Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series

Origin : Dominican Republic
Factory Name : Robusto
Size : 6 x 46
Wrapper : Cameroon
Filler : Dominican, Nicaraguan
Binder : Habano Connecticut
Hand-Made
Price : ~$9 each, ~$179 for a box of 20
More info about purchasing Partagas Benji Menendez cigars...

The Menendez Social site states:

Born in Havana, Cuba in 1936, Benji Menendez smiles when he says that tobacco is in his genes. His grandfather, father, uncles and great uncles were considered the royalty of the cigar business during the pre-revolution heyday of Cuban cigars, having developed world-class puros including Montecristo, H. Upmann and Por Larrañaga.

At the heart of it all, Benji simply wants to be known as a good cigar man.

I first had the BM Series at the Benji Menendez Social in New York City. I have had a couple more since then.

Appearance :
It has an excellent chocolate brown wrapper that shows some veins. The Master Series band beneath the regular Partagas band is very attractive and has Benji Menendez’s signature.

Construction :
It is a well packed cigar and well wrapped. The cap is nicely applied as well. The wrapper is Cameroon and shows a slight oiliness. The binder is Connecticut Habano and the filler is a mixture of Dominican and Nicaraguan. The prelight draw was firm but excellent. The ash held on for a good 2 inches and was white gray in color. The draw stayed excellent throughout the entire smoke. No corrections were required on any of the 3 I smoked.

Flavor :
The smell of the cigar pre-light was slightly sweet, and just smelled like nice tobacco. Initial taste was the slightest amount of pepper and there was a hint of sweetness. I couldn’t place it but there is something slightly sweet. There is also some woodiness. I did note some pepper on the retro but it is mild. The cigar creates lots of thick rich smoke. In the second third the wood tastes continues and the sweetness is gone. There is a hint of spice, perhaps cinnamon. The final third keeps the same flavor profile and I smoked it right down to the nub. The smoke was a little dry toward the end. I found it to be medium bodied.

Value :
At $8 per cigar this is good stick. The flavors are very well rounded and smooth.

Overall Rating :
I like this cigar quite a bit. I realize there are probably other cigars that might be cheaper and taste similar but this one is one worth trying. The construction, flavor profile, and enjoyment make it well worth it to me. As usual though, your mileage may vary.