Va Per Challenged

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jlr1

Lurker
May 29, 2014
41
0
I smoke English and Balkan blends most of the time. However, in the warmer months, I switch to VaPers. My problem is that while I can readily tell the difference in taste among the many English and Balkan blends I smoke, I cannot readily distinguish any unique characteristics or tastes among the VaPers I have tried. What am I missing? Are there significant differences among taste/flavors in VaPers. Here is the list that I have tried. I feel I must be missing something since they all taste basically the same to me whereas the English and Balakan blends are easy to distinguish among themselves. By the way, the only VaPer that I tried and affirmatively did not like was Escudo.
ORLICK GOLDEN SLICED

CAPSTAN BLUE

DUNHILL ROYAL YACHT

ESCUDO

SAMUEL GAWITH FULL VIRGINIA

DUNHILL FLAKE

SOLANI

 

hiplainsdrifter

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 8, 2012
977
14
I think most of what you listed are just considered Virginia flakes, not VaPers- with the exception of the Escudo which you did not like. VA flakes tend to be subtle.

 

derfargin

Lifer
Mar 3, 2014
2,028
28
Kennesaw, GA
The only VA/Per(s) on your list is Escudo and Orlik Golden Sliced. The rest are straight VA's, and I think Solani is a VA/Bur.
Nice to see someone come out and say they adamantly dislike Escudo. That blend has such a following. I've only had a few bowls of it, and at present time still prefer PS - Luxury Navy Flake to it as a VaPer. I hear Escudo really gains momentum with some age on it.

 

hiplainsdrifter

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 8, 2012
977
14
If you really want to know if you like VaPers, you should try Gawith St. James Flake. It is by far my favorite. If you have already tried FVF, Dunhill Flake, and Capstan Blue, you should have a good idea whether you like straight Virginias. F&T Cut Virginia Plug and Wessex Campaign Dark Flake are also good Virginias.

 

elpfeife

Lifer
Dec 25, 2013
1,288
477
Many folks would find a significant difference between Royal Yacht and Orlik GS. Perhaps you are doomed to be an English smoker the rest of your days. :wink: If you do not develop a discernment between the various Va and VaPer

blends just stick to the less expensive offerings. No point spending more for blends you don't like anymore than OGS. Many of us, I suspect, are like that.

 

cmdrmcbragg

Lifer
Jul 29, 2013
1,739
3
If you don't like Escudo there may be no helping you to enjoy VaPers. Escudo is generally highly ranked in the VaPer category.

 

jlr1

Lurker
May 29, 2014
41
0
I do like OGS. I do not like Escudo. I cannot tell the difference among the others but I can tell that Royal Yacht is almost more of an aromatic than an English. I guess the error in my ways was thinking that the Virginia's that I have been smoking were in fact VaPers. So, I guess more properly stated, I cannot discern a difference among the various Virginias. Does that make sense?

 

jlr1

Lurker
May 29, 2014
41
0
I do like OGS. I do not like Escudo. I cannot tell the difference among the others but I can tell that Royal Yacht is almost more of an aromatic than an English. I guess the error in my ways was thinking that the Virginia's that I have been smoking were in fact VaPers. So, I guess more properly stated, I cannot discern a difference among the various Virginias. Does that make sense?

 

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
I originally struggled with Virginia and VaPer flakes, and remember complaining mightily about not "getting" VaPers. I received some wonderful feedback around preparation, and adjusted both the size of the bowl, shape of the pipe, and finally the preparation for my Virginia flake (and subsequent VaPer & VaPerBur) tobaccos.
In making the change I've found that the flavours in these tobaccos open up greatly, and I able to taste the nuance and variability between the different tobaccos.
So now, a year later, I ...

- Use a group 4 or smaller bowl

- Cube cut for prep

- Stuff in thirds and tamp firmly

- Fill to 1/8" from the top of the bowl

- Maintain a pre-light draw that is thick as sucking a milkshake through a straw
I've really fallen for Escudo, HU Director's Cut and Haddo's Delight (which while not a flake is a wonderful smoke).
If you want to kick through the feedback I got last year you can check the post out here: http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/six-months-in-my-tobacco-learning-curve
Good luck!
-- Pat

 

Perique

Lifer
Sep 20, 2011
4,098
3,884
www.tobaccoreviews.com
My recommendations from a previous thread:
Round One:
Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake: mild, delicious VaPer. Easy on a beginner, but satisfies even the most discerning VaPer addict by just getting better with age.
Rattray's Marlin Flake: sweet Virginias and the plummy side of Perique.
Stokkebye Luxury Bullseye Flake: for a great introduction to VaPer hybrids.
Robert McConnell Scottish Cake: great intro to what Kentucky can add to a VaPer. Perfectly balanced constituent tobaccos.
Escudo: perfect balance. Not too strong. Just strong enough. Gorgeous Virginias, just the right amount of Perique. The gold standard.
Round Two:
GL Pease Haddo's Delight: the next level of VaPer hybrid. Some would say the Holy Grail.
GL Pease Cumberland: like Scottish Cake but kicked up a few notches.
McClelland St James Woods: VaPer meets McClelland signature Virginia tang.
GL Pease Fillmore: Delicious, creamy, Perique-forward broken flake.
Hearth & Home Anniversary Kake: plummy, stewed-fruit Perique with tangy Virginias. Needs a bit of age to reach full glory. Some members here stock it. Some members here hoard it ;)
Round Three:
GL Pease Cairo: Perique, meet Orientals.
Frog Morton on the Bayou: Perique, meet English
310* Battleground: Perique, meet aromatic
Mac Baren HH Acadian Perique: hybrid deliciousness
Peterson Irish Oak: hybrid deliciousness
Round Four:
Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding: Perique, meet English kitchen sink.
Pipeworks & Wilke No.13: Perique, meet American-English
GL Pease Barbary Coast: Perique, meet cubed cut burley.
McClelland Beacon Extra: Perique blast, meet McCelland Virginia blast.
GL Pease Telegraph Hill: some are overwhelmed, others underwhelmed.

 

jmsutton

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 11, 2014
103
0
I'm having the same trouble myself. I recently got a tin of OGS, which I loved. My local B&M told me to try out some Erinmore flake since I was trying to try out and get into the VA flakes. I have not had the same magical experience with the Erinmore, which is a VA/BUR. I say keep trying stuff out. You'll find what you like and stick with it.

 

fnord

Lifer
Dec 28, 2011
2,746
8
Topeka, KS
Jlr1:
Rest easy, pal. That appreciation for VAs, VaPers, VaBur and VaPerBur will either grab a root and growl or it won't. And if it never takes hold, for God's sake, don't beat yourself up over it like I did.
Over the years I tried, tried, tried to like the stuff but, quite frankly, it bored the piss out of me and I finally accepted the fact that I'm a Lat guy. (Some Orientals are nice but if it's too lopsided I get annoyed and then really irritated.)
In this forum I've often read the phrase, "Smoke what you like and like what you smoke."
Take it to heart, Jlr1. Nobody around these parts will break your balls for not smoking the latest cool-kid leaf.
Fnord

 

zekest

Lifer
Apr 1, 2013
1,136
9
If you are a lover of the smoky leaf, enjoy it.
If you and the rest of the "Latee's" as you all call each other get together, you can have a smoky good smoking time, but please smoke outdoors and responsibly.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I think it's difficult to like a pipe tobacco blend because you feel you should. Try a blend, and let it do its

magic, and if it isn't a pleasure, try something else. Age it. Mix it. See what happens. But you're not obligated

to like any family of leaf. It's a matter of finding out what pleases you. With the pipe, you're the boss.

 

lucky695

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 2, 2013
795
143
there is a lot of good info here. thanks everyone. I like escudo and have lots of it...aging. I will retry some of my others that I have in a smaller bowl and pack tighter.. I will report the results.

 

kozzman555

Lurker
Oct 21, 2014
7
0
One thing I would recommend and haven't seen in this thread is given your palate some rest. If you're a heavy English/Balkan smoker, your palate might be used to the fairly strong taste in those blends and not be able to pick up the differences between the lighter Va and VaPer blends. I would recommend not smoking anything for a few days before trying any more VaPer's. Also, make sure you aren't smoking your VaPer's in a pipe that you've been smoking your English/Balkans in. Snag a cheap MM cob pipe if you don't want to dedicate a pipe to VaPer's.

 
Oct 12, 2014
328
21
Try Kajun Kake or Bayou Nights...

Kajun is the more mild of the two so if you need a stronger flavor try Bayou first. Bayou can start really peppered but smooths out right away. I would think either of these two should satisfy..

 
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