First of all, there is no need to "transition from aros to non-aros". Guys who are not in it to compete in a pissing contest with other guys smoke what they like, not what internet chatter says "real pipe smokers" smoke.
I have a couple aros in my stash. Stokkebye 4th Generation 1931 Flake is a stout burley-Va base with a light honey flavor and very pleasant room note. Pease's Va Cream is a moderate Va base with a bourbon-vanilla flavor and also pleasant room note. Of the two, 1931 is by far the better, smokes cooler with no bite and remains consistent all the way to the heel. The topping and room note are also subdued, whereas Va Cream is more in-your-face. But both are examples that aros need not be cheap crap burley soaked in some godawful cloying syrup. A good aro is a pleasure to smoke, is a nice change-off from natural blends, and handy to have around for when you smoke in company of non-pipesmokers.
That said, in non-Aros there are two categories: English, and everything else.
English blends are all variations on a theme, that theme being the flavor and aroma of Latakia. Dunhill's Nightcap is the quintessential English, and you need look no further. The others are merely weaker or slightly bastardized versions thereof. Nightcap is the mackdaddy of English blends.
In the "everything else" cagegory we have 2 major subgroups: Burley-based, and Virginia-based.
Burley's main claim to fame is a stout nicotine content and the ability to take on the taste of whatever it's blended with. The less it's blended with, the more you get the taste of the burley itself. That's not a good thing, so therefore, in a burley-based blend you want to look for one with significant amounts of condimentals. I can't recommend one in this genre because I try to avoid burley outside of aros.
Virginias comprise many different types with different tastes. Some are straight one variety. Those tend to taste flat like cigarettes. Others are blended with different varieties of Virginias. Those have a bit more complexity. Finally, some blends contain Perique. If you want to preview the taste of a Va-Per, sprinkle some black pepper on your tongue. That's pretty much all Perique does, spice up the tongue. In this group I can recommend Dunhill Flake (straight Va), Dunhill Royal Yacht (straight Va with some vague casing, kick-ass nic content), and Dunhill Deluxe Navy Rolls (Va-Per). Escudo is the poor-man's DNR, I haved smoked both, DNR is smoother and sweeter but inasmuch as they both contain Perique, after mid-bowl you will only taste the peppery Perique, and Escudo is cheaper. All VA blends like to smoke hot, so if you don't sip slowly, you will scorch your tongue and palate quickly.
Oh, and there are blends refered to as "Lakelands". They really should be called "no-mans-lands". But seriously, they smell and taste variously like soap, your grandmother's hankie, your wife's deodorant, or urinal cakes. If you have swallowed non-caustic poison and need an emetic and don't have any hydrogen peroxide on hand and can't bring yourself to stick your finger down your throat, a few puffs of a Lakeland will trigger your gag reflex just as well.