Jim's Sutliff States of Virginia Limited Edition 2023 Review.

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JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
64,459
645,615
This goes on sale June 13 at 6 p.m. EST.

In the tin are three separate stacks of mildly moist red, bright and stoved Virginia crumble cakes. By design, Sutliff has created a playful experience for the smoker because you can mix them any way you want, so it’s impossible to rate an overall flavor consistency. I did smoke some of each varietal straight for the sake of this review. The matured bright Virginia provides a lot of tart and tangy citrus, bread, grass, sugar, some floralness, mild sour lemon, a little spice, hay, and a touch of acidity. The red Virginia offers a lot of tangy dark fruit, earth, wood, bread, some tart citrus, sugar, mild vegetation, grass, floralness, a pinch or two of spice, and light vinegar note. The stoved Virginia produces a lot of moderately stewed, tangy dark fruit, earth, wood, bread, some sugar, tangy citrus, floralness, light grass, and spice. There are no toppings and the casings appear to minimal. The bright Va. and red Va. just reach the medium mark in strength, nicotine and taste. Those particular aspects in the stoved Va. are a step past that. There’s no chance of bite or harshness no matter how you blend it. There are a few small rough notes with the bright having the most, and the stoved sporting the least. In any version you may blend, it burns cool, clean, and tad slow. The after taste is always pleasant, and generally short lived although the stoved will insure it lasts a little longer if you use more of it than the other Va.s. The quality of the room note will fluctuate, but it basically ranges between pleasant and pleasant to tolerable. Never has more than light dampness in the bowl. It will always require some relights unless it give it a lot of dry time. As is my custom, I did not dry it for review nor did I see a need for it. Your mileage may vary on this point. Can be an all day smoke under most circumstances. An amusing four star number of blending experiences.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,610
I find the concept somewhat brilliant. You might say it is obvious, but the simplicity is both wonderful and unique. Did anyone think of this before? All of us with our home mixes try this at home, but to have it set up in a tin and sold as a limited edition is fun.

Also, it is an education for new smokers, and old smokers as well, who have never had the opportunity to compare different Virginia leaf side by side.

In the review, I love the line, "The quality of the room note will fluctuate...."

The review gets in the spirit of the novelty of this opportunity to find your own Virginia blend.
 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
64,459
645,615
Upping the ante on the old Mcclelland Red & Black tins!
I had the same thought.

I find the concept somewhat brilliant. You might say it is obvious, but the simplicity is both wonderful and unique. Did anyone think of this before? All of us with our home mixes try this at home, but to have it set up in a tin and sold as a limited edition is fun.

Also, it is an education for new smokers, and old smokers as well, who have never had the opportunity to compare different Virginia leaf side by side.

In the review, I love the line, "The quality of the room note will fluctuate...."

The review gets in the spirit of the novelty of this opportunity to find your own Virginia blend.
My review was a tad playful, too, because I felt that attitude accurately represented my experience with the blend. Otherwise, I would have never written the review like that.
 

BriarsAndBottles

Can't Leave
Sep 4, 2022
306
1,255
37
Hercules, California
This goes on sale June 13 at 6 p.m. EST.

In the tin are three separate stacks of mildly moist red, bright and stoved Virginia crumble cakes. By design, Sutliff has created a playful experience for the smoker because you can mix them any way you want, so it’s impossible to rate an overall flavor consistency. I did smoke some of each varietal straight for the sake of this review. The matured bright Virginia provides a lot of tart and tangy citrus, bread, grass, sugar, some floralness, mild sour lemon, a little spice, hay, and a touch of acidity. The red Virginia offers a lot of tangy dark fruit, earth, wood, bread, some tart citrus, sugar, mild vegetation, grass, floralness, a pinch or two of spice, and light vinegar note. The stoved Virginia produces a lot of moderately stewed, tangy dark fruit, earth, wood, bread, some sugar, tangy citrus, floralness, light grass, and spice. There are no toppings and the casings appear to minimal. The bright Va. and red Va. just reach the medium mark in strength, nicotine and taste. Those particular aspects in the stoved Va. are a step past that. There’s no chance of bite or harshness no matter how you blend it. There are a few small rough notes with the bright having the most, and the stoved sporting the least. In any version you may blend, it burns cool, clean, and tad slow. The after taste is always pleasant, and generally short lived although the stoved will insure it lasts a little longer if you use more of it than the other Va.s. The quality of the room note will fluctuate, but it basically ranges between pleasant and pleasant to tolerable. Never has more than light dampness in the bowl. It will always require some relights unless it give it a lot of dry time. As is my custom, I did not dry it for review nor did I see a need for it. Your mileage may vary on this point. Can be an all day smoke under most circumstances. An amusing four star number of blending experiences.
Are the Virginias from the same crop? Just curious if the processing/treatment is the only variable or if the leaf itself varies. Not that it matters too much, but it would be helpful to know if the differences in experience solely comes from the type of Virginia it is. Looking forward to trying this one.
 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
64,459
645,615
Are the Virginias from the same crop? Just curious if the processing/treatment is the only variable or if the leaf itself varies. Not that it matters too much, but it would be helpful to know if the differences in experience solely comes from the type of Virginia it is. Looking forward to trying this one.
Red Virginia is different from bright Virginia, and stoved Virginia is processed Virginia. Sometimes manufactures stove bright Va. and other times, it's red Va. Check my review for the flavors each have in this blend. If you're wondering if they all came from the same yield the same year from the same farm, well, that's a question I can't answer. I don't think it's likely though.
 

BriarsAndBottles

Can't Leave
Sep 4, 2022
306
1,255
37
Hercules, California
Red Virginia is different from bright Virginia, and stoved Virginia is processed Virginia. Sometimes manufactures stove bright Va. and other times, it's red Va. Check my review for the flavors each have in this blend. If you're wondering if they all came from the same yield the same year from the same farm, well, that's a question I can't answer. I don't think it's likely though.
Thanks for understanding my question better than I could ask it @JimInks. That’s exactly what I was wondering.
 
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HawkeyeLinus

Lifer
Oct 16, 2020
5,816
42,070
Iowa
Someone going on about how tobacco prices are ridiculous and if they are sending unblended tobacco we are expected to "manufacture" ourselves it should be sold at a healthy discount in one . . . two . . . three . . . . . :)

I'm guessing the "fun" factor is the hook and well played and sounds like it would be fun to experiment - for me, I'm still working out flavors on blends that are "complete" - I wouldn't know what to do with this stuff or likely discern much difference tossing it together in various ways.

Looks like something the astute Virginia lover could spend some quality time with - enjoy!
 

Auxsender

Lifer
Jul 17, 2022
1,104
5,693
Nashville
Someone going on about how tobacco prices are ridiculous and if they are sending unblended tobacco we are expected to "manufacture" ourselves it should be sold at a healthy discount in one . . . two . . . three . . . . . :)

I'm guessing the "fun" factor is the hook and well played and sounds like it would be fun to experiment - for me, I'm still working out flavors on blends that are "complete" - I wouldn't know what to do with this stuff or likely discern much difference tossing it together in various ways.

Looks like something the astute Virginia lover could spend some quality time with - enjoy!
Nonsense. Buy some. Play with it. Taste it as separate components and also as mixtures. Spread your wings, broaden your horizon. The only way to do it wrong is to not enjoy it.
 

bobpnm

Lifer
Jul 24, 2012
1,543
10,404
Panama City, Florida
This goes on sale June 13 at 6 p.m. EST.

In the tin are three separate stacks of mildly moist red, bright and stoved Virginia crumble cakes. By design, Sutliff has created a playful experience for the smoker because you can mix them any way you want, so it’s impossible to rate an overall flavor consistency. I did smoke some of each varietal straight for the sake of this review. The matured bright Virginia provides a lot of tart and tangy citrus, bread, grass, sugar, some floralness, mild sour lemon, a little spice, hay, and a touch of acidity. The red Virginia offers a lot of tangy dark fruit, earth, wood, bread, some tart citrus, sugar, mild vegetation, grass, floralness, a pinch or two of spice, and light vinegar note. The stoved Virginia produces a lot of moderately stewed, tangy dark fruit, earth, wood, bread, some sugar, tangy citrus, floralness, light grass, and spice. There are no toppings and the casings appear to minimal. The bright Va. and red Va. just reach the medium mark in strength, nicotine and taste. Those particular aspects in the stoved Va. are a step past that. There’s no chance of bite or harshness no matter how you blend it. There are a few small rough notes with the bright having the most, and the stoved sporting the least. In any version you may blend, it burns cool, clean, and tad slow. The after taste is always pleasant, and generally short lived although the stoved will insure it lasts a little longer if you use more of it than the other Va.s. The quality of the room note will fluctuate, but it basically ranges between pleasant and pleasant to tolerable. Never has more than light dampness in the bowl. It will always require some relights unless it give it a lot of dry time. As is my custom, I did not dry it for review nor did I see a need for it. Your mileage may vary on this point. Can be an all day smoke under most circumstances. An amusing four star number of blending experiences.
Great review!
 
  • Like
Reactions: JimInks

FurCoat

Lifer
Sep 21, 2020
10,185
96,307
North Carolina
Someone going on about how tobacco prices are ridiculous and if they are sending unblended tobacco we are expected to "manufacture" ourselves it should be sold at a healthy discount in one . . . two . . . three . . . . . :)

I'm guessing the "fun" factor is the hook and well played and sounds like it would be fun to experiment - for me, I'm still working out flavors on blends that are "complete" - I wouldn't know what to do with this stuff or likely discern much difference tossing it together in various ways.

Looks like something the astute Virginia lover could spend some quality time with - enjoy!
I disagree. Just my opinion, but this may help you understand component flavors and how they taste together. I think you should at least give one tin a try.