Origin: Tabacalera Perdomo Nicaragua

Wrapper: 10-year-aged Nicaraguan Shade Grown wrapper, bourbon barrel-aged for a minimum of 10 months grown from a unique hybrid of Cuban and Cameroon seeds developed at Perdomo’s Finca Natalie farm in Estelí, Nicaragua

Binder: Cuban seed Nicaraguan aged 10 years.

Filler: Nicaraguan from Estelí, Condega, and Jalapa Valley aged 10 years

Price: $13.50

Date Smoked: July 2nd, 2025

Smoking Time: 95 minutes

Reviewer: Marty C

1. Taste 

Flavor Profile: 

• First Third: Cigar starts with a tanginess and oak woodiness that I assume comes from the bourbon barrel aging. The Connecticut version which uses the Nicaraguan shade leaf as a binder did not have this and makes me wonder if they use barrels from a  toasted oak bourbon for this wrapper or if its just the extra time in the barrel aging process. There is a medium roast coffee note and nuttiness in the background.

• Second Third: As I enter the second third, the sweetness ramps up with a chocolate breadiness reminding me of chocolate chip cookies. The bourbon twang continues and is very pleasant. The smoke given off is very aromatic and the retrohale is smooth and delicious.

• Final Third: In the final third the coffee notes increase and the tanginess switches to more of a peppery spice. Woody oak notes also ramp up and the sweetness subsides. I set the cigar down with about an inch remaining.

Complexity: Some nice transitions. The middle third was my favorite.

Strength: Medium body 

Aftertaste: aftertaste is a very nice  peppery tang

Score: 31/40

2. Construction 

Quality: Wrapper is smooth reddish brown with minimal veins.

Feel: Firm with little give.

Cut: Straight cut was smooth and the cap maintained its integrity. 

Notes: The construction of this cigar was great.

Score: 20/20

3. Draw

Resistance: Draw is perfect.

Smoke Volume: Moderate amount of nicely aromatic smoke.

Consistency: Draw remained consistent throughout 

Score: 20/20

4. Appearance 

Visual Appeal: Wrapper is reddish brown. Smooth with a light sheen and minimal veins.

Band Design: The band is large and dominated by glossy gold intricate designs with red in the background and some hints of blue near the edges. The Perdomo “P” is the centerpiece in the middle of a sunburst surrounded by black with and “1965 Legacy 2025” displayed underneath.

Overall Presentation: A very elegant presentation with the band being very similar to those used on most Perdomo brand cigars. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

Notes: Band came off easily which I appreciate.

Score: 10/10

5. Burn 

Evenness: Burn was straight and sharp 

Ash: A mostly white ash with black specking that held on in large chunks. When I smoked the Legacy Connecticut the ash stayed on for the whole cigar, which was fun but a bit distracting. I tapped these off before they were ready to fall. Whatever Perdomo is doing for their construction, it's working.

Relights: No touchups required.

Burn Time: 95 minutes

Notes: You cant get much better than this.

Score: 10/10

Overall Experience

Summary: The Perdomo Legacy Nicaraguan Shade Grown is a Nicaraguan Puro cigar crafted by Nicholas Perdomo III as a tribute to his father, Nick Perdomo Jr. This cigar features a Nicaraguan Shade-Grown wrapper from a unique hybrid of Cuban and Cameroon seeds developed at Perdomo’s Finca Natalie farm in Estelí, Nicaragua and in development since 2014. This same tobacco is used as the binder in the maduro and connecticut versions of the cigar.

“By carefully crossing Cuban Seed and Cameroon Seed tobaccos through hand-controlled pollination and precise seed pod development, we've cultivated a groundbreaking tobacco varietal: the Nicaraguan Shade Grown. This exceptional hybrid, which we proudly call our “Super Seed”, represents a perfect marriage of tradition and innovation. We believe it stands among the greatest contributions to the tobacco industry—bold, refined, and deeply rooted in craftsmanship.”

—Nicholas Perdomo, III.

Pairing Suggestions: The tanginess in this cigar would go great with bourbon or as always a rootbeer..

Would You Smoke Again?: For sure

Total Score: 91/100

Final Thoughts: The Perdomo Legacy Nicaraguan Shade Grown offers a medium-bodied flavor profile, starting with tangy spice, oak, and coffee notes, transitioning to sweet chocolate breadiness in the second third, and finishing with pleasant peppery spice and woody oak. It boasts impeccable construction, perfect draw, and consistent, sharp burn producing aromatic smoke and a strong ash. The elegant presentation, highlighted by a glossy gold and red band, complements the 90-minute smoking experience, earning high scores for construction, draw, appearance, and burn.