Do I Just Not Like Virginias?

[jaq6q]

Hello fellow English smoker!
I also love English blend and definitely know that chocolate taste!

Dunhill 965 is also a solid English blend. In C&D Billy Budd, I have tasted both chocolate and nutty taste because of Burley.
Because the taste in English blends was more "accessible" ("easier" to taste?), Virginia seemed flat to me. BUT, that notion changed after smoking Mac Baren's Virgnia No. 1. I tasted cherries and honey in them!! And after that, I was curious to find out what other blends would taste like. As a result, I ended up buying many Virginia and Va/Per tins. (TAD...)
So, maybe smoking more straight-forward (in terms of taste) Virginia blend may interest you?

 

[deathmetal]

I tried Orlik Golden Sliced, and really did not care for the grassy hay notes to it.

Try Hal O' The Wynd or equivalent. OGS struck me as ice cream: very sweet, no depth, highly overrated.

 

[pipeanddrum]

I'm on the fence about virginias as well. I've tried some of the best regarded blends such as: Blackwoods Flake, Mac Baren Virginia No. 1, and Sam Gawith Best Brown Flake and they just don't do it for me. I find them one dimensional and sometimes 'bitey'. On the other hand I do really like OGS, Hearth & Home Signature LJ Heart Virginia, and McConnell's Mature.

 

[briarcudgel]

Last year I thought OGS was great. This year, not so much. I think our palate changes over time, and for whatever it's worth, smoke what you like, not whatever the crowd seems to favor. Also, age on a baccy changes its characteristics and what you hated in the past may now be enjoyable. It's all subjective. Right now I've been enjoying Ole Shenandoah # 76 in place of the English blends I generally prefer to smoke. I'm on an aro kick and find mild aros to be a wonderful diversion.

 

[ssavarimuthu]

Okay, I may be a hypocrite.
Recently I purchased a tin of GL Pease Westminster, which I do love, from tobacco pipes.com. Since I was new they sent me a random 5 samples, one of them being Savinelli's Brunello Flake. And... I kind of like it! The thing is, is that when reading reviews, a lot of people said that it was similar to the OGS blend that I did stated before due to its grass and hay taste. While I do taste a little bit of the grass and hay, I don't seem to mind it. What is happening?!?!
Thoughts?

 

[iamn8]

Ah taste evolution. Most people who are scotch drinkers never loved their first taste. Appreciation takes time and exposure I didn't love virginias at first, but love them now.

 

[iamn8]

Double post

 

[griffonwing]

Im not a fan or Orlik either. I gave my tins away. Also didnt like Old Dark Fired.
That being said, I love a good VA/Per, VA/Orient blends. Charing Cross comes to mind. Star of the East as well. Squadron Leader, Skiff Mixture.

 

[coffinmaker]

I'm hook on Virginia tobacco, thanks to "Cosmic" who send me a nice handful to get acquainted . But only in a couple pipes is it really good, like in larger bowl pipes and smoked slowly.

 

[samcoffeeman]

The grass/hay can be a bit monotone sometimes. Often they top a light Virginia with a citrus note which can be quite nice, like in Capstan Gold.

 

[jmatt]

Golden ("bright") Virginias = hay. Red (the dark flakes) = sweet, tangy. I absolutely love reds. I smoke bright as well, but to me they are average where reds are spectacular. They are very different.

 

[foggymountain]

Virginia was named after Elizabeth, the virgin queen. Yes, I like virgins.

 

[jefff]

Not all Virginias are equal. It would be worth your time to carefully explore them.

 

[danhester]

And is there a Frog Morton like blend that has the oomph that I'm looking for, without that grassy taste?

In terms of full-flavored Latakia blends without those brighter VA notes, I'd definitely suggest a few of these: Balkan Supreme, H&H Larry's Blend, Bengal Slices, GLP Maltese Falcon, SPC Plum Pudding, H&H Blackhouse.
If you mean oomph as in nicotine, that's a bit harder because most Latakia blends tend to be medium at best in terms of nicotine. I've heard good things about Sillem's Commodore Flake, though. Latakia blends with Kentucky, Perique, or substantial burley content might be the ticket.

 

[iamn8]

By the power vested in me by the state of confusion, I doth declare that you do not like Virginian tobacco.