Stages of a cigar smoker

[RJT]

Stage 1) You may have started a cigarette smoker, thought that a cigar would be “cool”. Your buddy offered you a cigar. You have the “good life” mentality. You started on a Swisher Sweet, Back Woods, etc…

Stage 2) You bought a few singles at your local cigar shop. Most likely a Macanudo, Cohiba (Red Dot) or a flavored variety cigar. You asked about Cubans…. You may have bought the .99 cutter. You looked at all the humidors and all the accessories.

Stage 3) You started searching the web. Sent for a subscription for the Thompson Catalog. Started trying to figure out which humidor to buy, Looked at Colibri and the other lighters and said, WOW. Went to 5 drug stores and grocery stores trying to find an issue of Cigar Aficionado Mag. Drove yourself and or dragged your wife along to cigar shops in 3 counties from yours. Asked about Cubans….

Stage 4) You bought a desk top humidor off Ebay for $20.00 plus $22.95 shipping. Searched the web a little more. You found Club Stogie. Your first post was “asking about Cubans” after a little ribbing and a smack down. You settle in nicely and introduce yourself and start asking the usual questions. Like “what is the most expensive cigar?” What is the best cut method?” “What is the difference in all the Cohibas?” My RH is at 68% CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME?” Which lighter is best? You ask what ISOM means. You know you did don’t deny it.

Stage 5) You settle in on what you like and are looking to buy a box. You ask which you should buy. You ask about Cubans again. You settle on a bundle of Flor De Oliva.

Stage 6) You do a newbie trade. You start getting to know people. You buy an ISOM sampler or fiver from the wtt/wts section. You start asking about “sources” you purchase your first Colibri $49.99 that 2 days later craps out on you. You then ask “what is wrong? How can I fix it” You buy a Xikar cutter for $39.99

Stage 7) You start smoking high end sticks in singles. Opus, PAM, Ashton, etc….You get in on your first “box split” of ISOM’s. You buy the occasional box of Curly Heads, Padron 2000, La Finca. Cbid consumes a lot of your time.

Stage Your wife starts asking “how much was that” you start spending way too much time on the net about cigars. You get a Subscription to CA and Cigar Magazine. You and the UPS man know each other on a first name basis.

Stage 9) You build your first coolidor. You now know a “source” You are buying boxes of PAM, Opus, and other like cigars. Your credit card minimum payment is getting bigger. Your wife is starting to ask a lot of questions.

Stage 10) You now are building a second coolidor, you just ordered a Dupont lighter, a new 4 finger leather case, a hard plastic travel case, a new display humidor, a Cigar Oasis. 40 lbs of beads. You own 10 different cutters in different style and colors. You now own 6 lighters, a Zippo with insert, 3 Colibri, one working and two dead ones, a gas station lighter, and a new Dupont.. You try to figure out which Single Malt will go with your cigar for that night. You plan vacations around cigar areas. You attend a organized herf atleast once a year. Bought tickets on year in advance for Big Smoke. You are now worried about box codes and dress noxes or cabs. You just placed a 4 box order with “your source”.

You my friend are just like the rest of us. Nice to have you along. RJT

[mike32312]

Holy crap that is so scary. that's me to a T. I'm now between stages 7 & 8. God that's friggin hilarious on how true that is.

[Herf_Nerder]

Pretty on target, although I spent about 10 years in stage 1, soI imagine I'll be long dead by the time I get to stage 10 lol

[12stones]

Originally Posted by mike32312

Holy crap that is so scary. that's me to a T. I'm now between stages 7 & 8. God that's friggin hilarious on how true that is.

I'm right there with Mike but started at stage 2. Never hit stage 1. That's great...and I've got so much to look forward to.

[clampdown]

Close...but, ah, nevermind. My progression went;

1. Smoked my first cigar in highschool, thought it was ok. I have no clue what it was.
2. Went to college and uhm smoked, uhm...skip college.
3. Graduated from college, started getting even more serious with my girlfriend of 4 years. In the evenings I would have a few beers and a cigar with her father. Usually a Macanudo or his favorite, JR Don Diego's. Started playing even more golf which led to big fat cheaper cigars.
4. For Christmas a few years ago my wife bought me a 40 count humidor and lighter from Jr's, and a box of Punch (cant remember the type, i think the elites).
5. I would buy a few bundles from Jr's to have on the golf course. I would visit the local shop and ask about different brands, and would buy countless singles from the shop.
6. I started working at my local shop, smoked 2 cigars a day (would work from 4-9 at night), and the cigars were usually eye-openers to what else is out there, ala other then Bundle cigars.
7. I purchased a Daniel Marshall humidor last year, (Xikar cutter and case), and stocked it with free sticks i got at the shop. I filled the humidor to the brim. Rarely having the same cigar in there. During this time I would purchase deals from CI. Got a free subscription to CA and started reading countless resources. I read two pipe books and three cigar books. I dont even smoke a pipe.
8. Started joining various boards, and now call this my one and only home. On these boards I found cigarbid.com and other auction sites. I have visited handful of cigar shops from here to Miami.
9. Now i have four humidors, all packed, with no room for anything new. My Daniel Marshall still has a buffet of my favorites ISOM and legal sticks (pics coming soon). My other humidors are filled with boxes of Padron delicias, La Aroma De cuba Marquis, El Rey Del Mundo Robusto (Obscuro), St. Luis Rey Belicoso, 25 various Ghurkhas, Oliva Robusto. (Pics coming soon). I have three tupadors filled with various yardgars, golf cigars, and cigars for friends who dont know any better.
10. My wife (the one I spoke about earlier) understands my passion for cigars and allows me to do what I want (as long as it is done in a reasonable manner).
It is a similar path, and I feel that these past few years I have learned so much and I can not wait to continue this journey and tell you all about it.

[LR120]

I'm a little past stage 10 but skipped a couple of the early ones.

[Warhorse545]

Between 6 and 7 here


Few things I have not done is ask where to get Cubans and never owned a Colibri.


Stacey

[stogie_kanobie_one]

I know my class is looking at me cross eyed now because I'm laughing so hard. I just reached stage 10 . I have a picture of Cuba as my background Wallpaper and I tried JUST LAST NIGHT to sell my wife on Cuba for vacation...... She saw right through me <darned it>. The 120 qt cooler is sitting in the basement next to the wine coolerdor both projects are in process right now. OMFGoodness you could not have been more right.

[Mister Moo]

Uh huh. If this bothers you, stay away from the coffee forum.

[cquon]

Yep, that's about the size of it. Haven't hit 9 yet though.

[Andyman]

Originally Posted by RJT

you purchase your first Colibri $49.99 that 2 days later craps out on you. You then ask “what is wrong? How can I fix it” You buy a Xikar cutter for $39.99

Did that last year right before my first Habanos Split.. This year I found my soures and buying by the box load.. I now also Plan ahead for the seasonal Fuente releases.

Forgot one thing.. Stage 11 - planning your aging seqeunce and looking for Aged boxes that are ready to smoke NOW!!

[RJT]

Yes their are many sub stages in between. Like buying the books about cigars. You buy the Thompson humidor combo deal. You try "talking cigars" to your buddies, but realy dont have a clue yourself. Or you buy cigars because of the way a band looks. You get the idea. I just thought overall most of the stories are very close. Hope you enjoyed the reading. RJT

[RJT]

Originally Posted by Andyman

Did that last year right before my first Habanos Split.. This year I found my soures and buying by the box load.. I now also Plan ahead for the seasonal Fuente releases.

Forgot one thing.. Stage 11 - planning your aging seqeunce and looking for Aged boxes that are ready to smoke NOW!!

Stage 11....that is a good one. Only a very select few ever get to this stage. A few get to the stage of buying pre embargo boxes for a gazillllion dollars. Owning an "aging collidor" filled to the top with high end and rare sticks. Funny stuff. RJT

[Vader1974]

Originally Posted by RJT

You now know a “source” You are buying boxes of PAM, Opus, and other like cigars.

Great post! I hope I can eventually get a "source" for buying boxes of Opus. Right now my B&M shop limits the number I can purchase per visit.

Brian

[teeznutz]

Great post. I went from stage 2-9 in 3 months. I'm content and my wife is clueless of what i've been spending!! Coolerador a possibility in the coming future.