Mike asked us to share preferences here. I do so out of obedience to the lord of this manor, and to pad the page count, but not out of any entitlement or expecation.
I can truly enjoy anything besides burley and cigar leaf. So if you avoid those two, you can't go wrong and I'll be thrilled. Heck, send me Captain Black Grape or No. 79 -- I'll be thankful, and actually sincerely excited to try them.
But if anybody's interested, some favorites which come to mind are as follows:
I really love darker, sweeter VaPers like Salty Dogs and Dark Flake.
Or, similarly, darker/sweeter VAs like Astley's 44.
I love those stewy, fermentive, figgy flavors.
I also really like Red VAs or Red VaPers.
No need to mention McC (RIP), but Capstan and Cringle Flake are just a couple of currently available specimens which I think are excellent.
Within the latakia world, I sometimes get a hankering for a good balkan. I tried one bowlful of 1996 Sobranie once, and it was the best thing I ever had. But no need to chase unicorns -- there are lots of fine balkans available today.
Also within the latakia world, I sometimes get the itch for a sweeter English like the Frog Mortons were. Boswell's Northwoods in a currently available example that I like.
But these are just a few categories which come to mind. I also really like the sauce on Ennerdale, a few aromatics (Boswell's for instance), and lots of other stuff. Truly grateful for anything!
