What Do You Do With The Blends You Dont Like

[rdoss16]

As someone fairly new to the hobby/lifestyle i try and do my research and read reviews/descriptions of tobaccos before purchasing. However ive found that blends that i thought i was going to LOVE turned out to be awful or just not my speed. I know the advice is "jar it up and come back to it later. you might like it then" and ive done that. But aside from that what do you all do with blends you know you just will never love?

 

[alaskanpiper]

yes, I sit on them and try them again in a few months. Sometimes they will change a shocking amount with a little time in the jar.

If it still isn't good, I'll just wait longer. After a couple years I'll probably try to start blending them with something else, or with eachother, to see if I can stumble on something worth smoking.

 

[haparnold]

Usually I give them away, either in person or to people on here. Life's too short to smoke tobacco you don't like.

I will say that much like JayTex, it's rare for me to find a non-aromatic blend I hate. It's more of a happy-to-glad proposition, so for me the decision is more whether I want to buy more or not, rather than whether to finish a tin.

 

[acidpox]

I just jar it and wait. But to date I have yet to find a blend that I cant stand to smoke.

 

[jaytex1969]

The only two blends I've been unable to smoke both contained "kitchen spices" (cinnamon and ginger). I know right away that they would never be for me, so I gave them away.

I mostly buy nonaromatics and rarely have a problem. I now have some aros from trading that my not be at the top of my list, so I will cellar or trade as seems best at the time.

 

[spartacus]

I have a three year box and a five year box. If I don't like it I put it in the three year box. If I really don't like it I put it in the five year box. If after that time I still don't like it I will trash it or give it away.

 

[mso489]

First, buy in small quantities with any blend you haven't tried, and for all new pipe smokers, since your tastes will change. Buying large quantities, even of blends you enjoy, may put you off them because you can always have all you want. I have rescued a few tins where the Lat went flat or something else was disappointing, by adding another condiment or blend. With small quantities, this usually works out fine, and gives you a layperson's short course in mixing if not blending. If it is a blend you think others really do enjoy, you can take it to a pipe shop where there's smoking or a pipe club and let others share it while you smoke something you like better. Don't take something that may be generally disliked or others may follow your example. I'd give any jarred blends at least a year before trying them again; they may improve, or your tastes may change, or both. When buying tobacco, make sure you understand if it is aromatic or non-aromatic, and in aromatic what the flavorings are. Know the constituent tobaccos, the cut, and the base versus the condiment tobaccos. Know if you like Virginia, Latakia, Perique, burley, Oriental, and so on. I'd give any blend three or more bowls before you decide you don't like it; blends can unfold once you learn them.

 

[mityahicks]

If I think there is no chance of the blend growing on me or getting better with age I try and smoke it down quickly to get rid of.

I have never hated a blend though, so it is usually still enjoyable. It is usually aros. I have thrown stuff away before, but don't think I'd do that now.

 

[Dusk]

I usually cut it with something mild or layer it under an aromatic. This usually works out for the better and is an interesting smoke for me to pick out what I like about tobaccos.

 

[didimauw]

Keep trying. I think I smoked the entire Tin of every blend I didn't like. It was rough and terrible, but I never forgot those blends.
And like @Dusk I mixed a lot of them with 90% Carter Hall, to make them Tollerable.

 

[litup]

Before giving up on a blend I had high hopes for, I'd also try it in pipes with different sized and shaped chambers. I might also experiment with different packing methods and drying times. If I still can't make it work, I'd follow pretty much all the advice given above. Tobacco changes with age . . . and so do our tastes.

 

[sablebrush52]

If I have a blend that I know will not grow on me, I'll give it away to someone else who likes it.

 

[tavol]

Unliked blends get jarred and returned to a couple of time then given away or trashed. Tobacco is cheap and life too short to smoke something I don't enjoy.

 

[mso489]

Giving a blend or single leaf away to someone who likes it is always a good plan. Unlike didi', I wouldn't march myself through tins I don't like. I'd either age it or give it away. A pipe is supposed to be one of life's pleasures, and I wouldn't stray too far from that concept. I think some folks put it on the garden since tobacco is supposed to be have insecticide properties, or at least acts as mulch.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Give it away.

 

[brooklynpipeclub]

You're not the only one with that experience. Maybe you can set up a trade here.

 

[virginialover]

I give it away, no time to waste.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I've planned to press the heck out of it to make a hard cake, or blend it, or stove it, but I never seem to get around to it. So it sits waiting to be sampled in a year or two.

 

[Patrick_Green]

I had two blends I hated at first. Rather than jarring, I let a bowl of each sit out on a towel for a couple hours and dehydrated them. They were definitely better after that. Still not my favorite. I also mixed 2 of them together... Bad idea. Dont do that lol.

 

[Patrick_Green]

You're not the only one with that experience. Maybe you can set up a trade here.

I like this idea. What are the blends ypu dont like? Go throw them up in swaps.