How Has Your Collection Grown?

[joshhooper7]

I've been smoking cigars for about 6 years, but only recently got really big into cigars. I enjoyed them for myself and smoked only big name NC from the local shops at first, only having a humidor that would hold about 25 cigars in it. In 2014, I took a vacation to Aruba and bought my first ever box of Cubans, it was a box of PSD4.

As time went on, I stopped smoking cigars often and only busted open the humidor once a month, if that. Fast forward to around January of 2017 and I found reddit cigars forum and that for me was both amazing and eye opening. I went from smoking mediocre Fuente's to smoking excellent NC from boutique brands. Stumbling along to April of the same year, I upgraded from a 25 count desktop humidor to a 500 count wineador.

The reddit community was mostly about cigar smoking, not so much cigar collecting, so my 500 count humidor was way too big for what I needed it for. I had 5/6 shelves complete with NC cigars, roughly ~200 of them I got from website clearance and then one drawer was from my first ever Cuban box split. My friend Dan who has a far bigger cigar buying problem than I do bought around 40 boxes from 24:24 in 2017 and we split 10 boxes 3 ways, and that was really the beginning of the end for me.

Once I learned of the fun of 24:24, and the ease at which I can get CC's into the US, the rabbit hole got deep, and got deep quick! I just looked at reddit cigars for the first time since last year and it reminded me of my humble beginnings, that weren't that long ago. Since August of 2017, I've since completely filled my wineador with exclusively Cubans purchased exclusively through 24:24, as well as having started a 150qt coolerdor to age boxes and that also has about 12 boxes in it.

The reddit cigar community had me big on buying 5ers and singles to try a little of everything, but then coming here with all of you guys I got really big into collecting and aging cigars. The world of difference between the two communities truly is vast.

For you guys, at what point did your love for smoking cigars turn into a cigar collection hobby, and how fast did your collection grow; from your first cigar smoked to your massive collections you're currently invested in?

 

Cheers!

Josh

[VRATJV07]

Great topic!

I started smoking cigars in college and started with a small 50 count desktop humidor that was filled with random NC singles.

Fast forward 10 years later, I started traveling for work to Europe on a frequent basis and start purchasing 3 packs of Cuban cigars.  I enjoyed them so much that I eventually started buying boxes and upgraded to a 500 count humidor.

I discovered 24:24 about a year ago and all hell has broken loose haha.  I ended up finding a Pendergast cabinet humidor online for really cheap and now it is set up in my basement bar.  I have purchased maybe 30 boxes from 24:24 in the last year.  The quality of the cigars are excellent and the pricing is very fair compared to boxes I was buying in Zurich during my travels.

The pictures below were taken months ago and my collection has grown even more.  I look at this as a hobby and potential to make a little money down the road from boxes that I have purchased as an investment.  My ultimate hope is to be able to trade with fellow FOH members once I reach 100 posts to be able to share cigars i have and try others I do not. 

Cheers!

[joshhooper7]

That's a beautiful setup! I've got a bar in my house as well and I had the builder custom fit my wineador into it so it's out of sight, out of mind and my wife doesn't have to deal with it! I'd love to have a glass door setup to display open boxes like that, maybe one day! (https://www.instagram.com/josh.hooper7/) Here's a link to my instagram if you wanted to see what my setup looks like.

[Derboesekoenig]

I started smoking cigars in early 2016. Had a few between 2012-2015, but few and far between, and no Habanos. From then to April 2018, I had some NC and no more than a mixed box of CCs. I found this forum in May of this year, traveled to Cuba in July, and by the start of 2019, my count will be somewhere between 4000 and 5000, all CCs. Total current count is 3300+. I have two wineadors, a desktop, an Aristocrat, and open to one final Aristocrat purchase. It's been a fun trip! Glad I found FOH, where I learned what quality REALLY means. 

[Corylax18]

My story is similar to yours, but stretched over a longer period of time. My dad always had a humidor when I was a kid, he would smoke occasionally, with friends or on special occasions. I remember enjoying the smell of them whenever he smoked at the house. It was mostly macanudos, but I remember one of his friends scoring some cubans a few times (this was mid to late 90s) and hearing them rave about them. I started sneaking a macanudo or two from my dad to smoke with friends when I was in high school, probably around 15. It was a rare thing at that point, just a few a year, but by the time I was 18 I had already picked up a taste for cigars. I actually bought my first legal cigar after my 18th birthday dinner with my family and we went to a cigar bar (that I still frequent) and the whole family sat there as my dad and I smoked away. 

In high school and college I didn't have the time, budget or desire to really get into the hobby. I had a 50 count and an assortment of mostly gifted Macanudo, Padron, Fuente and RP that I dipped into occasionally, but no longterm aging or thoughts of doing so. Late 2008 was my first foray into the online CC vendor world and it was the "beginning of the end" as you described. At first it was too good to be true, but I quickly became accustomed to how easily it went. It wasn't until I graduated college at the end of 2010 (and got a real job/income) that I got a larger humidor and began buying/ordering cigars with more of a long term plan. I still have my first 50 count and 2nd 100 count up and running, along with two wineadors and even some stock in the OLH. I still have 3 of the original 15 pack of Monte 2s from my first ever online order. 

The most recent "Big Step" for me was visiting Cuba in November 2016. It was an eye opener and completely changed how I viewed CCs. I've visited 3 more times since then and I will be bringing my dad with me in exactly 1 months time for his first visit. 

[joshhooper7]

27 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

The most recent "Big Step" for me was visiting Cuba in November 2016. It was an eye opener and completely changed how I viewed CCs. I've visited 3 more times since then and I will be bringing my dad with me in exactly 1 months time for his first visit. 

That's an awesome story man! I would love to one day be able to visit Cuba, only 16 more years and I'll make it a reality. Unfortunately being US Military, we're not allowed to go even though Americans are allowed to visit.

Isn't it funny how for so long Cubans are a forbidden fruit, but once you see how easy they are to get they just because another cigar? I'm on deployment right now and we're about to stop in a country with a huge Cuban cigar presence and everyone and their mother is excited to pay 400% of what a cigar is worth to get their hands on some. With QA being what it is, I feel bad, but at the same time I remember how exciting it was bringing my first Cubans back from Aruba before I knew about online vendors.

Thank you for sharing!

[Derboesekoenig]

11 minutes ago, joshhooper7 said:

That's an awesome story man! I would love to one day be able to visit Cuba, only 16 more years and I'll make it a reality. Unfortunately being US Military, we're not allowed to go even though Americans are allowed to visit.

Isn't it funny how for so long Cubans are a forbidden fruit, but once you see how easy they are to get they just because another cigar? I'm on deployment right now and we're about to stop in a country with a huge Cuban cigar presence and everyone and their mother is excited to pay 400% of what a cigar is worth to get their hands on some. With QA being what it is, I feel bad, but at the same time I remember how exciting it was bringing my first Cubans back from Aruba before I knew about online vendors.

Thank you for sharing!

Who says? I'm technically still in the military, and have an active security clearance. No issues man. Upon review of your clearance, you'll just have to explain all your passport stamps, giving reasons. No big deal

[dvickery]

More or less

Buy 500 cigars a year

smoke 150 cigars a year

rinse and repeat for 25 years

derrek

[havanaclub]

I started smoking cigars in early 2016. Had a few between 2012-2015, but few and far between, and no Habanos. From then to April 2018, I had some NC and no more than a mixed box of CCs. I found this forum in May of this year, traveled to Cuba in July, and by the start of 2019, my count will be somewhere between 4000 and 5000, all CCs. Total current count is 3300+. I have two wineadors, a desktop, an Aristocrat, and open to one final Aristocrat purchase. It's been a fun trip! Glad I found FOH, where I learned what quality REALLY means. 

In 4 months you had purchased close to 130 boxes?!? Damn sir, good on you. You might be FoH’s best customer


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[subiemech]

How has my collection grown?  In a single word, since finding this site, EXPONENTIALLY!!!

[VRATJV07]

2 minutes ago, havanaclub said:

In 4 months you had purchased close to 130 boxes?!? Damn sir, good on you. You might be FoH’s best customer


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@Elpresidente owes him at least a Christmas Card this year if that's the case ?

[Derboesekoenig]

I'm just happy to have found this community. The logic, at least how I rationalize this to myself, is that if I go ahead and purchase multiple boxes and in bulk, in 5-6 years time, I will have plenty with some age on it to satisfy me. And since roughly 80% of my purchases are from here, I am comfortable in that I know 100% I am getting quality, and don't have to play the CC lottery of ordering with others. 

It doesn't help that as I smoke different cigars...I keep buying boxes of them because I have enjoyed just about every single one I've tried. Few exceptions. I never buy any singles. I believe I am well down the rabbit hole now...

[joshhooper7]

18 hours ago, Derboesekoenig said:

Who says? I'm technically still in the military, and have an active security clearance. No issues man. Upon review of your clearance, you'll just have to explain all your passport stamps, giving reasons. No big deal

To travel out of the country legally we need to route paperwork through APACS and Cuba is still off limits unfortunately. I could always go off the books, but explaining that I don't have a documented trip and a stamp in my passport would almost guarantee that my clearance request is turned away.

[40 Palms]

Been smoking cigars for close to 40 yrs starting after HS.  NC's until about 12 yrs ago when I'd order the occasional box from Europe. Had 5 desktops around my bar area, so limited on the number of boxes I could store.  Then I purchased a second home in Florida and finished my pantry humidor in January of 2017.  Was originally a dining room pantry, but was never used for that as the dining room is my billiards room now ?

So when my wife mentioned that it would make a good humidor, she didn't have to say it twice.  It measures 2.5' x 2.5' x 14' tall.  I lined it with spanish cedar and angled shelves, added an outlet for the humidifier, put on a custom mahogony and glass door, and installed LED side lights.  It looks gorgeous and guessing it will hold around 200-250 boxes without looking crammed in there. 

I've purchased over 100 boxes on here since the install.  Only about 50 boxes in the humidor right now, the rest are in my Ozzie locker.  In hindsite, I should not have angled the shelves for display as it doesn't allow me to stack boxes on the shelves.  The top ones slide off.  Only the very top shelf is flat, but I need a step ladder to stack those lol.  And I'm not sure of the humidity level and temp up there as it is close to the hot attic.  Will check it before stacking any up there.  This winter when I am back down at my place, I will reinstall the shelves flat and have the rest of my boxes shipped.  Can easily stack 4-5 high on each shelf then.

This is a pic of it right after I finished before I started stocking it.  I will get a newer pic when my daughter stops by to check on the house.  She also moniters the humidity level for me ?

[Derboesekoenig]

That is beautiful. I think when I do end up buying a house, I'll go the custom built-in route and have Mr. Staebell design and build it for me. Probably not for a few years though. Crossing my fingers that he doesn't retire anytime soon.

[Yagermeister]

For me it was basically...

Before 24:24

 

After 24:24

 

The Aristocrat arrived just over a week ago. Dream come true.

[Ritch]

Mine has grown exponentially and inversely with my savings.

[joshhooper7]

2 hours ago, Yagermeister said:

For me it was basically...

Before 24:24

 

After 24:24

 

The Aristocrat arrived just over a week ago. Dream come true.

That is gorgeous! I love the convenience of my coolerdor and wineador built into my bar, but I absolutely love the look of angled shelves and boxes opened and displayed, makes it easier on guests picking cigars too! Statistics show that people tend to move every 7 years, so if in 6 years we buy a new house I'll have to make sure it has space for a Staebell aristocrat like that!

[Kaptain Karl]

I have a funny story. I was a very serious baseball player and played Division 1 baseball, and yet never touched a tobacco product. When my career came to a premature end, I moved out to North Carolina to work for one of the most influential leaders of the mortgage industry. This guy smoked a Diamond Crown #4 every day, like clock work. Wanting to spend as much time with him as I could, I hung out with him in the cigar shop, and on Sunday's after church on his back porch, smoking cigars and soaking in his wisdom. 

About 2 months of smoking 2-3 cigars a week, I realized I LOVED cigars. However, my purchasing skills were basically limited to smoking what my buddy at the local B&M  recommended. When I moved back home to the Bay Area, I purchased my first humidor and began stocking up. I then found a local shop here in Santa Rosa, which has an amazing NC selection, then got ruined by high end NC's.

I was very content with my NC's until got my hands on some decent Cubans, and was blown away by a few of them. I then met a local businessman who's Cuban collection is un-freaking real. I was able to score some solid aged CC's from him, and was hooked. While researching Cuban brands, I came across FoH time after time reading reviews. I signed up, found 24:24, and have ordered 8 boxes so far and have been nothing short of thrilled! 

[jackupster]

I was a occasional smoker of NC's for many years. I had a few CC's but never knew where to get them. Then my friend said you can get them online reliably.

 

I started with a 125ct desktop in 2014. Then I moved to a 2.5 CU FT wineador 2 years ago. Just a few weeks ago I put together a LARGE wineador. Hopefully my next jump will be to an Aristocrat!

 

[WoadyCypress]

Seems to be weekly to bi-weekly!

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[LeafLover]

It was fast and furious for a lot of years of researching, ordering, buying boxes to “try it out” then buying multiple boxes if you liked it, elation when the boxes reached the front door, playing tetris, backing up and taking in the view of the collection.  Then 4 years ago I looked at all these boxes and thought, when am I ever going to smoke these?  So, I stopped buying and just started smoking.  That’s when smoking became more of a treat rather than a journey.  

I suppose you have to go through that whole journey of buying multiple boxes to get the obsession out of your system.

[zyxwvu44]

Started off with junk overpriced NC's out of uni...smoked rarely until I came across rcigars on Reddit and moved up to a wineador and outgrew it a year when I started with CC's. Now my aristocrat is about 1/3 full. About 8 more boxes in it since this pic.

But according to my wife, I've had these all along! Just smoking through my stock...



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[Trimming]

I’m a smoker, not a collector. Variety catches up to one...

[Hookmaker]

8 hours ago, Trimming said:

I’m a smoker, not a collector. Variety catches up to one...

Whaaat, no Jars????