what was your first CC

[Rushman]

I am interested in hearing, especially from those of you who have been enjoying Habanos longer than I, what your first CC was, and what memories have lasted as a result.

My first was a Vegas Robaina Unico. I had been smoking NC's in B&M's for years, but after I moved to SoCal is when I learned that most shops there had a "back locker". This was late 2005. It was my fave SoCal B&M, just one block from my office and not far from my house. It became a second home for me. Luckily, this shop's "back locker" was full of legit CC sticks. As it turns out, the supplier for this store, 6 years later, is now my wife - thats another story.

On to the stick - after almost 10 years smoking NC's, i was blown away by the complexity of flavors - not that the stick was overpowering, but that it had layer upon layer of flavors, almost like it was telling me a story from start to finish - something I had never had from NC's. Dont get m wrong, there are alot of high quality NC's, but at that time, i seemed to be smoking rather one dimensional smokes.

Well of course, this changed my smoking hobby immediately. I started smoking more CC's, up to about half or more of my smokes through the rest of that decade. It also made me much pickier about my chosen NC smokes.

Anyway, the Robaia Unico started it all off for me. It is still one of my favorite marcas.

[Tarks]

My 1st cigar was a Monte 4 during my 1st trip to Cuba about 10 years ago. Hooked ever since.

[Habanakane21]

Sir Winston 1994. Cape Cod,MA 4th of July! it's what started it all.

[Orion21]

My first CC experience was at a wine party 4 years ago. One of the guys who attended travels to Asia regularly for work and is an avid cigar smoker. A group of us gathered to light up a few cigars from the hosts humidor when this other guy pulled his own cigar out of his jacket pocket. We all joked that he came prepared and his response was "sorry I am partial to my Cubans." That peaked everyone's interest so I started asking more questions and finally we just walked back to his house down the street and he picked a cigar out of his own humidor for me.

All I remember about the cigar was it's red band. It could have been Upmann,Partagas, RyJ, Flor de Cano etc for all I know, but what I do know is that it instantly impressed me with it's elegance and complexity. The smoke was so smooth and refined that I couldn't believe a cigar could be that good. I still kick myself for not saving the band, but I was having too much fun at the time to care.

The first box of Cubans I purchased myself were Monte Petit Edmundos. The first one disappointed because I was expecting every Cuban to be an equal experience to my first, but as I have smoked more and more the Monte PE's stand out as excellent cigars. I have one left that I am holding to see what it is like when it is 10 years old.

Happy smoking everyone.

[KarlJ]

My first CC was sometime in 1999. Im a plumber by trade and at the time I was working with a service shop. I got sent on a call for a plugged toilet! As I was walking into the gentlemans home I noticed a desktop humidor on an endtable in the family room. Now I was new to cigars but I mentioned it figuring it's always good to have an icebreaker when in a strangers home? He just went on and on about cigars and then pulls out a plastic bag from his luggage(he just returned from a business trip overseas) and hands me a RYJ Churchill!

Now as I was clearing the toilet with a closet auger I pulled back a bunch of Q-tips and a condom. The gentleman who was standing over my shoulder said "what the hell is that"? We don't use condoms!".

I thought it was a great smoke but what an uncomfortable situation.

-Karl

[brazoseagle]

My first was a 5 pack of Cohiba Robustos, that my Father gave me when I turned 18. He procured them from a client of his that had a solid hook up. I recall at the time in my life, how spicy and strong they were, and I vividly remember thinking I should inhale it, and how bad of a decision that was. I still have the empty pack somewhere. It is something I will never forget.

[Skitalets]

Mine was a Bolivar Corona Extra earlier this year. Amazing cigar and opened a whole new world. (Technically I had a Siglo IV back in college, but I had no taste to speak of and the experience was not memorable.)

Bolivar is still my favorite marca so far.

[jjdolphin]

I know it was a Cohiba, but unsure what it was. It was at the beginning of the 90s, right after the fall of the Soviet Union. A good friend of mine went on some type of student exchange to Moscow and brought back some cigars. Dumba$$ that I was, I had no clue what I had in my hands.

My next encounter was 2004 on vacation in Canada. Sampled an R&J, although I have no clue what it was. I just wanted to say I had a cuban even though I did not smoke cigars. Maybe once a year at the most. I got into cigars more around 2008/2009 buying NCs, but after finding the Czar I started accumulating CCs.

[TonyV]

Punch royal seleccion # 11 started me on my journey.

[Guest leanderdsilva]

A partagas 8-9-8 from a local BnM

[Wil]

To be honest, I can't remember my first CC. It was probably a RyJ tubos or something.

My first, real memorable CC was a PSD4 in the courtyard of the Hotel Nacional, overlooking the Malecon. Awesome.

[El Presidente]

R&J Churchill at 18

[Lotusguy]

Monte #2 in Taipei in 2008 - I had been into NCs for a little while but wanted to taste the "forbidden fruit". Hooked ever since and the Monte #2 will forever have a fond spot in my heart.

[kevinfj]

Same here. Monte #2. I was walking Nashautuck Country Club watching a Champions Tour event. I was following Jim Thorpe and I marveled at his ability to get the golf ball in the hole....with a fachated swing. That cigar changed my life. I remember like it was yesterday......

FJ

[Rushman]

So I also asked my wife this question. She has been in the cigar trade for 12 years. She says she doesn't remember (when was the last time you heard a woman say that) but that her most memorable early cigar was a trinidad fundadores. She is a real SOTL.

[riazp]

RyJ coronita en cedros, I thought I was king and looked awesome because I was wearing a suit and smoking a cuban cigar LOL...guess scarface influenced that decision...then the next week i bought a upmann coronas major ( i think, the silver tubos one 10 years back) and then thats when the love affair started. Smoked a few cigars a year, and now for the past 3 years or so its a full blown obession.

[jay8354]

My mate Fuzz started it all, since he was a true believer in cigars. Kept going on and on abt them.

First proper cigar was a Cohiba DC. It is still soomething that I am looking for in a CC. CoRo after that. Due to the high tax in OZ, I had to look for a better way and somehow stumbled on FOH. Calls were made and $$$ were spent.

[PuffDaddie]

Monte #2 back in 09,great smoke.

[Fuzz]

My mate Fuzz started it all, since he was a true believer in cigars. Kept going on and on abt them.

First proper cigar was a Cohiba DC. It is still soomething that I am looking for in a CC. CoRo after that. Due to the high tax in OZ, I had to look for a better way and somehow stumbled on FOH. Calls were made and $$$ were spent.

Oh great. Thanks for letting everyone know that I was the one that got you started.

I never forced you to take that first sweet, sweet puff on a magnificent, hand made Cuban cigar. Nor did I make you enjoy the wonderful gamut of flavours that can be experienced. And I certainly didn't suggest you go out and buy that exceptionally wonderful Cohiba DC.

As for my first cigar, I was 16 and it was a Cohiba Esplendido. Can't remember much about it, though I do remember that I was the only one not puking after. Must thank my grandma and aunts for all those years smoking around me as a kid. Made my lungs much more tolerant to smoke!

[Manny Sotelo]

Mmmm, My first Cuban cigar was a fake Monte 2 that I had in Puerto Nuevo, Mexico... Man, was it great! Hey, I was 22 and didn't know any better.

My First real Cuban cigar was a Cohiba Robusto that I got at a local B&M in Beverly Hills. The owner is now one of my closest friends.....

[cckandb24]

Last year I was on a mission trip in Austria and picked up a siglo 1 and R&J #2 en cedros at some shopping mall Tobacco shop. Smoked the R&J first walking through this gorgeous national forest with my wife. It was a great cigar. Now that I am more knowledged in CC's, I have been too afraid to attempt investing in any R&J box.

[Len]

Earliest memories I have of CC's is the Bolivar PC...I could be wrong as several libations were involved as well.

[AntiVirus]

First CC was only earlier this year, after a couple of drinks with the lads, went outside onto my parents decking and enjoyed a Punch Coronations. Been pretty much obsessed with CC's ever since

[sblevit]

Monty #4 in 1993. Bought a five pack while down in Cabo with my mates for spring break!

[Stalebread]

It was during a visit to Spain in 2002. Dont remember what it was but I have an image of a bright red band stuck in my head. I had stopped smoking about ten years before and had no idea about Cuban Cigars. It was a random, impulse purchase at a cigar counter in a department store. We were staying in a small hotel and my wife and I found our way to the roof late that night and shared the cigar with out feet braced against some duct work so we wouldnt slide off. It was enough to get me started again. Back in the States, I began looking into non-Cuban cigars. When we moved to Paris in 2004, I was ripe for Cuban cigars.

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