Getting Ready to Try My First Non-Aromatic

Not familiar with the blend other than just online reviews, Interested to know your take on it.

I do have my pipes in 3 split classifications, Aros, Vir, and English. However I dont stick to that 100% of the time.

Its not English, pipe dedication is up to you..I do have mine about the same as dervis, eng aro and va, and I dont hold to that 100%, except with a few. Lat pipes only get blends with lat in them, I have one that only gets FVF, one only for VaPers, and the others get whatever. I only smoke a couple aros tho

zonomo:
Some folks divide all tobaccos between "aromatics" and "English" blends, just as an easy generalization. Technically, though, an "English" consists primarily of Virginias, orientals, and latakia. Latakia seems to be one of the defining tobaccos of a true English blend. (Such definitions aren't set in stone, however.)
Your HH Mature Virginia is something of an oddity, in my opinion. To me, if you call something "Mature Virginia," then it should be exactly that: a matured Virginia blend. According to the information at TobaccoReviews.com, though, this blend actually has 22 different tobaccos in it! It also includes burley, orientals, and cavendish. So, again in my opinion, it will taste nothing like a matured Virginia that is made solely of matured Virginias. For example, it might be interesting to compare this blend with others, such as Butera's Royal Vintage: Matured Ribbon. I think you'll notice a distinct difference. (I should also confess that I'm not a big MacBaren fan. I have no idea how they got to be so popular.)
As Chris mentions, pipe dedication is up to you. I do it -- I have at least seven pipes for every different category of tobacco I smoke (and that includes straight Virginias, Virginia/burley flakes, English blends, Balkan blends, aromatics -- which I only smoke rarely -- and Penzance, the only individual blend for which I have dedicated pipes). I do think I notice a difference by doing this; it seems easier to get the most from each particular type of blend. That said, I went for several years with just three or four pipes, smoked everything in all of them, and enjoyed them. If that's your choice, just keep in mind that it typically takes at least three bowls of a blend before the previous blend disappears and you can really taste what you're currently smoking. (And there are a few blends that are notorious for permanently "ghosting" a pipe with their flavor.)
Bob

I am in the camp of not dedicating my aros to a specific pipe. I just don't own enough pipes to do it. At the same time, I don't smoke a tobacco that heavily ghosts a pipe (or at least not ones that my feeble tastes buds can detect).
One day, when I own over 20 Rad Davis pipes and 20 Dunhills, I may do it! lol.

Virginias do not tolerate ghosting very well. You may end up going through 15-20 bowls before the ghost goes away, if it ever does. Some Aros are pernicious in their ghosting. You really need a pipe or pipes dedicated to Virginias.

flavors left in a pipe

sometimes last several bowls of another blend

this is why most people dedicate pipes

Zonomo no worries. Ghosting is when you smoke a particular blend that leaves it's taste behind when you smoke other blends. Some aromatic's are well known for this due to their having been cased. For example the Pete's Holiday Blend I can taste for a few bowls after. Because of this I tend to have 1 pipe for Aro's, 1 for English and 1 for Virginia's.
If your looking to try English blends I'd suggest you go out and get yourself some Frog Morton's or Frog Morton's cellar. They are almost like a cross between an aromatic and an English. I would also suggest H&H's Black House.
I just recently moved from aro's myself and I've found I like English/Balkan blends but I'm having a hard time finding the enjoyment in Virginia's.

Darn Chris beat me to it.

:nana:

ha ha ::

I need to buy a labeling machine for my pipes.

You've gotten good comments on the HHMV. It's a pretty nice blend.
I have latakia and virginia rotations, and I just keep 'em on different racks. Easiest way to keep it straight, IMO. ::

I would recommend GL Pease's Barbary Coast as a great transitional blend away from aros. Burley based, with Virginia, Perique, and some light but pleasant casing.

Virginia blends are my favorite, I smoke them out of a dedicated pipe. I also dedicate pipes to English (latakia blends), and aromatics.
The problem with aromatics is their flavors are so light and delicate that any other type of tobacco will ghost over them and make it hard to taste the aromatic. Virginia blends are not really a middleman, they are very simular to English blends, but seem more natural and sweet tasting, they also age really really well.