FVF Group Tasting Sample Reviews

[smokeyweb]

NEW:
Package arrived in great condition and contents were fresh and thoughtfully packed. Smoked both the new and aged flakes in the same Moretti pipe over the course of 2 days, allowing the pipe to dry appropriately for a "clean" smoke. Paired both samples with the same beverages... (Cameron's Doughnut Shop Coffee, and Cherry Coke), and took notes during both smokes. Had never tried FVF before yesterday, and I must say it was a real treat. Here are my notes on each, followed by my overall impressions:
NEW FLAKE
Dry time: 20 minutes
Room Note: barnyard, damp hay, grassy, horse manure, hint of plum or ripe fruit, earthy
Pre-light draw: "totally smells like a horse barn" (in a good way), with sweet manure and fresh hay
Taste: fresh cut hay, grassy citrus, lightly sweet, tart fruit, sea salt/pie crust/sweet potato bread fresh from the oven, roasted chestnuts
Aftertaste: salted caramel roll, sweet baked bread, musty peat
Room note: smells like sweet horse feed
Retro hale: light plum or pear, hay, earth, very pleasant,
Other characteristics: Medium Body - nice/comfortable amount of nicotine, body builds as bowl progresses, slow burn but must be sipped, burns to a fine grey/white ash
AGED FLAKE:
Pre-light aroma: deep, rich, fermented, smells exactly like a "dark chocolate cherry liqueur cordial"
Taste: Noticeably smoother, much less "bite" and "ping", Less citrus, grass, and hay, burns cooler, dark, damp, sweet & salty, sugared plum, savory, fuller mouth-feel
Retro hale: dark amber molasses, toffee
Room note: sweet fermented fruit, plum, sweet caramel bread, sweeter, salted creamy hand-churned butter
Impression:
This was quite a treat! While the fresh FVF was great, the aged flake was an absolutely amazing smoke! The flavors of the aged flake were much sweeter, fruitier, and molasses-like. There was less citrus zest and grassy ping in the aged flake, and the flavors seemed more developed and fuller, almost like a fine aged cigar. Very satisfying smoke! Thank you again, ashdigger! I really appreciate your generosity!!!

 

[smokeyweb]

 

[ashdigger]

I'm really liking the reviews. You are all very welcome. When I started piping 5 years ago today I kept reading about "cellars", "aging", "stewed fruit" and "flavor profiles". I was curious. I kept puffing. Then one day a sample of aged tobacco showed up in my mailbox. It changed everything. I now have quite a few tins of aged tobacco plus my cellar has grown. I'm just lucky I can share. I actually get a real kick out of these and consider it a cheap price to pay for a great education in the tasting, smoking and discussing of great baccy.
Thank you all.

 

[carver]

Thanks ashdigger. I know mine is on the way and I'm super excited to receive it. It might take a while, hopefully, the smell won't throw the customs officials / chinese FDA guys off and rip it open and keep it for themselves or throw it away.

I'll tell you what as soon as it arrives.

 

[delkhouri]

I have a couple things to add to this thread.
First let me say thanks to Tim (ashdigger) for arranging all of this. I received my sample today in Columbus Ohio and I have to commend you for your generosity.
Secondly if anyone is curious to the origins of this particular 1lb block of FVF, Tim bought it from me in here the forums for this purpose. I had recently acquired the tobacco at the NASPC/Columbus Pipe show. I traded a pipe to Chance Wittamore (aka Great Estate Pipes) for it, and then after I brought it home something came up and I needed to free up a little cash. Chance had several lbs of tobacco sitting on his table, and even though he didn't say when he received the tobacco, he did indicate that he had it for quite some time and needed to move some extra tobacco out.
Anyway keep up the reviews and thanks again Tim

 

[mawnansmiff]

I have been following this thread with great interest. Alas the oldest baccy I have ever smoked was some two year-old Old Gowrie so I suppose that doesn't really count.
Perhaps one day I might get to smoke some self aged blends, if only I can store them away and keep my hands off them for long enough ::
Nice one Ashdigger, you have brought much pleasure to many folks through your altruism :clap:
Regards,
Jay.

 

[samcoffeeman]

I smoked my first bowl of the fresh last night. I dried it out for 1.5 hours and maybe still wasn't enough. I cube cut it and got it going but it got a little steamy during the smoke. Also, my palate wasn't at its best. I got a little bit of the familiar leatheriness but it seemed a little tart/acidic. I'll have to retry with a little more drying time and a fresh palate.

 

[echie]

Got mine yesterday - Thanks!
I might only have the time to smoke them properly in the weekend, I'll keep you posted.

 

[jacks6]

Alright! So time to post my review. I've smoked each of these twice at this point. I had not tried FVF before. I had pretty much given up Gawith flakes after having a very difficult time smoking BSF. It was not a problem this time at all. I assume since it didn't come out of a tin and I made sure to prep properly this time. I cube cut each of the samples and left the fresh FVF out to dry overnight.
Both flakes smelled wonderful prior to lighting. My wife really enjoyed the smell of the fresh FVF. I tried the fresh first. Only a few relights needed. Now that I've smoked both fresh and aged I can now pick up what "grassy and citrus" notes are. The flake to me was bold in flavor and I enjoyed the spiciness of the flake the most. I have not traditionally been a fan of straight Virginia flakes either but this really hit the spot. I can say I enjoyed this enough to be convert and will certainly buy more FVF when funds allow.
Now, on to the aged. My preconceived notion on aged tobacco was that it was going to be a divine experience they way that people talk about it. Well - it was great! However, dramatically different from what I loved about the fresh FVF. I found it to be a much mellower smoke, only a bit of spiciness here and there and to me I didn't find it as complex. It also had a slightly sour taste at times but by sour I don't mean that it was a bad thing. I'm sure there's a better tobacco term for what I was tasting. So, to wrap up this review with my limited tobacco experience - smoking the aged and fresh back to back really really really turned me onto the fresh flake and helped me identify what I best liked about it.
Thank you again for giving me the chance to participate in this experience. It was a great leaning experience and I really enjoyed it!

 

[JimInks]

I enjoyed it after I mixed FVF with Mixture #79. That saved it! :crazy: :rofl:
Seriously, I've smoked a lot of FVF in my time, and have cellared several pounds of it. I didn't dry either batch. The fresh FVF tastes like what I'm used to. I have smoked FVF with a couple years of age, but not with seven. The 2009 version was more sugary, dark fruit and citrus sweeter. A little more earthy with a few less grass notes. The light spice note was a shade more obvious. Certainly a much deeper, more flavorful smoke. Thanks for the opportunity, Ashdigger. I'll age what I have jarred a little longer than I was planning.

 

[mikestanley]

I put up a pound of FVF in 2006 and 2009 with great results. It isn't my favorite flake, mostly because I find it a little " fussy" but time has been kind to this one. And damn was it dirt cheap then!

Mike S.

 

[mikestanley]

Double post

Mike S.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Got my hands on the samples today, and cell-phoned this image in the setting sun. Hope to smoke both tomorrow. The shinier pipe is the older one, and will get the older tobacco. However, both pipes have more than twenty years on them, and have been rested over a month.
Thanks again, ash!

 

[csharp]

I got my samples on the 12th. Will get to them soon.

 

[drunkblowhard]

I received my samples in California yesterday. Thank you so much!
I won't be getting to them until the weekend, but am already looking forward to it.
Cheers!

 

[B18]

Today i received the samples and dang they are beautiful.

The fresh FVF smelled light and abit grassy, while the aged smelled more earthier and spicier.

I am typing while smoking them.

The fresh is smooth, flavorful, fresh and bit bity. I get a bit grassy flavour also a slight creamy taste and mouth feel.

On the Rethrohale i get a smooth grassy. Maybe the best fresh VA i ever smoked. Not too strong or light, nice medium smoke.
The aged has a much more fuller mouth feel and flavor. I feel no bite in the aged. It is also more spicier than the fresh stuff. I also taste a slight nutty and a earthier flavor and almost no grassy flavour. On the rethrohale i feel a slight sting and more spice. A combination of exhale through the mouth and nose is just excellent. The becomes more fuller when the bowl progresses.
In conclusion the fresh is superb on it's own. A nice medium fresh taste. While the aged got a more complex flavour. Depending on your mood they are both great tobacco. While it's now summer and warm(31 degree Celsius) i find the fresh the best. But when it gets colder(towards Autumn) the aged will be my prefrence.
Ashdigger, thank you very much for sending me the tobacco and letting me taste the difference between fresh and aged!

 

[cossackjack]

My samples arrived on the 10th & picked up on the 13th.
The envelope note was amazing - dark chocolate raisins aroma from the aged FVF. The new sample had a mild sweet hay smell.
I can't wait to smoke these on the weekend.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Did an overnight moisture test, and the fresh sample was at 85% RH, the aged at 83% at 70º. So both at perfect moisture for jarring and aging. Well done, ashdigger!
Now drying down to 65% for smoking.

 

[prairiedruid]

Time for my review, I smoked both samples in a MM General cob.
The fresh sample I microwaved for 12 seconds to aid in drying it out. I tried the fold and stuff method with the fresh but had better luck cube cutting it. The fresh had bright grassy flavors that got a bit sweeter the longer I smoked it. Some spice every now and then. Needed to keep a slow pace to avoid the hint of bite. Tasty and no noticeable nic hit.
The aged sample I dried for 30 minutes and cube cut. Lit and smoked with very few relights. Taste was more fermented and earthy than grassy, with molasses overtones. Mellower than the fresh sample and not bitey at all. Taste was consistent throughout the smoking experience. No noticeable nic hit. I don't pick up the spice notes that I got in the fresh; the aged was a much smoother smoke. A thoroughly enjoyable smoke.
Overall I preferred the aged to the fresh. Neither is a complex smoke but a solid tasty tobacco experience. I'll definitely be ordering some to jar up and forget about for 5 plus years. A BIG thanks to Ash for providing me with the samples.

 

[hawky454]

I haven't been around for a while, life is just too busy for me these days. I got to skim through this thread and I look forward to reading it all when I get the time. What an excellent idea for a thread and a very generous offer from the OP. I just finished off a tin of FVF from early 2010 and it was pretty great but I am one of those rare anomalies that prefers his FVF fresh rather than aged.
Cheers...