how to choose tobacco for new puffers?

[SouthernPiper]

How would you seasoned smokers recommend a new guy to start buying tobaccos? Or better yet, how can we confidently buy a tin without the fear of not enjoying it? Especially since taste is subjective, and flake tobacco tends to be for experienced smokers.

When I started last year, I was lucky enough to have a great guy from another forum send me some samples of tobacco. McC's 5110, escudo navy deluxe, OGS, and FVF. I also ordered the free stuff from altadis, which at the time was maple street. Had it not been for altadis and this other fellow, I would have ended up with a huge bag of cherry or vanilla cavendish from walgreens.

I'm getting offsubject. My point is, I KNOW I like latakia blends because of the 5110, and I also like the maple street, and cherry blends. I have never smoked the cherry cavendish, but I know that's what I used to always smell when I was a kid around pipe smokers (old timers in front of the church after sunday service was over)

Anyway, how can I decide if I'm going to like Burley's, or VaPers, or certain aromatics, without spending the money for them? I know a lot of you might say to cellar it until a later date, to see if my tastes have changed. Also, if I buy something I don't like, I'm pretty sure SOMEONE on here will be glad to take/buy/trade it. BUT, should I stick to latakia blends to be sure, or just take a chance and pick a tin at random from the local B&M?

 

[bigmick]

My advice would be buy some small amounts of bulk blends form your B&M. A good one should have various representative types and know what they are. Once you identify the types you like then you can spend the money for tinned versions that are similar. Smoking through an ounce of tobacco you don't like really isn't much of a chore or tossing out the $3 or so won't hurt as bad as tossing a $15+ tin. I've learned I like Virginias and light English blends that way. I also found a few that won't work for me.

Once you find a few that you like and get stocked up a bit you can experiment with greater knowledge of your tastes.

 

[cakeanddottle]

Taste is so subjective. The first two tobaccos that made a huge impression on me were Escudo and Three Oaks Syrian. Probably not the two you'd think to recommend to a newbie. All newbies should buy a representative tin of English/Balkan, Aromatic, Va/Per and Virginia to see what they like.