99% of the time I smoke only one blend. And I like it that way. I know how it will smoke, and I know that I'll enjoy it. I'm simple like that.
Question For Everyone New And Old.
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To me, the key is that the tobacco I smoke is enjoyable. I can enjoy variety but variety isn’t the key to enjoyable tobacco.
Rather corny, but I also enjoy the variety of artwork on all the different tins and boxes.
There are a great many that do and some even collect them.
I only like Latakia blends and could be happy with just 3 or 4 of them.
That sums up well how I feel about it.
Maybe its the newb in me but I don't think I would enjoy the hobby as much if there wasn't such a large variety to choose from. Its like star trek, to seek out new blends and new rotations, to boldly smoke what I haven't smoked before....(or something like that)
I have about a dozen blends on hand and that's about as many as I care to choose from at a time. When one or more runs out I purchase a few more ounces. There are a couple blends I will reorder, but I like to change it up a bit too. I also don't care to build up a large stock of tobacco since I only smoke once or twice a week
With current prices on tobacco here in Eu,I'm not fan of big surprises,here I mean I don't want to take shots in the dark'
Once I try every tobacco on the planet at any given time period, I'll settle on a favorite 
I smoked one codger blend for decades and was content. Tried the original Balkan Sobranie it its heyday and didn't like it. In my sixties, to learn more about what was now considered a hobby, I subscribed to pipe forums and watched YouTube videos. I discovered I like English, Balkan and most Lakeland blends, don't love aromatics, have trouble discerning the subtleties of pure Virginias but enjoy some Va/Burs and Va/Pers. I have to say, I'm enjoying pipe smoking and getting more out of it since I became less content.
I have 43 different blends in my cellar. Everyone of those were tested and had to smoke really well if they were to make the cut. 41 of those are Va,Vaper and Vabur flakes, plugs and rope. I have two aromatic blends that are smoked not that often.
I have stopped trying any new blends and the only new tins I buy are from pipestud and those all have some nice age.
I could never be a one or two blend guy as I enjoy variety way too much. Too many, 43 different blends is a minuscule amount for a cellar. I am sure there are tons of people who have way more variety.
I have stopped trying any new blends and the only new tins I buy are from pipestud and those all have some nice age.
I could never be a one or two blend guy as I enjoy variety way too much. Too many, 43 different blends is a minuscule amount for a cellar. I am sure there are tons of people who have way more variety.
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Personally I think the market could use a few more blends. (Think bringing back some particular blends.)
Loosely speaking, competition breeds 2 things: lower prices and better quality. (Or some mix of.) Other than the loss of some specific companies for myriad reasons, we are seeing both very good, cheap blends as well as some truly exquisite, quality blends in the market.
Sure I could be reasonably content with fewer blends but on the same token if I had only 1 blend I'd probably quit altogether. Right now we have a fantastic market that is yielding good bulk blends that a pound of costs the same as a couple of tins of more exotic stuff that comes into and out of stock. I'm smoking and cellaring both types and enjoying the hell out of it.
It's not like I'm trying every blend out there nor would I want to but variety truly is the spice of life.
Loosely speaking, competition breeds 2 things: lower prices and better quality. (Or some mix of.) Other than the loss of some specific companies for myriad reasons, we are seeing both very good, cheap blends as well as some truly exquisite, quality blends in the market.
Sure I could be reasonably content with fewer blends but on the same token if I had only 1 blend I'd probably quit altogether. Right now we have a fantastic market that is yielding good bulk blends that a pound of costs the same as a couple of tins of more exotic stuff that comes into and out of stock. I'm smoking and cellaring both types and enjoying the hell out of it.
It's not like I'm trying every blend out there nor would I want to but variety truly is the spice of life.
So if we had to rely on a limited selection it looks like we'd mostly be fine, though the hobby definitely will lose something if most of us are stuck with a limited selection. I personally think the best protection we can get for having selection is to convert as many people to pipe smoking as there are cigar smokers.
Though another way I might actually be more contented with a smaller selection is because of something I just noticed. Didn't smoke at all last two days I couldn't settle on what I wanted to smoke. If I only had a few choices less I could have just grabbed one and just smoked it.
Though another way I might actually be more contented with a smaller selection is because of something I just noticed. Didn't smoke at all last two days I couldn't settle on what I wanted to smoke. If I only had a few choices less I could have just grabbed one and just smoked it.
I 'think' I'm gravitating to a short-list of favorites. But, there are just so many to try. Reading sites like this one always results in something new. It is really embarrassing how many working jars I have going, and how many varieties I have purchased that I've not yet tried.
As I've fumbled along, there have been a few great tobaccos that have caused me to change course and move off in another direction. The first great Virgina I had did that, the first great VaPer I had did that, the first great Burley I had did that, etc.
As I've fumbled along, there have been a few great tobaccos that have caused me to change course and move off in another direction. The first great Virgina I had did that, the first great VaPer I had did that, the first great Burley I had did that, etc.
WHAAATTT??? And remove the Sizzle that makes so many of us impulsively buy yet another new tin to add to the bazillion-odd tins we already have??? Blasphemy I say!
I'm in a hurry to try as many blends as I can so I can make sure I've got the right stuff piled up in my bunker when tobacco doomsday arrives. I'm making up for lost time, and the clock is ticking. It'll probably turn out that I should've just bought 500 tubs of Captain Black Grape.
That could easily replace many blends I've smoked over the decades.
I am still trying new blends, but very few of them turn out to be cellar material. The experimenting is more of a way to educate myself in the flavors and cuts and such.
I have about 10 or so blends that I stock up on. I'm sure I could manage with fewer, but that's not an issue ATM.
I have about 10 or so blends that I stock up on. I'm sure I could manage with fewer, but that's not an issue ATM.
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