How did you get into cigars?

[shark]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Jack

In 1997, when I was 19, I was going to be the best man at my best friend (since we were 5)'s wedding. I got the stripper (which was terrible! Never let a 19 year old get a stripper, no experience in what to order at all!!!) and another of our friends got a box of machine made Tinder Box brand cigars (same as above, NEVER let a 19 year old pick out a box of cigars! lol). But, I actually liked it. I think I probably liked just the fact that it was an adult type of thing to do....smoke a cigar.

Week later, he asked me what I wanted as a gift for being his best man. I told him to go buy us a couple of decent cigars and we would enjoy them together......he bought two Ashton Magnums. That was it, the cigar that hooked me. Loved that cigar.....and still enjoyed them for many years after....until my tastes started changing.

Back in the late 90's I found the usenet newsgroup cigar board ASC. Read and tried everything I could get my hands on. Opus were the huge thing and the BOOM cigar were everywhere!! Worked my way thru about 4 other boards here and there. Was a Fuente whore for a long time. Went full on habanos about 2004/05 and have been there ever since. I do still smoke occasional Fuente stuff. Hemingway Maduro's and Anejo when I do. But my experimental days are over....I know what I like now.

And as a side note, my wife has a cigar with me damn near every night after the kids go to bed. She likes the Fuente green band stuff......but...she did just ask me to find her a box of Party shorts this week.....

LOL! Ashton Magnums were my very first full box purchase. I might still have the empty box lying around somewhere

[ripper]

A Marsh Wheeling Stogie at my grandpa's drugstore in Homestead PA. He had a constant gas flame at the cigar counter for steelworkers coming in from US Steelworks No. 1 mill across the street. I was 12. That was 1962. Marsh Wheeling cigars, started in 1840, are still around, made by National Cigar Corp. in Frankfort IN.
Have a photo of me and high school girlfriend heading to the prom. I've just lit a House of Windsor Palma with a candela wrapper.