What are 5 things you've learned about cigars that you wish you'd have known as a newbie, and that would've enhanced your newb experience...

1.) Buy the biggest humidor you can possibly afford.
2.) Purge (blow through the foot) of your cigar every 3 or 4 puffs to freshen the cigar and get rid of any stale smoke, etc.
3.) Let the damn things dry out for a bit before smoking them. (dry boxing)
4.) Pepin, Padilla, Padron...and sometimes Patel (The four Ps)
5.) Buy a Palio, a good lighter, and beads right out of the gate!
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3 more come right to mind.

Small ring gauge on cigars is not a bad thing.

Smoke slowly.

If a cigar ain't doing it for you, pitch it. Life is too short.
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The better the wrapper the better the cigar.
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Smoking with friends beats smoking alone.
Pay It Forward
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Don't save smokes for special occasions.
Don't buy based on what you read.
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Always buy Vin's or Dustin's samplers :-)
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Support the troops.
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There is going to be another limited/special edition cigar around the corner that you are going to want as much or more than the one you are considering now.

Don't ever promise your wife that you won't be buying any more cigars this month unless you are prepared to buy her a pair of shoes.
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Never post a pic of your new cooler or humidor.

:-)
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you dont NEED to buy those cigars just because they are on sale.
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Always shop around before buying. This includes comparing prices before placing a bid at the Devil site.

Hook a Brother up.

There are nearly as many bad expensive cigars as there are bad inexpensive cigars.

Quite a few catalog descriptions are blatant lies.

As Vin said Support and Honor the troops.
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Maduros are not the devil!!
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Snorking
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- Sample stuff, but find a goto cigar.
- Read what people say about a stogie, but make your own opinion.
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1. Quality over quantity
2. Buy more singles before committing to a box
3. Get involved in more trades and PIF's. It's a good way to try lots of different cigars
4. Small RG doesn't mean less "value"
5. ISOM's !!
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Have something sweet on hand to counter dropping blood-sugar levels from too much nicotine. And that cuban cigars are much less expensive, on the whole, than nc's.
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Another reminder on why I LOVE this hobby!!! :-)
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B&M Etiquette:

- Don't smell the cigars - it doesn't tell you anything and it pisses off the employees.
- If you smoke there, buy something
- Go to learn, not to teach (as a newbie)
- Ask what they have "in the back"
- Hook the employees up, they will reciprocate

:-)
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Doug already said it, but it bears repeating.
Hook a Brother up.
Someone much smarter than me once said "Where's the love in loving someone that already loves you? Anyone can do that."
Show a brother the Love. Especially one you don't know. That's the way to roll. :-)
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1. bigger isn't necessarily better
2. "mild" isn't a dirty word
3. when it comes to Cuban tobacco, believe the hype
4. you will probably outgrow anything larger than a cooler within the year
5. cigars do not smoke best when stored at 70% humidity

I can probably come up with another 5 but those are the ones I really wish I could go back and tell myself as a "newbie"
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