When I was a cigar noob, the first thing I learned was what to stay away from. Unfortunately that came at a pretty heavy price since I wasn't on any cigar forums. I bought my share of horrible Cigars International samplers and "mazos" of worthless junk before I realized what was good and what was absolute dog****.
I'm trying to avoid repeating that experience with pipe tobacco.
So to that end, what are some generally recognized crappy pipe tobaccos? And I don't mean just the OTC pouch tobaccos, but the stuff that masquerades as decent. The Gurkhas and 5 Vegases of the pipe world, so to speak. And building on that, what are some of CI/P&C's "house brands?"
For example, I got an ad in my inbox today featuring a P&C "Grab Bag Sampler." MSRP of $52.03, mine for only $19.99! It includes Villiger 1888 Late Night, Drew Estate Gatsby Luxury Flake, Hearth & Home Signature Sunjammer, and Borkum Riff LE Trinidad Rum.
I have never heard of any of these before and have no idea if they're any good. However, if P&C is anything like CI, then one of them will be semi-decent, another one will be somewhat ok, and the other two will be crap. I just don't know which is which.
Not that I would buy tins as samplers in the first place.. I'm just trying to get an overall feel for pipe tobaccos, as I did (over the course of months) with cigars. Thanks!