Favorite Virginia Tobaccos?

[romaso]

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Everyone has different tastes, but if you find a reviewer who agrees with you on what you've tried, that can help you find new blends.

 

[tabakpfeife]

My top VA is SG Full VA Flake. Number 2 is GL Pease Union Square, followed by C & D Opening Night. I also like all of the Red Carolina Flake Red VAs, and have recently found Simply Orange by Watch City. It was limited, but Ernie says it will be added to his regular menu soon, which is great news.

 

[anotherbob]

tons of them. I think the worst one I had was very smokable.

 

[OmegaMu]

Greve Hamiltons blandning (mixture)

 

[MichaelDurso]

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.

Orlik is my go-to as well, and I had the exact same experience with full Virginia flake. Always smokes wet, terrible tongue bite, and also wouldn’t stay lit no matter how dry. Very weird.

Capstan Navy Flake (blue tin) is another wonderful Virginia I’d recommend.

 

[troutface]

I have a ton of McClelland in the cellar, so I'm set, but for current production I'll also say C&D Opening Night. I had open tins of fresh Opening Night and 5 year old Union Square and actually preferred the Opening Night. Doesn't happen often that I go for a fresh Virginia.

 

[Chris from Cigarworld]

I can also recommend Amphora Virginia very much. I have seen in person how high quality Virginias are used for this blend as i visited the MB factory in October, and how they are processed. They are hot pressed, which gives the tobacco a kind of "aging in fast forward", and makes them very round and savoury. But some may miss the "edges" that bright and fresh Virginias have. I like it very much, and could smoke it all day. it's a damn good value for the money. BtW: It is Per Georg Jensens favourite tobacco too.

 

[elvishrunes]

I just received a tin of formerly Dunhill Flake, Peterson Flake, haven‘t smoked it yet but it smells like a standard Virginia flake, very good but nothing too special, probably something you could find in bulk…

 

[Scottmi]

Four current, easy to get, straight Virginia’s:
Mac Baren HH pure Virginia
Dan tobacco Hamborger Veermaster
Hands down my top two
Next is Sutliff 507c Virginia slices, (slices of Heaven)!

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

I can also recommend Amphora Virginia very much. I have seen in person how high quality Virginias are used for this blend as i visited the MB factory in October, and how they are processed. They are hot pressed, which gives the tobacco a kind of "aging in fast forward", and makes them very round and savoury. But some may miss the "edges" that bright and fresh Virginias have. I like it very much, and could smoke it all day. it's a damn good value for the money. BtW: It is Per Georg Jensens favourite tobacco too.

Amphora is a sleepier blend that surprised me. Good taste at a reasonable price and I've been breaking up flakes, so they've done the work for me (although I like the ritual).

There are other great bulk Virginia's as others have suggested.

 

[Doctor Chopper]

Sutliff 507c

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

All time favorites: McClelland 40th Anniversary, other Christmas Cheers, Virginia number series. Hardly relevant since these have been out of production since 2017.

Present day: Sir John's Flake Virginia, Capstan Gold and Blue, Wessex Gold Virginia Flake, Vauen No 14, F&T CVP, Vintage and CBP, MB HH Pure Virginia and Virginia Flake, SG BBF, GH Scottish Flake. Newminster 400 is in there for the best bargain value bulk.

 

[marzipan]

I'm pleasantly surprised to find a thread about virginia in a beginner section, being harder to tame and complex in varietals and profile. Try amphora virginia.

 

[fishmansf]

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.

My new personal favorite is Peterson Flake.

 

[kola]

Besides all the topdog VA's already mentioned, some of Ernie's (Watch City Cigar) VA blends are good if you can get them, Simply Orange VA is really pleasant.

It'll be a sad day if SG/GH ever closes their doors. FVF is IMO the best EVER VA.

 

[Y2kpipper]

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.

I wish I was around to have tried that

 

[woodsroad]

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

Maybe this thread should be titled "Favorite Tobacco Toppings?".
Most of these blends are more about what gets sprayed on them than what tobacco(s) they are made with.
(My favorite topping is Jimmies.)

 

[Y2kpipper]

I have a ton of McClelland in the cellar, so I'm set, but for current production I'll also say C&D Opening Night. I had open tins of fresh Opening Night and 5 year old Union Square and actually preferred the Opening Night. Doesn't happen often that I go for a fresh Virginia.

So what would it take for you to share a bowl full of 5100 I would love to try it

 

[krizzose]

I’m sure I’m repeating some blends, but here are some classics that are readily available:

Capstan Blue
HH Pure Virginia (available in 1lb bulk boxes)
Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake (bulk)
Sutliff 507C Virginia Slices (bulk)

For something a little off the beaten track, try Mr. Christian’s Brown Flek and Jupiter Slices from Ken Byron Ventures

 

[DedHed Piper]

I like Orlik and Peterson Flake but have Capstan Blue as my top Virginia smoke. Always satisfactory and the only tobacco I smoke and enjoy the (very) few times I do garden work with a pipe in my mouth.

And speaking about garden work, FVF is a strange one for me. I have tried it in different pipes, semi moist to crispy dry, cube Cut, folded, rubbed out, but the GRASS hits me like a hammer. Like some people react to cilantro/coriander taking over and tasting soap (me too) I feel like someone had mowed his/her lawn, collected a sack of fresh grass and shoved it up my nasal cavity.
No nuances, no virginia... Just grass.
Which is sad. Supposedly a good smoke.

Nah, Cappie Blue for me.