[Sisyphus]

My first post to CS, just to say heya and provide an intro. I'm 50 years old, residing in Eugene, Oregon, and have been a cigarette puffer forever. But my first real cigar (not counting tiparillos, cigarillos or anything cherry-flavored), I burnt last year whilst cruising the Caribbean -- a Cuban Partagas (Coronas Senior tubo). Knowing not what I was doing, I torched the wrong end and smoked backwards, inhaling as best as I could and holding the smoke in my lungs for effect. The ritual left me coughing and wheezing for much of the afternoon -- and more than a little nauseated, which was not helped by the roll and pitch of the open seas. I stowed the remaining stick and carried it home as a souvenir.

Fast forward to this year, about two months ago I came across my souvenir Cuban tubo while rifling through a drawer. Hmmmmm. Well, it didn't take much Googling to discover that I had much to learn about cigars and cigar smoking. I ordered a sampler pack and cutter from Cuban Crafters. Using a more refined smoking technique this time, I became very intrigued. I especially enjoyed the Salazars and Kiki Brown Labels and promptly ordered more. In the meantime, a week in Vegas gave me an opportunity to indulge in sampling some top-shelf cigars (albeit at hugely inflated prices). Okay, I'm hooked.

Returning home, I soon discovered cigarbid and dozens of other great dealer sites. Within a month I've acquired five humidors full of assorted singles, boxes, samplers and 5-packs. Books from Amazon. Subscriptions to CA and Smoke. AND I NEED MORE HUMIDOR SPACE! As my wife has been telling me, I can't do anything halfway.

Will discuss some of my favorites (and not-so-favorites) in later posts. But I'll share with you my discovery of the day, which just arrived in this morning's mail: Gran Habano. I ordered 10 of the Corojo Rothchilds, but they are also available in other blends and wrappers (Connecticut Shade or Criollo). Boy, these are NICE, robust smokes bursting with flavor. Notes of leather, earth, nuts and spice play with your taste buds and tease your tongue with hints of sweetness. Rather complex with no single taste dominating. Anyway, a helluva buy, 10 sticks for just $25 from fullerspullers.com. Great bang for your buck.

Glad to have found CS. Seems to be a pretty cool place!


Ken