I was 16 with my first cigars and pipe.
In Vermont vacationing with my Folks, Brother and NANA. NANA chose the first tobacco for my pipe. Cherry Blend, I think...
Cigars....
There was a store in Newark, NJ that rolled it's own (I lived in Elizabeth and Linden)...I would buy boxes of fresh rolled from them.
My humidifying was terrible in the early years
I'm 56 nowadays
Tom