Any good red VA left in the land?

logs · Aug 2, 2019

Who is left that produces a good (or reasonably good) straight red VA?
C&D's reoccurring mold-pocalypses have spooked me away from Carolina Red Flake, even though it sounds like a nice idea in theory.
McCranies sells something called Red Stag which is a straight red VA.(I'm guessing it must be a poor cousin to the old Red Ribbon since it doesn't merit enough interest to even get a listing in tobacco reviews).
Any others ideas?

alaskanpiper · Aug 2, 2019

McConnell’s Red VA. I think it has a touch of perique too though. And I found out today apparently Watch City.

hoosierpipeguy · Aug 2, 2019

F&T Blackjack is excellent as is Watch City Simply Red. I think Wessix Classic Flake is quite good.

sablebrush52 · Aug 2, 2019

The McConnell gets good press, and I've heard good things about Wessex as well, though I haven't smoked them.

alaskanpiper · Aug 2, 2019

I think sutliff makes a couple, one of them being crumble kake but i cant remember for sure. Havent tried them.

sablebrush52 · Aug 2, 2019

The Sutliff 515 RC-1 is their attempt to mimic McClelland 5100, and it's certainly not 5100, but it is pretty good on its own merits. Watch City Simply Red is also a good blend on its own merit, though McClelland it's not.

logs · Aug 2, 2019

Thanks everyone!

downsouth · Aug 2, 2019

Pretty much all I smoke is VA reds and some brights. C&D Interlude is an excellent red. They claim there is a touch of honey on it, but frankly, I don't taste it at all--Interlude is pretty much 70% of all I smoke. Never had any mold issues either, even with Carolina Red flake (which I buy a ton of every year with the batch comes out). I know it was a problem long ago, but I think they rectified that. Another straight red (no casing or topping) which is quite good but is ribbon cut is C&D's red bulk. I smoke this a lot as well; try their bright bulk too, you'll be surprised.

hawky454 · Aug 2, 2019

Samuel Gawith FVF

GH&Co. Bright CR

Esoterica (nothing straight VA that I can think of but we can’t overlook them even though they are hard to find)
Those three make some of the best VA’s on earth.

pipebuddy · Aug 2, 2019

FVF has Red VAs in it? I did not know that.

There are Wessex's Red Virginia Flake and Brigade Classic Virginia that are truly excellent.

Red Virginia Flake is almost identical to Dobie's Four Square Medium Navy (the light blue compact rectangular tin) that was a favorite of mine when it was still available in the 90's.

pipebuddy · Aug 2, 2019

And I almost forgot St Bruno Ready Rubbed which has a lot of Red VAs into it, but is not a 100% Red VA.

mso489 · Aug 2, 2019

Generally, red Virginia shows up quite a bit as a constituent tobacco, often the base tobacco, in many blends, so there are a lot of options available. As to which are most pleasing, try around and you be the judge. To find some, just cavort around the tobacco pages of any of pipes magazine sponsor retailers.

danimalia · Aug 2, 2019

I haven't had either, but I think a couple of the GL Pease San Francisco blends have Red VAs as their base, Looks like Fillmore is Reds + perique and Embarcadero is Reds + Izmir.
Can't think of too many straight red VAs, and the ones I can think of have already been mentioned.

hawky454 · Aug 2, 2019

FVF has Red VAs in it? I did not know that.

That’s my mistake, I completely missed the RED VA part. ‘Twas early, I was tired, yada yada yada...

pipebuddy · Aug 2, 2019

FVF has Red VAs in it? I did not know that.
That’s my mistake, I completely missed the RED VA part. ‘Twas early, I was tired, yada yada yada...

Hahaha that happens to me often at that time of day. :wink:

oldgeezersmoker · Aug 3, 2019

The Sutliff 515 RC-1 is their attempt to mimic McClelland 5100, and it's certainly not 5100, but it is pretty good on its own merits. Watch City Simply Red is also a good blend on its own merit, though McClelland it's not.

I am increasingly impressed by my initial pound of 515 RC-1 as it has aged over the last year, and have bought another pound. I was not impressed with the Watch City Simply Red- smoked hot. I will jar the balance of my initial 2 ounces and try it again in a few months. Full disclosure, as a fan of McClellands since the early 1980’s, 5100 was nowhere close to the top of my favorite bulks list, though I have smoked a ton of it as a break in tobacco and combined with 5105 in varying proportions. Sutliff s 507 S is an excellent replacement for 5105.

hoosierpipeguy · Aug 3, 2019

I didn't find that Simply Red smokes hot but it definitely is spicier than the 515 RC-1. I found the 515 to be just a bit bland but still a very good smoke if one likes to smoke straight Red Va or is looking for a good one to blend with. Personal tastes I suppose.
HU My Red Fox is a Red Virginia. I'm a big fan of HU blends but didn't find this one to be great. Just good. And obviously a bit harder to acquire.

Any good red VA left in the land?

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