Va-Or’s?

[rmpeeps]

Soooo, to make sure I understand... If it has latakia, it is an English or Balkan or whatnot... but, we can't call a Virginia-Oriental, Oriental, because that includes the possibility of latakia.
Ha ha, forum logic... I can dig that.

YOU can call it an Oriental.
Mike McNeil did, but he was wrong too!!
nana

 

[brooklynpiper]

Cosmic is taking too much flak here for being right. There are two kinds of people - those like he and I that call it "Oriental" that effectively make God smile and then there's all the irredeemable heathens that spread their caustic lies like an epidemic on internet forums.

 

[brooklynpiper]

Va/Or is the "to my palette" of tobacco categories

 

[dawnpiper]

Va-Or was just a simple short way of getting the point across in the title, but yes, I find Latakia to overwhelm my taste-buds, even in tiny amounts, all nuance disappears and I just just get that sooty flavour... when you live in canada and pay $50 a tin, you get a little pissed off when you pay that kind of money and don’t get what you want.

 

[banjoner]

Another PS bulk to try is Norwegian

agree 100%

 

[rushx9]

This is my first post... I just had to add my 2 cents on this topic! My abbreviation of choice for the genre is Va/Tur (pronounced Vader, as in Darth). Reasons? First, it rhymes with Va/Per and Va/Bur. Second, many tobacco users, especially cig smokers, say turkish as a catch-all for orientals. The distinction between an oriental blend and a Va/Tur, for me, is a dominance of Va. I feel the same about the other terms. Virginias with condimental amounts of another tobacco = Va/---. If the condiment dominates, then I'd call them perique, burley, or oriental blends. For example, I'd call Carter Hall a burley blend, not a va/bur. Presbyterian is a (fantastic) oriental blend, as is Durbar. As far as the best example of a Va/Tur, imho, Dunhill Ready Rubbed! Just a light condimental amount of oriental tobacco in an otherwise sweet and tasty Va dominant broken flake.

 

[irishearl]

Oriental Silk is cheap and awesome once it's had a few months in the jar.
Brunello Flake is on sale at SPC right now.

I recently picked up Oriental Silk and agree it's a good one.

 

[supdog]

Try all the D&R Rambacks, you can buy them by the oz. I have only smoked the Balkan blend, and it's very good. This is what's in it: A smooth tasting pipeblend with a flavorful and characteristic Oriental finish. An exquisite combination of premiumBalkin Virginia sun-cured tobaccos, exceptional Yenice (Yenidje) and Basma tobaccos, and the finest Virginia flue-cured tobaccos

 

[olkofri]

Also, Mac Baren HH Vintage Syrian is worth tracking down. It's no longer in production but can still be had for reasonable prices.

That's tasty, but, doesn't it have latakia? Hence the name?

 

[logs]

That's tasty, but, doesn't it have latakia? Hence the name?

Yes you're right; my mistake. I tend to lump Syrian leaf in the oriental department since it tastes so wholly different than cyprian latakia.

 

[Mr.Mike]

How are the Savinelli blends? I haven't heard much about them or even knew they existed until SP threw them up on sale

Brunello flake had the best tin note I've ever smelled. Taste pretty darn good too. Haven't tried anything else though.

 

[Mr.Mike]

Casual, I have a tin of Presbyterian aging, so I'll look forward to that. I smoke so slowly, I should have a five-year hiatus on buying tobacco. I'm always smoking up samples, small partially filled jars, and pouches, trying to work my way to the many tins. I can see Edward G. Robinson peering at me from the bottom of a stack of unopened tins from here.

I'm not a huge English fan, but I love Presbyterian. There's something really unique in there. It's like a cinnamon spiked lemon.

 

[Mr.Mike]

Va-Or was just a simple short way of getting the point across in the title, but yes, I find Latakia to overwhelm my taste-buds, even in tiny amounts, all nuance disappears and I just just get that sooty flavour... when you live in canada and pay $50 a tin, you get a little pissed off when you pay that kind of money and don’t get what you want.

That much huh.... Damn man that's rough.

 

[Mr.Mike]

Oh damn... I just sandbagged this thread

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Presbyterian certainly has a dominant amount of Latakia. I don't much care for it. Smoking Peretti Cambridge Flake at this moment. Some Latakia but purely condimental. Superb VaOr blend.

 

[rmpeeps]

Here’s some good suggestions/reference.

Suggestions for Orientals - non Latakia :: General Pipe Smoking Discussion

While I’ve been around a while and have a few items cellared, I has hoping to get your recommendations for non-latakia top-flight Oriental blends. Virginias and Perique compliments are good, as is the possibity of some burley, Kentucky, or uncased cavendish. Not a real fan of fruity toppings...

pipesmagazine.com

 

[Saintwilliam]

GLP Regent’s Flake hasn’t been mentioned yet, it’s got a bit of Perique but it’s not the dominant flavour profile. I am also an Va/Or kind of guy so I’ll be checking out some of the blends here. The Rambacks really entice me TBH

 

[rushx9]

GLP Regent’s Flake hasn’t been mentioned yet, it’s got a bit of Perique but it’s not the dominant flavour profile. I am also an Va/Or kind of guy so I’ll be checking out some of the blends here. The Rambacks really entice me TBH

I liked Ramback Balkan pretty well. Wanted to like regular but had trouble getting into it. It was definitely better as a ryo.

 

[lukasstrifeson]

If anyone has a rec on Sam's Flake match I would greatly appreciate that. If someone has some Sam's Flake to trade I would be even more ecstatic.

 

[Saintwilliam]

I liked Ramback Balkan pretty well. Wanted to like regular but had trouble getting into it. It was definitely better as a ryo.

Are D&R’s really fancy cigarette tobaccos? I’ve always had that suspicion as I never see a GLP ryo suggestions.

Or am I way off the mark