Are tobacco reviews really of much value?
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I find TR invaluable. If you find you have similar tastes to a consistent reviewer, you can really learn a lot and I would venture save a lot of money in the process. If they like a blend, chances are I will as well.
Tobacco reviews are helpful to some, hugely helpful, but not to others.
I don’t personally reference reviews. I prefer to make my own discoveries.
But I appreciate the efforts of a handful of reviewers who attempt to relate their personal experiences of smoking various blends as accurately as possible. Jiminks works works hard to convey his experiences as accurately as he can.
I don’t personally reference reviews. I prefer to make my own discoveries.
But I appreciate the efforts of a handful of reviewers who attempt to relate their personal experiences of smoking various blends as accurately as possible. Jiminks works works hard to convey his experiences as accurately as he can.
I thoroughly enjoy reading reviews. I find them fun and relaxing to skim. That said, I don't treat them like a compass to point me in the right direction on purchases. I just like reading what others think of various blends.
What many newer smoker don't realize is that @JimInks reviews are descriptive and unbiased. His scores are based on the genres that a blend falls under and how it's composed, not whether he likes it or not.
Two wine connoisseurs tried the wine from a big barrel in a village. One detected a note of iron. The other said he tasted a hint of leather. All the villagers laughed at what pretentious snobs they were. Then, as the barrel was drained, someone found in the dregs an iron key with a leather fob*
A burley has an actual distinct, recognizable flavor, as does a virginia or an Oriental, etc. These flavors change according to where the tobaccos were grown, how they were cured, cased, topped, cut, blended, and aged. If a reviewer has the taste and knowledge to detect such things and is willing to write it down, the review will be useful--but only to the reader who knows enough to understand what the reviewer is talking about. I think a lot of the honey-coated-autumn-leaves type language found in reviews is an effort to reach a reader who may not know what, say, an uncased white burley blended with Izmir would taste like.
*I believe the story comes from an essay by David Hume.
A burley has an actual distinct, recognizable flavor, as does a virginia or an Oriental, etc. These flavors change according to where the tobaccos were grown, how they were cured, cased, topped, cut, blended, and aged. If a reviewer has the taste and knowledge to detect such things and is willing to write it down, the review will be useful--but only to the reader who knows enough to understand what the reviewer is talking about. I think a lot of the honey-coated-autumn-leaves type language found in reviews is an effort to reach a reader who may not know what, say, an uncased white burley blended with Izmir would taste like.
*I believe the story comes from an essay by David Hume.
I use reviews to read the descriptions of the tobacco to determine if it aligns with my taste.
As others have stated @JimInks is a reliable source with objective data. He is the consummate professional taster / reviewer and I always seek out his reviews. There are a couple of others I have learned to trust, but you have to find the right ones for you taste palate.
As others have stated @JimInks is a reliable source with objective data. He is the consummate professional taster / reviewer and I always seek out his reviews. There are a couple of others I have learned to trust, but you have to find the right ones for you taste palate.
In my time as a stinky newbie, and now as a cantankerous newbie, I have been fortunate to be able to contrast, spit, and enjoy a small majority of tobacco, which I could access, by the reviews of the page (tobacco review), smokingpipes and its magnificent videos, and especially thanks to the magnificent descriptions of @JimInks. Thanks also, to this forum. I arrived at a crucial moment, and I was able to get a modest cellar. In short, I have tried a small part of the hundreds of blends and varieties, which I would have liked, but I started late in this world of pipe tobacco. I was luckier with the world of Havana cigars, starting in the 90s.
I try to find a couple of smokers whose preferences mirror my own. Someone who prefers English blends isn't as likely to provide a review for a Virginia blend that i find helpful.
Reading the reviews of people with similar tastes may at least help me narrow things down a bit. If they think a blend sucks, it's likely I will as well. If they live a blend, chances are reasonable I will at least enjoy smoking it. With that said, there's no guarantees and smokers need to smoke a few tins of any blend themselves to form a fair opinion.
Reading the reviews of people with similar tastes may at least help me narrow things down a bit. If they think a blend sucks, it's likely I will as well. If they live a blend, chances are reasonable I will at least enjoy smoking it. With that said, there's no guarantees and smokers need to smoke a few tins of any blend themselves to form a fair opinion.
Before I order a tin it is of utmost importance that I read from a reviewer whether or not a tobacco smokes down to a "fine white ash." 
Reviews are very helpful to me, when they reference nicotine strength or intensity. I can smoke almost any style blend as long as the nicotine hit is mild. Also, I do enjoy reading them!
I think TR reviews are very helpful. Esp as I was starting out and returning to pipes after years off.
I look at @JimInks reviews to understand the components. Esp. For which VAs are in a blend and what they are like. I keep in mind that Jim likes a lot of blends that I don’t care for (heavy Latakia, DFK, aromatics)
I look for reviews that compare the blend to others, answering “what does it taste like?”
I also look at recent reviews to see if the blend has changed. I also appreciate updated reviews for the same reason.
I look at @JimInks reviews to understand the components. Esp. For which VAs are in a blend and what they are like. I keep in mind that Jim likes a lot of blends that I don’t care for (heavy Latakia, DFK, aromatics)
I look for reviews that compare the blend to others, answering “what does it taste like?”
I also look at recent reviews to see if the blend has changed. I also appreciate updated reviews for the same reason.
I could see reviews being helpful if I lived in a country where pipe tobacco was astronomically expensive, and I was afraid of wasting a bunch of money on tobacco that I didn’t like.
As someone who lives in America, I don’t find reviews helpful as I just purchase whatever tobacco I please and trash it if I don’t like it. Pipe tobacco here is not expensive enough for me to care about the risk I incur purchasing a blend I may or may not like.
As someone who lives in America, I don’t find reviews helpful as I just purchase whatever tobacco I please and trash it if I don’t like it. Pipe tobacco here is not expensive enough for me to care about the risk I incur purchasing a blend I may or may not like.
I don't use reviews to decide on what I should buy or not. I'll read the description from the blender, the seller, and/or get a recommendation from a tobacconist. What I like to do is read a few reviews while I'm smoking a blend, just to see if I can pick up any of the same tasting notes in real time. As a newbie I'll taste something I can't quite identify, and reading what others taste will sometimes give me a better clue. I don't pay much attention to if it's liked or not, or how many stars a blend gets etc. I'm just interested in how others interpret a blend compared to myself.
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Tobacco reviews from an educated seasoned palate are immensely helpful. There aren’t too many out there but jiminks tops the short list. I don’t see how anyone, no matter how long they’ve been smoking does not benefit from his reviews. The majority of reviews out there are opinion and everyone has one. I don’t believe that random reviews offer much value other than entertainment. Here’s an example that I think of here. I don’t like the sound of Adele’s voice or her music but I can still recognize that she is a good and skilled singer. Jiminks reviews will tell you what tobacco is objectively good according to its genre and the quality of tobacco used even if he happens to not personally enjoy it much.
I agree with others that Jims tend to be the most helpful. There are a few others. I find that they help me gauge what is well made more than what I will actually enjoy....but they do help to narrow the field. I think reading a few of them can give a ballpark notion. Discussing blends here on the forum is more helpful (on a good day).
Reviews have their place and can provide value and insight when deciding on blends. Rather than reading in depth reviews when purchasing, I prefer to look at the overall metrics. If I go to tobaccoreviews.com and a blend has 50+ reviews and a 3+ star rating, I can be assured that it's most likely a great blend. I tend to actually read the reviews after I've already bought a tobacco and am lighting up a bowl. I like to try and see if I can pick up the notes that the reviewers are writing about. I don't think I'll ever get on @JimInks level, though!
One person's review is not useful to me. However, if multiple reviews align with positives, it will often make me want to try a new blend and form my own opinion. There are blends with legendary status that I do not like, but I am still glad I gave them a try.