Your first cigar experience? What cigar? How old? Etc

[Nycphotog10010]

I remember reading somewhere that there are two things that every cigar smoker remembers. Their first love and their first cigar.

**So what was your first cigar? How old were you? Where were you? And anything else you’d like to share.**

As for me. I was 17. Living in New Jersey. I don’t recall if I was with anyone else. Or why I was drawn to cigars let alone the one I purchased. But I can say it was a cigar I should never have messed with as a newbie. My first cigar was a 1996/97 LFD DL Robusto. I smoked it to the nub. And to this day... LFD is still my favorite brand.

 

[SurfnSafari]

Back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth I had my first Cigar in 1957, it was a White Owl, or Dutch Master I ripped off from the landloaqrd box. I have the smart to nip the end off, light it up, and got busted by my landlord who laughed like a hyena as I turn green.

No I was not of age to do anything, but back then anyone could by tacbacco. It was common for kids with short memories to arrive with not that said. Three pack of Camel's or some other brand, and a buck to buy the smokes, and change to take home.

 

[cigarMVP]

Back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth I had my first Cigar in 1957, it was a White Owl, or Dutch Master I ripped off from the landloaqrd box. I have the smart to nip the end off, light it up, and got busted by my landlord who laughed like a hyena as I turn green.

No I was not of age to do anything, but back then anyone could by tacbacco. It was common for kids with short memories to arrive with not that said. Three pack of Camel's or some other brand, and a buck to buy the smokes, and change to take home.

If you ever write a book about this I want a copy

 

[SurfnSafari]

My days of writing for money are over.

 

[EO80]

I can not remember my first cigar, but i remember my first experience smoking a pipe that lead me here.
I was a freshman at college and played a lead in an agatha christy play. The director wanted me to actually smoke a pipe on stage during performance for the ambiance. She gave me a pipe and a tutor to teach me proper technique. Said she didnt want to see me around campus without it so it looked natural.
Does this mean i can sue the school? Lol!

 

[Nycphotog10010]

It’s definitely an odd request. But a lot of things were overlooked while we were growing up. I used to use a fake ID to buys cigars. It was the crappiest ID and yet no one said anything. Maybe it was that I was balsy enough to purchase a cigar.

But you and I are around the same age. Today everyone is so quick to sue. Is almost ridiculous. I laugh. I recall a teacher of mine in 5th grade requesting 80 students to go and buy Swiss Army knives and bring them to school for a 3 month outdoor project. No one questioned it. Our parents just got them. No one was fired or sued. Not even when a girl required stitches when the blade cut her finger upon closing the blade.

And this was New Jersey. I think people just had a very different mentality.

 

[SurfnSafari]

I grew up in a different time, thing we're very simple. Cops did not get call for every minor kids fight, bad guy ha=d Zip-Guns made of Car Antanna's that field AC .22 bullet, as a boy you had a Pocket Knife at a young age, it went every where with you. You could shake a man hand, it ment more, it was better then a 21 page contract drawn up by a Harvard Law Graduate.

We had no internet, computers, or color TV, and if you had a TV it was Black & White, and it have only a few channel we got with rabbit ears..

Kids played outside, and if you were a fat kid, it was no from FAST FOOD, it was because you had a metabolic problem. BAD JEANS. Diabetes was not burning like wild fire finding new victims daily because they over eat, live on junk, get no excercise.

 

[bwhite220]

My first cigar was a Drew Estate Natural at friend's house for a poker game in 2004. Everyone else was smoking and I was weak so I gave into peer pressure and the "girliest" cigar he had on hand (as he put it) was the DE Natural. I fell in love and started buying non-infused cigars shortly after.

 

[Nycphotog10010]

It’s the experience. Not the cigar. It’s why we are all on this forum.

You could have a 4 dollar cigar or a 400 dollar cigar. The experience out ways the cigar every time.

Of course the cigar does play a role. But only partially.

 

[bwhite220]

You could have a 4 dollar cigar or a 400 dollar cigar. The experience out ways the cigar every time.

If I had a $400 cigar, it better outperform everything else in life. Or, it was a severe failure.

 

[Nycphotog10010]

Not a failure if the experience that accompanied it was amazing. A wedding of s family member or close friend. Birth of a child. Standing in front of an amazing waterfall. Closing a major deal. Wandering the streets in a city new or familiar. Surrounded by close friends for several hours and enjoying what we all love.

I always say. It is true. We are paying for a cigar I some way. But it’s both the money. I’m paying for the experience. And every time I smile a cigar. Even if I’ve had it before. The experience is always different. It’s unique.

 

[bwhite220]

Not a failure if the experience that accompanied it was amazing.

A $400 cigar that is not very good, would make an amazing experience turn miserable because I just got hosed on $400. Let's look at your situational examples from the point of view that you just realized the $400 cigar is a complete dud.

A wedding of s family member or close friend.

First of all, everyone is complaining about the cigar smoke so, that's super annoying. Then they get weird around me because of my pretentious response of, "Hey, I'm outside and can smoke where I want. Besides, this is a $400 cigar!" and I start ruining the overall experience for everyone. Then, the moment I realize this is a crappy cigar and nowhere near worth $400, I chuck it with a fit of rage. ...wait, what's that smell? Ah crap, the grass is on fire because of that cigar now. Chaos ensues. Not a great moment.

Birth of a child.

"Doc, can you hold this $400 cigar for me while I cut the umbilical cord?" I don't see that going over very well. Later, you are at home thinking about how much that $400 cigar didn't live up to the hype and you literally burned $400. Anger begins to set in but you remember, you are a new father. You go in to play with your child and they end up throwing up and crapping at the same time. Blah.

Standing in front of an amazing waterfall.

And you keep having burn issues because there is too much humidity in the air. Then you start wondering if the cigar was crap to begin with or if you ruined the cigar by choosing to smoke it in such conditions. That snowballs into how your wife is right about you not being able to do anything correctly and all you do is burn the family money on cigars which jogs her memory of how you set your sister's wedding on fire and you refuse to change the baby's diaper or deal with spit up. You jump off the waterfall to end it all but you end up living to see another day because the water broke your fall. Embarrassing and not a great moment.

Closing a major deal.

This is a great feeling. I love closing major deals. But if I light up a $400 cigar and it sucks, all I'm thinking about is how many more major deals I need to close to justify smoking a crappy $400 cigar. Inevitably, the wife is yelling because she saw the bank record where you spent $400 (+tax) at the local B&M. She comes out yelling because you don't need another humidor and you tell her, "Babe, I didn't buy another humidor. I bought a cigar." "A cigar!?!" she screams!! "I HOPE IT WAS THE BEST MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE!" ...and all you can do is cry because it wasn't the best moment of your life. In fact, the cigar sucked and you wasted $400. You cry yourself to sleep thinking about how this is not a great moment.

Wandering the streets in a city new or familiar.

...no. At this point, you need focus on where you are wandering and why you can't remember if it's a new city or a familiar one. You have bigger issues at hand but then it strikes, "this $400 cigar sucks!" Now you start vandalizing things in this new/familiar city and you become a terrorist threat to the local authorities. Not a great moment.

Surrounded by close friends for several hours and enjoying what we all love.

I do enjoy this. But when they learn that what I am smoking is a $400 cigar and what I passed out to them was only a $40 cigar, it becomes odd. There's a tension in the air and no one wants to talk about it. Things get awkward as the night progresses and you say something simple like, "Hey Mike, those shoes are pretty cool. Where did you get them?" to which Mike says, "Whatever bro, these only cost $90 and you probably wouldn't spend less than $300 for shoes like this because they aren't up to your 'standards'". Then all hell breaks loose and all you can think is, "this is not a great moment".

 

[cigarMVP]

A $400 cigar that is not very good, would make an amazing experience miserable. I just got hosed on $400. Let's look at your situational examples from the point of view that you just realized the $400 cigar is a complete dud.


First of all, everyone is complaining about the cigar smoke so, that's super annoying. Then they get weird around me because of my pretentious response of, "Hey, I'm outside and can smoke where I want. Besides, this is a $400 cigar!" and I start ruining the overall experience for everyone. Then, the moment I realize this is a crappy cigar and nowhere near worth $400, I chuck it with a fit of rage. ...wait, what's that smell? Ah crap, the grass is on fire because of that cigar now. Chaos ensues. Not a great moment.


"Doc, can you hold this $400 cigar for me while I cut the umbilical cord?" I don't see that going over very well. Later, you are at home thinking about how much that $400 cigar didn't live up to the hype and you literally burned $400. Anger begins to set in but you remember, you are a new father. You go in to play with your child and they end up throwing up and crapping at the same time. Blah.


And you keep having burn issues because there is too much humidity in the air. Then you start wondering if the cigar was crap to begin with or if you ruined the cigar by choosing to smoke it in such conditions. That snowballs into how your wife is right about you not being able to do anything correctly and all you do is burn the family money on cigars which jogs her memory of how you set your sister's wedding on fire and you refuse to change the baby's diaper or deal with spit up. You jump off the waterfall to end it all but you end up living to see another day because the water broke your fall. Embarrassing and not a great moment.


This is a great feeling. I love closing major deals. But if I light up a $400 cigar and it sucks, all I'm thinking about is how many more major deals I need to close to justify smoking a crappy $400 cigar. Inevitably, the wife is yelling because she saw the bank record where you spent $400 (+tax) at the local B&M. She comes out yelling because you don't need another humidor and you tell her, "Babe, I didn't buy another humidor. I bought a cigar." "A cigar!?!" she screams!! "I HOPE IT WAS THE BEST MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE!" ...and all you can do is cry because it wasn't the best moment of your life. In fact, the cigar sucked and you wasted $400. You cry yourself to sleep thinking about how this is not a great moment.


...no. At this point, you need focus on where you are wandering and why you can't remember if it's a new city or a familiar one. You have bigger issues at hand but then it strikes, "this $400 cigar sucks!" Now you start vandalizing things in this new/familiar city and you become a terrorist threat to the local authorities. Not a great moment.


I do enjoy this. But when they learn that what I am smoking is a $400 cigar and what I passed out to them was only a $40 cigar, it becomes odd. There's a tension in the air and no one wants to talk about it. Things get awkward as the night progresses and you say something simple like, "Hey Mike, those shoes are pretty cool. Where did you get them?" to which Mike says, "Whatever bro, these only cost $90 and you probably wouldn't spend less than $300 for shoes like this because they aren't up to your 'standards'". Then all hell breaks loose and all you can think is, "this is not a great moment".

Actually this. This I would pay good money for if it was written down in a book. Spot on

 

[Opie]

A $400 cigar that is not very good, would make an amazing experience turn miserable because I just got hosed on $400. Let's look at your situational examples from the point of view that you just realized the $400 cigar is a complete dud.


First of all, everyone is complaining about the cigar smoke so, that's super annoying. Then they get weird around me because of my pretentious response of, "Hey, I'm outside and can smoke where I want. Besides, this is a $400 cigar!" and I start ruining the overall experience for everyone. Then, the moment I realize this is a crappy cigar and nowhere near worth $400, I chuck it with a fit of rage. ...wait, what's that smell? Ah crap, the grass is on fire because of that cigar now. Chaos ensues. Not a great moment.


"Doc, can you hold this $400 cigar for me while I cut the umbilical cord?" I don't see that going over very well. Later, you are at home thinking about how much that $400 cigar didn't live up to the hype and you literally burned $400. Anger begins to set in but you remember, you are a new father. You go in to play with your child and they end up throwing up and crapping at the same time. Blah.


And you keep having burn issues because there is too much humidity in the air. Then you start wondering if the cigar was crap to begin with or if you ruined the cigar by choosing to smoke it in such conditions. That snowballs into how your wife is right about you not being able to do anything correctly and all you do is burn the family money on cigars which jogs her memory of how you set your sister's wedding on fire and you refuse to change the baby's diaper or deal with spit up. You jump off the waterfall to end it all but you end up living to see another day because the water broke your fall. Embarrassing and not a great moment.


This is a great feeling. I love closing major deals. But if I light up a $400 cigar and it sucks, all I'm thinking about is how many more major deals I need to close to justify smoking a crappy $400 cigar. Inevitably, the wife is yelling because she saw the bank record where you spent $400 (+tax) at the local B&M. She comes out yelling because you don't need another humidor and you tell her, "Babe, I didn't buy another humidor. I bought a cigar." "A cigar!?!" she screams!! "I HOPE IT WAS THE BEST MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE!" ...and all you can do is cry because it wasn't the best moment of your life. In fact, the cigar sucked and you wasted $400. You cry yourself to sleep thinking about how this is not a great moment.


...no. At this point, you need focus on where you are wandering and why you can't remember if it's a new city or a familiar one. You have bigger issues at hand but then it strikes, "this $400 cigar sucks!" Now you start vandalizing things in this new/familiar city and you become a terrorist threat to the local authorities. Not a great moment.


I do enjoy this. But when they learn that what I am smoking is a $400 cigar and what I passed out to them was only a $40 cigar, it becomes odd. There's a tension in the air and no one wants to talk about it. Things get awkward as the night progresses and you say something simple like, "Hey Mike, those shoes are pretty cool. Where did you get them?" to which Mike says, "Whatever bro, these only cost $90 and you probably wouldn't spend less than $300 for shoes like this because they aren't up to your 'standards'". Then all hell breaks loose and all you can think is, "this is not a great moment".

easy Brandon, he's new obviously. he has a lot to learn.
the cigar is the experience.

 

[Opie]

I always say. It is true. We are paying for a cigar I some way.But it’s both the money. I’m paying for the experience. And every time I smile a cigar. Even if I’ve had it before. The experience is always different. It’s unique.

This is exactly my first experience kind of, it was an Acid. I remember it like it was yesterday. Not fondly, and I don't smile but I remember it. come to think of it, it wasn't worth the money. but it was unique, we can agree on that.

 

[Opie]

this makes me wonder what the $400 cigar experience should be?

 

[Glassman]

A $400 cigar that is not very good, would make an amazing experience turn miserable because I just got hosed on $400. Let's look at your situational examples from the point of view that you just realized the $400 cigar is a complete dud.


First of all, everyone is complaining about the cigar smoke so, that's super annoying. Then they get weird around me because of my pretentious response of, "Hey, I'm outside and can smoke where I want. Besides, this is a $400 cigar!" and I start ruining the overall experience for everyone. Then, the moment I realize this is a crappy cigar and nowhere near worth $400, I chuck it with a fit of rage. ...wait, what's that smell? Ah crap, the grass is on fire because of that cigar now. Chaos ensues. Not a great moment.


"Doc, can you hold this $400 cigar for me while I cut the umbilical cord?" I don't see that going over very well. Later, you are at home thinking about how much that $400 cigar didn't live up to the hype and you literally burned $400. Anger begins to set in but you remember, you are a new father. You go in to play with your child and they end up throwing up and crapping at the same time. Blah.


And you keep having burn issues because there is too much humidity in the air. Then you start wondering if the cigar was crap to begin with or if you ruined the cigar by choosing to smoke it in such conditions. That snowballs into how your wife is right about you not being able to do anything correctly and all you do is burn the family money on cigars which jogs her memory of how you set your sister's wedding on fire and you refuse to change the baby's diaper or deal with spit up. You jump off the waterfall to end it all but you end up living to see another day because the water broke your fall. Embarrassing and not a great moment.


This is a great feeling. I love closing major deals. But if I light up a $400 cigar and it sucks, all I'm thinking about is how many more major deals I need to close to justify smoking a crappy $400 cigar. Inevitably, the wife is yelling because she saw the bank record where you spent $400 (+tax) at the local B&M. She comes out yelling because you don't need another humidor and you tell her, "Babe, I didn't buy another humidor. I bought a cigar." "A cigar!?!" she screams!! "I HOPE IT WAS THE BEST MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE!" ...and all you can do is cry because it wasn't the best moment of your life. In fact, the cigar sucked and you wasted $400. You cry yourself to sleep thinking about how this is not a great moment.


...no. At this point, you need focus on where you are wandering and why you can't remember if it's a new city or a familiar one. You have bigger issues at hand but then it strikes, "this $400 cigar sucks!" Now you start vandalizing things in this new/familiar city and you become a terrorist threat to the local authorities. Not a great moment.


I do enjoy this. But when they learn that what I am smoking is a $400 cigar and what I passed out to them was only a $40 cigar, it becomes odd. There's a tension in the air and no one wants to talk about it. Things get awkward as the night progresses and you say something simple like, "Hey Mike, those shoes are pretty cool. Where did you get them?" to which Mike says, "Whatever bro, these only cost $90 and you probably wouldn't spend less than $300 for shoes like this because they aren't up to your 'standards'". Then all hell breaks loose and all you can think is, "this is not a great moment".

 

[Nycphotog10010]

Opie.

I appreciate your response. And although I’m new to BOTL. I’ve been smoking cigars for 22yrs. Everyone has their opinions. And I accept that not everyone will agrees with my views. If taken at a granular level than Brandon’s views make sense. But I’m talking on a much grander level.

Forget picking apart every detail. And just enjoy the experience. If it’s a dud. There’s nothing that you can do about it. And If you are concerned with purchasing a 400 dollar cigar and your reaction to its quality than dont buy one.

The point I was making. The original intent. It does not matter the cost of the cigar. It’s the experience. How you choose to enjoy those 30 minutes or 3 hours.

 

[JG358]

My first cigar was an Ashton maduro I received from a good friends dad the day I graduated high school.

 

[Glassman]

Opie.

I appreciate your response. And although I’m new to BOTL. I’ve been smoking cigars for 22yrs. Everyone has their opinions. And I accept that not everyone will agrees with my views. If taken at a granular level than Brandon’s views make sense. But I’m talking on a much grander level.

Forget picking apart every detail. And just enjoy the experience. If it’s a dud. There’s nothing that you can do about. And I you are concerned with purchasing a 400 dollar cigar and your reaction to its quality than dot but one.

The point I was making. The original intent. It does not matter the cost of the cigar. It’s the experience. How you choose to enjoy those 30 minutes or 3 hours.

Haha, Brandon's just joking, when he gets inspiration you just gotta let it roll and appreciate the one of a kind experience for what it is..