Trying new tobacco

[anachronislad]

I am fairly new to pipe smoking and so far if gotten all my tobacco from my dad which he gives to me in plastic bags with no name on it. So I have no clue about any of the different blends that are out there. I want to try and get a feel for the most common and popular blends first, I know there's a lot out there and I think that's a good place to start. So give me your opinions on what you think would be a good beginner blend, your favorite blends or anything really.
On a side note; I am a college student with very limited funds available to me so if anyone out there is generous enough and would like to send me some free samples I would be very greatful and appreciative. It's not the goal of my post and by no means am I asking everyone to send me tobacco but just thought it wouldn't hurt if I asked
As always thanks in advance for your input :D

 

[sparroa]

If you live in the US, then pipe tobacco is a VERY cheap indulgence... OTC blends are likely under five dollars a pouch, and by scrimping and saving $50-60 then you can place an online order which will provide you with a fair amount of quality bulk OR 4-5 "top of the line" tinned tobaccos that will a)last you awhile b)teach you the different varieties of tobacco that are out there...
As always, I recommend that one should cut their teeth with a representative tobacco from each major "family"...
-Aromatic blend

-Virginia blend

-Virginia Perique blend

-Latakia blend

-Burley blend
There are other divisions but I'm not about to split hairs. (Blends featuring orientals/cigar leaf/cavendish etc)
Before I go any further, I'll ask you this: Were the tobaccos that your father gave you "straight tobacco" or were they obviously sweet and flavoured aromatics? Also what do YOU think you will like? Are you a black coffee or a cappucino kind of guy? Are you an ex-cigarette smoker looking for a nicotine punch? I could go on and on...

 

[anachronislad]

They were flavored aromatics definitely, an apple and a black raspberry

 

[sparroa]

Are you interested in exploring the variety of tobaccos available at this time or do you just want to get a couple of aromatics and call it a day?
It may sound funny but like everything else in life it doesn't hurt to have a plan. By narrowing your focus, you can make the best choices for your palate and your budget.

 

[sparroa]

Peter Stokkebye bulks are probably the best value on the market. They sell a wide variety of tobacco.

PS Balkan Supreme would be a great intro to latakia while PS Nougat is their best selling aro. Their Virginia tobaccos are also quite popular but they are often out of stock as a result.
Cornell & Diehl bulks are very affordable and quite cheap with 4 oz or more...
As Roth mentioned, Lane offers "the" standard American aromatics in 1Q/RLP-6 and others. Basically they are very similar to the popular Captain Black brands, but they have less additives and are less expensive.
MacBaren offers a wide variety of cheap tinned blends in a multitude of styles. Very high quality for a low price.
Orlik Golden Slices is an inexpensive tinned golden Virginia blend. Great intro, $7 per 50g.
The American OTC blends such as Prince Albert, Carter Hall, and Sir Walter Raleigh are probably easily found in your local area if you wish to try some good old fashioned burley blends for a few bucks...
Really there are hundreds of options so if you can think about what you might like to try, that'll be a start towards getting you set up with some inexpensive yet enjoyable blends.

 

[anachronislad]

Simenon: I'm going to stat out trying a few from each main category and once i find the family I like the best I'll start exploring the different blends that family has to offer. Thanks for the good suggestions. When I get some money I will have to try them some of them out and let you know how they are.
Rothnh: thanks for the suggestion. I think once a get some funds together I'm going to buy in bulk and stock up. I will definitely try out that 1Q. I've heard a lot of good things about it.

 

[sparroa]

1Q

Orlik Golden Sliced

Escudo

PS Balkan Supreme

PA/CH/SWR or a C&D burley or MacBaren Burley London Blend
Something like that would cost you around $40-50+shipping and let you know right off the bat where you stand with each style. Just because you liked/didn't like one wouldn't mean that you'd dislike the whole group, but you'd know what to expect with future offerings...
Alternatively, perhaps you live in a state with low tobacco taxes and you have a good tobacconist nearby. You could make a small list and see if they have what you are looking for with comparable prices. (Often they are higher, however, even if you account for the shipping)
By the way, if you do happen to want more aromatics then there are a lot of people here who have more experience than me but keep in mind that the flavours are often very light while the room note stands out...

 

[anachronislad]

Rothnh: I will definitely take your advice and try and not let first impressions deter me. About the mason jars, of seen a bunch of people leave their tobacco in plastic bags and out them in mason jars. Is this better or can I just put them strait into the jars. Also do they need to be kept out of sunlight? Last thing. I've seen these moisture buttons floating around that are supposed to keep tobacco fresh. Should I utilize something like this to preserve my tobacco or is it not necessary?

 

[mick]

Just stick your tobacco into clean, sanitary mason jars (not in a bag in the jar. Tightly seal it and put it in a cool, dry place, preferably where the sun doesn't shine (at least not direct sunlight). That's all there is to it. Open the jars when you want some and close them back up. Simple as that. If tobacco needs drying time, take out how much you need and dry it on a paper towel, don't dry the whole jar's worth before jarring it.

 

[sparroa]

I'd take them out of the plastic bags because you don't know what's on them; the inside of the jars is a pretty clean environment so adding the plastic strikes me as unnecessary.
Yes, keep your mason jars out of the sunlight. Keep them in darkness and away from temperature extremes and fluctuations. A cabinet, drawer, box, or even a plastic container under the bed would all be better than just sitting them out in the open on a desk or shelf... (That's still not too bad, though, as long as they are out of direct sunlight)
Often times you will discover that a new tobacco tin is TOO moist upon opening. This can be an asset because the moisture preserves the flavour nicely. It just requires that you prepare and dry your tobacco in advance.
If your tobacco becomes dry, however, I wouldn't just throw in a humidification disk unless you plan to smoke through it fairly quickly. (Putting it inside the original tin can also cause rust)
I would consider the humidification disks if you need rehydration but I would put it in a pouch or separate container to be used as you need it. (such as Tupperware or a reusable Glad container) Honestly, though, a wet square of paper towel works just as well if placed in the centre without touching the baccy IMO.
I would only consider these options if the original moisture has declined to the point that you feel there is a loss of flavour or if the tobacco burns too hot/harshly to be enjoyable. In that case rehydration can rescue what would've been a "lost" blend...
EDIT: Posted after Roth and Mick. Drat!

+10 on keeping separate jars if you plan to age versus smoke in the short term. Aging jars shouldn't be disturbed and should be consumed in short order after being opened.

 

[anachronislad]

That helps me considerably, there's some old tobacco I first started smoking that gave me the worst tongue bite. Now I can go back and finally enjoy it properly :D

 

[mick]

I think honestly what is most important for you to try is:
1) an Oriental forward blend

2) a light latakia English blend

3) a heavy latakia blend
Virginias and burleys are all pretty bland. I think if you smoke aromatics, you will find you will have already smoked Virginias and burleys, since most are made up of that (even so-called "cavendish" is just a way that VAs and burleys are prepared. So, what you probably are missing are the other types of tobacco flavours, namely Turkish/Oriental leaves (my favourite) and latakia (something you may like a little of or a dominance of).
Also, one small note, you know to not judge a book by its cover and so for tobacco you do NOT judge a tobacco by its smell (a.k.a. tin note).

 

[sparroa]

You are better off not letting it dry out in the first place, because the rehydrated tobacco is never quite as good as the fresh stuff. It may be just the ticket, though, give it a try and see if its an improvement to you...
(You also don't want to let it rehydrate too much because then you'd have to dry it again before every pipeful. It's similar to microwaving your food, if you think about it - nice enough, not as good as when you had it at suppertime, and very easy to overdo)
I suggest that you read about some of the suggested blends on tobaccoreviews.com and/or search the reviews available on this site to get an idea of their descriptions.

 

[judcole]

Virginias and burleys are all pretty bland.

Wow. I don't know what you're smoking, but the bowl of McCranie's Red Ribbon (pure Virginia) I had earlier today was anything but bland.
Now,things like Prince Al are a fairly low-key smoke; but I dare you to try some Hearth & Home Beverwyck and call it bland. "Three different cube cuts (a Burley, a Virginia and a hybrid) are blended together with smoky Latakia, and spicy-sweet Perique." (Fromtheirweb site.)
Virginias may be a more subtle smoke than a balkan, and they take some time, but I sure would not call them bland.
To the OP: I would suggest a sampler of the Hearth and Home bulks form pipesandcigars. For $33,plus shipping you can get 2 oz each of 6 of their H&H bulks. You can get yourself a nice variety.

 

[mick]

Virginias may be a more subtle smoke than a balkan, and they take some time, but I sure would not call them bland.

Ye olde YMMV. Ok, for me as a beginning pipe smoker two months ago, and even now, I find blends like Orlik Golden Sliced and Solani Aged Burley to be anything but flavourful, especially compared to Oriental, Balkan and English blends. Keep in mind, Jud, that you have been smoking for a lot longer than we who are newbies, and for a new pipe smoker, finding those subtleties in a VA is not very easy. Again, I'm speaking from personal experience. I could be way off, but oh well, I'm offering my own perspective.

...I dare you to try some Hearth & Home Beverwyck and call it bland. "Three different cube cuts (a Burley, a Virginia and a hybrid) are blended together with smoky Latakia, and spicy-sweet Perique." (Fromtheirweb site.)

With all due respect, that is hardly a VA. It has both latakia (making it a potential "English") and Perique (making it a VA/Per). What I was referring to is precisely the more bland blends like Orlik (as earlier suggested) or Carter Hall, Prince Albert, etc.

 

[daytonsean]

+1 Jud. Beverwyck is a great smoke. The VA's are excellent to me. I'm also a lat head though, and most aro's just leave me feeling ripped off.

 

[mangers]

I would try these as a start,

Frog Morton for introduction to Latakia.

H&H Classic Burley Kake, a wonderful Burley blend.

1Q for, well because its just good!!!

 

[daytonsean]

Those are great. Frogs is one of my main smokes. 1Q and blue note are the only bulk aro's I light up anymore. You will enjoy all three of those.

 

[judcole]

Keep in mind, Jud, that you have been smoking for a lot longer than we who are newbies

Yeah, I have. But you said "all" virginias and burleys are bland. May I humbly suggest you qualify your statements a bit more?

 

[mangers]

Virginia's and Burleys bland?? New to me! I think heavy English and Balkans for a new pipe smoker is a bit much. But that is just one opinion.