I've been dissecting sticks for a couple years, and during that time--I reuse the leaf from those sticks--I've learned that you can grab any tobacco from any good sticks in any combo, bunch it, light it, smoke it, and it will be a bunch you can be proud of. And in that same time, working my way through the retail leaf, have learned that even a small amount of a bad leaf in any bunch will make a disgusting bunch that makes you want to quit the hobby (waiter delivers your soup with something odd floating in it, "Yeah, I took a crap in your soup, but it's only a small crap.").... and that therefore a free exchange of info about currently available leafs is kinda valuable.