Hi guys. The following is from the Pipe Club of London website. I hope you enjoy the tobacco!
Andy
A NOTE FROM BOB GREGORY of Samuel Gawith
& Co. Ltd. in regards to this very special tobacco:
Two years ago, May 2012, the thought occurred as to what would happen to Full Virginia Flake if it was “laid down” for a time.
Five cakes were shrink-wrapped and forgotten about until June of this year. Rather than offer the tobacco to a large distributor, because there wasn’t enough, it was offered to the PCoL, the home of discerning pipe-smokers and with whom we at Samuel Gawith have such a good relationship and owe so much. The result is a quantity of 50g tins of “Aged Full Virginia Flake”.
The question has been asked “well what is the difference between regular Full Virginia and Aged Full Virginia?”
When FV is made in its regular format the result is a medium strength Virginia smoke with all that a Virginia should be, good aroma, a sweetness and a mellowness that you would expect from a 100% Virginia. Full Virginia when “put down” for two years, undergoes a change. If the conditions are right then the tobacco will enter a further period of fermentation. The colour changes as the Virginias mellow and the sugars come out even more. If you see a grey streak in the flake, do not be alarmed for it is not mould, it is sugar. The taste changes, the flavour improves and the tin aroma is one of a rich dark pudding with “meadow” notes.. Room-aroma is just sublime. In other words the tobacco has slowly changed its personality.
“Aged “ is available in a 50g tin only and once it's gone it's gone.