Have all of you (or almost all) started on cheap aros?

[mrmachado]

Or have any of you started straight on renowned quality blends?
That question appeared on my mind and I found that intriguing.
Because the transition from smoking only cheap aromatics to smoking quality blends is really "mind-blowing".

 

[raevans]

I started on Sir Walter Raleigh and Lane Limited 1Q. I still smoke both on a regular basis.

 

[grettman]

I started smoking a pipe almost a month and a half ago. I have not tried aromatics and I don't plan ...at least not for a long time. I am really enjoying quality non-aromatic tobacco. I have TAD.... since I started smoking, I have bought about 7 different tins and so far I am loving each of them (some more than others).

 

[mikethompson]

Nope, my first bowl was some Amphora something or other which was awful. My whole technique was off and I incinerated my mouth. I got back on the horse with Nightcap and went from there.
I think that most folks started with Carter Hall or Captain Black.

 

[cortezattic]

I started with Middleton Cherry Blend, then Kentucky Club, Amphora, Iwan Ries Three Star Blue, and slowly arrived at my tobacco epiphany with IRC's series of British Blends. I really didn't dabble in "boutique" blends until McClelland arrived, and that's when my interests diversified.

 

[redglow]

I did the same. 20 years ago had a couple of bowls of captain black or something similar. Didn’t find it enjoyable at all.

Immediately went looking for something else and found Nightcap, Early Morning, 965.
Nightcap became my daily brand.

 

[spartacus]

I started with aromatic house blends from my local B&M. I still enjoy aros but have branched out to all kins if blends now. I smoke aros aybe 25% of the time.

 

[johnbarleycorn]

I bought a pouch of Carter Hall and the next day a friend gave me a tin of escudo and a tin of dunhill flake. Don’t think I ever finished that pouch of Carter Hall.

 

[virginialover]

Yes, cheap aros but I made sure that my son started with more "natural" and better tasting tobacco. It's a shame that tobacconists advise new pipe smokers to start with aros, I guess it makes more sense for their business.

 

[ray47]

I started on Middleton's Cherry Blend and it nearly caused me to give up on the pipe. I still loathe it.

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

Yep, started with a very cheap corn cob and a pouch of Captain Black Gold. It was the most convenient purchase to make at the time and not really even knowing if I'd enjoy pipe smoking or not, seemed like the cheapest investment. Just made sense really. I knew nothing about any of those jars of tobacco, but even if I did, the shop I went to didn't really have anything outside aros since that was their biggest seller.

 

[thedbs999]

I started with a pouch of Prince Albert, then a pouch of Carter Hall. Still like 'em.
Dan

 

[scloyd]

My first tobacco was a Tinder Box house blend "Sunset" which is probably some Lane Ltd blend.

A unique aromatic blend of the finest red Virginia tobaccos, using the traditional Cavendish process. A light, soft flavor, slow burning with a grand aroma

 

[seanv]

I started with an aro from the bulk jars. I think it was 1q. I hated it and tried some more and hated those too. Then I found the English blends and the rest is history.

 

[shanez]

I started on Dunhill London Mixture. Bought a couple of bulk aros and a Peterson flake a few months later.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I started on Middleton's Cherry Blend and it nearly caused me to give up on the pipe. I still loathe it.

Same as Ray. There were others, Mixture 79 perhaps, until the Dean of Students at my uni turned me on to Burlington Arcade.

Long ago discontinued.

 

[recluse]

I started on B&M aros, then quickly transitioned to online ordering which resulted in me leaving aros behind pretty quickly.

 

[philobeddoe]

My first tobacco was Borkum Riff Whisky, back in the summer of 1990.

 

[jeff540]

My first was a pouch of SWR regular and a MM cob in the summer of 1996 while on the road for work. I still have that old cob, a rough finish one - kept it for sentimental sake.
When I got home from that particular job, I stopped in to my local tobacconist at the time, which happened to be Milan Brothers. Based on my then budget, they pointed me in the direction of decent but inexpensive briars with quality bulk tobacco (Dunhill 965 and MacBaren VA#1).

 

[davet]

Started with Amphora and Old Port, later on Sail, Captain Black & Borkum Riff. Enjoyed them all :mrgreen: