When did you meet your first cigar-enthusiast in person?

[misterbulgarin]

I had the pleasure of running into my first (non-cigar shop person) cigar enthusiast on thursday. After rummaging round a few antique stores, upon my exit I saw two gents smoking small 38 gauge cigars, being the first time, I struck up a convo with one (the other was the shop keeper and had to return to his duties).

Was nice, he chatted about how he goes Belgium to get his bits, nice to use a bit of 'lingo' and to have it understood for once.

He gave me one of his cigars too, bonus!

Anyone else had this pleasure yet?

[leperaffinity]

james mids..i met in september after chatting with him for a while on here. he lives just down the road

[Simon Bolivar]

27th May 2006, the Blue Posts in London on my first Herf, meeting the guys from Club Havana for the first time. I'd only been a member for a couple of weeks but they invited me anyway. It was a wonderful but brief time (had to leave early for a family dinner) but after visting Davidoff's & Fox's we went into the Blue Posts & I smoked a Hoyo DC (See snap). I met Bnelly, AdeUk, Series Steve, Puffalobill, Fluffy, Robusto & Farhad. Although I did take a few pics, I haven't got them on file at the rig so here's one from the second herf, a rather cold December day at Bosidales.
To answer your point Mister Bulgarin, it does change your perspective when you realise you are alone! There are many other cigar smokers out there just as enthusiatic as you & often more knowledgable.
Rock on BOLT

[Simon-JG-hr]

I think my first in-person meeting with a fellow BOTL was some time last summer, and I believe it was our very own DaveRave, for the first of many mini-herfs in Cardiff.

[Turbo]

I met up with a chap called Ade from the "other" site when it was running. I had just started and was a bit niave to say the least!
He kind of taught me lots and showed me how to profile cigars and generally enjoy the hobby for what it is. We met up once a week at a local pub for a mini herd/ smoking lesson!!! Ha! It sounds so sad but that's basically what it was, next thing I knew I had 3 humi's and was joining a big herd in London with Simon bolivar et al.... The rest is history I guess!

[daverave999]

I think my first in-person meeting with a fellow BOTL was some time last summer, and I believe it was our very own DaveRave, for the first of many mini-herfs in Cardiff.

The same for me! I recall Jason AKA Luxsuk was also present?

[Robusto]

I discovered that a Maths teacher I worked with several years ago was a cigar man. A Montecristo man. We used to smoke off in a number of country pubs nearby when it was still possible to enjoy that pleasure. I was a Hoyo Epi2 man back then

[Simon-JG-hr]

The same for me! I recall Jason AKA Luxsuk was also present?

Ah, indeed he was Dave! Good recall. Might have to wait until the spring for the next mini-herf - this winter's looking cruel already!

[Simon Bolivar]

I.......... Ha! It sounds so sad but that's basically what it was, next thing I knew I had 3 humi's and was joining a big herd in London with Simon bolivar et al.... The rest is history I guess!

And a splendid afternoon it was too Turbo

[Gordonbcb]

I'm afraid I'm still waiting on my first meeting with a true enthusiast.

That's not to say that I haven't enjoyed sharing my cigars with friends that appreciate them. I keep trying to convert a few mates, but so far to no avail.

[Robusto]

My first sexual hello to cigars was at the first herf when people of all races, creeds, accents and paypackets gathered together under a symbolic tree of ash on a route march of eggs Benedict and strange Yankee knickers.

Before that I'd met Herr Ving for a silent walkround in carpet slippers with an old wireless that spoke me how to cross between bollards. I felt experimental and trailblazing.

It was a joy to head to that first London herf. To meet Paulo Stogiedawg near Folkestone Central. To send man-porn-cigar-snaps to CohibaIV on another faster and far more expensive train that rushed southwards towards the Statue of Winston.

It was actually a fantastic thing to meet up and blow off with folk that you felt as if you knew because of these brown walls.

It was equally fantastic to meet up with Whisk, Stevie, Giga and CoIV (again) recently in Edinburgh and to realise that we knew all about each other's foibles, antics and tick-tock movements.

Like a third family, or whatever.