Here is a popular origin of the word HERF:
"Herf” was first used by “Prince of Skeeves” on the newsgroup alt.smokers.cigars on November 21, 1996. On November 23rd, “Prince of Skeeves” explained: “To `herf’ is to draw on a cigar. It’s less vulgar than ‘suck’ and not as misleading as ‘toke’.”
On July 11, 1997, “Prince of Skeeves” further explained: “The first time I heard the word ‘herf’ and recognized it’s potential for the enrichment of my vocabulary was in junior college in Clyde, Texas in 1982 from a blueblood derelict friend of my named Stu. In the context of the time it was used to describe the ungainly and humorous facial contortion required to deeply draw on a large, hand- rolled cigarette of unknown filling while driving a motor vehicle and keeping an eye peeled for the Callahan County sheriff. Later I found the term ‘herf’ described nicely the method for getting a good mouthful of tasty smoke from my favorite cigars.”
A “herf” has also come to mean a “lively gathering of cigar-smoking comrades.” A “Herf-on-the Lake” was held April 26, 1997 at Jones Park on Lake Travis in Jonestown
Whether or not any of these definitions we find are true I do know the one below is DEFINITELY not the truth!
The term "Herf" used to describe the smoking of a cigar comes from the 1960's in America when many cigar smokers listened to Herf Alpert and the Tijuana Brass while smoking their favorite stogie. The music was latinesque and thus provided an atmosphere of semi-cuban reminiscence. Soon, cigar smokers began to say things like "I was with the Brass last night and the Herf was so good I thought I was in Havana." Thus, we can all thank Herf Alpert for his influence on 'garbonics.
I wonder if that's Herb's brother?
