| Author | Message | ||
     Matty Member Username: Matty Post Number: 29 Registered: 12-2008 |
I enjoy va tobacco the most, so if you do to let me in on your must have blends, not ok blends that ya you should try someday but the ones you think every va lover must have in their stash. Mine are briar fox, opening night, bbf, fvf and tilbury. Short list hope you can help me add to it. | ||
| Harvey Click Member Username: Fafhrd Post Number: 1430 Registered: 03-2006 |
IMO the two best Virginias are SG St. James Flake (a VaPer) and SG Full Virginia Flake. I love SG Brown # 4 rope, Black XX rope, and GH Sweet Rum Twist, but some may not consider these Virginias. | ||
| Chris Garrison Member Username: Crankychris Post Number: 3 Registered: 03-2009 |
McClelland 2015 (VaPer) is a must try. I think it's kinda' the VaPer standard. | ||
| Matty Member Username: Matty Post Number: 30 Registered: 12-2008 |
Thanks Harvey I should have said straight va tobacco, no vapers or va's with toppings. I am trying to keep this to straight va only blends. | ||
| Dan Bryant Member Username: Bryantm3 Post Number: 28 Registered: 03-2009 |
I wish I knew more. My favourite is FVF. I tried Rattray's 'Hal O' The Wynd' and it was alright, but not worth 15 bucks a tin; if it had been cheaper I would've felt less like I wasted money. If you haven't tried it, McClelland's Bulk 5100 (Red Cake) is a favourite at my local pipe shop, and I have to say it's the best I've ever had from McClelland. It's a tangy, light and sweet virginia. 'Hal O The Wynd' is a lot like 5100, but aged and much less tangy. I did try Opening Night once, but my pipe was all messed up and had this terrible problem of shooting cold soot from the cake up into my mouth; I eventually solved the problem by reaming the cake back, rubbing the inside of the bowl out with alcohol covered pipe cleaners, and smoking some drugstore blends with tons of propylene glycol in it to muck up my pipe a little bit. It wasn't fun. But now my pipe is fixed and I think I should try it again. Also, have you tried Esoterica Tobacciana's 'Stonehaven'? It's a VA/burley flake, but tends to be a little bit finnicky to get the taste right. It has a natural dark chocolate taste when the flake is somewhat dry and unbroken, but when wet the flake tastes like nothing. Also Esoterica has a nice blend called 'Cardiff' that is cut so fine it looks like hay. It has a grassy and sweet taste you might enjoy. Dan | ||
| Scott Rakowski Member Username: Scottbtdmb Post Number: 6 Registered: 03-2009 |
I picked up a tin of McClelland's No.27 today, which is a orange-red shag cut VA. The tin mentioned nothing about Perique or Orientals, nor did tobaccoreviews.com, so I assume this is a straight VA. The taste is very smooth and rich. I actually smoked this in a Charatan Executive that I just picked up which made it an even better smoke. Highly recommended, especially for those who are fans of McClelland's VA's. McClelland's Virginia Woods still remains my fave VA smoke though! -Scott | ||
| Joseph Conrad Member Username: Joseph_conrad Post Number: 126 Registered: 08-2006 |
Gl Pease Laurel Heights is a curiously undermentioned VA. Fribourg & Treyer Cut Virginia Plug Astleys No. 55 Elizabethan Bjarne's Flake De Luxe is so sweet that many say it's topped, but I don't think so. At any rate it appears to be out of production, so either way it might not matter. :^( Deeper flavored VAs McClelland VA Woods (matured red cake, stoved black Virginia, wide-cut bright Virginia) McClelland Blackwoods Flake (red + stoved black) | ||
| Matty Member Username: Matty Post Number: 32 Registered: 12-2008 |
Fribourg & Treyer looks like they have a nice lineup for the va lover to experiment with. | ||
| Mark Stockton Member Username: Ripiper Post Number: 31 Registered: 07-2008 |
FVF is my favorite virginia, hands down. There are some great tobaccos mentioned in these posts and they're worth a try. Another I would add to the list is McClelland Blackwoods Flake. | ||
| ROBERT BEWIG Member Username: Havamal Post Number: 87 Registered: 11-2004 |
Mine is Vintage Virginia & Cameron | ||
| Scott Rakowski Member Username: Scottbtdmb Post Number: 7 Registered: 03-2009 |
I have actually been wanting to try some Fribourg & Treyer offerings. My local tobacco shop only carries Blackjack. Has anyone tried this particular blend before? -Scott | ||
| Harvey Click Member Username: Fafhrd Post Number: 1437 Registered: 03-2006 |
--"Thanks Harvey I should have said straight va tobacco, no vapers or va's with toppings." SG Brown #4 and Black XX don't have toppings. Some smokers claim they aren't 100% Virginia, but I suspect they are, even if the Virginia leaves are exotic. Oh well, if it's pure Virginia you want, with no Perique and nothing unusual in the mix, Full Virginia Flake is certainly my top choice. Since you like FVF and BBF, you may want to try SG Medium Virginia Flake. I believe it has the same leaf as FVF but isn't steamed. | ||
| Matty Member Username: Matty Post Number: 33 Registered: 12-2008 |
I know I am boring Harvey my wife keeps telling me. Thanks I did order some BlackXX on your behalf hope it's yummy. | ||
| Chuck Wright Member Username: Truckerchuck Post Number: 1143 Registered: 05-2004 |
Black Irish Twist | ||
| Matty Member Username: Matty Post Number: 36 Registered: 12-2008 |
Harvey Black XX is tremendous it delivers a different taste that I like and a real nice nic hit with morning coffee, thanks for the tips. I have also bought more of the tobacco mentioned in this post. This site is awesome. Thanks again. Matty | ||
| Chuck Wright Member Username: Truckerchuck Post Number: 1162 Registered: 05-2004 |
I forgot. Peterson's Irish Flake. | ||
| Benjamin Kratchmer Member Username: Bkratchmer Post Number: 16 Registered: 07-2008 |
+1 on the Irish Flake. It's a nice, solid, no-frills tobacco that can be hard to smoke, but has a delightful variety of flavors and colors depending on how you prepare it and smoke it. Just don't use it on an empty stomach! | ||
| David J Hodge Member Username: Djh985 Post Number: 70 Registered: 02-2008 |
MacBaren HH Mature Virginia | ||
| Raftergtex Member Username: Raftergtex Post Number: 3 Registered: 05-2009 |
Here's one vote for Marble Kake from pipesandcigars. Blended by Russ Ouellette, this looks like particle board but reliably smokes sweet and easy, with the added benefit of being available in bulk at a nice price. | ||
| Jay Blakey Member Username: Firebottles Post Number: 39 Registered: 03-2008 |
Scott.. I am halfway through a tin of Blackjack. It is VERY good, full of flavour. It has a trebly flavour.. I know I am mixing audio descriptions with taste .. but to me it works.. it seems to have alot of upper end.. maybe bright is the word.. though I am afraid bright is already used to describe Virginia's in general. If you are looking for a high quality smoke this is one for sure. All of that said.. I did gravitate more to Rattray's Ol'Gowrie. It seems to have more balance.. that is to go back to my audio descriptions, more bottom end.. more grassy, earthy tones. Another thing.. I am not a fan of rectangular tins (such as F&T's Blackjack).. they just don't "re-seal" very well. I can usually get a round tin to tighten down and stay fresh much longer. I ended up putting my Blackjack in a mason jar for longer keeping. |