New From California *Long Read*

[ViralDC]

Hello all 👋

I'm a young lad whose journey first started the moment my lips caressed the sweet/savory wrapper of an Arturo Fuente cigar that I bumped off my buddy when my curiosity finally peaked. To take it back a few years, I've never smoke/drank since the day I turned 21. I never grew up around it nor was it something that really interested me. I'm the paranoid type, not in general, but more specifically when it comes to lifestyle. I try to eat healthy food, workout, and stay away from junk my body doesn't need, but all that changed when I started working in my current job field. It seemed like EVERYONE was drinking and EVERYONE was smoking **spoiler alert** and soon shall I 😂. My coworkers would always have little pow wows and it seemed like great comradery, but something was missing, that feeling of belonging as I'm the only dude standing there in the corner (cigarless) staring as if Weezing (the pokemon) was fuming toxic gas slowly constricting my airway (yall like the imagery 😉) I always refused the offer citing something stupid along the lines of blah blah blah my lungs... Well I went home and started researching it more and try to educate myself instead of being closed mined and shutting out something that I didn't even understand. I came to learn it really wasn't THAT bad. Long story short, the next pow wow at work I was offered a bump, I gave it a try, and genuinely enjoyed the experience. Enamored, I went to my nearest tobacconist bought a bunch of miscellaneous sticks (without really much thought) and headed home.

Mistake #1, as a complete newbie I (of course looks are everything) had a HUGE stick, the likes of something Winston Churchill would be proud of, and started huffing away. Not even half way down I got Nic Sick, blew chunks over my balcony onto the poor cactus below (he didn't deserve it), and proceeded to lie sick in bed for the next several hours. On the verge of giving up before I even began, I took refuge in the world of YouTube cigar enthusiast looking for answers to my dilemma, and lone behold I came across good ol Holt's finest Anthony Mazzola, and boy does that snazzy son of a gun have charisma. Started learning how to properly toast, smoke, and enjoy a cigar (like a gentlemen).

Mistake #2, in one of Holt's videos Mazz was discussing "cigar pairings" something that was an anomaly to me, and his pairing of choice was a Flor De Cana 18 year Nicaraguan Rum. In the pursuit of achieving that guido charm I went to my nearest Total Wine and found that exact bottle, purchased it, went home, and cracked it with a stogie. With my newly learned cigar skills and a bottle of Rum at my disposal (keep in mind I STILL wasn't the drinking type) and went to town on the combo. Unfortunately that didn't workout **shocker** got sick AGAIN, blew chunks over the balcony AGAIN (Ooohhhh Noooo not the CAAAACTUUUUSS) and went to bed in the fetal position.

All this to say its taken years to hone my craft and really dial in the experience. From humidity issues, mold issues, nicotine intolerances, what cigars to get, what cigar accessories to get, burn issues, and everything in between, it's been a journey. But from something as simple as a bundle of dry leaves I've made the best experiences with the people I love and have shared and received plenty of PIF moments with other enthusiast in what I consider to be one of the best communities of people on planet earth in a hobby that bridges all classes of people. I've been in this hobby now for about 4 years, and have a modest collection of bourbon/whiskey and cigars to enjoy and share with others.

When really deciding how to do a newbie introduction I looked at a lot of other posters to see how it was done and came to the conclusion, screw it imma do me, and I've always been one for theatrics. I hope everyone had a good laughed reading it all and maybe reminisced in their own humble beginnings. Happy to be here, and I hope to continue growing the collection (US and Cuba relations willing)

[Li Bai]

Welcome to FOH!

[dan05]

Welcome to the forum. You had a rough start didn’t you? So did the cactus. 
 

I can’t say I have ever been sick from a cigar but it does happen to people starting out. 
the forum is a great place full of knowledgeable people.

 

 

[Duder]

Welcome!

[ha_banos]

I always thought chunks was a UK idiom. Ah well. Welcome.