This happened gradually. I didn't get an epiphany one day and decide to turn the spigot off.
Some honored my request. Others sent a 5 pack of something and asked me to just try them. If I liked them, I might review them. But most of the time, I didn't. I tried to be diplomatic and not hurt their feelings. I had a lot of boutique brands send me stuff. On average, 90% of the boutique cigars weren't very good. They were businessmen who would meet a blender and the blender would throw a dozen different sticks on the table and the business man would pick. Then he'd put his bands on the sticks and voila'.....a new cigar was born. In most cases, these cigars needed a lot of humidor time but the businessmen were anxious and impatient. They had sent their cigars to most reviewers and pressured them to publish a review ASAP. It was a shitty situation.
I'm still on the reviewer's list of a few manufacturers....Alec Bradley, La Palina and a couple others. Who turns down samples from these people?
The tool that really helped discourage the cigar guys was how I began to write. R rated. Throw in stories of drugs and sex and rock n roll.
So to answer your question, yes, it was a gradual process. It was not like hitting a light switch.
Now, I buy the cigars I review. It takes time to back your way out of something you tried so hard to accomplish. The last house brand I reviewed for an online store was back on Aug 9. I closed the door after that. And now I review a cigar when I feel like it.
Unfortunately, I did burn some bridges. The "customer" couldn't fathom that someone did not like their product. Such is life.