Noobie ABC's

[goodkat]

As a novice smoker I would like to get suggestions/tips for understanding and recognizing the different blends and identifying specific tobaccos in these blends like latakia, perique, orientals...etc
So far I like what I'm smoking but don't know how to recognize the individual tobaccos that make up blends. And therefore can't make decisions based on the combinations. Do I like blends strong in latakia, cavendish, orientals...I have no idea!?

 

[sjpipesmoker]

Go to a webpage or a B&M and get some 1oz samples of a bunch of stuff, sit and enjoy them and eventually you

Will find things you like and dislike. Trial and error is the beat way.

 

[pstlpkr]

Hey Goodkat,
One thing that really gave me a very basic understanding of the differnces was to search Wikipedia for the basic types of tobaccos.

These links should help.
Latakia

Turkish

Oriental

Perique

Virginia

Cavendish

Burley

 

[seanz]

Nice post Lawrence, just what I needed to read as I too have a bit of trouble tasting the different blends.

 

[romeowood]

There's tons of info about the different types of tobacco, readily available. Excellent links, Lawrence!

If you really want the skinny, get yourself an edumacation here.

Once you've read up though, it's time for the practicum...tasting each of the types in their individual, unfettered forms.

Check out McClelland or Stokkebye bulks, pick up a couple ounces of about a dozen representative types, and start smokin'.

 

[nathaniel]

smoke, smoke smoke... It's the only real way to figure it out. A few months ago, Cortezattic posted a very long and informative compilation of different tobacco types and their most popular representative blends. (maybe one of the mods can pull it up?) So I copied and saved it to an MS Word doc. and have been slowly checking blends off the list as I go. It's been a few months, and now I pretty much know exactly what I like in a blend.

 

[nathaniel]

I'm pretty sure Tommy started the thread asking about the different types. If the mods can't find it, just let me know and I'll send you a pm with the MS doc. attached.

 

[bubblehead]

When you get a blend, try looking it up here: http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/index.cfm, they should list the component tobaccos that make up the blend. Over time you will learn the distinctive taste and aroma of the different types of tobacco, experience is the only way. It's like trying to explain "red" or "blue" to a blind man, the only way to understand the flavor and aroma of a particular tobacco like latakia, or burley, or virginia is to actually experience them.