Well said, Don!

I'm also a big proponent of identifying some sticks that fit a certain profile, based on reviews - for example, leather, cocoa, pepper, etc. Then try those out and see what YOU think of them - would you describe them as leathery? Peppery? Maybe you get more spice or earth from it. That way, you can take another's opinion, and compare to your own experiences. This can help with identifying what you're experiencing, and how to describe it.

One of my favorite things is to have a stick that's new to me, and just jot down my impressions. Then I have another some time later while referencing others reviews online, to see how they compare to what I wrote. That's helped me have no "ah ha!" moments of experiencing a taste, but not being able to describe it....then I can totally taste it with some kind of reference!