Barleywine
I started fiddling with cards very early. But nothing serious, I used poker cards and had the mayor arcana of RWT when I was about 10.
There where many superstitions surrounding tarot in my environment, like one needing to be a certain age to properly start learning and reading cards, no readings to people that are younger than 16, Thoth tarot is filled with negative energy....yadiyadida.
I got my first deck at 18. A Thoth deck, of course. But it did not last long due to superstition.
Then I switched to RWT.
I hear you on the Thoth backlash. I was at a dinner party one time back in the '70s and we were talking tarot. One man (who seemed at least superficially savvy) heard me mention Crowley, and said in a loud, very offended voice "DO YOU KNOW WHO HE WAS?" I said "Of course I do, that's why I bought his deck." End of conversation.