What was your first cigar experience?
A buddy of mine came over to my apartment smoking a cigar. I was 20 years old at the time and had no exposure to cigars. My only experience smoking anything was trying a cigarette from a friend in high school, which was not enjoyable and I didn't see the point in them. So out of curiosity I questioned him about cigars till he said next time he'll bring me one. They say you never forget your first cigar, but sadly I never paid attention to the label. I lit it up and remember the overwhelming pepper taste. I thought to myself, wow this is really good!
He explained how different cigars have different flavor profiles, some a little salty, others with hints of coffee or cedar. I was fascinated. So a few days later I made a trip to downtown Orlando where there was a shop called Ol' Times. I had no idea what I was buying and still knew nothing about cigars. So I simply roamed around grabbing anything with a cool looking label, excited to try them all. I must have walked out with a dozen cigars. At the time I didn't know it but I was walking out with gold in my hand. One label that caught my attention had a big red X on a gold label. The Opus X. At the time it was $15 a stick. After smoking through the dozen cigars I bought I went back to buy a handful of Opus X cigars. That's when I found out my favorite cigar is my favorite for a reason. The store owner told me I could only purchase 2 Opus X at a time. They're hard to come by and he tries to make them last for his customers. So my first smoking experience was like a kid at Christmas. Here I was with all these cigars and not a clue in the world what to expect. I couldn't wait to light the next one up to see what flavors await my senses.
He explained how different cigars have different flavor profiles, some a little salty, others with hints of coffee or cedar. I was fascinated. So a few days later I made a trip to downtown Orlando where there was a shop called Ol' Times. I had no idea what I was buying and still knew nothing about cigars. So I simply roamed around grabbing anything with a cool looking label, excited to try them all. I must have walked out with a dozen cigars. At the time I didn't know it but I was walking out with gold in my hand. One label that caught my attention had a big red X on a gold label. The Opus X. At the time it was $15 a stick. After smoking through the dozen cigars I bought I went back to buy a handful of Opus X cigars. That's when I found out my favorite cigar is my favorite for a reason. The store owner told me I could only purchase 2 Opus X at a time. They're hard to come by and he tries to make them last for his customers. So my first smoking experience was like a kid at Christmas. Here I was with all these cigars and not a clue in the world what to expect. I couldn't wait to light the next one up to see what flavors await my senses.
What are your top 3 favorite cigars?
#1 Opus X
#2 Cuban Cohibas
#3 Flor de las Antillas
What is your go to cigar shop?
The Cigar Lounge Oviedo
Link to the shop:
What do you look for when entering a shop's humidor?
Labels, it's all about the labels. A lot of times I walk in a humidor and I know exactly where I'm going, but I'll still scan for labels that catch my eye. I won't ask anyone about the cigar because we all have our own opinions. What someone else hates I might like. So just like I used to do when I was 20, I'll grab something with a fancy label and I still get the excitement of not knowing what flavors await to be unleashed. Sometimes it's a dud and the fancy label was nothing but marketing. Other times I find a new winner.
What is your cigar time usually like?
It has to be perfect. There's a few requirements. It needs to be my day off work so I have plenty of down time, any little thing that's distracting me needs to be taken care of first. If this means paying a pile of bills that's been sitting there, then so be it. Once I have the ability to relax and enjoy every puff only then do I open my wineadore to select my cigar for the evening. At which point I go on my patio, if weather permits I start a fire pit, and the next 2 hours will be my escape from the stresses of everyday life. Other times I may move my laptop out there and pick a good movie, sit back and relax or other times I may be streaming Xbox games out there. This is normally paired with Not My Fathers Root Beer or Ginger Beer. On rare occasions I may pair it with a glass of Absinthe right from Germany.
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