JoeCigar:
5 Vegas Series 'A' Archetype (Toro 6.0"x50) - 10 / $29.99
In a strange way, I almost want to put these in my cart. I've never been a 5 Vegas fan but I have to admit the ones that I've smoked were impeccably constructed.
The Series 'A' Archetype restarted it all for me. Fifteen years ago, I was talking to the chef of our work cafeteria and told him I used to really be into cigars and just stopped smoking for no good reason. He handed me one of these and told me it was one of his new favorites...
Needless to say, having not smoked in years, that cigar sat me down and turned me a bit green. A fellow colleague and brother of the leaf, saw me "sitting" in the parking lot and approached me. He asked why I was smoking that CI crap? I didn't know what CI was. He advised me to eat some of my lunch and I'd feel better in no time. He lit a cigar and joined me. The lunch and enthralling conversation got me through that cigar. Not sure I ever picked up another 5 Vegas A after that. Although eventually, I would smoke plenty of the AAA made by AJ...
That colleague reached into his portable humidor and handed me about 5-6 cigars to try. The Griffin's is the only one I can recall and maybe an Onyx. Shortly thereafter, I logged into CI and joined the banter there to learn more and get back acquainted with this hobby. That colleague is Charlie and I consider him a great friend now...
A few years after that, I created this site because it appeared that Cigars Intl might drop their banter and I was afraid I'd lose all the great connections I had made. I've lost many of them anyway over the years but it wasn't from lack of trying. It's been 7 years already and one can trace it all back to today's CI offering. If you're still with me, thanks for being part of this. I'll continue doing it while there is continued interest. Happy bantering.
Only 7? Hmm. Yeah...I guess that's right. Lessee...it was late 2012 when my friend Mark gave up cigars and gave me his humidor and gear, which was when I started spending more time on CI and paying attention to the CI banter. It was February 2013 when my friend Tim gave me the big humidor. And it was November 2014 when I broke my leg, and CigarBanter was still new then.
So...7 years of ups, downs and sidewayses. Kind of a bummer that we've lost some. But I'm not going anywhere until you turn the lights off, and if that ever looms as a possibility, I'll offer to take it over. This place has become a habit. Cheers.
