Trying new tobacco

[sparroa]

See, I would recommend a Balkan to a new pipe smoker because its a surefire way to see if you like latakia or if you don't. When I first started I was pussyfooting around with lighter English blends when what I really wanted was a stronger latakia experience.
(Also, since the chap is on a budget PS Balkan Supreme is hard to beat)
Anyway, different strokes...

 

[judcole]

Virginia's.
Straight virginia's to me are really that one type of tobacco that really need a special pipe for them.
Don't smoke them in that pipe you've smoked everything else out of.
Don't smoke them in your tester cob.
They need a virginia pipe.
Otherwise you're not going to get what they have to offer. It is hard when you are first starting out because you have limited pipes and limited blends and you're trying to make the best of it but you end up smoking everything in all your pipes.
Virginia's are anything but bland.

+1
I had been smoking a pipe for a couple of years before I found latakia. I smoked BR (hangs head), Troost Special Cavendish (liked it so much I bought a can), and both Sail Yellow and Ivory, besides trying a bunch of American aros I no longer remember.
I still think his best bet is to get a sampler from Pipesandcigars. I'm with rothnh - call 'em up, and let them guide you.

 

[mick]

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

You're right, I was speaking out of order from my own perspective. I felt I was speaking to the OP – a fellow new pipe smoker – in the context of what I know people suggest (since I too had a suggestion thread). I'm sure not ALL Virginias and Burleys (well, maybe burleys :wink: ) are bland, but I'll tell you something:

virginias, for me, were the hardest to "get" and virginias took the longest for me to appreciate.

It is hard when you are first starting out because you have limited pipes and limited blends and you're trying to make the best of it but you end up smoking everything in all your pipes.

+1

Looks like you all agree, maybe straight VAs aren't exactly best for a novice smoker. That's kind of what I meant. Personally, when I fired up straight VAs or burleys or drugstore blends, I tasted cigarettes. I was colossally disappointed, especially since some you get told of their complexity in reviews and in suggestion threads, it makes you think that fireworks are going off in your mouth, but I found them to be sparklers (personally). When I first tried latakia and oriental blends, it was like fireworks. That's why I'm suggesting the OP dive into the world of latakia and orientals. They were much easier for me to "get", "appreciate" and "enjoy". It also helps that – in my experience – they tend to burn cooler than VAs/burleys and novice pipe smokers tend to smoke too quickly (probably another reason why VAs aren't really good for novice smokers).
I hope that helps qualify my statement a bit further.

 

[anachronislad]

You guys make the latkia sound so good, I think I'm going to have to acquire some very soon.
I will definitely be taking the suggestion of the pipes and cigars sampler
Cheers guys

 

[sparroa]

To me, it's shortsighted to suggest that you won't "get" a blend right from the start because it is subtle or because it is too complex. The only way to know what you like and to guide your blend selection is try all of the basic varieties up front.
The first blends I tried were all aromatics because that was all that I'd known and I didn't want to waste anything. Turns out that I disliked them all and they went unsmoked; it wasn't until I began to try the different styles of tobacco that I gained any satisfaction.
Sure, some Virginias and Burleys can resemble cigarettes because that's what most cigarettes are made of. It's all tobacco we are burning in the end! The difference, though, is that those very same leaves can be incredibly rich and flavourful while cigarettes are generally insipid or acrid.
By trying some straight VA, Virginia Perique, and Burley blends up front you can get an idea of their individual tastes and properties so that you can make wiser purchasing decisions later on.
Only by casting a wide net can you find what you truly enjoy; part of that includes giving the straight tobaccos a fair shot. If you dislike them up front, then cellar them and try them again a few months down the road when you are more experienced and when your palate has developed a bit more.
Regarding latakia, I'm of the school of thought that believes that you should go big or go home with your first blend - that why there is no confusion about what component you liked or disliked in the blend.

 

[anachronislad]

Flyfishn you crack me up HAHAHAHA :rofl: I'll have to keep that in mind when I try a Latakia

 

[judcole]

Well said, Simenon.