Favorite “Plain” Tobacco

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Ryan

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 30, 2021
618
4,813
Noblesville Indiana USA
The first time I tried D&R Three Sails, it seemed ok, but didn’t wow me.

For some reason I did start to crave that basic tobacco flavor and I now smoke it at least once a week.

The first time I tried C&D Briar Fox, I wasn’t overly impressed but something about it kept calling me back and now I enjoy it occasionally as well.

To my palate, both of these blends are plain in that they don’t seem to have any flavor added. They both really hit the spot sometimes.

I’m curious as to which “plain” blends other people enjoy. Let me know!
 

K.E. Powell

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 20, 2022
590
2,185
37
West Virginia
I'm not entirely sure what you mean by plain, but Haunted Bookshop would probably be the blend I'd say fits this bill. It has no noticeable toppings or casings, and beyond a healthy portion of perique, is a pretty straight-forward burley bomb. It's probably my favorite "all-day" smoke next to SWR, which I guess could be a plain tobacco in its own right. SWR hasn't changed its flavor in nearly a century, so there ya go.
 

brooklynpiper

Part of the Furniture Now
May 8, 2018
660
1,428
It sounds like you're looking for blends that are two things:

  • Untopped

  • One or two varietals, no condimental leaves.

I think HB, OJK, Pegasus etc are near but may be even too complex.

I think you'll get a lot of straight VA's suggested as well that will hit these two requirements.

Five Brothers was a good suggestion. So is D&R Two Timer, if you can get it.

Also in the C&D lines, Cube-cut burley, OJK Blue, maybe kelly's coin.

Semois has plenty of single varietal options, but whether that feels no-nonsense enough or too premo is up to you.

Low country natural VA/burley in bulk? (I haven't tried it but maybe someone else can speak to it)
 

Grangerous

Lifer
Dec 8, 2020
3,458
14,299
East Coast USA
Since you mentioned Briar Fox I’ll take that as a “clue”. I’ve never smoked Three Sails.

I also enjoy blends where the flavor comes “primarily” from the tobacco. I’ll call this “plain” but there’s no lack of flavor in “plain blends”

The following short list are pure or plain tobacco or naturally flavored:

C&D Winchester - only two ingredients, Red Virginia and Unsweetened Black Cavendish but just an incredible combination!

C&D Crooner - only two ingredients, Quality Burley and an herb called deer tongue. Another incredible but “plain” combination!

C&D Pegasus - Enough praise has been offered.

C&D Old Joe Krantz Series

C&D Burley Flake Series

HH Acadian Perique - if you can score some. A symphony of pure tobacco’s. Very flavorful and all of that flavor is tobacco.

All of that said, I suggest you try each of the old tyme, over the counter blends because I’m certain that one of these will be an eye opener. And although each of these has a process for added flavorings, they may meet your definition of “plain”.

Granger - of course
Carter Hall
Prince Albert
Sir Walter Raleigh
Amphora
Half n Half
Etc Etc
 

makhorkasmoker

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 17, 2021
756
1,968
Central Florida
“plain” tobaccos are by far my favorite.

The ones people in the tobacco reviews say are “one dimensional”

What I found was, once I began smoking these “plain” tobaccos, I entered that one dimension and found a new world—much deeper, more complex, and nuanced than the topped, cased tobacco, or blends that rely on Latakia or perique for flavor.

I love smoking straight dark burley, straight Izmir, straight red Virginia (tho I can’t handle that one often).