Suggestions for a new smoker?

[wnghanglow]

I have been smoking for about two months, the only problem is there are no tobacco stores in my area so I have to buy gas station brand tobacco. What I have been smoking is captain black, while the room note is good is has almost no flavor. So I want to try some different blends online. I have never tried English virgins or any other blends and have no ideal where to begin. So what I need your help for is suggestions on what to try. Also is there any samplers on any website that just give one of each type of tobacco so I can see what I like? Thanks for the help

 

[gwynclan]

I can supply you with a few different baccys. Just pm me.

Cheers

Jeff

 

[maineyachtie]

I'm just waiting for the "English virgins" joke. :roll:

 

[ohin3]

best thing to do is read up on different types and blends of tobaccos and others accounts of what they taste like. Once you have a general idea of what types and blends of tobaccos you would like to try, post again asking advice on good representative blends that match what you want to try. We will all flood you with responses and then you can start down the path of developing what we call TAD or Tobacco Acquisition Disorder and watch yourself irrationally spend way too much money on tobacco.

 

[adam12]

It's a wide-open question that is always interesting to answer, because we could all suggest something that you end up not liking. Samplers - not sure, unless you contact a store directly that does their own blending - maybe they'll put something together for you. I am pretty sure Georgetown Tobacco in DC does this.
By the way Captain Black is pretty bland for sure, but alot of guys swear by it.
A good starter aromatic is McCranie's Somerled, which is real good and not "too" aromatic. Their Red Ribbon is the bomb... also highly recommended.
I'd steer any new pipe smoker to McClelland Oriental 1 - it will definitely be pretty sophisticated for you, but you won't go back to Captain Black for sure.
There's probably so much information on this website for new smokers that it can be pretty overwhelming. Sometimes I don't see it that way, but I bet it is.

 

[wnghanglow]

Ohin3

I have tries reading review sites but what one person says tastes like apples the other says taste likes cabbage. There seems to be no constancy. I also don't know what in general I was looking for which is why I was wondering if there is anywhere that I could try some samples at so I can just dive in and see what I like.

adam12

. Does this Georgetown mail out of state? I live in Oklahoma an can not find any shops that don't sell crack pipes.

Gwynclan

I just might take you up on that

 

[ohin3]

Yeah don't be shy about asking all of us to send you samples...it is definitely the best way to find out what you like without blowing money on full tins of things that you end up not caring for. B&Ms were still in full swing when I started so I learned from hanging out there and sampling what others were smoking.

 

[topd]

If I might put my two cents in.... I'd recommend something simple, and give you a place to look. Cup O' Joes is a New York Tobacconist that ships anywhere at a reasonable price. Try a lite English... maybe Esoterica Margate. About $10.00 for a two once tin. Also get a tin of Dunhills Early Morning Pipe. These are very good and what I wouldn't consider drug store or candy shop tobaccos. It's a good start... you can go from there.

 

[baronsamedi]

pipesandcigars.com can help you there. I also started with Captain Black. I just bought tins of everything I found interesting but they have samplers.

 

[matchstickman]

As far as a good Virginia blend is concerned, Hearth and Homes AJs Vaper and Anniversary Kake are top notch smokes that are available in both bulk and tins from the pipesandcigars.com website, blended in house by Mr. Russ Oulette. In terms of an English, start of with something that is light in Latakia content, such as Balkan Sasieni, or as topd recommended, Early Morning Pipe by Dunhill. It will help get you familiar with the flavor of Latakia in small doses to decide whether or not you like it, and if you do, you can move up to the bigger latakia bombs, like Star of the East, Pirate Kake, Larrys Blend, or Dunhills Nightcap. Also, remember that whichever tobacco you decide on, sip slowly and dont overheat the tobacco or your pipe. Hope this helps.

 

[tiltjlp]

You'll find some sampler packs here:
http://www.4noggins.com/4nogginsbulktobacco.aspx

 

[wnghanglow]

There have been a lot of responses and I want everyone to know that even though I am not replying to each of you I am reading every post and I am taking notes. I have been to pipesandcigars.com but havnt bought anything there yet. I think I am going to try some of the Dunhills I heard mentioned.

 

[topd]

Dunhill is always a good choice! And if you decide you like them, stock up, as Dunhill seems to come and go..... One day when they go, they may not come back.

 

[gwynclan]

milan tobacconist has a good sampler also.

 

[wnghanglow]

Anyone know where I can buy a sampler package of dunhill online? I didn't see any at pipesandcigars or 4noggins.

 

[batdemon]

Just For Him offers samplers also. justforhim.com ::

 

[wnghanglow]

Ok I bought a sampler from pipesandcigars of hearth and homes including aj vapors and anniversary kake and a few others I chose at random. I also bought a tin of dunhill's early morning. I will post a new thread once I try a few of these and let you Guys know how everything went. Thanks a lot for all of the information and resources it was very helpful!

 

[zanthal]

I'm just waiting for the "English virgins" joke. [:roll:]

That's kinda crying out to be made fun of though.
I've heard Captain Black White is a decent aromatic.
when you move on to Latakia blends you're going to notice a significant increase in flavor and potency.
But a few blends I can tell you from experience are quite good (based on taste, not room note) ... are as follows:
aromatics
Lane Limited 1Q

Lane Limited BCA (Black Cavendish Aromatic)

Peter Stokkebye Nougat

Peter Stokkebye Black Current Cavendish

MacBaren 7 Seas Royal

Just For Him's Treebeard
English (or latakia based)
SPC Plum Pudding

pipesandcigars.com Fusion Lab Spartan's English (think they'll start selling it next month)

Just for Him's Shortcut to Mushrooms
When you go for virigina/periques, you can't go wrong with GL Pease Stratford, it's excellent.
If you try any of those and DON'T like them, I'll be somewhat surprised. I'm pretty picky
Happy puffing ::
Oh, and everyone here is always happy to read your reactions to various blends ... don't forget to let us know what ends up on your re-order list.

 

[topd]

Oh HELL! I meant to hit that "English Virgins" comment earlier and forgot....
Don't worry wnghanglow, I took care of that last time in London. Their aren't anymore!!

Me and my crew, in April 1982 during the Falkland Islands War. (All the Brits were down

south fighting, we had the whole town to ourselves. No English men were in town between

the age of 18 and 45... Really Cool Liberty!)

 

[wnghanglow]

To zanthal: I'm writing those down but I already spent my tobacco budget and can't order any more for a while, at least until I smoke what I got co

Ing to me.