Partagas Legados Cigar (2020 Limited Edition)

Partagas Legados Cigar (2020 Limited Edition)

Some cigars are made to satisfy a market. Others are made to honor a legacy. When Partagás announced the Legados as part of Habanos' 2020 Limited Edition program, the message was clear: this was a tribute to 175 years of Cuban cigar-making tradition, distilled into a single vitola. The name itself—*legados*, meaning "legacies" in Spanish—carries weight. It sits in your hand like an inheritance you didn't know you were waiting for.

The Hermosos No.2 format was created specifically for this release—an uncommon move in the conservative world of Cuban cigar vitolas, where new shapes are introduced with the caution of a chess grandmaster making a critical endgame move. Partagás, founded in 1845 by Jaime Partagás y Ravelo, has never been a brand to whisper when it could speak. The Legados embodies that philosophy: substantial at 48 ring gauge with a generous 6⅛-inch length, it offers enough canvas for the brand's characteristic boldness to unfold without rushing. The wrapper is a Colorado Maduro, glistening with natural oils that speak to the minimum two years of aging required for all Limited Edition releases. This is tobacco that has been given time to find itself before it ever meets flame.

The Limited Edition program from Habanos carries certain expectations: aged tobaccos, special sizes, and production runs that will not be repeated. The Legados arrived in boîte nature boxes—semi-boite nature, if we're being precise—with the standard Partagás band accompanied by a secondary Limited Edition band marking the 2020 release. What makes this cigar remarkable is not just its constituent parts, but how they interact. The blend was engineered to showcase the Partagás DNA—that unmistakable earthiness and spice—while allowing the extra aging to introduce a refinement that standard production cigars rarely achieve. It is, in many ways, a study in contrasts: old-school power delivered with modern sophistication.

First Light

The cold draw presents cedar and dried hay, with a whisper of spice that hints at what's to come. Upon lighting, the Legados opens with authority. Cocoa moves to the front immediately—not the sweet, dessert-like cocoa of some newer world blends, but a darker, more austere chocolate note that carries the gravitas of Cuban tobacco. Black pepper arrives on the retrohale, sharp but never aggressive, controlled like a well-trained guard dog. The leather underneath provides structure, an earthy foundation that reminds you this is a Partagás, after all. The draw offers just enough resistance to slow you down, encouraging attention.

The Journey

Into the second third, the Legados begins to reveal its complexity. The cocoa deepens, taking on characteristics of dark espresso and toasted nuts. The cedar from the cold draw re-emerges, now charred and warming, like a wood fire that has been burning for hours. The pepper mellows but never disappears, threading through the smoke like a silver vein through dark stone. There's a honeyed quality that surfaces intermittently—a sweetness that plays against the leather and earth, creating a push-pull dynamic that keeps each puff interesting. The strength builds gradually, a rising tide rather than a sudden wave.

The Finale

The final act brings everything into sharp focus. The pepper reasserts itself with renewed vigor, the cocoa turns slightly bitter in the manner of high-percentage dark chocolate, and a mineral quality emerges—iron-rich earth, the taste of Cuban soil translated into smoke. The leather wraps around everything, binding the flavors together. The burn line has held true throughout, a testament to the construction standards of the Partagás factory. The finish is long and warming, leaving cedar and spice on the palate long after the final draw. This is not a cigar that fades away; it ends with a statement.

Who It's For

The Legados is a cigar for the smoker who has moved past the exploratory phase and knows what they appreciate: tradition, strength with purpose, and the particular pleasure of a Cuban cigar that has been given the time to mature before it reaches your humidor. It suits moments of reflection—a milestone celebration, the conclusion of a significant project, or simply an evening when you have the luxury of an uninterrupted hour. This is not a training-wheels cigar, nor is it a compromise for the modern palate seeking mildness. It is, unapologetically, a Partagás.

Pairing Suggestion

A single malt Scotch from the Islands or a well-aged añejo tequila will stand alongside the Legados without being overwhelmed; both have the structural integrity to engage with the cigar's pepper and earth while complementing its cocoa and leather undertones.