Next (And Last?) Virginia

johnparker · Nov 16, 2013

Am slowly developing what I really want to put on my permanent list of tobaccos to have. In the Virginia category I now enjoy McClelland 5100. Have some Christmas Cheer 2013 which will remain unopened for a good while. Have a nice sample of S. Gawith Fine Virginia Flake which is on the upper bounds of the strength I want, and which is too fussy for me to smoke happily. Am considering either S. Gawith Best Brown Flake or Pease's Union Square as a "pure", medium Virginia to sample next to compare with my 5100. Aside from the flake-aspect, would appreciate any comments/guidance on selecting one of these two.

peckinpahhombre · Nov 16, 2013

BBF has burley so it is by no means pure VA (though it is good stuff). You could try the SG Medium VA flake (also called Golden Glow when sold in 50g tins). I am not a huge fan of it but others love it. I do cellar US and it is great, but you need to be prepared to age it for at least 18 months or so. It is really young fresh out of the tin.
If you are looking for a delicious flake that is easy to smoke, I would try Dunhill Flake or Fribourg & Treyer's Cut Virginia Plug. A recent discovery of mine is Brigham Klondike Gold, which I found to be the easiest to smoke VA I have ever tried. Any of these would be fantastic.

dragonslayer · Nov 16, 2013

BBF will light up your life. I think the fumes from my shop are getting to me :crazy: Its like a creamy rich mellow smoke, great first bowl of the day. Will prepare you for whatever direction you want to head afterwards. Perfect for moving to VaPers, but anything else too. Well back to the shop, this time with the mask. :idea:

dragonslayer · Nov 16, 2013

That was odd, got a type to fast green screen and double posted me hmmm.

petes03 · Nov 16, 2013

I'm not a PURE Va. fan by any means, so not much help there. But I've really been enjoying Mac Baren Dark Twist and Roll Cake, which are coins. To me, they smoke brother than just about any regular flake tobacco I've tried! And yes, I do consider coins to be flakes in a way. I may be wrong, but that's the way I categorize them!

Strike Anywhere · Nov 18, 2013

BBF has burley so it is by no means pure VA (though it is good stuff).

May I ask your source for this? I'm not saying you're wrong, but I've not heard this before.
Sam Gawith's website:

Best Brown
A firm favourite for the pipe smoker looking for a medium strength, gentle and slow burning tobacco. Manufactured using hand-stripped flue cured Virginias with no flavours added, Best Brown will reward with a cool, sweet smoke with a delectable aroma and good sidestream. Mild to medium.

SmokingPipes.com's description:

Hand stripped Flue-cured Zimbabwe leaf steamed and pressed to medium brown. Made in England.

Granted, accurate information in our hobby isn't always easy to come by, but I've never heard of SG's BBF containing burley. Is it possible you're confusing SG's BBF with GH&Co? I'm not as familiar with GH&Co, but I believe their BB#2 and BF both contain some "air cured leaf".

judcole · Nov 18, 2013

BBF is a wonderful blend. I have been smoking it - and cellaring it - for years, and now am at the point where I only smoke stuff that is at least 5 years old.

I'm not familiar with the Pease blend mentioned. I would give a hat tip to Dunhill Flake, as well.

flakyjakey · Nov 18, 2013

Samuel Gawith's Best Brown Flake is a stunning tobacco - in my all time top 5!!

Strike Anywhere · Nov 18, 2013

GH&Co Best Brown Flake is a stunning tobacco - in my all time top 5!!

Just to prevent confusion for johnparker (and others), we should try to be a bit more accurate when referring to the "brown flake" blends in this thread.
Actual blends are:

SG Best Brown Flake

GH&Co Brown Flake Scented

GH&Co Brown Flake Unscented

GH&Co Best Brown #2
BBF or Best Brown Flake typically refers to the SG flake since there is not technically a "Best Brown Flake" made by GH&Co.
Another key difference is that the GH&Co. flakes contain VA and burley whereas the SG flake is all VA (to the best of my knowledge).

flakyjakey · Nov 18, 2013

TAB, you are quite correct. I had already spotted and edited my error.

brdavidson · Nov 18, 2013

I'm new to the world of flakes, but I have to agree that Samual Gawith's Best Brown Flake is outstanding. Likely the best tobacco I've tried to my tastes (granted in only one year of pipe smoking). It is smooth, cool, earthy, full flavoured and nicely in the middle of the nicotine road (important for a wimp like me).

Strike Anywhere · Nov 18, 2013

Samuel Gawith Best Brown Flake does have a bit of burley in, it to my tastes at least.
IMO, it's not terribly uncommon for master blenders to use some burley to "round out" their Virginias blends and not list the burley in the blend. One example of a blend that I believe to surreptitiously include a touch of burley is Dunhill Flake.

Perhaps, but then why would they go out of their way to list it in Kendal Cream Flake but omit it from BBF and others?
I've not spoken to anyone that works at the SG factory, but according to those that have, BBF, FVF, and MVF/Golden Glow are the same blend (all VA) but vary in the amount of pressure applied, duration, and steam/heat.

flakyjakey · Nov 18, 2013

You got it exactly right, Mr Davidson!!

rebornbriar · Nov 18, 2013

I smoke quite a bit of BBF and FVF and they are two of my favourites. You will find BBF easier to prepare and smoke than the Full Va Flake and the flavours are sensational. It is one I think you would truly enjoy for the pure virginia experience.
Regarding the GLP Union Square, this is a blend that really needs to be aged before smoking to take the edge from it and smooth out the flavours. I have been too impatient up until now to do this, so I would suggest as an alternative the Cornell & Diehl Opening Night. It is in the same vein as the GLP blend but a lot smoother in taste. It is another one of my favourites and the only true US tobacco I smoke.

cigrmaster · Nov 18, 2013

Samuel Gawith Best Brown flake is a great tasting blend and I have about 12 pounds in my cellar. Having said that for an easier flake to deal with and it being ready to smoke right out of the tin with no drying time, I would go for the Brigham Klondike Gold as peck suggested. The other benefit to the Gold is that it comes aged 2-3 years already.
Alan, I also found that Union Sq was not ready to smoke when I first got it. The tin I have will be a year old in another couple of weeks, should I bother trying it again or should I give it more time? Have you smoked any that is 2-3 years old and if so what are your thoughts?

rebornbriar · Nov 19, 2013

Alan, I also found that Union Sq was not ready to smoke when I first got it. The tin I have will be a year old in another couple of weeks, should I bother trying it again or should I give it more time? Have you smoked any that is 2-3 years old and if so what are your thoughts?

Harris, I have not smoked any aged. I have had 2 tins. One was fresh and the other was a gift that already had 1 year on it and was still sharp. My comments were based on my smoking that tin, what has been said on tobaccoreviews about it, and what Greg commented to me about it himself on FB. Most of the reviews I have read have said it is a tobacco that needs to be aged, but I have not caught up with anyone actually having reviewed an aged tin.
Personally, I would let it sit for a few years more. As I have said before, I am too impatient a person to age tobaccos yet myself

I liked the style of the Union Sq - so when I tried the Opening Night which is a similar style (same blender anyway) and that was much more rounded straight from the tin, then I have stuck with that. Someday I will start putting a cellar together for ageing, but still think I would put the C&D blend away in preference. My thought being if it tastes good fresh, it should taste better aged

Next (And Last?) Virginia

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