The stoved and unstoved 2018 red Virginias provide a fair amount of fermented tangy ripe dark and dried fruit, a splash of tart and tangy citrus, along with a little stewed dark fruit and light tart lemon. Other Virginia aspects include a lot of earth and wood, light grass, sugar, bread, and floralness with a touch of spice, wine, smoke, vinegar, and acidic sour notes. They are the lead components. The fermented eighteen year old perique offers a lot of earth, wood, moderate spiciness, and plenty of stewed fruit as an important supporting player. The stewed fruit characteristics include a burst of plums, some dates and figs, and raisins, along with a few grains of sugar. The perique is a supporting player, though here and there, its effect lightly rises and recedes. The strength is a couple of steps past the center of mild to medium. The taste is a slot past that, falling short of the medium mark. The nic-hit is a rung behind the strength level. There’s no chance of bite or harshness no matter how much you push it. It barely has any rough edges; fewer than one would normally expect from red Virginias. The easily broken apart flakes are reasonably moist, and need no dry time. Well balanced and nuanced, it burns cool, clean, and a little slow with a mostly consistent, rich, tangy, lightly tart, fruity sweet and mildly spicy, slightly savory and floral flavor from start to finish. It is a little smoother than the original Carolina Red Flake, and less stronger than XX Dark Flake. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires some relights. It has a lightly lingering, pleasant after taste, and the fruity room note is a tad stronger. Can be an all day smoke for the veteran, and repeatable for the less experienced. Three and a half stars out of four.
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