FVF Not Working For Me

[irishearl]

Ii took me a few years to get through a fresh open tin. I was not a huge fan until I opened a 7 year old tin, jet black and full of sugar crystally plume. I loved it! I have more in the cellar now and I'm just waiting.

I tend to think that, if you have to age a blend for 7 years before it becomes particularly noteworthy, it may not be all that great to start with.

 

[gervais]

I strongly believe that any brand that puts out a blend might be different from batch to batch. The very first bowl of FVF I smoked was absolutely magical. I remember all too well afterwards I had another bowl a few months later from a different box and it just wasn't the same. I need to find the rest of that first stuff I ever bought. It's hiding in a jar somewhere

 

[BROBS]

I strongly believe that any brand that puts out a blend might be different from batch to batch. The very first bowl of FVF I smoked was absolutely magical. I remember all too well afterwards I had another bowl a few months later from a different box and it just wasn't the same. I need to find the rest of that first stuff I ever bought. It's hiding in a jar somewhere

That’s true. It’s so inconsistent like most SG products.

 

[Worknman]

I don't think FVF is actually meant to be smoked, its got some kind of flame retardant on it. Its main purpose is to be discussed and debated on forums like this one.

 

[workman]

This thread is weird. FVF is the best tobacco blend ever made. It is full-flavored and it always tastes well. It needs to be crispy dry. Crispy dry is not the same as 30 minutes or 2 hours or whatever of drying time. Crispy means crispy and it takes as long as it takes.
It needs some relights, but so what?
It needs to be smoked slowly, but don't they all?
And I've never had it aged yet. I'm talking fresh from the factory. It is wonderful.

 

[kschatey]

This thread is weird. FVF is the best tobacco blend ever made. It is full-flavored and it always tastes well. It needs to be crispy dry. Crispy dry is not the same as 30 minutes or 2 hours or whatever of drying time. Crispy means crispy and it takes as long as it takes.
It needs some relights, but so what?
It needs to be smoked slowly, but don't they all?
And I've never had it aged yet. I'm talking fresh from the factory. It is wonderful.

This morning I tried some more of the flake that I had rubbed out and drying since Sunday evening in 45-50% humidity. It was a much better experience and way tastier than the first try on Sunday. Arguably, it could probably use a smidge more drying time. I still have some from that flake out and drying and look forward to revisiting it again tomorrow or Friday. I really enjoyed the middle half of the bowl. However, I still think that I prefer Capstan Blue more overall for now.

 

[workman]

This morning I tried some more of the flake that I had rubbed out and drying since Sunday evening in 45-50% humidity. It was a much better experience and way tastier than the first try on Sunday. Arguably, it could probably use a smidge more drying time. I still have some from that flake out and drying and look forward to revisiting it again tomorrow or Friday. I really enjoyed the middle half of the bowl. However, I still think that I prefer Capstan Blue more overall for now.

Capstan Blue is superb as well.

 

[logs]

Glad you figured out the FVF problem. The drying stategy applies to most Gawith blends

 

[BROBS]

Glad you figured out the FVF problem. The drying stategy applies to most Gawith blends

And tobaccos in general from what I’ve found.

 

[logs]

And tobaccos in general from what I’ve found.

Sure, but you know what I'm saying. Gawith flakes tend to give people problems.

 

[BROBS]

Sure, but you know what I'm saying. Gawith flakes tend to give people problems.

That’s because they don’t rub them out and they are thick and dense as shit. To dry an unrubbed flake would have to take forever.

 

[garageboy]

I've had some magical smokes out of fvf - but most of the time I feel like I'm wasting tobacco - bone dry and barely packed is the only way I can get it smoking

 

[kwg116]

After all these years I have finally had a great bowl of FVF (I posted in the now smoking section). Granted it was from 08. I have a few different vintages in tins and jars I am planning on trying. Was it such a great smoke to wait 12 years for, no. But it was damn good. Glad this thread got bumped.

 

[J. Mayo]

I never "got" FVF either........ I've got tins from 2012 that I still hang on to thinking I'll have an epiphany one day. Soaking wet, bone dry, rubbed out, cube cut..... Nothing has produced a smoke I've really been impressed with. I'm more of an OGS and Escudo guy. To each their own!

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Wrap it in a napkin and place that on a vent with the AC running. Come back later. I've been doing that and it has been working very well. Even so, this stuff will likely require numerous relights, especially in the beginning. I love it but it is almost more of a PITA than it is worth. I do give the rolled up flake a good twist or two to break it up at least a little bit. I think that helps some.

 

[fightnhampster]

Psst...If anyone is interested, I've got some for sale in the sale/ swap section.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I have a few year old tin that was gifted to me, I nip at it occasionally after jarring, such a crazy wonderful slow burning tobacco. I don’t really care for the tin note, can’t really place what I smell but doesn’t inhibit my enjoyment at all.

 

[uprightman]

FVF was the first Virginia that really struck a note with me. I had met up accidentally with an old professor from undergrad at the B&M my friends and I frequented in college, and he offered me a bowl of what he was enjoying. It was a jar of FVF from 2016, and I deeply enjoyed it. I bought an 8oz package after that and have it in my cellar hoping for a similar smoke.