How long have you been smoking CCs?

[SmokyFontaine]

I'm relatively new to cigars in general and VERY new to Cuban cigars, so out of nothing more than vague curiosity, of those who frequent the forum, how long have you been smoking Cuban cigars? Anything you have come to know now that you wish you did when you started out? 

I'm still not terribly forum post savvy, but if I can find a way to add a poll to this post, I was going to break it down into 1. Less than one year 2. 1-3 years 3. 3-10 years 4. More than ten years

Me personally, I'm at less than one year, and for me the toughest thing is patience. Waiting for shipments to acclimate, waiting for boxes to age. Then also, I am starting to learn that just because a box sounds awesome, at FOH we have a tremendous resource for singles and quarterboxes. While they may be more per cigar, what better way to have a relatively low cost way of trying tons of different marcas and vitolas, without boxes of stuff you eventually learn you don't much care for. 

[cbaty08]

Less than a year here.

The hardest thing is finding the time to smoke 'em.

[NSXCIGAR]

1996

[SigmundChurchill]

I started in college about 30 years ago.  But back then it was 90% NCs and 10% CCs.

By the late 90s the ratio was reversed to 10% NCs and 90% CCs

By 2003 it was 100% CCs.

[garbandz]

1974..first Cigar

1985...first Cuban.........RyJ Tubo #1

[83Nation]

First Cuban (or so I was told) 1999
Next cigar was NC in 2007
First Confirmed Cuban 2009


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[Rhinoww]

First cigar was a Garcia y Vega out of a plastic tube on a public golf course. I was very young, still in high school. Let’s call that early 80’s. Beer was still good and cold though. Cigars have improved quite a bit since then. 

[Vito]

I was born in ‘77. Started stealing my parents car when they’d go out for the night when I was 12 years old to go to the National Cigar store and I got obsessed with cigars right away. My mom was buying me a subscription to Cigar Aficionado back when I was in high school. Cuban cigars were around because some of the neighborhood guys had been sourcing them well before the embargo but I didn’t start buying them by the box and putting em down/smoking em regularly until 2007. I’m from a time where the Cuban cigar was like the Scarlet pimpernel and a fabled thing - amongst citizens anyways. 

[mbflash80]

in 2004 I had my first cigar (PSD4) at a business conference...that started an occasional smoke here and there and the purchase of a 25 ct humidor...by 2007 I was really into it and smoked 50/50 NC to CC...finally around 2015 I went full CC to where I am now at a 95/5 ratio...I still love Padron anny series and smoke plenty of them but otherwise its all CC.  

[anjimj]

2008 was my first cigar it was a El Rey De Mundo choix supreme bought at London  Heathrow airport. 

[lovethehaze]

1984 first cigar 
1991 was first cc 

mostly Nc until past few years and almost all Cc now. 
 

[Islandboy]

3 years of CC’s now, with my first cigar only about 5 years ago, so I’m just entering intermediate school so-to-speak. At the advice of others, I’ve been employing the “buy more than you smoke” technique since starting CC’s, as a way to build up some age. I’m happy to report that I’m finally about to turn my first corner in the process, and will likely have little use for the term “mongrel” very soon. 

[avaldes]

1993 first cigar, 1996 first serious cigar and hooked.

[t1String]

I had my first “Cuban” at a friend’s high school graduation party back in ‘03. I still remember the experience quite vividly; terrible cigar, but memorable experience. The cigar bug didn’t bite me until around ‘14. I would pick up a couple of NCs a week from a local shop, but never had a humidor or any stock of my own. I moved abroad for a number of years and more or less ceased smoking except for the occasional lounge visit. I returned back stateside about a year ago and got interested again in NCs. While buying and building a collection, I was intrigued by CCs, but didn’t know who to trust regarding online buying. I ended up taking a leap of faith in July of this year and have been building stock since with the hope that in a few years time I will have a nice selection of well-rested CCs.

Already in need of more space...


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[MigsG]

Newbie here, 2015 was the year I had a Cuban cigar. Can still remember that first cigar. 

Had my first cigar, a Tabacalera (Philippine cigar brand) as a young one, 12 years old, in 1988, at a party in my house. My Pop and his poker buddies were stinking up the house with their cigars and pipes while playing poker. Me and my brother stole a cigar and took advantage of all the smoke to try it, in my dad's office upstairs. LOL. Good memory.

[tigger]

First NCs, late 80's. First CC late 90's.

[Chas.Alpha]

I would humbly suggest that you get a night job! ?
 

I also just ran across FOH some weeks back. I placed a (modest) order, and am waiting for the results. Apparently, 18,000+ cigar smokers on the planet swear by them, but I too am always skeptical. The prices and selection seem very good.

It seems to be a good crew here.

I gotta go. Someone is replying to my ad on Craigslist for a night job... ?

[Lotusguy]

Seriously since 2008. A few here and there since maybe 2005.

[Chas.Alpha]

15 minutes ago, Lotusguy said:

Seriously since 2008. A few here and there since maybe 2005.

1978.

God, my back hurts... ?

[stogieluver]

1976. First CC 2011. 

[Arctic Dude]

Sporadically since 1985, but seriously since 2014. ?

[earthson]

Started with NC in 05, got on the Havana train in 07.

The thing I learned is what you'll read everywhere - sample, sample, sample.  Not only do you begin to identify the blends and vitolas you prefer, but, get ready for this, your tastes will likely change over time!  If there is but one thing I would do over again (other than stockpiling ERDM Tainos and Boli Gold Medals like I was investing in a money market account), I would have branched out more quickly, rather than starting to stockpile my favorites.

Also, get a cooler and fill it with boxes A$AP.  That was the ticket for me for having aged stock to pick from.

[Meklown]

Started with CCs together with a good friend (out of curiousity) back in 2012, in my first year of university. Never really had the funds for it, and I did not know of FOH, so singles and samplers were always grossly overpriced. Hence, I stuck to boxes and it was a slow and gradual discovery process.

Recently I have more funds so I purchase a lot more variety. The habit of buying boxes still stuck though, so even though I'm on here I still don't buy samplers or singles (even though they are very reasonably priced). It's a long road to build the stash and watch them age. I've topped up some times from FOHauctions, but (I think) I'm still generally smoking them much younger than most of the experienced professionals here. I also have serious storage issues as I live in a tiny flat and there's simply no where to stash 100++ boxes of cigars. The other worry is also if I ever move to a different country, the logistics of moving so many cigars + possibility of paying taxes would simply blow my mind.

Oh and I've tried NCs a few times here and there over the years but the taste just never seems to cut it for me. Couple it in with the prices, I basically have stopped trying. Edit: This, until the N1 and N3 2019 were advertised. I'm convinced enough from the always flawless PSP picks to give it a try.

[Mikeltee]

4 weeks. First CC courtesy of Buzzard and was an aged BPC. That barnyard taste took ahold of me and it was ON. 600 CCs deep now and a couple hundred in bound.

 

My first cigar was about 7 weeks ago. Havent had a cigarette since. 2 packs of marlboros to 1 to 3 cigars a day over night.

[cigcars]

  *Since 1997 to the present