FVF change?

[lukasstrifeson]

I see FVF more like a "house red" - it's the standard product SG produces from their crops of tobacco. Naturally, there are some variance year to year, after all the best tobacco you can find is the best tobacco you can find.

We've heard for years now, tobacco production is ever changing (read: shrinking) and becoming less and less profitable for more and more regions of the world. Naturally, somewhere down the line, the blends we used to love are changing as the world changes.

The last couple of years, FVF has definitely tasted younger, fresher/lighter, more grassy hay than the deep 'stewed fruist' it used to be. I haven't had any St James Flake since 2019, but I would bet you'd see similarities is how the flavor profiles have changed over the years.

 

[JimInks]

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.

I believe that, too.

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...

I've heard that, too. You may have the correct answer or it may be that the tobacco that is currently sourced reacts differently under pressure.

 

[JimInks]

I see FVF more like a "house red" - it's the standard product SG produces from their crops of tobacco. Naturally, there are some variance year to year, after all the best tobacco you can find is the best tobacco you can find.

We've heard for years now, tobacco production is ever changing (read: shrinking) and becoming less and less profitable for more and more regions of the world. Naturally, somewhere down the line, the blends we used to love are changing as the world changes.

The last couple of years, FVF has definitely tasted younger, fresher/lighter, more grassy hay than the deep 'stewed fruist' it used to be. I haven't had any St James Flake since 2019, but I would bet you'd see similarities is how the flavor profiles have changed over the years.

I have smoked several recent productions of SJF, and the variant Virginias has changed the overall profile for the worse in my opinion.

 

[lukasstrifeson]

I have smoked several recent productions of SJF, and the variant Virginias has changed the overall profile for the worse in my opinion.

Damn, that's a real shame.

 

[EA-6B]

Yeah the post-child-labor FVF is definitely different.

 

[DedHed Piper]

Then I'm happy I started in 2018, so I don't have to be sad about blends going to shit. I think they taste amazing now

 

[Auxsender]

Yeah the post-child-labor FVF is definitely different.

Everyone knows children make the best blends.

 

[kola]

and here we go again ! LOL

 

[kola]

If I were a tobacco company, I'd label blends by number as there's no control of what each years crops are like. FVF #27, next year? FVF #28.

I find it impressive, actually a friggin' miracle - as to how blenders can produce almost the same identical blend year after year with very little variation.

As I'll continue to say - SG/GH are the best tobacco blenders on the planet. If their blends change and you don't like it, buy another one. Or don't buy any at all.

I guess I'm glad my taste buds are just average - as I can't distinguish every ion of a raisin flavor or a spec of anise...or "extra sauce."

 

[elvishrunes]

Blends are in constant flux based on lots of factors, with leaf source being the biggest. my favourites are Ennerdale and Nightcap, and my this years tins are different from just last years 2023, I actually prefer last years, and smoked last year, not aged a year…. Oh well the new stuff is good too.

 

[BingBong]

If I were a tobacco company, I'd label blends by number as there's no control of what each years crops are like. FVF #27, next year? FVF #28.

I find it impressive, actually a friggin' miracle - as to how blenders can produce almost the same identical blend year after year with very little variation.

As I'll continue to say - SG/GH are the best tobacco blenders on the planet. If their blends change and you don't like it, buy another one. Or don't buy any at all.

I guess I'm glad my taste buds are just average - as I can't distinguish every ion of a raisin flavor or a spec of anise...or "extra sauce."

I think a lot of it is down to personal preference - FVF from 10 years ago might not have suited those of us loving this year's batch. Personally, I find that there's little to enjoy in BBF, yet I could smoke Germain's Brown Flake all day. Idiosyncratic, isn't it?

 

[jpberg]

Thanks Alex, I’ll take agriculture for 200 please.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I still have some very aged FVF left. When you can get everything perfect in terms of the dryness and packing, it is a divine smoke. Achieving that level of perfection is near impossible, at least it has been for me. I've found the effort doesn't equal the reward. So I essentially gave up on this blend.

I have found I like the Best Brown Flake as much and for whatever reason, it isn't quite the PITA and FVF. And there are so many other great Virginia flake blends, I found no reason to continue to fight the battle for the perfect bowl of FVF. And if they now are letting some of the foul Lakeland essence bleed into it, I want nothing to with it at all.

 

[Sobrbiker]

I still have some very aged FVF left. When you can get everything perfect in terms of the dryness and packing, it is a divine smoke. Achieving that level of perfection is near impossible, at least it has been for me. I've found the effort doesn't equal the reward. So I essentially gave up on this blend.

I have found I like the Best Brown Flake as much and for whatever reason, it isn't quite the PITA and FVF. And there are so many other great Virginia flake blends, I found no reason to continue to fight the battle for the perfect bowl of FVF. And if they now are letting some of the foul Lakeland essence bleed into it, I want nothing to with it at all.

I’ve been doing this for three seconds, but have come to the same conclusion. The FVF I’ve got has gone to the back of the stack.
I like some of the Lakeland stuff, but with the dark leafs when I’m in the mood for it, not as a surprise when I’m wanting a tasty straight VA.
On a side note, even with my tiny amount of history and experience the entire Burnt Ends rollout made me chuckle a bit.

 

[captainsousie]

This is making me want to open one of my tins of 2012 FVF. Haven't laid my hands on the new one yet so I'd have nothing really to compare it with. My newest tin is from 2021.

 

[larryspencer]

I haven't had any FVF since 2009, at that time I jarred up the remnants of a 500g package, it was a pain then. I've been eyeballing those jars with the crystals.

 

[geoffs]

It can be a pain, for sure. But to me, few tobaccos smell as amazing out of the tin, and it's one of the most flavorful straight virginias I've had. Worth the hassle, for me anyway.

 

[larryspencer]

I agree, I think this weekend I'll cube some up for a smoke, tomorrow is not guaranteed.