Has anyone noticed a change in SG’s FVF flavor profile in the new tins? It’s been a good while since I’ve had any but I picked some up recently at Smokingpipes and it doesn’t taste the same to me as I remember. I think they have leaned into the “Lakeland” flavor a bit too much with the newer stuff. Maybe the tins are super young and need some age. I guess they will go to the cellar for a few years.
FVF change?
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I've never noticed any Lakeland Essence in FVF, but my stock is older. I do remember that there were some complaints about traces of Lakeland getting into the Sam Gawith blends after the merger of the factories, but my stocks are pre-merger.
I’ve never noticed any Lakeland notes in FVF either. My FVF stash ranges between 5 and 12 years old so YMMV.
I have occasionally gotten tins from them that had a hint of essence in a blend that supposedly should have none. I enjoy Lakelands so it hasn’t been a problem.
I have occasionally gotten tins from them that had a hint of essence in a blend that supposedly should have none. I enjoy Lakelands so it hasn’t been a problem.
You know the problem could be you, you know. Our tastes are as likely to change as anything else.
I never tasted Lakeland in FVF, not even after the merger with G&H. I did notice that FVF hasn't been the same the last five years: lighter in color, less dark fruit, more citrus and floralness, and a tad more spice. Perhaps that heightened floral quality is what you are noticing.
Definite change between the stuff I've had from years '07-'20 and whatever they sent out in '22. The '22 stuff was very light in color, almost to the point of resembling their Golden Glow blend. It didn't taste at all like FVF, either. It was only 2 tins, so could have been a mixup or batch variation or whatever, but it's enough to keep me from buying more.
Cue the gaslighting from their pundit in 5...4...3...2...
Cue the gaslighting from their pundit in 5...4...3...2...
I haven't cracked open my newest (3/2024) tin of FVF yet... still working through a tin from 5/2022. It has been long enough since I'd had it before that I can't really compare it, so I'm just enjoying it on its own merits.
Golden Glow is what occurred to me when I smoked the 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023 productions.
Yeah, it doesn’t smell or taste like the FVF I had before which is really disappointing as FVF and especially St. James flake were my two favorite Virginia’s. It used to have serious depth to its flavor profile, and a strong grassy natural hay like aroma, and I just don’t get that anymore.
It’s possible, but it was in my top three most smoked tobacco’s so I went through a lot of tins and their larger offering’s. The past four to five years with decreased availability has been a bummer.
Things have changed a a great deal in recent years. My personal supposition is that because there are less sources, manufacturers are forced to work with what is available, and other factors as well.
I'm a heavy Lakeland smoker--particularly Ennerdale, Conniston, and Bosun--and just finished off a newer tin of FVF (from earlier this year). I tasted ZERO Lakeland essence in it. In fact, the absolute lack of Lakeland essence is why I'll probably not smoke any more FVF. 1792 on the other hand...
My personal 2 pence on this is that they have probably changed the source of their tobacco they use. In some blends that are 'aromatic' that doesn't really show through or have a major impact although both myself and @simong had a few words to say about the Ennerdale Mixture. I really cannot say much about FVF or 1792 as I have a lot of tins from the mid 2010s and when I have finished up what I have open I will have to smoke a tin and add a few thoughts to this thread.
It’s obvious to me that things are going downhill and I’ve noticed it since I started. I started to recently to know what blends were like 20 years ago but I did smoke tons of luxury cigarettes and those are all but gone now. My guess is that people are cutting corners and it will only get worse.
From the A Little Learning is a Dangerous Thing Department: I've read that Golden Glow, Best Brown Flake, and FVF are all the same leaf blend, just subjected to different amounts of time in the steam press. I wonder, then, if FVF hasn't been getting enough time under heat lately (at least for some people's tastes) and if stoving it might help bring out the deeper darker flavors...
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I smoke all three of those blends and have to agree with condorlover above. I think the quality of the leaf has gone to sh*t.
But their blends haven't changed since the beginning, Rachel said so!