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How did YOUR cigar affection begin? Let's hear those stories. As for me, I've smoked occassional cigars through my "early" years as a novelty. You know, playing cards chomping on a GyV (Yuck). Then, about 6 years ago at a tailgate for my beloved Patriots, a buddy of mine gave me a premium hand made. I think it was a Griffins Robusto. Started out like all other smokes I had tasted. But then about 1 inch into the stick, it hit me. I really liked this! I thought it may have been the atmoshphere and excitement of the moment, but I REALLY liked it. It has been a somewhat slow growth curve from that point to now, but it has been enjoyable. What better way to enjoy companionship than to savor the tastes and aromas of a fine cigar. Also, who amongst you smoke in your house? And if you do, was the divorce a huge finacial hardship?.... And have a SAFE holiday weekend.

I started smoking cigars as early as 14 on a dare from my older brother. I'll never forget it. It was a Ben Franklin Churchill (yuuuck). He (Pete), thought it was kinda funny how many colors I turned that day. Later on in life, I stopped smoking cigarettes (thank-god) and went to the premiums watching Patriot games and playing poker with my younger brothers. We experimented on Arturo Fuente's, Punch and Montecristo's. My brother Jeff loves a good cigar but feels a little guilty bumming then off his big brother, so I took him to a small walk-in humidor in Kittery, Maine while on vacation and had him buy ME a few good ones. Now I smoke Hoyo DeMonterrey's (yummy),CAO L'Anniversary Maduro's and was recently introduced to Indian Tabac's (thanks Cliff). I am constantly trying new cigars thanks to my "box pass" buddies. Now, I have 4 new Cubans I just received from a friend but am reluctant to smoke one of them. Maybe I'm afraid that after all the hype about Cuban's, they won't be as good as some of the ones I already have.....Have a good one......Brent

I quit smoking cigarettes seven years ago(one pack-a-day)...WHen I started on the job three years ago, my FTO (Field Training Officer) asked me if I mind that he smoke cigars (mostly Henry Clays) in the aquad..I said "Hell NO...That *&^% stinks!"..However, being he was my superior, I "allowed" him to smoke his "Hank" as long as the windows were cracked a bit..I couldnt for the life of me figure out how anyone could enjoy something like a cigar without inhaling!!..I had my first cigar, a La Fontana, about a month later, suggested to me by a local tobaccionist for a good beginner cigar...The first time I really had no idea how to really enjoy the cigar and had no idea what I was doing (like Sex for the first time for example..LOL)..Now three years later, I enjoy med to full flavored smokes (CAO L'Aniversaire, Bahias, Hoyo De Monterrey Double Maduros, and of course, one of my all-time favorites (outside ISOMS which I enjoy regularly), a Henry Clay Breva...After the first six months of enjoying handmade premium cigars, I appreciate everything about them and during the last three years, have read ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING I could find about premium cigars...WHat I tell people wh o ask me "How can you enjoy smoking them?", I tell them this: "You can smoke a different cigar every day for literally 50 years and NEVER smoke the same one"...and every cigar has a different taste, aroma, finish..Such a great variety..I have my favorites like everyone but always will enjoy trying new cigars..My "expensive" hobby, according to my wife who thinks I'm a little OBSESSIVE...I'm sure many of you have heard THAT word before!

I first started cigars in my second year of college. I smoked clove cigarettes and had to quit them because they gave me acne, and I'm not prone to acne, so that couldn't be good. So, while in the CVS drugstore, I saw Prince Albert Cherry Vanilla Pipe Tobacco tiparillos, picked those up and really liked them. Smoked them until my senior year in college when I was given a little Cuban Montecristo by a girl (friend) of mine. Her family was, shall we say, una famiglia la cosa nostra, so they had easy access to all things illegal. I cut the little stick, lit it, and puffed away (I learned the ritual from a CigAf daily calendar I picked up). I was knocked on my ass, this cigar floored me, I loved it! I had to have more. From then on, I decided that I needed to smoke real cigars. I returned to my tobacconist (a.k.a. CVS) and looked through their selection of cigars. I was impressed by the packaging and look of the Garcia y Vega Crystals, but instead, I picked up a bundle of maduro lonsdales (horrible, disgusting turds!) and hated them. Not discouraged, I kept the little dog-rockets in a makeshift humidor (a.k.a. empty plastic Twizzler jar)and donated them to any buddies that wanted to use the wrappers for 'non-tobacco' purposes. Things were at a stand-still for about 2 months until my older sister acquired 2 Cuban Cohiba Esplendidos from her boss for me so I smoked one on graduation day from Fordham, and the other at my graduation party a few days later. Following that, I found out my friend's family owned a cigar shop in the next town and I bought most of my sticks from there, smoking suggestions from her mom in the shop. And that's how it was. In my place, my fiance smokes as well (occasionally). No problems with smoking cigars here, we're actually gonna get married and celebrate our wedding with a box of ISOMs, I'm not sure which, but I'm thinking maybe Monte 2's.