The first time we got together as a group back in 2006, we saw members coming in from all over the US; PA, MD, VA, DE, CO and even from as far away as Scotland to meet up in "The Cigar City" - Tampa. The wide spread of age groups and smoking experience was quite visible too ... and so was the friendliness.

Even though we had never met face-to-face before we shared a common bond and that was enough to make us all feel comfortable with one another. It was really just like members of a large family getting together after several years of not seeing each other and the friendships that were formed at that meeting will last for ever.

But even those who haven't been able to attend our get-togethers still feel part of the family that we have become. Members of the group regularly send each other "bombs" ... the online cigar world's nickname for unsolicited gifts of cigars, liquor and even music. There's nothing quite like receiving a gift of cigars from someone that you may never have met before and being able to settle down and enjoy the gift they have sent you.

Our group isn't just restricted to men either; we have women in the group who enjoy a good cigar too and they are always welcome in the group and always treated as an equal. About the only concession we make to their sex is that we jokingly call them Sisters of the Leaf (SOTL) while we guys refer to each other as Brothers of the Leaf (BOTL).