Blends You Have Changed Your Mind About

[Perique]

I've recently had to go back and update a few of my tobacco reviews, on the positive side. GL Pease's Navigator and, more recently, Stokkebye's Luxury Twist Flake. What are some of the blends you've found average or below average but changed your mind about and later enjoyed, and what changed your mind? For me, it's usually jarring and aging. With some blends, particularly Virginia-based, it makes a world of difference - almost as if they're not meant to be smoked fresh.

 

[phred]

The only blend I've really changed my mind about was PS Luxury Navy Flake - and even that was just one bad bowl. I know that a single bowl is not a statistically valid sample, and this was definitely a case where the tobacco just didn't like the particular pipe I tried it in. All of the other times I tried it, the flavor was fine - though I still prefer Luxury Bullseye Flake, and if I pick up some more LNF in the future, I'll try rubbing out a flake or two to compare to my original sample, which I cube cut.

 

[sallow]

GL Pease Fillmore. The first bowl for me had not much going on. After about 6 months in the jar I couldn't believe it was the same tobacco, rich, full, ripe.
Sometimes I think my nose is just off on certain days.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I've just found myself changing my mind about all genres altogether. I used to hate aromatics and latakias. But, after finding a few good aromatics, I went back and tried some Balkans. The worst part is that now it is even harder to make up my mind on exactly what to smoke with about ten open tins of so many vastly different blends.

 

[lestrout]

Presbyterian is one blend that went from meh to fabulous for me. I know that a lot of blends improve greatly when aired out for a few days - often a freshly popped tin won't rise to its full glory for a week or more. And of course I do like a lot of blends dried out well, even crispy, or in the words of Robert at Morley's, 'mummified'.
hp

les

 

[thedudeabides]

GLP Caravan. A fresh bowl was ok, but a year later, it was fantastic! Richer and better in every way to my palate.

 

[derfargin]

So are most replies coming from opening a tin of ______ blend, smoking a bowl or two not really getting much out of it. So you jar(mason type) it up for 6 months or more? Or leave it in the same opened tin? Then trying it after the aforementioned aging time has taken place. I know I've read lots of posts where just getting some "new" air to a blend and letting it sit really changes things dramatically.
I would be concerned with leaving say..the contents of a tin of Gaslight in it's original container with the original plastic "cap" fitted on for months or even a year's time. My first instinct would be to mason jar it, but if one does that does it hinder the melding? My concern would be it drying out too much. It should also be considered that someone living in the Southwest US will have significantly more more moisture removed from a tin left in it's original container than would someone living in a more relative humid region.
Or am I really over thinking this???

 

[wilson]

It can take me some time to adjust to a new blend, particularly if is not variation on English, which is mostly what I smoke. Two tobaccos that I initially did not like, but have come to appreciate, are McClelland's 221b black shag and MacBaren Navy Flake. At first, I was very disappointed in black shag, but by the time I finished the tin I ordered another, and another. . . Not an everyday smoke for me, but I always keep some around. I simply did not like Navy Flake at all when I first tried it. A year later, encouraged to re-try after a post on this forum about Navy Flake in a cob, I'm enjoying this. It has been jarred for a year, so maybe that has helped, but I suspect it is mostly my taste buds evolving.