Are tobacco reviews really of much value?

[Wheels]

I've looked at a lot of reviews. It seems to me that for most of them there are those who love it and others who hate it. Guys get all kinds of flavors and they often don't agree. What it amounts to is that you don't really know if you will like a tobacco until you try it yourself.

And the dealers' descriptions don't help much. It's really a crap shoot.

 

[dottlejockey]

I never use some else's review to decide whether or not to try something. Best bet is, as you say, try everything of interest. Then stock up on your personal favorites and feel content to keep a few secret sleepers in your stash.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Mostly entertainment.

 

[Elric]

It takes a bit to find reviewers with similar tastes. Failing that, understand their preferences and let that be your guide.

 

[Manawydan]

This. The closer any given reviewer is to your palette the more useful the reviews will be directly. Otherwise I use a combination of reviews, blender's notes, site descriptions, and forum comments to decide whether something is 'worth' taking a chance on. This has gotten easier the more I smoke -- I know more what I like, and know more of what to look for.

 

[Copperhead]

I look for Jiminks' reviews. Has never led me wrong.

Then again, I'm pretty easy going about what I smoke.

 

[Manawydan]

I look for Jiminks' reviews. Has never led me wrong.

Then again, I'm pretty easy going about what I smoke.

I think @JimInks reviews are the most helpful to me of any single reviewer -- he is the least subjective, and describes the flavors that each component contribute to the overall blend.

 

[Mrs. Pickles]

Reviews are peculiar to the reviewer, but that doesn't always make them useless.

Things that I find useful:

• Product comparisons. "Blend X is similar to Blend Y"
• Component tobaccos and their perceived strength.
• Flavorings and their perceived strength.
• Preparation suggestions. "Cube cut and gravity fill." ; "Microwave it."

Things that aren't useful:

• Preference. "I love this." ; "I hate this."

Other than this, its mostly entertaining to read how other people perceive and describe something. If they are consistent about it, that becomes useful too. That's one of the great things about a Jiminks review. Once you've read enough of them and compared his writing to your own perceptions, you can recognize what he calls "floral", or "molasses" or "a couple of blades of grass", even if you don't agree with those associations yourself.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Component tobaccos

I used to use TR for that but some listings conflict with descriptions from the manufacturer.

 

[Pipke]

The old reviews I take with a grain of salt. Newer reviews are much more useful to me. I'll add that @JimInks reviews are useful because I learned that whatever he likes I tend to like too.

I am a bit mystified by the whole, "...lemony, bready, dark fruit, Spanish moss, and pickles comes through with hints of clove and nutmeg...".

I'm like, gee... It tastes like tobacco.

 

[anotherbob]

I've looked at a lot of reviews. It seems to me that for most of them there are those who love it and others who hate it. Guys get all kinds of flavors and they often don't agree. What it amounts to is that you don't really know if you will like a tobacco until you try it yourself.

And the dealers' descriptions don't help much. It's really a crap shoot.

There is a knack to using reviews. Find the people that agree the most with you. Personally I avoid reviews. But a few of the blokes on this site will review something and I'll know I have to try it.
The thing is it's best to look at reviews as one persons experience and opinion.
Also I recommend writing a review or fifty, something about the change of perspective can really open up your senses to a blend. Sharing the reviews is optional.

 

[Sobrbiker]

I like to watch the members here, and the WAYS threads. I know quite a few by now by whose preferences line up somewhat with mine.
JimInks’ reviews are consistent and objective which makes them more and more helpful as I get to know more blends.
None of the reviews really helped until I got a decent technique going on, and by that time I’d trialed and erred enough to have somewhat of a compass to go by.
I know more now of what I don’t like than what I like, and still hang onto jars of what I don’t like because at only a couple of years under my belt I’ve already had things I like become things I don’t like (and vice/versa).

Remember that no tobacco blend is the same to each smoker or in each pipe.

Have fun, it’s very cool when you do find blends that are great to you, regardless of what the conventional mindset is on them.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I've seem a lot of threads here where the poster believes that they are doing something wrong because they can't find a liking for a popular tobacco. I wonder if some blends' popularity includes a bit of fear of not being included.

 

[jbfrady]

In my opinion, they’re not especially helpful. What has aided me in the process is learning which components I like and which I don’t, as well as which manufacturers I tend to prefer. From there on, it becomes easy enough to read the description of a blend and know whether you’re going to like it.

Because I’m a fan of hot pressed flakes, I tend to gravitate predominantly towards flake tobaccos made by Kopp, DTM, and STG, as well as the occasional Gawiths. On the opposite end of the production spectrum, C&D does especially well with non-hot pressed Virginias, so I knew I’d like Sun Bear long before I tried it.

 

[badbriar]

Very much depends upon the reviewer. Those who do not care for latakia blends may rate an English or Scottish blend unfavorable, where a lat lover may fall in love with the same blend. As said, a reviewer with a cosmopolitan palate may be a better source to rely on. Personally, I sincerely appreciate reviews and do base my purchases on favorable reviews to some extent.

 

[warren]

They certainly can be that's for sure. Depends entirely on how well the reader knows his palate and understands the how closely it matches the reviewer's.

 

[cshubhra]

Although most of what I would say has already been said, I just wanted to add one more point which is useful to me.

It is the power of suggestion… I occasionally read the reviews while smoking. When I read what I am supposed to taste, the taste improves for me.

 

[JoburgB2]

I agree with cshubhra, and find them entertaining. Some are quite humorous. Others are often informative. Most are not. But I still read and even re-read many of them frequently. Take and absorb what is useful to you and discard the rest. Jiminks is prolific but I cannot decipher his extensive tasting notes. Pipestud is laconic and easily understood. Eulenburg is perhaps the most eloquent and sophisticated. Good luck and enjoy!

 

[dog_park_piper]

Reviews are peculiar to the reviewer, but that doesn't always make them useless.

Things that I find useful:

• Product comparisons. "Blend X is similar to Blend Y"
• Component tobaccos and their perceived strength.
• Flavorings and their perceived strength.
• Preparation suggestions. "Cube cut and gravity fill." ; "Microwave it."

Things that aren't useful:

• Preference. "I love this." ; "I hate this."

Other than this, its mostly entertaining to read how other people perceive and describe something. If they are consistent about it, that becomes useful too. That's one of the great things about a Jiminks review. Once you've read enough of them and compared his writing to your own perceptions, you can recognize what he calls "floral", or "molasses" or "a couple of blades of grass", even if you don't agree with those associations yourself.

Agreeing with this.

Also, check out a tobacco first. Then, look it up and see where you coincide and disagree with other people. Your review is the most important, followed closely by @JimInks.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

With some blends changing as they change formulas, recipes, or how much juice they add, there are some reviews that should just come with a warning. “May not be the same blend you are smoking. May be different tomorrow.”
There is one tobacco company that should just have all reviews removed, because they are no longer helpful.

But, yeh, a lot if good advice here. I lean on what jiminks says. His tastes seem to mirror my own, and I may peruse the other reviews for entertainment.