Virginia taste

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chopper

Lifer
Aug 24, 2019
1,480
3,317
Another vote for Orlik Golden Sliced. It's one Va that I could smoke all day.
Generally speaking I find that Virginia blends taste better with a touch of added Burley.
Like Comoys Spiced Virginia Cask #9 for example [Which like OGS also has a very light topping]
 

hawky454

Lifer
Feb 11, 2016
5,338
10,221
Austin, TX
Orlik Golden Sliced is what helped me “taste” Virginia’s. It’s got a subtle bergomot-like top note which helped my palate pick up on the citrus aspects of a VA. It’s a great blend to start with and it’s one that seasoned pipe smokers love too. I highly recommend it if you’re learning how to taste VA’s.
 
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kschatey

Lifer
Oct 16, 2019
1,118
2,272
Ohio
The two blends that made Virgina click for me were:
  1. Capstan Blue
  2. Watch City Simply Red
So many directions to go after those...
 
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krizzose

Lifer
Feb 13, 2013
3,136
18,314
Michigan
Virginias are by far my favorite genre of tobacco, but they can be a little fussy sometimes. As mentioned, smoke slowly.

I generally find that first 1/4 or 1/5 of a bowl of Virginia can be a little underwhelming. Thin, a touch acrid. But give it a chance and the flavor will really open up. The bottom half of a bowl of Virginia will pick up a dark sweetness, like brown sugar, caramel or even toffee. Properly drying the tobacco and smoking slowly should let you enjoy that bottom half fully, without fighting through a wad of wet dottle
 

augiebd

Lifer
Jul 6, 2019
1,273
2,567
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
If you have trouble with the fold and stuff method for flakes other options include rubbing out the flake, cube cut or 1 or 2 second buzz in a small food processor. All these methods are documented on the forum if you do a search.
 
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anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,816
29,656
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
Hay-like............ Virginias are very much like hay smells......
I grew up on a farm, and as a teen baled hay for many local farmers. I still can recall the distinct smells of the different hays- Alfalfa, timothy, orchard grass, red clover, they all had a similar smell, but each was unique.

This is how I view Va tobaccos-- They all sorta taste the same, but if you spend enough time with them they are all completely different..............
yeah they kind of remind me of cookies that way. All sugar cookies are sugar cookies and generally very similar but those little differences are subtle but genuinely huge. And the only way to dial in ones favorites is to try them till you say I don't want to not have this particular tobacco around.
 
Jul 26, 2021
2,220
9,057
Metro-Detroit
At the recommendation of a member, I tried Amphora Virginia.

Decent priced broken Virginia flake in a pouch. Just a good, solid Virginia tobacco and heard it gets better with about 6 months of age.

I'm not in the market for sampling a lot more blends but am intrigued about the Amphora sampler.
 

GreatWhiteNorthPiper

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 3, 2022
252
806
Ontario, Canada
At the recommendation of a member, I tried Amphora Virginia.

Decent priced broken Virginia flake in a pouch. Just a good, solid Virginia tobacco and heard it gets better with about 6 months of age.

I'm not in the market for sampling a lot more blends but am intrigued about the Amphora sampler.
Just bought me a pouch of this on the recommendation of several people here. Here's hoping I like it!
 
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