How Biased Are Pipe Tobacco Reviews

[ClinchKnot]

I don’t know if tobacco reviews are biased, but I suspect that if someone known to do a lot of thorough reviews suddenly started raving about a particular blend or blender while everyone else was saying the tobacco sucked the game would be over fairly quickly.

I don’t use tobacco review ‘stars’ to determine if I try something or not. Those little three or four star scores just aren’t developed enough to be any kind of reliable predictor of whether or not I will like a blend.

What I do with tobacco reviews is read them all while I am smoking a new blend. I will do that for two or three bowls, and I will take notes. Usually what I pick up in a new blend is scattershot over the reviews. One person will mention spiciness of a certain kind and I get that. One person may mention citrus or sourness and I may recognize that and write it down. I’m never going to be sommelier of tobaccos, don’t have a superhuman palate, but the reviews do help me figure out what I am picking up and enjoy (or dislike) about a blend and that serves a very useful purpose to me.

 

[BPatrick]

I don’t know if tobacco reviews are biased, but I suspect that if someone known to do a lot of thorough reviews suddenly started raving about a particular blend or blender while everyone else was saying the tobacco sucked the game would be over fairly quickly.

I don’t use tobacco review ‘stars’ to determine if I try something or not. Those little three or four star scores just aren’t developed enough to be any kind of reliable predictor of whether or not I will like a blend.

What I do with tobacco reviews is read them all while I am smoking a new blend. I will do that for two or three bowls, and I will take notes. Usually what I pick up in a new blend is scattershot over the reviews. One person will mention spiciness of a certain kind and I get that. One person may mention citrus or sourness and I may recognize that and write it down. I’m never going to be sommelier of tobaccos, don’t have a superhuman palate, but the reviews do help me figure out what I am picking up and enjoy (or dislike) about a blend and that serves a very useful purpose to me.

I watch several as entertainment as I enjoy well made pipe content and good presentation. I learn a lot and make a decision to pull the trigger or not on a blend. That's a great idea to smoke several bowls of the blend while watching reviews to see if you can pick out things. Gonna have to try that.

 

[Sgetz]

For me it's quite simple. I can try all blends so I have to source informative opinion somewhere. I don't experience taste like some of the master reviewers but I've found a few who like what I like so off I go!

 

[PipeMarc]

Tobacco reviews are just diary entries.

 

[krizzose]

Interesting. I only recall his reviews commenting on the components not the proportions.

I hope it was obvious I didn’t mean that he produced a breakdown by percentages. I doubt he’s privy to that info in most cases. Rather he gives his best sense of the components’ relative proportions. Of course, that is still his subjective opinion, but far more objectively useful for me than “this tastes good”. YMMV.

For example, in his review of GLP Windjammer (chosen as I’m currently smoking it), he uses the following statements:

“…. They [the Virginias] are the lead components….”

“….The perique is an important supporting player….”

“….They [the Burleys] are a notch or two above the condimental slot…”

“….The toasted unflavored black cavendish … as a condiment….”

Call me crazy, but that helps me get a sense of how much of each component is in the blend

 

[PaulDM]

It's not the bias so much as the specificity and detail that throws me off. Perhaps some people have super palates and mine is useless, but I can't relate. I prefer more general impressions and simple reviews rather than a detailed analysis and breakdown of tobacco type in the blend. But to each his own,

 

[bpinkstaff]

I did a scientific study of this, and it determined i like what i like no matter what everyone else likes! Ok there was no science involved lol!

 

[BPatrick]

I hope it was obvious I didn’t mean that he produced a breakdown by percentages. I doubt he’s privy to that info in most cases. Rather he gives his best sense of the components’ relative proportions. Of course, that is still his subjective opinion, but far more objectively useful for me than “this tastes good”. YMMV.

For example, in his review of GLP Windjammer (chosen as I’m currently smoking it), he uses the following statements:

“…. They [the Virginias] are the lead components….”

“….The perique is an important supporting player….”

“….They [the Burleys] are a notch or two above the condimental slot…”

“….The toasted unflavored black cavendish … as a condiment….”

Call me crazy, but that helps me get a sense of how much of each component is in the blend

Agreed....that's a very helpful breakdown.

 

[BPatrick]

I did a scientific study of this, and it determined i like what i like no matter what everyone else likes! Ok there was no science involved lol!

Cause...Science!

 

[FLDRD]

I once smoked a 3 star blend - and I liked it!