I shied away from leather saddles for a long while. Eventually, I made up my mind to try them. If I found something for a good price, I snapped it up and put it on a bike. (I have several, so comparisons were easier.) This included old and newish Brooks Pros, B-17s, Fujita Belt, VO something or other, Ideale 80 and 90. I've had pre-softened and not.

If I didn't like a saddle, I moved it on. There's not much of a cost other than time. I don't think the value of a leather saddle changes all that much over the course of a few miles (50-500).

I happen to like Brooks Pros and B-17s. I have some Pros that seem to be rock hard, but my butt likes them anyway. I have both Rebour (pre-softened) and regular Ideale 90s. Like 'em both. 80s not as much. I moved the Fujita Belt on. My sit bones simply didn't like it. The VO was good enough for commuting, but not that great for longer rides.

I think as you've seen from the other replies, saddle fit is a very personal thing. You're just going to have to run your own personal experiment. It will take some time, but in the end, you'll come to conclusions that work for you.