I just received a bulk order of Mac Baren Golden Extra that is basically tobacco dust. It must have been the literal bottom of the barrel.
Best "Bulk" Navy Flake/Straight VA Flake
- Thread starter Puffaluffaguss
- Start date
I can understand, not caring about whether flakes are in tact or not... but it would seem like a tobacconist would have noticed that it was pulverized garbage before mailing that out. That sucks.
It's the nature of the orders. The only way they could avoid constant handling and breaking up of flakes, etc is for the factories to package it in 1-16oz packages. Wait...I have to think of statistics and permutations. It would be several different weights of package to be able to fill 1 thru X weight of orders though, which would be rather absurd and very costly. And then Retailers would have to buy more of some weights and less of others. It would be a nightmare to try to anticipate what would be necessary to fill orders if they were restricted to set packaged weights. Or they would only be able to offer quantities in those set weights, which would prevent quantity discount.
I'm not sure I understand the second part of what I quoted from your post. Most people smoking flakes don't leave them as is. Maybe if they're smoking in the wind, but most often, they break up the flake. The benefits of the flake are already there when received. They were pressed and/or stoved, and it really doesn't matter much if they're picture perfect or semi broken up. In my example of the Stokkebye cubes, most people leave them as cubes and just gravity fill them, but that's a unique case.
When I first worked at a grocery store as a teenager, I was told to man the cheese counter. Didn't receive any training or guidelines. Someone ordered a bunch of cheese, and I sliced the block right down to the heel and metal staple at the very end. If you don't know, the ends of a lot of cheeses and meats are held together by a metal staple-like fastener. I thought I was being a good employee by getting every little bit of the cheese available. What I didn't realize was that the cutting disc had hit the metal staple and made metal marks on the slices of cheese. Of course, the customer returned the cheese and complained about it. I'm an ignorant kid. I didn't eat deli cheeses, and if I would have, I wouldn't have cared if there were some metal swirls on the cheese. I had no real knowledge of what I was doing or what customers expect. Still, I was in the wrong.
I'll never order another tin of new Bengal Slices because of how it is made of dust particles (I still don't understand that). You're likely right that your order was taken off the bottom of the container, and I would bet the person filling your order wasn't a pipe smoker. Just a lowly untrained laborer making bags to weight.
I'm going to try layering in between other burleys to try and salvage it. But I'm definitely not pleased, it was a 6oz order.
I understand their thoughts if they were not a pipe smoker, I would hope the manager/whomever is in charge of that department would train them better, but it's not that big of a deal. I'll find a way to use it or just throw it out if it's too troublesome. I won't name the retailer, but it wasn't Smokingpipes! Which may have made all this my fault
The Newminster I received wasn’t semi broken up, it was a complete bag of just thin slivers, that were somewhat dried out, so this could certainly change the flavor profile.
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On the bright side, dried out a little means you got more tobacco and didn't essentially buy water. As for how that looks, I smoke it like that, even if not a little more rubbed out, and I would guess the same for the great majority of people who smoke it.
Really not trying to argue with you here. I wouldn't be too bothered if it was on the dry side and looked like that. But I also don't like buying water. That is a REAL pet peeve of mine.
On weight, from what I understand unless it’s like G.L. Pease which uses water, then it’s PG weight.
My two favorite bulk VAs are PS Luxury Navy Flake and Gawith FVF.
I do like Luxury Twist as well. And Bullseye.
Hell, I like them all
I do like Luxury Twist as well. And Bullseye.
Hell, I like them all
I did a nose test, using my very unlearned nose, of several W.C. Va. blends. 558 smells much like the others. 558 is the only one of theirs that I stove first to bring out a deeper flavor.
I ranch and raise cattle for a living, so I'm probably partial to that "fertilizer" smell
.
I ranch and raise cattle for a living, so I'm probably partial to that "fertilizer" smell
Lol.
I've stoved a few other Virginias before, with favorable results. So stoving might be worth a try.
Thanks, Bobby.
Another vote for Newminster 400 Superior Navy Flake. I love LNF but Newminster 400 is my go to. Great blend.
That being said, the Perique and rum notes in LNF are definitely swaying qualities. If those things are on the top of your list then I'd say LNF. If you're looking for VA sweetness the 400 is your huckleberry.
That being said, the Perique and rum notes in LNF are definitely swaying qualities. If those things are on the top of your list then I'd say LNF. If you're looking for VA sweetness the 400 is your huckleberry.
I agree with your post entirely, except I’ll switch out HH Pure Va with MacBaren’s HH Virginia Flake instead.
I’ve found that while many like Sutliff Virginia Slices, I find them to be a little too rough around the edges for me to consider a go-to smoke. Definitely would smoke it if I had nothing else though. There are much smoother Virginias out there that I’d prefer, though I haven’t had any Sutliff Virginia that’s been aged, so…
I like PS Luxury Navy Flake and Sutliff’s 507-C but only after at least a year of age.
I’ll have to try that one, it’s come up in other threads recently.
Lux twist is not a straight VA Flake it’s actually more an aromatic with the toppings they add. But then the quote of former president who was caught in a major lie “I guess it depends on what your definition of sex is”. Swap straight VA flake with sex in that statement
I completely agree: to my palate Luxury Twist Flake is a pretty forward aromatic blend, probably a 6-7 on the aromatic scale, with something like HH Pure Virginia being a 1-2, and Autumn Evening or CBRM being solid 10’s.
I haven’t tried LNF though, I do like a good Navy Flake as long as it’s not cased more than just a touch.
Here’s a list I’ve compiled of blends to try, and I think I may go from there (in no specific order, and honestly some aren’t bulks):
•Cornell and Diehl: Virginia Flake, Manhattan Afternoon, Opening Night
•Savinelli Juno
•Low Country: Santee
•Wilke: Back Bay no perique (per JimInks)
•Hearth and Hand: Bright Night
•Ken Byron: Jim’s Special Flake, Brown Flek, Roman Legion XO, Zen Garden, Meadow Lark
•Orlik Golden Sliced (I know, haven’t tried it yet)