Hi All,

My name is Dan. I live in the SF Bay Area, and have been smoking a pipe for the last 4 years or so. I actually just returned to the pipe after 18 months or so of cigarettes and cigars. I decided to give up the cigarettes and cigars are too expensive to smoke all day, hence the pipe. I've been thrilled with how much I've enjoyed the pipe since returning from hiatus. I've learned a lot from the vets on this site and others and appreciate how freely they share their knowledge.

I'm a pretty eclectic smoker, in that I can usually find something worthwhile in most blends. I gravitate towards non-aromatics. I'm not anti-aromatic and I enjoy many tobaccos that have some added flavorings, but I've yet to find any full aromatics that really sing for me.

With that in mind, I hope to keep my reviews fair. I will try to compare each blend within its own genre and price range. I don't think it would be right to review a full aromatic, going in prejudiced against it and confirming my suspicions. That wouldn't be fair to anyone and wouldn't add to the discussion, as that tobacco just wasn't intended for my tastes.

dan(dot)g(dot)hester(at)gmail.com