I’m not supposed to be here. I’m supposed to be in the Dominican Republic with other bloggers as guests of General Cigars, smoking poolside with Benji Menendez. I was all set to go and then this little thing called a disaster at work entered into the picture causing me to cancel my travel plans at the last minutes. Such is life…but all is not lost. Turns out, Benji Menendez will actually be in the DC/Baltimore area this week. So while I can’t hangout with Benji in the Dominican, I can hangout with him on my turf…maybe I’ll treat him to a lobster roll.

Born in Havana, Cuba in 1936, Benji Menendez and his family were considered the royalty of the cigar business during the pre-embargo heyday of Cuban cigars. Of the six original leading Cuban cigar manufacturers, Benji is the only living person that is still active in the business today. Many of you are like me and consider the Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series and/or the Partagas 150 to be one of the two best cigars of all time. I know they are two of my favorites. In fact, if you’ve been with Stogie Review since we started over five and a half years ago, you will know that two cigars that got me into smoking were the Partagas #8 Maduro and the Partagas Black. While I don’t smoker either of them as much as I use to, when I do, I have fond memories.

If you are in the DC/Baltimore area this week, make some time to meet a true living legend in the industry. Benji is one of the most down to earth, humble guys in the industry. Need more of a reason? Well if you come out to W.Curtis Draper Bethesda on Tuesday evening you can hang with me and our own Charlie Greenbacker. Still not enough? Well if you go to either of the events at W.Curtis Draper (Tuesday at Bethesda location, Wednesday at Downtown location) an added bonus are the 10 count boxes of a Limited Edition Benji Menendez Partagas Master Series toro cigar made exclusively for Drapers. Only 200 boxes were made featuring a blend reminiscent of the Benji Majestuoso Partagas. Once they are gone…they are gone.

Benji’s last stop in the area is on Friday at The Humidour.