This is the way I look at it. Unfortunately these days, so many want everything to follow rules and paths or methods or plans or some "right way" or something. Like "but this is the path...",
Yes and a lot of people seem to be afraid they're doing it wrong. Like the person that apologizes for still enjoying the wines from my local region which are simply just not complex compared to other varietals. Like hey they're simple but good nothing wrong with that. And all these learning things aren't about being correct they're about finding what you like.
similar to people working in any field that requires an advanced diploma, where the new guy comes in and "but the book says" or "but that's not in the book..."
When I was in school we actually had a class about that. And how if you ever get into management your first months shouldn't be about fixing everything but seeing how they actually work there and then you can start to tinker with it.
and then they can't deal with reality that nothing is "by the book" and sometimes you just have to wing it, or use some judgement calls.
I always say to people the same thing a degree doesn't teach you how to do the thing. It teaches you enough for you to get started on learning it.
But yeah, I know some days I think "you know, I just want a salad" and other days it's like "give me steak and potatoes" while other people are like "no, you can't have a salad today, you had pizza yesterday, salad doesn't follow pizza, if you had tacos last night, then you could have progressed to salad today". Like, wut?
Yeah that whole pairing thing. Some people act like it's a hard fast rule. And it's really as simple as in general these things are more likely to be appreciated together. I often end my day with lighter smokes and start with the more heavy in your face flavors. For my palate it's more about contrast then strength. But not how it works for everyone.
Bottom line it's your pipe and your tobacco and all of us here can help you learn tricks and techniques that may help you enjoy the pipe with more ease and less problems.... But you like what you like.
I started with aromatics. Mainly under the impression that I already had other ways to enjoy straight tobacco flavor. Then found a few blends I really liked and now I mostly smoke tobacco forward blends but really enjoy aromatics when the mood hits. And the thing is the most important thing I learned is when I will enjoy certain things the most. What mood I am in and what else I am doing while smoking.
