Amphora Virginia - A Brief Review

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

Watch for Updates Twice a Week

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.

workman

Lifer
Jan 5, 2018
2,793
4,219
The Faroe Islands
This one comes in a yellow pouch. Both the packing and the price suggest an OTC. Maybe it is, but in that case a damn good one.

The tobacco comes as broken or lightly rubbed flakes.

It is darker than I thought it would be, various shades of brown with just a few light yellow ribbons.

Although it appears as a fairly stoved, medium brown virginia, the flavor is on the bright side. Or to be more precise, the flavor is all over the virginia range, but dominated by the soursweet, lemony, buttermilk notes of bright virginias. There is also some bread, very little grass and hay, and some tanginess.

I find it very flavorful with some complexity. It will reward you if you concentrate on the flavors, but it is also easy going and flavorful enough for you to puff away while doing something else.

Where this one fits in the best is with Samuel Gawith's Best Brown and Full Virginia Flakes, this one being the bright morning smoke. I sense absolutely no toppings or casings. Not much nicotine either, but it's there of course.

For my own use, I rate blends from 0-6. Amphora Virginia gets something like 5.5.

It's very good!

 

hawky454

Lifer
Feb 11, 2016
5,338
10,220
Austin, TX
I love me some Amphora VA, I was pleasantly surprised by it, so much so I immediately bought a 5 pack after smoking just one bowl. Unfortunately I was surprised to see that mold had aggressively contaminated each pouch in the pack but SP shipped off a replacement that arrived 2 days later so no harm no foul.
Great review.

 

yuda

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 28, 2017
149
391
Well this is encouraging me to finish up what I've got jarred and get some of this.

 

madox07

Lifer
Dec 12, 2016
1,823
1,689
Man I have been searching for this Amphora ... it seems they don't deliver it to Europe. Good review, by the way!

 

workman

Lifer
Jan 5, 2018
2,793
4,219
The Faroe Islands
@Madox07: Mine is purchased from The Danish Pipe Shop, which is in Denmark. It is certainly available in Germany as well. Danpipe.de has it. Probably others as well.

 

madox07

Lifer
Dec 12, 2016
1,823
1,689
workman thanks for the heads up. Last year when it came out, I searched for it in my travels. Must have been too fresh back then ..

 
Jul 28, 2016
7,564
36,058
Finland-Scandinavia-EU
Nice review, this was a bit fuller tasting Virginia what I first expected, as You said something close to full Virginia by S&G and their Brown Flake. Widely available at major online vendors in Germany, Amphora Burley is becoming more accessible some later, German retailers have encountered shortages in the supply of Amph. Burly

 

foursidedtriangle

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 22, 2018
293
70
I tried it, kind of good and a little bitey. I cannot believe I am saying this but it would improve with a topping, just a little bland otherwise.

 

ryeguy

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 4, 2017
146
3
Thanks for the recommendation! Bought some on your review, and I agree, it is remarkably good.

Easy to smoke and flavor from all over the VA spectrum.

 

ryeguy

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 4, 2017
146
3
On the down side, I notice it does seem to have a lot of humectant.

 
  • Like
Reactions: BROBS

sasquatch

Lifer
Jul 16, 2012
1,683
2,862
Yup - good tasting Mac Baren-ish virginia, and just totally spoiled with a mouth-coating dose of PG. Liked the flavor, smoked one bowl and gave the pouch away.

 
  • Like
Reactions: BROBS

dcon

Lifer
Mar 16, 2019
2,636
21,489
Jacksonville, FL
I am thankful that I am not as PG or Latakia sensitive as some members. My palette would have difficulty in discerning a mere 3% of Latakia (though I love the stuff) and the PG would only phase me if it were to the degree of a drowned kitten. That, too, could be dried (the tobacco, that is ) :D

 

workman

Lifer
Jan 5, 2018
2,793
4,219
The Faroe Islands
I'm not sure how to detect humectants in tobacco. My Amphora Virginia dried down to crispy in a short time, similar to Samuel Gawith blends like FVF or St James. Currently I am smoking a tin of Fribourg & Treyer Vintage, where the flakes are still pliable after two or three weeks. I don't taste or in any other way notice a humectant in the smoke, but my guess is F&T has more than Amphora. This is a little out of my league...

 
  • Like
Reactions: Saintwilliam

szconrad

Lurker
Oct 24, 2018
25
1
Great review! I agree that it is so enjoyable to discern all the various flavours that this blend offers. Definitely needs to be immediately jarred. I actually let mine dry out for about an hour, and then jarred it. I wanted to avoid any mold problems, which seems to happen easily if not taken care of properly.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.