my small samples were great....i let them sit in the garage for a few hours and then put them in a small brown bag in the fridge. will try tomorrow to see if they got any better.
i was surprised that all flavors were really good based on my small samples. as you noted, i have not always had good results with marinades. i think the extra spices i through in, setting in fridge for 30+ hours, and putting some extra rub on before going in the smoker all may have helped. i am quite pleased based on my very small samples.