Favorite Virginia Tobaccos?

[Ceriano]

These are the blends I have tried so far. Are there any other great VA tobaccos out there that I'm missing?

Orlik - pretty much my favorite and daily smoker
Samuel Gawith Full VA Flake - I wanted to love this blend but no matter how much I let it dry it was still too wet and also got a tongue bite. I have some that been sitting for 8 years I may try this weekend see if it's got any better.
Dunhill Flake - More pricy than orlik but great blend
McClelland - Christmas Cheer - I have a few tins in my cellar. just a special occasion tobacco at this point.
Esoterica - Dochester, Dunbar, Peacehaven, Tilbury. Have a few tins from each, again special occasion tobacco.

 

[judcole]

Didn't we just have a discussion about this? (I'd look, but it's early and I'm not that functional yet.)

For readily available, daily Virginia blends, Amphora Virginia, Sutliff Virginia Slices (507-C), and Low Country Natural Virginia, are very hard to beat. For something a bit pricier, there's always Capstan, either Flake or Ready Rubbed. Having just revisited Capstan Yellow, I have to say that I prefer Blue.

 

[dPero]

HU Haymaker and Sunset McBaren HH Virginia

 

[UncleRasta]

C&D Opening Night is my current favorite. Capstan Blue. HH Pure Virginia.

 

[SBC]

Top 3 Straight Virginias :: Pipe Tobacco Discussion

Enjoying my pipe smoking journey. Watched lots of YTPC videos and have learned a lot but am curious what is your top 3 straight Virginia blends still available today. Please don’t tell me about your 2017 or prior McClelland unless you are going to send me a tin. 🤠 It can be from Europe...

pipesmagazine.com

 

[captpat]

Maybe we should have a sticky's for "Your 3 favorite (VA, VA/PER, Burley, etc) tobacco." Another forum had a list of the top 10 VA's, the ranking was sort of crowd sourced converging on an list that most seemed happy with, though it took 10 pages of content to get there.

To the OP, take a look at TobaccoReview.com. There you can sort by blend type and peruse all of the VA's (there are many) in the database, they come with rankings and descriptions to assist you in future selections.

 

[kg.legat0]

I am really partial to Newminster 400, C&D Yorktown, Mac Baren HH Pure Va, C&D Opening Night for pure Va's ...Orlik Golden Sliced and PS LNF are probably my favorite VaPers.

I tend to agree with FVF - that stuff barely wants to burn even when it's crispy; I don't know what I am doing wrong, I am usually able to get great, subtle flavors and an even burn with most blends - think there must be a golidlocks zone w this one.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

If you're lucky enough to live in the USA you've got a great selection of Virginias to choose from. Unfortunately the choice is nowhere near as big in the UK but I have got a fair selection of US tobaccos in the cellar.

My favourites at the moment are:

Mcclelland Christmas Cheer
Germain's Brown Flake
Germain's Medium Flake
Gawith Dark XX Plug
Gawith Westmorland Slices
Sam Gawith English Summer Flake
Full Virginia Plug
Kendal Plug
Golden Glow

 

[rmbittner]

Maybe we should have a sticky's for "Your 3 favorite (VA, VA/PER, Burley, etc) tobacco."

Honestly…I don’t think it would make any difference to the number of times we’re responding to the same questions. It would just give us all a handy link to copy and paste.

 

[ThermionicScott]

I tend to agree with FVF - that stuff barely wants to burn even when it's crispy; I don't know what I am doing wrong, I am usually able to get great, subtle flavors and an even burn with most blends - think there must be a golidlocks zone w this one.

I find it burns great when I realize I need to use the bathroom, or I'm being summoned to do something else.

 

[yanoJL]

@Ceriano There's a lot of great Virginia recommendations in this thread. But, as you mentioned Orlik as your favorite, I'm wondering if you might a VaPer (Virginia/Perique) fan. The amount of Perique in the Orlik GS blend is condimental and very slight. But you may be in the process of discovering your taste for that type of blend.

 

[ThermionicScott]

On a more serious note: if OGS is your favorite blend, you might not want to disrupt the happy state you find yourself in. It's readily available and cheap!

 

[hawky454]

+ 1 on the Amphora VA. Doesn’t get much love on here but it’s great stuff!

 

[sablebrush52]

These are the blends I have tried so far. Are there any other great VA tobaccos out there that I'm missing?

Orlik - pretty much my favorite and daily smoker
Samuel Gawith Full VA Flake - I wanted to love this blend but no matter how much I let it dry it was still too wet and also got a tongue bite. I have some that been sitting for 8 years I may try this weekend see if it's got any better.
Dunhill Flake - More pricy than orlik but great blend
McClelland - Christmas Cheer - I have a few tins in my cellar. just a special occasion tobacco at this point.
Esoterica - Dochester, Dunbar, Peacehaven, Tilbury. Have a few tins from each, again special occasion tobacco.

Due to changes in the Virginias I'd take the Esoterica blends off the list. Pre 2020 they were still good.

Germain's Brown Flake is a wonderful smoke - again pre 2020, SG Best Brown, Wessex Campaign Dark - again look for older tins, pre 2019 to get the actual blend. Sutliff's Cringle Flake is an excellent Red though it's been a Va/Per for the last couple of releases. C&D Yorktown is worth a look.

It's hard for me to recommend any current releases of blends that have been around for years as I don't know what is being snuck into the tins these days.

 

[kcghost]

I enjoy VaPers, and for some unknown reason really can't abide a straight Virginia. I am especially fond of G.L. Pease's Six Pence and Stonehenge.

 

[Kingsley]

McConnell Black Flake, Wessex Gold Brick, John Aylesbury Sir John’s Flake, Savinelli 140th.

 

[Briar Tuck]

+ 1 on the Amphora VA. Doesn’t get much love on here but it’s great stuff!

I've really enjoyed all of the Amphora blends I've tried. Enough so that I just ordered another of their sampler packages.

 

[huntertrw]

This is an easy question (at least for me): the late McClelland 5100 (aka McCranie's "Owner's Choice"). This was a simple red Virginia, and I found it to be marvelous.

 

[jndyer]

You can not go wrong with OGS or HH pure virginia.

 

[Puffaluffaguss]

I find it burns great when I realize I need to use the bathroom, or I'm being summoned to do something else.

Yup all the Sam Gawith or G&H ropes seem too smoke best right before you have to put the pipe down. When you have all the time in the world they take that time and tell you "better luck next time" lol