I smoked aromatics for a long time, when I did smoke a pipe. I actually quit for awhile, but took up the pipe again a couple of years ago. Tobacco is a different world than when I first started smoking a pipe over 20 years ago. Major brands have disappeared, some places tax pipe tobacco at high rates, and there's now obnoxious warning labels. Lots of warnings about the need to stock up, as what's available today may be gone tomorrow.
So I started stocking up on blends I liked. Years ago, I didn't have internet access. In the last couple of years I learned a lot about pipe tobacco. I discovered English and Balkan blends. They are mostly my go-to blends now, although I do still enjoy some aromatics.
So I would caution new pipe smokers not to stock up too much on certain blends. I would encourage sampling a lot of different types. An ounce of bulk tobacco is still cheap, and you can learn a lot from trying different types. As your smoking technique improves, you will get more out of the tobacco. When I started, and for quite awhile, I was smoking too hard and fast. The second half of each bowl tasted like ash. Stronger blends will allow you to smoke more slowly, and appreciate the nuances of the different tobaccos in a blend.
Just thought I'd pass along my opinion and experience. I'm no expert by any means.
So I started stocking up on blends I liked. Years ago, I didn't have internet access. In the last couple of years I learned a lot about pipe tobacco. I discovered English and Balkan blends. They are mostly my go-to blends now, although I do still enjoy some aromatics.
So I would caution new pipe smokers not to stock up too much on certain blends. I would encourage sampling a lot of different types. An ounce of bulk tobacco is still cheap, and you can learn a lot from trying different types. As your smoking technique improves, you will get more out of the tobacco. When I started, and for quite awhile, I was smoking too hard and fast. The second half of each bowl tasted like ash. Stronger blends will allow you to smoke more slowly, and appreciate the nuances of the different tobaccos in a blend.
Just thought I'd pass along my opinion and experience. I'm no expert by any means.