Progression Through the Tobacco Blend Genres.

[Recon Paul]

I still haven't figured out what half of this stuff really means. I have figured out that it depends who you ask.

I have aros. Figured out the flavors and intensities I like. (Anybody want to take this frost mint crap off my hands?...) I've had one lat heavy English. It's OK. The only English I've had. The smoke is good enough, but the room note gets to me after a bit. I have a VA/Burley. It's my go to this week. Next order is 1OZ samples of non-aro/English. A straight VA flake, 2 English, a VA/Oriental and a KY. I'll get to the bottom of this. Like I said, steps 2, 3, and 4 have been made into a meatball.

 

[Casual]

Oriental forward blends.

I forgot to include the dive I did on that. I’ll have to revisit a bunch again. I really fell for the sour-ish oriental in Presbyterian/Skiff/etc. I got less from whatever varieties are in Cairo and Embarcadero.

Aros: you've my address.

I have learned never to throw anything away. I love those threads where someone rediscovers a blend they forgot they had.

Try some Bob's Chocolate Flake and relax instead.

That’s a blend I expected not to like, but somehow it‘s great! And you’re right that it’s uncategorizable.

It's OK not to like [Lakelands]. I think the flavors and smells were once commonplace, but no longer, so they seem weird today.

I got some #7 Broken Flake. The first third had the Lakeland scent, which was weird, as you say. Not bad, just odd. The last two thirds was a great tobacco forward Va/Bur that I liked a lot. But I‘m rarely in the mood for half a bowl of weird and half a bowl of excellent Va/Bur, usually wanting one or the other, so I rarely reach for it.

Thanks for all the suggestions, gents.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

My problem is I like almost everything, with only a few exceptions, so I end up cellaring wider than I should, and not deep enough.

 

[timt]

That’s a blend I expected not to like, but somehow it‘s great! And you’re right that it’s uncategorizable.

That was the case for me also since I avoid latakia.

For something along the same lines you could try Sutliff's Voodoo Queen. It's sort of a Bob's Chocolate Flake but throw in some perique. Its weird but I like it.

 

[B_Rock]

I think I travelled a similar route...but really took a detour with Va/Pers...GLP Fillmore, Solani 633 and De Luxe Navy Rolls...but the most interesting detour so far - Haddo's Delight!

 

[olkofri]

My problem is I like almost everything, with only a few exceptions, so I end up cellaring wider than I should, and not deep enough.

Ditto. Although I don't consider it a problem. To this day I don't have a favourite blend and with tastebuds that get easily bored I don't have an 'all day smoke' either. I prefer variety.

 

[Spinkle]

Maybe I should just stick to Scottish Mixture.

Search your feelings, you know it to be true.

 

[Pit&Pipes]

I think over time tobacco palates change. Over my journey I seem to dodge and weave my way across the flavor spectrum. I’ve learned to appreciate the variety more and have a good amount to go back and enjoy when I get a hankering... LOL

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

On a more serious note than my first post in this thread, I obviously favor Virginia blends. Mostly Virginia flakes. I also really like VaOr blends but those can be tough on the tongue if not used in moderation. I've recently started enjoying MB Dark Twist, Club Blend and Scottish Mixture. I enjoy other blends with DFK. Not sure why I ignored those MB blends so long.

 

[pantsBoots]

I’ve been at this a bit over a year and a half. My progression:

1. I like this 1-Q. Better get more aros.
2. I like this English. Better get more Englishes. What will I do with all these aros?
3. I like this burley. Better get more burleys. What will I do with all these aros and Englishes?
4. I like this Virginia. Better get more Virginias. What will I do with all these aros, Englishes, and burleys?
5. Maybe I should just stick to Scottish Mixture.

So what’s next for me?

You reached perfection and you've done good. Enjoy your Nirvana. When the Cavendish gets too overbearing, just step back into some of the better Balkans, then get back to it!

 

[elvishrunes]

Up until about a month ago, I thought Latakia (English/Balkan) blends was the only smoked tobacco, and since I love smoked food, I also gravitated towards that... I went the same route like many, aros to English where I stayed for almost a decade...

Anyhow about a month ago, I discovered dark fired Kentucky, I should have guessed by the name it’s smoked, but just figured it was a nickname. Anyhow, it’s a subtle smoke, 2 weeks as opposed to six months for Lat, but so good. I guess it could be considered a Burley, but mmmm. Amphora is great, I almost prefer it English now, maybe I do.

Aros>>>English>>>Dark fired Kentucky

 

[musicman]

When I got into pipe smoking, it was all about Latakia, and I basically didn't try anything without it for the first few months. Then I tried some Match Victoria in a new pipe and used the blend to break in the pipe. Since then, 2/3rds of everything I've bought has been VA based, Straight Va's, VaPers, and VaOrs. I discovered I really like VaOrs a couple of months ago by trying Oriental Silk and Cairo. And somewhere along the way, I also discovered and enjoyed smoking various Lakelands, starting with Bosun Cut Plug. Now, the only genre I don't regularly smoke is aromatics, although I do have a few I enjoy. I'm currently making my way through a number of ropes generously gifted by ashdigger, and now with cooler weather I'm returning to the Lat blends, especially at the end of the day. So I guess I like 'em all, even though I buy more Va/VaPers than anything else.

 

[jmg81]

If you're like me, you'll keep going around in circles. Variety is the spice of life. Currently back to aros and VA/pers.