Getting back to basics: Can you recall your first half dozen cigars?

[BrightonCorgi]

Early 90's...

Oscar - From an older cousin that smoked cigars

Partagas Puritos (NC) - Bought on my own and split with a friend

Quintero Brevas - room mate played pro hockey in France and brought them back for me.

[sergeihabana]

I started smoking cigars in 2019 when I visited Cuba. The first cigars were Romeo Y Julieta No. 2, Bolivar Royal Coronas, Romeo Y Julieta Mille Fleurs, Partagas Mille Fleurs, Cohiba Siglo II. I brought two boxes of Romeo Y Julieta Belvederes with me. That was just the beginning.

[BrightonCorgi]

8 hours ago, joeypots said:

Started with the Avo #3 in like 1996. Next memorable cigars were Punch Grand Crue Churchills and new world Partagas 10. Cuban cigars were about five years later.

Did you ever buy the 50 count dress box robustos of Punch/HDM? They were super cheap relative to other cigars.

[joeypots]

I don’t think so. I bought unbanded Punch Rothschilds a few times. 

[Ford2112]

Too long ago but I will try.

1st cigar; a King Edward for 25 cents.

1st NC; Arturo Fuente Hemingway in the 90s. Also the old La Gloria cigars when they were good.

1st CCs; Monte 2. Monte 4. RYJ PC 90s.

[BrightonCorgi]

6 hours ago, joeypots said:

I don’t think so. I bought unbanded Punch Rothschilds a few times. 

Both were unbanded and "Rothschilds". I forgot to add that part to my question. All the cigar B&M's sold them around MA. Be curious to try either one now. I think they were the same cigar in a different box.

[BoliDan]

8 hours ago, Chibearsv said:

I couldn't list them exactly in order, but they were Dutch Masters and/or White Owls and/or Tiparillos.  All before I turned 16 and aside from a break here and there due to college rules or finances, been on the "journey" ever since.  I'm not so much a connoisseur (like so many of you on the forum), I'm a cigar smoker.

This. I wouldn't be able to but do know they are cigars I would never smoke again. First cigar was definitely a gas station cigar like Macanudo or something. 

[DeeBeezy]

Hoyo Petit Robusto, Cohiba Siglo 1, H.Upmann Magnum 50, Montecristo Petit Edmundo and HdM Epicure No 2.

[Capn_Jackson]

Impossible to tell for sure. Teenager in the mid-90’s, ages ago. I know what my literal first was, but the others are just guesses, things I can remember buying often in those early days.

First one was a Macanudo, something with a green label.

Some iteration of NC Romeo and Juliet came shortly after those.

Bahia Gold.

Fuente Hemingways, mostly Short Stories

Grenadiers 🤢

My first “fancy” cigar was probably a Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur.

Fun trip down memory lane… mostly.

[unaslob]

Well Friends and ER were in their second seasons. Life was good. Freshman year in college found myself a local cigar box not even sure why. Bought a couple of Nat Sherman Hobarts and Hamiltons. The rest is history. 

[StogieSlanger]

On 1/29/2025 at 9:49 PM, westg said:

First cigar H. Upmann Majestics. Just try it...those three famous words that made me fall in love with Cuban Cigars. Monte Petit Edmundo, Partagas No 2, Padron 1926 Robusto - my first non-Cuban and with all the hype drove a wedge as to the vast difference between this and any non-Cuban and Cuban cigars. R&J No 1 along with Monte PE - will always have some on hand. Ramon Allones SS. I must buy a box of Majestics, it's been a while.

The 2024 Majestics have been absolutely fantastic, waiting to secure more once they pop up again. Abr 24 box was just delicious. 

[loose_axle]

Early 2000s were mainly RyJ tubos No 1 & 2 with the odd Bolivar or HDM tubos. I didn't really know what I was smoking tbh. 

[Lucas Buck]

Only recall my first - macanudo tubos bought at a tinder box in a mall. Loved it but never smoked another. 

[tbabes]

Summer of 2021, reading Frank Vincent’s book, and two of his recommendations were the Davidoff Double R and Padron 1964. So those were my first cigars that I purchased and smoked; my minimal experience with cigars before that had been those handed to me by friends etc. I much preferred the Padron. First Cubans were the Monte 2 and BBF, and I much preferred the Bolivar…bought a box each and that kept me occupied for a while. By years end I had purchased a large cabinet humidor. 2022 - mid 2024 was 90% Padron 1926 and Family Reserve Naturals, and then discovered the Upmann Royal Robusto. I have been traveling down the Cuban cigar rabbit hole ever since. 

[Blazer]

First few that I can remember were Baccarat, Ashton & a stick with a green label with a lizard on it, but I can't recall the name.

[Namisgr11]

As a teenager, it was most likely either a White Owl or a Phillies Cheroot. I'd guess my first went for something like 10 cents a stick. Certainly didn't smoke more than 1 or 2, and didn't smoke anything again until my wacky tobacky phase:

Fast forward 50 years to my genuine entry into the hobby. The among the first ten were a Fuente Don Carlos, Ashton Cabinet, Montecristo #4, Trinidad Coloniales, and HDM Epicure #1.

[Justins123]

On 1/29/2025 at 4:49 PM, Capn_Jackson said:

Bahia Gold.

Fuente Hemingways, mostly Short Stories.

Both of those would be on my list of early cigars. In fact I think one of the first boxes I bought was Bahia Gold (with the white label; were those golds?).

Paul Garmirian would be another. 

[garbandz]

• Danneman
• Cuesta Rey
• Rum Crooks
• Rigoletto
• House of Windsor
• Flor del Caribe
• Roi-tan

All of these were current in the mid 70's, all were less than .35 cents.

 

 

[cigaraholic]

My first day smoking cigars I smoked 4…

• Punch Triuntos
• Can’t remember #2
• Monte Especial
• Upmann Connie 1

Day 2 I smoked 4 cigars…

Can’t really remember, I had a large selection to choose from. I’m guessing there had to be a Upmann Corona Major go up in smoke ❤️

[zeedubbya]

When I was very very young (I’m thinking we were 10 years old or so), we went to Walt Disney World. My Aunt bought me and my cousin some Swisher Sweets to smoke…we sucked the juice out of oranges and smoked those Sswishers under a picnic table at the Disney campgrounds—Fort Wilderness. When we were probably 12 or so we talked my Mom into buying us Garcia Vegas from the local gas station. Around the same time, my cousin used to call companies and pretend to be an adult and complain about their products. Marlboro and RJ Reynolds would send cigarettes in 5 packs. He also called a bunch of cigar manufacturers in Miami. I can only recall one which sent us cigars. Chavelo cigars. They came in a bundle of 10 and were addressed to Mr. Ainwep (for those who know my name this will be funny!). The Chavelos were awful.  

This is a 100% true story, and my first dozen or so cigars. Swishers, Garcia Vega and Chavelos. My cousin now owns a cigar shop in Florida and I am an avid collector. In high school we smoked a few premiums—ones I recall are El Rico, La Gloria (Non-CC), Fuente (little small cigars and Queen Bs), Cohiba and Punch (Non CC), and RYJ non CC.  

First Cubans were ordered via fax, and money order and were some combo of Punch Ninfas, Esplendidos, Epi2, Monte 2, D4, Punch Punch, and/or Lusitanias. We split boxes at a cigar shop I frequented. Sometimes we got crap, sometimes great cigars (early 2000s). I still have a few of the empty boxes but only a couple of the cigars. What a journey!!  

[JohnnyO]

4 hours ago, zeedubbya said:

When I was very very young (I’m thinking we were 10 years old or so), we went to Walt Disney World. My Aunt bought me and my cousin some Swisher Sweets to smoke…we sucked the juice out of oranges and smoked those Sswishers under a picnic table at the Disney campgrounds—Fort Wilderness. When we were probably 12 or so we talked my Mom into buying us Garcia Vegas from the local gas station. Around the same time, my cousin used to call companies and pretend to be an adult and complain about their products. Marlboro and RJ Reynolds would send cigarettes in 5 packs. He also called a bunch of cigar manufacturers in Miami. I can only recall one which sent us cigars. Chavelo cigars. They came in a bundle of 10 and were addressed to Mr. Ainwep (for those who know my name this will be funny!). The Chavelos were awful.  

This is a 100% true story, and my first dozen or so cigars. Swishers, Garcia Vega and Chavelos. My cousin now owns a cigar shop in Florida and I am an avid collector. In high school we smoked a few premiums—ones I recall are El Rico, La Gloria (Non-CC), Fuente (little small cigars and Queen Bs), Cohiba and Punch (Non CC), and RYJ non CC.  

First Cubans were ordered via fax, and money order and were some combo of Punch Ninfas, Esplendidos, Epi2, Monte 2, D4, Punch Punch, and/or Lusitanias. We split boxes at a cigar shop I frequented. Sometimes we got crap, sometimes great cigars (early 2000s). I still have a few of the empty boxes but only a couple of the cigars. What a journey!!  

Zane...Swisher Sweets all day baby!

[RichUK]

On 1/29/2025 at 10:59 PM, El Presidente said:

I would love to do a UK /Euro vid session on this "throwback first smokes". It will be a hoot if you can get a team together for a weekend 10 or 11 am your time. 

This would be awesome to do.

My first cigar was an R&J Petit Corona, suspect it was my 2nd and 3rd too. To this day, 30 years later I still always have a box of them in my humidor. Monte 4 followed, Partagas P2 and I *think* a CoRo, but it was a long time ago to be 100% confident.

[Ruggerpgh99]

My first real experience with cigars was my freshman year of college. Our RA organized an event for us to meet with an Ashton Rep at the local cigar lounge where he talked a lot about the making of cigars, and how to enjoy cigars. We had an Ashton 898 while he talked. I do distinctly remember him talking about some of the aged cigars in his collection having "plume", which is very funny to me now. I often went back to that shop while in college occasionally grabbing some NC HDM Excalibur, Punch Rare Corojo (which I now know, doesn't actually have corojo in it) NC Punch Coronation Tubos, which was a lot of what I smoked back then. I was in and out of cigars over time, mostly casually, until recently getting back into it with a full heart. 

The only cigar I still go back to from that time, is the NC punch (RC and london club maduro), for a no nonsense yard cigar. Not sure I could see myself grabbing a HDM Excalibur Maduro now, and being interested. 

[bmac]

Mid to late 90’s NC’s

Probably a Fuente Hemingway

Butera

Bahia

Rocky Patel Edge

1st CC Monte 2

Padron 1964

[Luca]

RyJ No.2

Punch Coronations

Bolivar Petit Corona

HdM Epicure No.2

Partagas SdN2

Bahia Blue

Man o War Virtue Robusto