Your favorite 2012 Cigar memories

[maverickdrinker]

Thought that this would be fun topic to start as we approach the close of 2012.

Here are some of my favorites:

travelling with a few of the Toronto crew to Havana and spending time with the Aussies, Germans, Londoners and of course, the Cubans. Such a good time. The friends, food and experiences. Priceless!

Seeing Conor have an epiphany when he smoked a Lancero

Witnessing Enis smoke 12 cigars in 1 day

Hearing how much money both the Montreal and Toronto Herfs raised for Nicaraguan Children's Mission (It's for the children....

Seeing the reaction Tom had when we gave him a huge box to open

being in awe myself when I had to pack the box on behalf of our group for Tom. The generosity and compassion of our community is humbling.

Spending time in Cuba, Montreal, Los Angeles, Arizona, Vegas and Toronto with some great BOTLs.

What are your favorite cigar memories of 2012?

[Cohiba Stevie]

Smoking a cohiba siglo ii just the other night, on my own with a glass of pinot grigio and a plate of cured spanish meats.

It was great to have a smoke and take stock of the year and plan for 2013.

[canadianbeaver]

Had to be the Montreal and Toronto Herfs. Meeting the FOH peeps in person and then being able to put names and faces to their posts really hit the jackpot for me!

[Ophidion]

Meeting riaz, Simon and frank in MTL at stogies on a completely random trip for my birthday.

Smoking my first CCE at the Toronto herf and being left speechless by it.

Smoking my first pre-2000 cc (erdm tainos)

Smoking a punch ss2 (98) during the hurricane and the countless other cigars while in was without power for 8 days.

[riazp]

for me 2012 was a year of few cigars with everything ive gone through with my wife leaving me in april...so best momenta cigar wise are :

montreal herf smoking with great people and raising money for the nicaragua fund

the multiple bombs sent to me by many many botls on this forum. cigars books and other gifts to uplift me at at a time of need. the spirit of the brothers on this forum sis amazing

the toronto herf in july. again smoking with great people and a much needed mental break from my grief from the seperation and having people that truly care about me around me for a weekend.

Finally a couple of weeks ago smoking with stogiecidal (shaun) it was smoking a cohiba 1966 with him finally feeling great about myself and about life. seeing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

[Puros Y Vino]

Easy.

The trip to Havana with the TO and MTL crew (of one) meeting up with Rob (the many incarnations), Nino and other cigar lovers from around the world was an experience.

The Toronto and Montreal herfs coming in positions 2 and 3. The Toronto one hit 50+ people and raised a lot of money. Montreal was a lot of fun too. The daily smoked meat allotment and indoor smoking was a treat.

In terms of cigar experiences:

Smoking my first RA 898. Montecristo 520. An older Lancero (2003), Cristantos 109 (custom roll in Havana). So much more.

[Frofro]

Meeting up with a dear friend in June for a bit of work along with a couple of Monte 2. That's the last time I will see him for a while as he is now a military chaplain. It only occured to me on Remembrance Sunday of this year that he is now one of the people whose safety and wellbeing we pray for on that day.

[Squarehead]

Attending a cigardinner in Hamilton in march,

the herf in Toronto in july,

when we met a few times at the Mambo Lounge,

The mini herf(it wasn't soooo mini)at Lisa's and Mattheu's unforgettable pizzas.

at Art's when I brought him the stuff for Tom,that included Tony's contribution as well,

the night when Tony and I were pulled over by Canadas Customs coming back from Buffalo and I had to pay duties and taxes $126.00 for $70.00 worth of cigars(Tony was nailed with over $70.00 for $40.00 worth of cigars)

Cheers

[Scdalak]

Definitely meeting the Montreal Crew, Riaz and Simon, and Shlomo who apparently only makes appearances when "Special People" come to visit.. Great guys all around..

A close 2nd would be not meeting Frank..... Its addition by subtraction really...

[mk05]

Meeting my MA cigar family this May changed everything for me. Then going to one of their houses next month for his annual herf, having a friggin blast meeting fellow smokers - especially competing/chasing his dog for the last hot dog.

[Ophidion]

Almost forgot:

Riaz falling in love with the dancer in AC at Caesars Toga lounge.

My father smoking his first cigar (a R&J short Churchill) on my birthday in MTL

[Fuzz]

One word.... HAVANATHON!!

[stogieluver]

By far, my trip to Cuba in October and smoking some late afternoon cigars (a couple of 1966's and Siglo VI's) at the Hotel Nacional and meeting Carlos Robaina and the Cuban tobacco farmer, whom is pictured with me in his tobacco curing barn in Vinales, and visiting the LCDH in Havana. Pure Heaven for me. I just hope to be able to return one day, legally or illegally.

[LLC]

Best cigar memories this year would be the group trip to Havana at the beginning of December. After that it would be the Toronto and Montreal herfs and the Mambo Lounge get togethers with the Toronto gang.

[Pilgrims]

Very pleased this year to have got together with a group of fellow BOTL's and had a few smokes on a few occasions feel it has become more a communal/group hobby that just a personal obsession.

[riazp]

Almost forgot:

Riaz falling in love with the dancer in AC at Caesars Toga lounge.

My father smoking his first cigar (a R&J short Churchill) on my birthday in MTL

LOL! thats a great memory for me as well Kev!

[CanuckSARTech]

LOL. I'm laughing at some of these.

One of my favourite memories is of seeing Art, in shorts, puffing on a cigar, walking around with a big hockey bag in the Hotel Nacional in Havana. Ahhhhh, to be Canadian!

And....many other memories, that can't be spoken of again.....

[maverickdrinker]

LOL Keith. That hockey bag was bigger than me.

Great memories sharing guys. Keep it going

[Tarks]

Great question Art. My fondest cigar memories in 2012, in no particular order were:

1) Havana with 12 botl in Dec. Another Epic trip to Cuba.

2) Smoking on the beach in Montego Bay in Feb. A great beach and a cigar = Relaxation at its best.

3) Smoking on the Rhine in Germany in May. Such a beautiful, peaceful area of the world.

4) Herf in Vancouver in March. 4 days of herfing with the west coast botl. Great times!

5) All the monthly Winnipeg herfs we had in 2012! Great food, cigars and friends.

[jazzbass]

Had many cigars this past year and some great moments but yesterday afternoon I had to do a bit of driving and decided to take a Diplomaticos No 2 from '07 along for the ride. Although not one of the most glamorous cigars in my humidor, I was knocked out at the great flavours present in this Monte alternative. The bean notes were so vivid and I was again reminded as to how important it is to let a cigar sit for a while. I kept thinking that it was my last cigar for 2012 and I was more than happy with my choice.

[cigcars]

Sadly and alas - I don't smoke to the degree I did...I lost my smoking partner. Oh he's still with us, just due to health problems he's had to cease altogether. So my selections both CC and NC are pretty much lasting me.

[tdlfoto]

1) without question, the Havana trip with the CND crew + meeting up with the Aussies, Germans, Irish, et al. The folks at my casa were wonderful too.

2) getting stung for over $500 by canada customs on three deliveries in one week

3) smoking my first RA LE Extra...brilliant!

4) feeling like a quasi-addict on the prowl for more and more Hamlet customs, then consuming them all, in succession, once obtained.

5) Mega and regular Herfs at Mambo Lounge.

[Nino]

2012 :

Being in Cuba twice for longer periods of time and meeting up with the great people from this board including the Prez.

Adopting a "cigar nephew" in Havana

Smoking at the pharmacy including the great summer cigar meeting with the Irish and the Belgians attending.

Visiting MRN in Hong Kong

Looking forward to beach time in Thailand next week and knowing I will be back in Cuba next month ...

[Dbone]

My cigar memories are a bit tamer, I don't usually get together with others for herfs or cigar parties... not by choice but just because of the way things go....

However, I will remember 2012 being the year I really began to develop and understanding of taste in cigars, and a possible change or evolution in what I like. This year I've pretty much destroyed box after box of Hoyo cigars, mostly Epi 2's, but EE too. Late in the year I've done equal damage with the Quai D line. Discovered I enjoy the smoother, much milder side of what Cuba has to offer. My venture down the rabbit hole will lead me in this direction into the new year.

[Orion21]

Mine happened on Christmas morning.

I bought some 2007 Monte No.2's from another BOTL as a present for my wife's grandpa (85) who smokes a cigar almost everyday. He enjoys his Thompson Special Torpedo's, which he once gave me a few of that were just not good. We had enjoyed smoking an Upmann No. 2 together last year, that was his first Cuban cigar, and he absolutely loved it. Come a few days before Christmas I come to find my father-in-law bought him two huge bundles of Rocky Patel donkey shlongs AND one of his grandsons got him some other cigars. When wrapping the Monte 2's I thought to myself "it's the thought that counts."

Come Christmas morning we all opened presents and G-PA is not one to open his gifts in public. So after everyone had finished G-PA came up to me an gave me a hug and said "YOU know what I like, thank you."

That is my best cigar moment of the year