I did ryo for the last year and a half that I smoked. It wasn't about the money, but the TASTE. Until you have tried any of the D & R Virginias (Windsail=British Virginia and Penhooker=Canadian Virginia) and most especially blended with REAL Turkish (Ramback, although I preferred either of the above Virginias at 75% blend with the Turkish), you could never understand the REAL reason for ryo.
Although, I must admit I received some baccy in today's mail on trade in one package (Windsail Silver, Bali Shag Red & Two Timer, which is a double toasted burley), and also received a 3 ml aluminum Icetool in the mail as well. I threw the baccy aside as I ran to the fridge with my Icetool to dig out that can of Roda Lacket. I have yet to smoke any of the baccys, even though the Windsail and Bali Shag red were two of my faves.
Meant to get back to you on this as I was a long time RYO user. About the last 12 years. Started out with Drum, then moved on to Bali Shag Red and White. The last three years or abouts it was mostly Peter Stokkebye. I did them all, with my favorites being Danish export, Turkish export, Stockholm Blend, and Norwegian Shag. Your right, it's all about taste. After a few years on RYO I couldn't even smoke a regular cigarette. It tasted like a mouthful of chemicals.
Not sure if using high quality tobacco made it easier or harder to quit. Fortunately RYO tobacco in general is a good deal purer then,,, the other stuff. I had no problem at all making the switch to snus. No physical cravings. Just a few physiological things to work through.
It was the taste of that high quality tobacco I missed. After about 2 months off analogs I was getting very tempted to buy a few small tins of Stokkebye. Something in the taste I couldn't find in snus. I tried some of the pure tobacco flavored snus and that did the trick. If you're a RYO user who misses that pure high end tobacco flavor there is three snuses I can recommend. Ettan, Grovsnus and Gotlandssnus Yellow. I have only tried them in loose so you're on your own if you insist on portions. I know Ettan is not recommended in the portion version. There are a few other tobacco flavored ones out there but I haven't tried them as of yet.
All three of the above are great if you have a taste for the pure tobacco flavor. Very reminiscent of the best of the RYO stuff. The irony is that I roll me own portions.
The more things change. . .