Who's been your biggest cigar influence on & offline?

[FUEL]

Thought this may or may not be an interesting topic...time will tell.

When it comes cigars, who online and offline has been your biggest influence if you will? For the sake of all responding with Cigar Asylum lets exclude the site as a whole but feel free if you would like to name a specific member or clan of members.

Before I becoming active here, for me online it was Halfwheel. Being a psychological fact that males are visual first, I was drawn to Brooks photography, followed by the more in-depth aspects of the cigar, blend, manufacturer and enjoyed how un-"CA" they were. I enjoyed how they would follow up with with a redux or two as well. To me their UGI just makes sense as does their methodology behind the mayhem. And I get a very non-commercial vibe.

Offline, IRL, a local BOTL at my home B&M we'll just call "Steve" is an immense wealth of information and seems to know just about everything in a "jack of all trades, master of none" sense and he influenced me to go beyond the band and dive into the subtleties and the "romanticism" of cigars beyond a casual smoker.

He got me into as odd as it may sound, actually deeply studying cigars and all their components from the different types priming's of a plant, aging, curing, blends, regions, flavor and strength profiles, notes, profile shifts related to RG size, how to select the prime sticks at a B&M, the men and women behind the band and on and on and on. I've smoked on and off for 20 years but only the last few really got into it and my pallet became very and sorry if its a arrogant way of saying it but is not intended as such "sophisticated." By that I mean I can pick up a lot of the notes and flavors easily that some of my friends cannot. If it tastes good to them then its good enough but I like to go beyond that to pick up specifics if you will, but not quite to the annoying CA level of tasting toasted cedar of a 2' x 2' patch of earth under bessie the cows right hoof with a hint of barnyard and sweat of a 60 year old field worker named Juan.

He also influenced me on how cigars transcend or connect people into so many other hobbies or walks of life out there that under normal circumstances one would not necessarily connect or interact. Example being cigars as a shared experience in connecting a person with hobby "A" or walk of life "A" with a person of hobby "Z" or walk of life "Z" that would normally have no interaction with each other but through the leaf there is that shared experience that draws parallels and perpendiculars from the "A" to "Z" barrier so to speak.

That's my idea for a holiday weekend topic. Anyone else care to share?

:salute: to all S/BOTL and please be safe this weekend!

Double :salute: to all our brave men and women serving in the military as without you and your courage we would not be here today to enjoy this fine weekend coming up.

[Simple1]

Online and offline, I blame it all on Conch Republican. He's the one that had been such a "bad influence" on me, as well as introducing me to many enablers.

[icehog3]

It all went "downhill" for me after meeting Dave Klugman. :)

[ArgusP2]

Aaron (lostark374), Carl (rennD), Mo (MoTheMan) and the S.H.I.T. Herfers did me in.

Thanks guys!

[shilala]

It's been a lot of different guys here and back at CS that influenced me, and continue to influence my choices.
I can't break it down to a specific individual because as I did research I'd make posts asking questions about certain cigars and types of cigars, and the whole of the brotherhood would work to educate me.
I also lean(ed) heavily on reviews here.

A few guys I can think of off the top of my head who have made a big impact are Dball, sofaman, icehog3, akumushi, kelmac04, daklugs, lenguamour, blueface, and many, many more.
Each step of the way someone has jumped in to help me learn and experience that particular portion of my slide. :D

[jonumberone]

For me, it was Dball, hands down.

[Zane]

I have a friend Mark who started me down this path. However my Zombie brothers really shoved me down the hill.

[688sonarmen]

Dad

[sofaman]

One day I was just minding my own business smoking a White Owl Grape and then I met Shilala and things haven't been the same since :r:r:r

[Coach Deg]

Since I can't use CA as a whole, for about the last 6-12 months my taste has been leaning toward Mac and his Maduro Banter.

[Skywalker]

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/picture.php?albumid=68&pictureid=7072

That's him... The one on the left!

Yeah. That's the guy!

Bobarian!!!

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSVOgqmcHrwieErdOndoTXksdV8AHDhl eLRFGq-KWuiFc5aiH6CeQ

[big_jaygee]

it started when a guy at work handed me a cigar and i smoked it.....hated it. but it got me thinking there has to be better out there so i started looking around.....

found this place and started sliding faster. started listening to a guy named Mac and things have never been the same ever since :r :r

Since I can't use CA as a whole, for about the last 6-12 months my taste has been leaning toward Mac and his Maduro Banter.

:tpd:

[E.J.]

Ahbroody(Mike) has been a very bad influence.

[sikk50]

Skywalker taught me Arganese are top shelf. I'm now some what of an Arganese snob.

[cort]

My uncle got me in to cigars but things got really bad when I met the S.H.I.T crew, especially my good homie Carl (rennD). I love that dude.:D

[markem]

offline: Trent Lott and Mike Mansfield
online: the banter crew at Club Stogie

[DaBear]

Offline: I blame it all on George from Pipes by George. Bastid got me started with a Hemingway Classic, and had me smokin a PAM64 Principe for my third ever cigar. It was all down hill from there. Here I am a short ~3.5 years later, having worked in a shop for over 2 of those, and knowing more about cigars than I'd say most anybody my age does(it makes it fun to see the look of shock on peoples' faces when a 22 year old is able to rattle off all that info on any particular stick).

Online: Gotta hand it to the folks a halfwheel. I swear I'm on that site 4 times a day just checkin for new info :r

[MrClean]

Online: I totally blame Scott (shilala)
Offline: my coworker and good friend Ben. We smoke together once a week, usually at my house in the country, where we can shoot guns, then appreciate a good adult beverage and stick.

[RevSmoke]

Offline: 1976, Ray Nitschke from whom I got my first cigar. 1980-82, the staff at Iwan Ries, they introduced me to premium cigar. My uncle Gary introduced me to Cuban back in 1984-85. Then, Dennis at Riegels in Ft. Wayne in the late '80s into the early '90s. A number of other people have been cigar companions over the years, from who I also learned much.

Without a doubt, there a many from cigar boards who I have learned from, especially CA, but to name them? I would name one and remember a dozen others later on.

Peace of The Lord be with you.

[ChicagoWhiteSox]

Club Stogie

[Lockspur]

Offline: Cheryl at my B&M. A font of knowledge. She's been to almost all of the major factories, is friends with many of the uppity ups in the business, and I'm always learning new things from her. Not only that, but membership is über reasonable, and the chairs are comfy.

Online: Hard to say. I would say Google. Then Halfwheel. Then CB. Then CI. Here. There. Let my fingers do the walking.

[AdamJoshua]

Aaron (lostark374), Carl (rennD), Mo (MoTheMan) and the S.H.I.T. Herfers did me in.

Thanks guys!
Online:

The guy that posted this (Angel) and Peter (pnoon), only the names are changed but the herf remains the same. (Larry, Mate, Ricky, Bob, Dennis, Mike and the rest of the S.H.I.T. crew) :adam

California sunlight, sweet Calcutta rain
Honolulu Starbright - the song remains the same.

Offline:

The cigarette girl at the craps table that asked me if I wanted a pack of smokes and when I told her I quit, she asked me if I wanted to try a cigar...

[kelmac07]

I was turned into "The Resident Maduro Whore" by Johnny (JK5) and haven't looked back since. I have had a ton of brothers steer me down different roads, but to name one that was the most influential...hands down, Scott (Shilala). Our paletes were so very similar that he was able to provide me the insight on what to try, enjoy, etc. I have taken the info that Scott passed to me and RAN WITH IT. I still love my maduros and would say that 98% of my collection is "dark & yummy" due to his guidance and wisdom.

I use Cigar Asylum every single day to guage reviews, look into new sticks for those with similar palates. I also use Halfwheel a lot for info on new sticks, where to find, etc.

[badbriar]

cigarobsession

[mahtofire14]

Offline the owner of my local B&M, and online pretty much anybody here at CA.

[bobarian]

Fidel Castro

[ripper]

Good thread.
Grateful to shilala, tedrodgerscpa, jjirons69, thaplumbr & longknocker for navigating me from Club Stogie to this murky and wonderful haven. Much thanks to my maduro mentor kelmac07 the prince of darkness for his advice & friendship.

[RobR1205]

Damn you Ron (neuron), you spoiled me rotten and kicked me right off the slippery slope!

[icehog3]

Fidel Castro

:noon

[ironchefscott]

Locally I had a buddy who showed me the way to cigars named scott who without him I would not be here now. Now that I have been shown the magic of the darkside. I need a local CC Obi Wan!

Online My buddy Jack the Greek has shown me the light with many many cc's that I have tried(not on this board) I have been loving the info I have gotten from this side on CC's ...since NC's are dead to me as of late.
Thanks in advance to all who will help me with advice or whatnot in my adventure to the darkside.

[RWhisenand]

I was kind of starting to smoke some decent cigars when on a sub-forum of a watch collectors forum I got involved in the cigar thread! The five or six regulars on that thread really took my enjoyment of cigars to another level. Some time later I found this forum, the two guys I traded with, Drez, and Chip were great, and introduced me to yet another level of smokes.

Since I live in a rather remote area, and rarely get to a B&M 99% of what I've learned about cigars I've gathered from the two forums, this one as well as the watch forum.

Thanks guys!

[TJarv]

I don't think anyone offline has really contributed to my obsession very much.

Online I would have to say Larry, Kevin and Mac. They all have similar tastes to me, and I would just see what they were enjoying and buy cigars that way. Still do it somewhat to this day.

[Weelok]

Online: Stogie Review

Off line: my Father who still I love sitting with and smoking a cigar while drinking some form of Whiskey or Whisky

[irratebass]

Offline: My BIL, who quit cigars after I started

Online: The CA crew (you know who you all are) and this year alone maninblack (kevin) like Mac said about Scott out palettes are very similar and he has pushed me down the dark path of some amazing sticks, and I'm glad to know him.

[equetefue]

Offline: Good friend of mine by the name of Ryan. Got me back into cigars after a 15 years hiatus

Online: CigarAsylum off course, halfwheel

[Blak Smyth]

Almost everybody on this forum has helped me along the may however the most influential are likely these culprits:


Shilala-
When I was just getting started out in CCs Scott made a lot of great recommendations and blew me up in a trade that provided me the amazing opportunity to smoke tons of good CCs over a short time period. I will never forget that, thank you Scott.

Dball-
Cigar Jesus played a pretty big roll in my CC slide. I have had the pleasure of trying many out of this world vintage cigars thanks to him. Come to think of it, he has ruined many not so vintage cigars for me. Damn you Dan.;)

Jonumberone-
I like to describe Dom as the nicest a-hole you will ever meet. He has helped me with many box order reccomendations, all that payed off. And he has an eye for fashion. I have herfed with Dom on many occasions and have learned a lot from him. I remember my first herf:r.
Oh and Dom gives the best hugs.

Taki, Digs, SteelCityBoy-
Without these bastads I would have never been introduced to the world of cigars.
Although Taki gave me my first cigar (an Acid Toast, some friend :r) these guys all pushed me into the life style and I have enjoyed tons of herfs on The Wood over the last few years. We all started offline and I had to drag them all here.

The generosity of so many others here as well has made me appreciate the brotherhood and enrichment of life this hobby has brought me.


I can't forget about Mac, Frank, Remo, DPD Andrew, Kevin STS, Angel, EricF, Keith BigAsh & Larry!

[czerbe]

OnLine.. Stogie Review hands down changed my cigar life.

Offline.... Walt White a great friend, who loves firearms and cigars...

[FUEL]

Was away in my "own little world" for the weekend. Nice to read some of your posts!

[rennD]

Mine were a mixture of online and offline (herfs and phone calls).

Pnoon got me into this, gave me a parachute (with holes) and kicked me of the cliff.

Mo The Man, SD Beerman, Goatlocker, Poker, markem, and Leo (not active on this forum) to name the others. Of course, there are many more over the years (sorry if I didn't list you).

Thanks to all! I will continue to learn from and appreciate your knowledge and experience.

[montecristo#2]

Interesting thread.

Online - definitely clubstogie and a member who actually got banned (:r) for selling too many cigars (the good old cottage industry). He introduced me to Tatuaje's and Padron's. If it was not for his suggestions, I probably would have given up as I could not stand the cigars I was trying from B&Ms (Montecristos, Cohibas, Ashton Cabinets... basically cigars with tobacco from the DR). After he got banned, I was a little confused and Tom (icehog3) really helped me out and answered a lot of my questions.

Offline - Probably another member who is no longer around. I am going to have to go with Jesse (soulskater). I had a free plane ticket I had to use before it expired and talked my wife into letting me go to SoCal 8 (I think it was SoCal 8). I was not the type of person to fly somewhere to hang out with people I really didn't know who I met on the internet. My wife thought I was crazy as well. Go figure, I have now been to six in a row if my count is correct. Jesse answered all of my questions and made me feel welcome when I arrived knowing absolutely nobody.

Good times!

[pnoon]

Mine were a mixture of online and offline (herfs and phone calls).

Pnoon got me into this, gave me a parachute (with holes) and kicked me of the cliff.

Mo The Man, SD Beerman, Goatlocker, Poker, markem, and Leo (not active on this forum) to name the others. Of course, there are many more over the years (sorry if I didn't list you).

Thanks to all! I will continue to learn from and appreciate your knowledge and experience.

Now that made me LOL

[MichaeldeL]

Most probably my dad and uncle. I remember how my uncle would come over on Saturdays and share a Toscano with my old man out on the porch. It was like a weekend ritual.

[longknocker]

For me, it was Dball, hands down.

Dball Started Me Down The Dark Slope & Shilala Down The NC!:banger:D:tu

[bstarrs]

I've really learned a lot from Rob Ayala and all the people on Friends of Habanos over the years. Rob does some of the best reviews IMO on youtube. I'm soaked up a lot of knowledge about Habanos from them.

As for NCs I lurked here for awhile before joining and I'm enjoying learning about the other side of cigars as I have been a solely CC smoker thus far. There's so many brands of NCs to learn about so having resources like this board really helps.

[jaycarla]

Easy one, Papajohn. Knows what I like better than I do. Understands cigars and what it is to enjoy a cigar.

[maninblack]

I blame Mac for my maduro addiction. Damn enabler.

[Jbailey]

Offline: My brother for the first push.

On/offline: Everyone I meet at my first herf "Mega Mob 1". They pretty much shoved me down the "slope".

[icehog3]

On/offline: Everyone I meet at my first herf "Mega Mob 1". They pretty much shoved me down the "slope".

That puff-puff-pass was EPIC. :)

[sevans105]

Offline-my buddy Ethan. Jerk just moved to Cali on me this last week. He was one of the few guys my age in this backwater town with a brain in head. Killed many many cigars and just a couple of bottles of bourbon, scotch, and whiskey. He never even bothered buying his own humidor. Just kept his stash in mine. Crud. Now I'm gonna have to find a new cigar buddy.

Online-Shilala has been a great influence and friend. Chingas, who doesn't stop here too much anymore, pushed me into the fantastic world of CC's with a couple of Team Death bombs. I still have a couple of those original CC's he sent me. Not sure I'll ever burn that Partagas.

Good thread. Good memories. That's what cigars are for me. A chance to spend an hour or two deepening friendships and making memories. Some of those friends are here.

[Mr. Grimes]

I have to say both online and offline bluegil (Andy S.) has been my biggest influence. If it weren't for him I wouldn't have gotten into cigars or joined CA. So if he reads this, thanks brother. He's a wealth of information and never tires of answering questions.

[Zanaspus]

Online is easy: Tom of Icehog fame. He needed some DPG blues, I sent them, he returned Cubans and promptly made my marriage slightly less smooth. ;)

Offline: Just too many folks to pick one.