West Palm Beach Pearl – Leyenda Cigars
Finding myself in South Florida right before Christmas and being a lover of the leaf, I couldn’t help but do a little research in finding a cigar shop close to where we were staying. There were many in the area, but one shop kept me coming back to their website. My decision was made. I was going to visit Leyenda Cubana cigars shop and lounge.
Owner, Yodannis Jardines, emigrated from Cuba to South Florida in 2011. Before she left Cuba, Yodannis (Jody) worked as a cigar roller at the Partagas factory in Havana. Upon arriving in Florida, she worked as a cigar roller in a local shop then moved on to retail sales and store management. Three years later, Jody decided to open up her own store, Leyenda Cubana Cigars Shop and Lounge.
Located at the Palm Plaza on South Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach, the store is very unassuming, until you go in, that is! The store and lounge are long and narrow but with well-appointed sitting areas dotted with leather chairs and big screen TV’s. They also serve non-alcoholic drinks.
The day of my visit, I was given full tour of the shop. The walk-in humidor was filled to the brim with a fantastic selection of cigars, and as you can well imagine, my head started to spin as I couldn’t decide what to take home with me. Their website has some of the inventory on line, but so much was left out. A great selection of Arturo Fuente and Padrons can be had, as well as small boutique brands like Leaf By Oscar. They also have their own house brands for you to try, so I did! I opted to try the hand rolled Nicaraguan Leyenda Torpedo Maduro (6-1/3X52) and it did not disappoint. Dark and oily, a firm cigar with a great draw. Consistency in flavor started from the first light to the last puff. Bitter chocolate and strong espresso dominate the cigars flavor profile, with hints of pencil lead and black earth to back it up. A powerful, but not overpowering cigar.
Needless to say, I walked away with a bundle of house brand cigars of various sizes and a couple of Lunatic and Intemperance cigars, boutique brand names that the staff suggested I had to try. As a cigar guy, it is always nice to find those shops that are well-appointed and are staffed with knowledgeable people. I have put Leyenda Cigars in West Palm Beach on my radar. Stop by if you get the chance.
Shout out to Joe from Leyanda cigars who took time to show me around and guide me with my cigar selections.
Check them out: https://leyendacubana.com
