Virginia with training wheels?

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hedgehog

Might Stick Around
Sep 25, 2013
61
10
Greetings everyone, from the Noobiest Noobie in Nooville.
Short version: what are good tobaccos for getting to know Viriginias?
Longer version: I've been smoking a pipe for a little while now, long enough at least, it seems, to avoid tongue bite most of the time, to finish a bowl without using up a whole book of matches, and to realize that I prefer Latakia blends. I hear so many good things about Virginias, but so far I'm missing something. I've been working my way through a tin of McC's Dark Star and one of GLP's Cairo. Why do I not notice the famed sweetness of Virginias? I get instead a kind of bitter or hard tightness. It's not ashy, necessarily, but not far from it. Sometimes a huge wave of nicotine looms up out of nowhere and knocks me sideways. I know we're all supposed to smoke what we like; I just suspect that I'll like more things than I like right now if I go about educating myself the right way.
Relevant fact? I used to smoke RYO cigarettes, and my favorite brand by a long shot was Drum. I smoked bales and bales, quite happily. Also Three Castles, back when Three Castles still existed and the world was still young. Could it be that I'm just a dark, tarry, funky kind of guy?
Anyway, thanks very much for your help. I've found this forum indispensable. Now if I can only find a Virginia I can use to stuff my training bra.

 

tarak

Lifer
Jun 23, 2013
1,528
15
South Dakota
Well, there has recently been a thread discussing how difficult Dark Star can be to coach out its potential. Might not be the place to start.
Also, flakes have a real learning curve, most people have to experiment with what works for them....fold & stuff, cube cut, or rub out.....
McClelland Blackwoods Flake gives me a lot of sweetness without too much effort.....I let it dry out several hours, then rub out slightly.
Also just tried Hearth and Home Marble Kake......that was very forgiving, slightly sweet, and creamy. Still in stock at smokingpipes.com I believe.
And finally, maybe try something with perique for a little spice, since you are used to more complex stuff? Solani 633, Escudo, etc......

 

taerin

Lifer
May 22, 2012
1,851
1
Medium Virginia Flake (Golden Glow) by Samuel Gawith is easy to find and well behaved, just dry it out before smoking. Peter Stokkebye's Luxery Bullseye Flake is also a great smoker, his Luxery Twist Flake is probably as well.

 

blendtobac

Lifer
Oct 16, 2009
1,237
213
Welcome! It's interesting that you mentioned smoking Three Castles, as that was all flue-cured (Virginia) if I recall correctly. In fact, many RYO smokers considered it the creme de la creme of British-type cigarette tobacco. So if you know Three Castles, you already are familiar with Virginias.
Russ

 

bentmike

Lifer
Jan 25, 2012
2,422
37
Welcome hedgehog, great screen name!
I would say keep some Virginias around but continue to smoke your favorite Latakia mixtures. Once in a while when the mood strikes you get one of the Virginias back out. I think it's common to take a while to develop a love for a good VA. My initial experiences were just like you describe. I was not impressed and wondered what all the fuss was about. Over time I started to "get" the virginia experience and now I enjoy having a varied rotation to chose from. My favorite is SG Full Virginia Flakes. With that one I almost always get the baking bread or muffin sweetness coming through.

 

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
Welcome aboard, Hedgehog!
It's nice to have you here. Solid first post. I, too, am recently returned to pipe smoking, and find myself primarily reaching for English/Lat and Oriental blends. About a month ago I asked for some help with Virginias and received some wonderful tips from folks on how to get more out of a bowl of a good Va/VaPerique/VaBurley. Here is a link to that thread, in the hopes that there are a nugget or two in there to help you: http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/six-months-in-my-tobacco-learning-curve
Best,
-- Pat

 

fitzy

Lifer
Nov 13, 2012
2,937
27
NY
Welcome to the forums. I too prefer Latakia and I have a hard time finding any taste in most Virginia's. So you're definitely not alone.

 

fitzy

Lifer
Nov 13, 2012
2,937
27
NY
Although I do have to say I enjoy McClellands 5100. You might want to try that one.

 

salewis

Can't Leave
Jan 27, 2011
412
0
If you want a simple Virginia with a lot of flavor and fairly mild try Dan Tobacco Hamborger Veermaster. This has been a fairly staple go-to smoke for some time. I would try this since it never very little if any casing and it is obtainable unlike many of the other Virginias from time to time.

 

hedgehog

Might Stick Around
Sep 25, 2013
61
10
Thank you everyone, both for the encouragement and for the recommendations. As it happens, last night I left a half-bowl of GLP Cairo unsmoked on the porch so that it could think about what it had done. When I got back to it this morning, it was very apologetic and downright kindly. So I am mightily heartened. A great harvest of new VAs awaits, just as soon as my poor smoked-out wallet gets its breath back. Much obliged for all your help. Hedgehog.

 

fitzy

Lifer
Nov 13, 2012
2,937
27
NY
Hedge you should look up the DGT or Delayed Gratification Technique with Virginia's.
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/the-delayed-gratification-technique

 

flyguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2012
1,018
4
Welcome Hedgehog! My first Virginia Flake was Samuel Gawith's Best Brown Flake. I loved it and was hooked on Virginias from that moment on. BBF requires some prep (dry time) but is good whether you rub it out or cube it.

 

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
Welcome to the site. I would recommend Astleys 109 and Capstan Blue Flake for sweet and tasty mild Virginia's. Learning how to prepare and smoke flakes is well worth the time in my opinion.

 

Perique

Lifer
Sep 20, 2011
4,098
3,884
www.tobaccoreviews.com
I would recommend Dunhill Royal Yacht. Some say this is a high nicotine blend, but shouldn't be a worry for you as a former RYO smoker.
On the flake side of the equation, great recommends already with Dunhill Flake, Capstan Blue, Golden Sliced, & Luxury Bullseye Flake (a bit of Perique).
On the VaPer side of things, I'm sure you'll fall in love with Escudo.

 

fishingandpipes

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 24, 2013
654
48
Try Royal Yacht or McClelland Red Cake. Ribbons, so easy to pack. Royal Yacht has more of a kick and is a bit more cigarette-ish.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,434
I'll second McClelland's 5100 and Orlik's Golden Sliced. I'm looking forward to Dunhill's Elizabethan, but I want to age

my tin some more. I was pleased with Cup O Joes #5, smoked right through it, and will buy some more when I don't

have quite so much on hand. I'm also aging a tin of Royal Yacht, so will be interested to see how that goes; some love

it, some don't.

 
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