When I started smoking it was casual cause a few friends were into it. They would give me cheap and sometimes throw away sticks. Occasionally I would be given something better. I don't think I appreciated those sticks like I would now, BUT I knew I liked them, and they were much better than the normal fair I had thus far.
Now I really like cigars and have a list of sticks to try, and some I like to keep on hand. I guess I am saying that those "premium" cigars are what turned it from a "sure I'll go hang out and have a cigar" to a hobby.
Maybe the value isn't the same, but a good cigar is a good cigar.
They weren't all universally accepted "good" cigars either. A Hemingway and a Padron 4000 were what really pushed me over, but I had several punches that got me paying attention.
The more I try the more I learn about what a cigar can taste like, and more about what I like about them.
Thanks to you all that list has grown leaps and bounds...it'll be years before I can even get my hands on all the cigars on my list
