How did you get into smoking cigars?
- Thread starter jcolan1
- Start date
ChefBoyRG54
BoM Sept '14 & BoY 2014
Quit reading my posts!
After the long Michigan winter it was always tradition for my friends and I to stop by a B&M and grab a stick when we went on the first motorcycle ride of spring. Other than that, I would grab the occasional stick on a whim. Cigar smoking kind of dropped off after getting married and having kids.
In 2007 my wife and I started playing an online video game together and eventually met a great group of people through the game. In 2009 we started hosting a yearly gathering with our online friends. My very good friend from Texas is a cigar smoker and we both enjoy single malt scotch so started the tradition of splitting a bottle of The Balvenie (the past two years we have made it the 21 year port wood) and smoking cigars during the Reunion. For Christmas this year this year he sent me a 50 count humidor, a lighter, a cutter, and a sampler of some sticks. It has all gone downhill from there.
I now have a 300 count humi and enjoy smoking cigars weekly.
This same friend also got me into pipes and I now smoke my pipes daily.
In 2007 my wife and I started playing an online video game together and eventually met a great group of people through the game. In 2009 we started hosting a yearly gathering with our online friends. My very good friend from Texas is a cigar smoker and we both enjoy single malt scotch so started the tradition of splitting a bottle of The Balvenie (the past two years we have made it the 21 year port wood) and smoking cigars during the Reunion. For Christmas this year this year he sent me a 50 count humidor, a lighter, a cutter, and a sampler of some sticks. It has all gone downhill from there.
I now have a 300 count humi and enjoy smoking cigars weekly.
This same friend also got me into pipes and I now smoke my pipes daily.
Ducttapegonewild
Actual Size
Sorry, I'll stop reading your pm's too...
I'm still very. But I guess I will tell ya. My parents smoked cigarettes but I HATE them! My grandfather smoked a pipe and I always loved the smell of it. Well a few months ago I lost my job. I decided that I wanted to try a cigar. I found a local b&m and went in. The nice lady behind the counter asked me some questions and she recommended some sticks. I tried them and only liked one, a oliva series O muduro. I went back and bought a few more. And so on. Now I find I really like AF and drew estate. I went from a $25 starter kit from Amazon to a 18 bottle wineador. I smoke 2 or 3 a week. I find nothing better than sitting on the front porch with my dogs and a good cigar. I fear this may become a life long thing....
LigaPrivadaFanboy
Unrepentant Hoarder
Quit cigarettes in 2003. In 2009 or so I went to the Single Malt Whisky Extravaganza where they handed out free cigars. So it all started with me and my friends smoking shitty Warlocks under umbrellas in the November Seattle rain while completely tanked on epic whisky. Tried a bunch of diff brands at the B&M, the online. Got hooked on DE, MoW, Illusione & Fuente, the rest is history.
I'm not gonna count black and milds.
Back in high school when I smoked the other type of grass, we'd always use Garcia y vega or swishers. Then my senior year, a friend if mine had just to Texas from Chicago, and he always talked about how made bigger blunts using Dutch Master's. So I went out to cvs and bought some, but one day I was out of grass, so I decided to smoke it with the tobacco intact. One thing led to another, and I somehow ended up on the devil site. Joined this forum, and we all know the rest.
Back in high school when I smoked the other type of grass, we'd always use Garcia y vega or swishers. Then my senior year, a friend if mine had just to Texas from Chicago, and he always talked about how made bigger blunts using Dutch Master's. So I went out to cvs and bought some, but one day I was out of grass, so I decided to smoke it with the tobacco intact. One thing led to another, and I somehow ended up on the devil site. Joined this forum, and we all know the rest.
This thread is a good read! My wife's family is full of cigar smokers. I smoked cigarettes but couldn't get into cigars (even though I really wanted to, so I could connect with her dad/uncles). One day, a coworker brought some cigars to celebrate a job wrapping. It looked good, so another coworker and I got metal tubo Cohibas from a liquor store the following day. That was one of the first cigars I recall really enjoying. Went to a B&M the following week, and bought about 10 sticks or so; I did a lot of sampling for the first 6 months (after jumping the gun on a box purchase). Joined Cigar Aficionado Forums, but made the switch to here a few months later, and the rest is history.
Hard to believe it's only been a little over a year smoking, and less than a year on this forum
Hard to believe it's only been a little over a year smoking, and less than a year on this forum
Ducttapegonewild
Actual Size
But the important milestone is how long you HAVEN'T been smoking cigarettes.This thread is a good read! My wife's family is full of cigar smokers. I smoked cigarettes but couldn't get into cigars (even though I really wanted to, so I could connect with her dad/uncles). One day, a coworker brought some cigars to celebrate a job wrapping. It looked good, so another coworker and I got metal tubo Cohibas from a liquor store the following day. That was one of the first cigars I recall really enjoying. Went to a B&M the following week, and bought about 10 sticks or so; I did a lot of sampling for the first 6 months (after jumping the gun on a box purchase). Joined Cigar Aficionado Forums, but made the switch to here a few months later, and the rest is history.
Hard to believe it's only been a little over a year smoking, and less than a year on this forum
One very long, weird, exciting, stressful, hectic month!But the important milestone is how long you HAVEN'T been smoking cigarettes.This thread is a good read! My wife's family is full of cigar smokers. I smoked cigarettes but couldn't get into cigars (even though I really wanted to, so I could connect with her dad/uncles). One day, a coworker brought some cigars to celebrate a job wrapping. It looked good, so another coworker and I got metal tubo Cohibas from a liquor store the following day. That was one of the first cigars I recall really enjoying. Went to a B&M the following week, and bought about 10 sticks or so; I did a lot of sampling for the first 6 months (after jumping the gun on a box purchase). Joined Cigar Aficionado Forums, but made the switch to here a few months later, and the rest is history.
Hard to believe it's only been a little over a year smoking, and less than a year on this forum
Years ago a friend sent me a cigar to try, it was ok but wasn't that mind blowing experience to make me want to get more. Then this past May I was in Florida visiting friends we were at a bar and saw they sold cigars so we both got one. I have no idea what it was but it much more enjoyable. Then my brothers birthday was a week or so after I got back I got us a couple of cigars to smoke. Then me or him would grab a couple from a B&M and smoke them within a few days. In that time I found cigar forums and what I think will be a lifetime hobby. I listened to advice and skipped the cheap humidor went straight to tupperware I think I have around 40 sticks now and tons more that I want to try.
StogieNinja
Derek | BoM June 2014
I think I was a senior in high school. A friend's dad shared a couple Fuente's with us on the porch one afternoon. Loved every puff to the nub, then went inside and lost my dinner. After that, I still thought it had been worth the experience, so I knew I was in love.
My stash started with a ziplock bag and singles I would buy and smoke every now and again on a whim for a few years. Finally about five years ago, I bought a humidor from Thompsons and a few fivers here and there from Famous... Gurkha, Rocky, etc. Started browsing Cigars Aficionado, and noticed all the adds for Oliva and Alec Bradley, so I tried one of each, the Tempus Maduro and the Oliva V. The Oliva V was the one that showed me just how delicious a cigar could be.
Stumbled upon a now-defunct cigar forum looking for advice on what to smoke next, and started developing my palate. Discovered the Liga Privada No. 9, which was literally the best cigar I had imagined was possible. From there it was a long tumble down the slope of Ligas, Tats, and My Fathers. Then I discovered CCs and realized that what I thought was a slope was in fact a gentle introduction to a very, very steep cliff.
My stash started with a ziplock bag and singles I would buy and smoke every now and again on a whim for a few years. Finally about five years ago, I bought a humidor from Thompsons and a few fivers here and there from Famous... Gurkha, Rocky, etc. Started browsing Cigars Aficionado, and noticed all the adds for Oliva and Alec Bradley, so I tried one of each, the Tempus Maduro and the Oliva V. The Oliva V was the one that showed me just how delicious a cigar could be.
Stumbled upon a now-defunct cigar forum looking for advice on what to smoke next, and started developing my palate. Discovered the Liga Privada No. 9, which was literally the best cigar I had imagined was possible. From there it was a long tumble down the slope of Ligas, Tats, and My Fathers. Then I discovered CCs and realized that what I thought was a slope was in fact a gentle introduction to a very, very steep cliff.
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I would suggest that, if Rasshat needs to communicate with you, he should simply write longer notes in the packages he sends to you.
ChefBoyRG54
BoM Sept '14 & BoY 2014
Crafty idea!
Ducttapegonewild
Actual Size
I don't think I like the way this is going.
I like to help!
And when the hell did your post count pass mine? I've been too quiet lately
Too late
ChefBoyRG54
BoM Sept '14 & BoY 2014
Hold some contests
Yeah, I've got post #5000 to do a contest for and, more importantly, next month is my one year anniversary of cigars so you know that is coming with a contest!Hold some contests
Back in the Mid 1990's there was a pretty big cigar boom. I had smoked cigars before then but not like then and now. Cigar shops, cigars bars, bars having cigar nights (this was before smoking bans in restaurants in Florida) made the experience much easier to enjoy. Back then the market was dominated by Dominican brands few Honduran brands but no Nicaraguan that I remember. This was nearly a decade before tatuaje. In the early 2000's I lived in SO FL and I used to go to calle ocho and buy unbanded cigars in a bundle. After 4-8 months rest they were really good, I never knew it at the time who he was but it was Pepin Garcia's factory. After a few years I saw his picture in CA and about that time he started producing Tatuaje. That's what got me stuck on Garcia blends / cigars and tatuaje.