My First Straight Virginia

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rtg90

Lurker
Jan 26, 2014
13
0
I recently picked up some Mac Baren No.1 at my B&M. He had it in bulk. I was opening jars, feeling, and smelling when this one caught my attention. So I picked up an oz.
I went home and smoked it in my MM cob. I am not a fast smoker, so I didn't get any tongue bite. I did like the way it smelled and felt in my mouth, but I definitely did not like the aftertaste at all! A few hours later it was still bothering me. Is this just how virginias are? Am I going to run into this with VaBur or VaPer?
I do burn some aromatics, and Frog Morton Craftsbury.

 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,853
553,860
I suggest you try either Dunhill Flake, Capstan Blue, or Marble Kake next in regard to straight Virginias. You'll get a different perspective than what you got on the Va. #1.

 

billypm

Can't Leave
Oct 24, 2013
302
3
What Jim just said. And I'll add SG Best Brown Flake to his list. Virginias do require that you do a few things right-- moisture level, smoking cadence, packing-- they can be persnickety. But I love a good straight Va above all other leaf. Worth the trouble, and if you can smoke a Virginia properly, all other blends are that much easier to appreciate.

 

andrew

Lifer
Feb 13, 2013
3,042
400
Yes I've heard Macbaren #1 is very cigarette like, I'm smoking BBF as we speak for the second time and can see now why everyone is so crazy about it. That lakelands in the background, if you didn't know what you were looking for I don't think you could even taste it. It's exceptional.

 

hawke

Lifer
Feb 1, 2014
1,346
4
Augusta, Ga
Im very new to the pipe myself. Im trying it all. Sam G or Dan Tobacco Virginia Flakes are the ones Ive tried. The Dan is a little more dry. Sam G is a little richer and darker. The Virginias are my tobacco's for those special times. I used to smoke roll-ur-own Bugler Gold which delivers more nicotine than pipe smoking. I find now that the Virginia is pretty strong. Breath thru the mouth and out the nose gives quite the nicotine rush for me now. The taste is not like the blends but I tend to puff a little faster than average still I suspect and moisture becomes an issue. Pipe cleaning often is a must for me.
Aftertaste? I guess you have to stop smoking to taste that, LOL :crazy:

 

stbruno70

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 9, 2013
580
238
Union Square and Laurel Heights, both by GL Pease, are high quality VAs.

 

papipeguy

Lifer
Jul 31, 2010
15,778
35
Bethlehem, Pa.
One of my favorites is Orlik Golden Sliced. While it claims to contain perique I can't detect it. It's a very nice and refreshing blend.

 

smeigs

Lifer
Jun 26, 2012
1,049
7
I love virginia flake by mcbarren. I also smoke a bulk blend called "all natural" which is an amazing full virginia blend. I get it at my local BM but I will find out who makes it and let you know soon.

 

ithelouniverse

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 30, 2013
513
0
West Texas
I love golden slice in an unnatural way! It was the first tobacco to make me go "ahhhh! This is why people smoke pipes..."
I also happened to write a top shelf (in my opinion) review of it over in the review section

 

mrmotoyoshi

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 8, 2014
162
1
Motoyoshi, Japan
Orlik Golden Slice and Dunhill Flake are must trys IMO. If you are into them, get some Best Brown Flake or Full Virginia Flake (both made by Samuel Gawith). And if you have learned to appreciate it and want to try the best VA around, Holger Danske-Royal Navy Flake. The RNF is simply out of this world. VAs are my favorite type of tobacco.

 

thehappypiper

Can't Leave
Feb 27, 2014
303
0
Hi RTG90.

The indespensible resource for all briarmen looking to try a new blend is www.tobaccoreviews.com

Simply conduct an advanced search for a medium to mild Va and buy whatever takes your fancy. You might be a little surprised at the difference between your experience of a blend and the reviewers' experience, but that is ok. If you find a blend that you quite like, put some down for a year or so then come back to it. Vas are, to me, the touchstone of the experienced pipesmoker. While many many people seem to demand Latakia in most of their smokes, I find a good virginia to be far more rewarding, although it is admittedly finnicky and at times quite subtle. I think the wine-maker's equivalent would be between Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir- getting a mediocre PN i very easy; if one hasn't tasted a good one, it can be difficult to know what the fuss is all about. But if one gets a really good one, it is supple, easy on the mouth and complex enough to keep the palate interested without demanding a lot of attention. I think the words which come to mind are pure and clean.

 

sladeburns

Might Stick Around
Apr 2, 2013
82
0
I just had my first straight Virginia as well. I believe it was McClelland Red Cake. Wonderful stuff that led me to scouring tb reviews for other highly rated va and Va/pers. More than a few dollars later I now await my "best of" shipment.
The variety of good pipe tobaccos out there are more addictive for me than nicotine. I salivate when I read the reviews. Wanna try them all!

 

halfy

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 6, 2014
245
6
Dunhill Flake is simply the best explanation of the concept "Virginia". Besides, I'd love to mention Elizabethan Mixture, Three Nuns and Dorchester.
Capstan is great but takes too much jarring or cellaring.

 

rmbittner

Lifer
Dec 12, 2012
2,759
1,994
halfy wrote:
"Besides, I'd love to mention Elizabethan Mixture, Three Nuns and Dorchester."
But, of course, none of these is a straight Virginia.
Bob

 

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
I also think Dunhill flake is a great place to start sampling Virginia's. Another of my favorites is Fribourg & Treyer Cut Virginia Plug and Astleys no 109. I cut my teeth on these years ago and I still smoke them 13 years later.
Macbaren #1 is not a very good example of what a good Virginia tastes like, it is totally a cigarette ashy type of flavor.

 

tarak

Lifer
Jun 23, 2013
1,528
15
South Dakota
I have not tried the #1, but I will say in my experience that straight Virginias are finicky little things that take some practice to enjoy. Packing, moisture, smoking cadence, etc can be a little unforgiving in some Vs.
I can echo the recommendation of Dunhill Flake.
Might I also recommend you pursue some McClleland Virginias? Blackwoods Flake will take some patients and practice, but is the sweetest tasting tobacco I've ever had.
H&H Marble Kake is also good and little more forgiving.

 

ravkesef

Lifer
Aug 10, 2010
2,912
9,179
81
Cheshire, CT
I confess to a similar problem-- when I occasionally smoke Virginias and VaPers I get that same "cigarette" taste. I suppose we each have unique DNA and that causes us to respond to certain tastes and flavors in a particular way. Moreover, when I come back into a room in which I've smoked Virginias, it smells as if someone has been smoking cigarettes there, even after a lapse of several hours. My wife has the same reaction. She will come home and ask:"Has someone been smoking a cigarette here?" Yet she never says that about my English blends or aromatics.

 
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