Welcome from Maryland!
Sutliff is a good choice to start with. They make some very approachable blends, some of my favorites. I am a fan of the vanilla they use, which is very lucky for us both. Sutliff really likes using that vanilla on many of their blends. But don't give up on your 7Seas yet. I almost made that mistake. Let it air out a little bit and it starts smoking much better.