Benji Menendez – A Man with great history, makes an Historic Cigar

Benji Menendez is a man with a history.  His father, grandfather, and uncles were all considered to be legendary figures in the Cuban cigar world.  They created H. Upmann and Montecristo to name a few.  Menendez, born in Havana, has been in the cigar business all his life.  And that experience shows in this cigar made under the Partagas label.  With all of this as background you would expect a great cigar, and Menendez delivers.

Upon first inspection the cigar looks beautiful.  It has a chocolate brown oily Cameroon wrapper with light veining.  Below the traditional Partagas band there is an extension with Menendez signature and mark.  The cigar was firm to the touch and I expected that there might be problems with the draw, but both before lighting and during the entire smoke the cigar drew well.  When I went to cut the cigar, I usually use a punch, I was a bit concerned that the wrapper might tear.  But, it didn’t, another sign of the cigars superior construction.

The cigar lit without fuss and without the hot flash usually produced by lesser cigars.  Its aroma was of leather and cocoa.  I was enjoying good company during this cigar and frequently interrupted the conversation just to appreciate the cigar which had nice medium bodied flavors designating it as a ‘lunch’ cigar for me.  The flavor was nuttiness, richness and cocoa with each rising to the surface and then receding to let another come to the fore.

As the cigar burned, it held a beautifully long ash and burned perfectly even.  The fullness of flavor continued non-stop to the end without getting hot or bitter.  There was indeed a nice pleasnat aftertaste that still lingers even 20 minutes after completion.

Value is not always based on price.  At around $10 this is not an inexpensive cigar, but rather well within the price range of many lesser ’boutique’ sticks.  That makes it a good value.

Unfortunately, this was a one of a kind for me.  I wish I had some more of these in my humidor.  Anyone who who has some, please invite me over.