Agree with this. Maybe the first few puffs have a sour vinegar note but after a few it’s unnoticeable
That’s a great problem to have.
I'd only been smoking for a year when the first release came out in '92. It was the reason I like Virginias.
How much did you dry the flakes prior to packing and smoking. There's a lot of excess moisture in those flakes and that excess moisture masks flavors.
I rubbed them out and let them dry for 20 minutes or so. They didn't seem damp but I'll dry them a little longer next time.
20 minutes isn't nearly enough. These flakes hold more moisture than one realizes. I live in a dry climate and I give them an hour or more. It's not about a specific length of time, but a level of moisture. I'm looking for just this side of bone dry, dry to the touch when squeezed betwixt thumb and index finger, no feeling of coolness or moisture against my skin when squeezed, but still pliant. That's when I get the most flavor. Then I gravity feed the rubbed out flake into the bowl and tamp lightly. I sprinkle a little bit of finely rubbed out flake over the top to act as kindling, fire it up, and I'm good to go.
Fully rubbed out, dried overnight, and it will smoke equally well in any well drilled pipe. I did however have one specifically commissioned for CC just for the aesthetic alone.
Some people really get bit by Reds, some even reporting that Red Virginia feels like a flamethrower. Fortunately I'm not one of them, so I can enjoy my pleasures without the requisite suffering.
