VENTURA CIGAR CO. LAUNCHES NEW 'CUBAN CIGAR FACTORY' BRANDS CREATED BY TWO OF THE WORLD'S MASTER BLENDERS

Cigars Inspired by the Old World, Created for the New

June 2019 – “Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What’s a sundial in the shade?,” said Benjamin Franklin. Now, two of the most legendary cigar industry pioneers, Benjamin “Benji” Menendez and Manuel “Manolo” Quesada, are using their blending talents for an exciting new passion project entitled, "Cuban Cigar Factory" from Michael Giannini and Ventura Cigar Company (VCC).

Led by their longtime friend, Michael Giannini, Srs. Menendez and Quesada have each created a namesake blend for the Cuban Cigar Factory selection. A celebration of tradition and talent, this collaboration for Ventura Cigar Company’s Cuban Cigar Factory is bringing the importance of Old-World Cuban expat expertise to the palates of today's cigar smokers and beyond.

Behind the Blends
Benji Menendez enjoyed an early start in the Cuban cigar business at his father’s factory. Forced to leave his home and livelihood when Castro came to power, Menendez had to start completely over. However, as a seeker of opportunity and a purveyor of fine tobacco, he soon established a new foothold, becoming a mastermind behind cigars and factories in nearly every cigar-making country. Benji's career has been legendary, working in eight different countries to produce some of the best cigars to hit the market, including Partagas and Macanudo for General Cigar Corp.

“I still think about the cigar factory every day of my life,” says Benji.

The Benji Menendez for Cuban Cigar Factory selection is a rich, silky smooth blend featuring a Dominican binder, Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers, and an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. The cigars are presented in three formats: Robusto, Toro, and Belicoso.

Manolo Quesada is a fourth-generation master from a lineage of tobacco growers, brokers, and blenders that stretch back over a century. His career began in pre-Castro Cuba, where he first developed a taste for the intricacies of tobacco at his father’s company. Also forced to leave Cuba by Castro’s rise to power, Quesada went to the Dominican Republic, where he founded MATASA in 1972, from the humble beginnings of a chair, a phone, three rollers, and $100. Over the decades, MATASA has flourished under Quesada’s intuitive, expert eye for quality and flavor, making his knowledge for the past and present a natural fit for the Cuban Cigar Factory project.

The Manolo Quesada for Cuban Cigar Factory selection is a rich and savory blend featuring an Ecuadorian binder, Dominican fillers, and an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. The cigars are also presented in three formats: Robusto, Toro, and Belicoso.

“I feel like I’m a Rick Rubin of the cigar industry,” said Michael Giannini, General Manager at Ventura Cigar. “I’m bringing people together- people who I admire, my great friends who laid the foundation of the cigar industry, and people of the next generation. The creators and the consumers. Everyone has something to offer. We have a duty to engage this talent, not to let these great minds and their priceless knowledge fade away. They’re now our mentors, an inspiration to us all, and they’re still here, still on the court, so let’s play ball. Let’s show everyone what we can do.”

Both Cuban Cigar Factory cigars are created at the MATASA factory in the Dominican Republic, in collaboration with Ventura Cigar Company. They are set to debut at IPCPR 2019, and are planned for a late summer ship date.

Sizes and MSRP prices for the Benji Menendez and Manolo Quesada Cuban Cigar Factory blends are as follows:
Robusto: 5" x 50, $12.99 each or $259.98 for a box of 20
Toro: 6" x 50, $13.99 each or $279.98 for a box of 20
Belicoso: 6.25" x 52, $14.49 each, or $289.98 for a box of 20

For more information about Cuban Cigar Factory, or any other cigars in the Ventura Cigar Company Portfolio, please visit venturacigar.com.

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About Ventura Cigar Company
Ventura Cigar Company (VCC) is a unique cigar brand born in sunny Southern California that is on a mission to create memorable, complex cigar blends that excite the senses and reward discriminating palates. Their flagship Archetype, Case Study, Project805, and PSyKo SEVEN brands offer multiple award-winning blends that earned 90+ ratings in Cigar Aficionado, Cigar & Spirits, and Cigar Snob. And Archetype’s Axis Mundi won #13 Cigar of the Year for 2017 from Cigar Aficionado. Ventura Cigar Company also distributes Tommy Bahama Luxury Cigar Accessories and the 4th Generation Tobacconist and Comoy’s of London lines of pipe tobacco products, extending its reach and tradition of offering top-quality tobacconist products. Pipes and blends under these brands are cultivated through generations of craftsmanship, making them longtime favorites of pipe tobacco enthusiasts.