Easter Weekend Poll Comp: Your first Cuban love...

[Li Bai]

It was in 1998-99, a RyJ N°2 a friend brought back from Cuba. We smoked it together and I had never felt something like that.

Man, if I knew at the time it would become one of my least favorite marca 🤯

[westg]

All too easy. Mother's day Peel Estate Winery. Geoffrey James Magor. He was smoking an Upmann magestic ..."try this mate!" he said, he was an old fellow at the time and a class act. After denying it a few times I gave it a try. It changed my life. I love nothing more than Cuban cigars. He doesn't have many years left. He loves D4's and he will never be without them. That I have made sure of. Ask me what my favourite Cuban is. All of them. It lead me here where I have met my closet and dearest friends. Travelled the world and met like minded people and had fun doing it. My first purchase a box of Monte Petit Edmundo. I can't remember one ever letting me down. I mean look at this 12.27 am and this Punch Royal Selection is going down SUA NOV 00. Hugs to everyone in FOH LAND.

[Çnote]

In 1997 I smoked a RyJ Churchill Tubo while walking around Stratford-upon-Avon. On that trip, I also smoked a box or so of RyJ Petit Corona somethings, a bunch of Cohiba Panetelas, and a Cuban Dunhill at Dunhill's that I barely remember.

[Meklown]

The first one that really hit the spot - Monte Grand Edmundo EL10. Pure chocolate bliss! 

[Gubbins]

RyJ Tubos No.2. 

[teamrandr]

I was fortunate enough to have someone let me in on a huge amount of box splits. This was 2014. The prices were really quite affordable. The one that made me fall in love was the Trinidad Reyes.

[Duxnutz]

Probably the only one who fell in love with Cubans via a VR Famosos.

[eaglebear29]

Around Nov 23 for my birthday I got a box of ‘21 or ‘22 HU Half Corona that were not too bad, I enjoyed them.

The first one that I felt like I really got was a sampler 1/4 box of Monte 4 (May 23). It hit notes like I’ve never experienced. Really opened my eyes and palate to how great CCs are. Will have to revisit them. 
 

Forgot going though photos that I had a Siglo 1 (Feb 21) for my birthday too that wasn’t very memorable.

[Redgoldband]

PSD4, my first habano. April 28, 2023 in Las Vegas, celebrating my friend and business partner. I'd been smoking cigars for a few years, just NWs. We were all chilling at a cigar lounge and one of his buddies graciously hands me an aged Partagas D4. Now, from the wrapper and name, I recognized it as a Cuban, something of legend. But this, this stick, was markedly and dare I say, radically, different. 

[MoeFOH]

Loved the responses on this thread... great to hear all the tales of how folks got into Cubans - wonderful stuff! 

The random draw winner is @Chibearsv!!

Congrats!! 

Please PM your details (name, address, email) to me, and we'll arrange dispatch of your prize. 

Thanks again to all participants. Next poll comp will be up Friday - stay tuned! 

[griller]

Way to go Chibearsv! Congrats!

[Connoisseur Kim]

Congrats @Chibearsv!!!! 🎉

[JohnS]

Congratulations @Chibearsv!

[wemann]

My first Cuban was a Monte Petit Edmundo in around 2011 in my 20s. I bought it in a mixed bag with a random selection of Davidoffs at Alexander’s in Toorak at the recommendation of the vendor because I have no real clue about cigars at the time. The Monte blew me away compared to the light one-dimensional Davidoffs. It had power, poise and progression in all the ways good Cubans do. I was hooked from first puff and am now 3 esky’s deep in aging stock and I have Rob and this crew to thank for all the advice and opportunities. 

 

[Capn_Jackson]

Congrats, @Chibearsv!!!

[MPhillips]

Congratulations!!