Newby News - Battle of Low Cost Virginia

[Old_Newby]

Ok I finished off my first 3 months.
Having a blast. Learning a lot. I logged my blends in a book based on types and combinations. Did you know if you go from Straight Virginia all the way to VaPerBurLatCavTurkOr then you can have at least 20 categories. That does not include any Aromatics and only a straight burley. No other straights.

I am trying some straight Virginia to determine my favorite. So far see below. I am using a 5 star scale.

Amphora Virginia = *
Pet Stokkeyebe 400 Navy Flake = **
NewMinster 400 Navy Flake = ***

Peterson Flake = trying tomorrow
Capstan Blue = trying Sunday
PH Curly Block = trying last (gifted)

Amphora bit me pretty hard so I will retry it. It needed drying out the most and I probably smoked to fast. PS Navy flake needed more dry time than NM but were close.

All burned similar once I got the dryness similar to each. Relights for me were about 6 per bowl because I went very slow to avoid heat and to ensue I am getting natural flavor.

New Minster wins for me because I get a lot more sweet bread dough flavor. Each has the hay grass notes and PS might win the hay / grass notes. I just love that sweet bread dough flavor.

Have a great weekend!!!

​

 

[mso489]

Burley is my main event, but Virginias are the most nuanced and refined blends, perhaps. Because of all the burley blends I smoke, I always have some good Virginias waiting in the wings well aged. My adventure with McC's Dark Star was entirely satisfying, once I grated it so it burned well.

 

[sallow]

The second group of three is way better in my opinion. Newminster bites me.

Orlik golden sliced is the best deal in pipe smoking in my opinion. The price is right and after a few years in the tin it can get a nice sweetness to it. As some people would say, 'it is an all day smoke'.

 

[edger]

C&D Yorktown and Derringer(my favorite) meet your criteria. BTW, most Navy flakes have some perique, so that may explain the bite.

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

Capstan blue is an aromatic, it has a bergamot and rum topping.

 

[Donb1972]

I'm afraid I inherited my taste buds from my Grandfather, who used to say: "I'm a blue collar guy with blue collar tastes". So I don't really notice the difference unless it is strong ~ like wine...give me a jug with "wine" stamped on it and I'll enjoy it as much(or more)as I would an Opus One. LOL So I generally prefer strong aromatic blends, but I do enjoy reading what others experience.

 

[sasquatch]

Capstan blue is an aromatic, it has a bergamot and rum topping.

There's times I get this, and times I just totally can't find it at all. I don't know if it's the pipe, the weather, how much scotch I've had...

 

[Old_Newby]

Burley is my main event, but Virginias are the most nuanced and refined blends, perhaps. Because of all the burley blends I smoke, I always have some good Virginias waiting in the wings well aged. My adventure with McC's Dark Star was entirely satisfying, once I grated it so it burned well.

What’s you favorite burleys? Did you know Amphora Burley has Virginia and some dark fired in it? Also Velvet codger is 100% burley and is a non aromatic. Just a couple odd things I learned this week when logging my cellar.

 

[Old_Newby]

The second group of three is way better in my opinion. Newminster bites me.

Orlik golden sliced is the best deal in pipe smoking in my opinion. The price is right and after a few years in the tin it can get a nice sweetness to it. As some people would say, 'it is an all day smoke'.

Yea OGS is a VaPer category that I tackle next week.

 

[Old_Newby]

Capstan blue is an aromatic, it has a bergamot and rum topping.

I did not know. I only see it listed as a straight Virginia.

 

[seanv]

What’s you favorite burleys? Did you know Amphora Burley has Virginia and some dark fired in it? Also Velvet codger is 100% burley and is a non aromatic. Just a couple odd things I learned this week when logging my cellar.

Amphora burley is solid. Very good smoke. Try Low Country Virginia and Low Country Virginia Oriental. Both good smokes

 

[daytonsean]

Add Sutliff 507c VA slices to your list for trying. Also a really good cost effective VA.

 

[Old_Newby]

Edger said it above but I just realized that my battle if the Virginia is already in error. The NM 400 is straight Virginia but the PS 400 is a VaPer. I will need to move PS to my VaPer list. I honestly did not notice but could have been my first taste of Perique.

 

[captpat]

Add Sutliff 507c VA slices to your list for trying. Also a really good cost effective VA.

This is good stuff and it really improves with about 6 months of cellar time.

 

[REO]

GL Pease Union Square is a top line VA
Watch City Simply Red is also worthy

 

[Brendan]

Edger said it above but I just realized that my battle if the Virginia is already in error. The NM 400 is straight Virginia but the PS 400 is a VaPer. I will need to move PS to my VaPer list. I honestly did not notice but could have been my first taste of Perique.

To my taste's it was hardly noticeable, I considered it to be a Va Flake..

But I'm inexperienced with the majority of blends and only smoke 2-4 bowls a week.

As per @REO above recommendation, Union Square. I'd definitely second that regardless if it is a little more expensive than the bulk blends listed.

 

[Ocam]

For my tastes, you can't get much better than Union Square or Opening Night on a straight VA. For the budget option, I think Windsail is pretty good.

 

[Old_Newby]

I have been reading about Virginias. Bright Leaf, flue cured, reds, etc. From my understanding the bright leaf flue cured has the most sweetness. For whichever leaf and curing process that produces the most sweetness do they sell a straight Virginia of only that leaf?

 

[Ocam]

I have been reading about Virginias. Bright Leaf, flue cured, reds, etc. From my understanding the bright leaf flue cured has the most sweetness. For whichever leaf and curing process that produces the most sweetness do they sell a straight Virginia of only that leaf?

Windsail is 100% VA Gold I think.

 

[LeafErikson]

Burley is my main event, but Virginias are the most nuanced and refined blends, perhaps. Because of all the burley blends I smoke, I always have some good Virginias waiting in the wings well aged. My adventure with McC's Dark Star was entirely satisfying, once I grated it so it burned well.

We have very similar tastes. I also smoke primarily burley tobacco but enjoy usually at least one bowl of Virginia tobacco each day. Early on in my pipe smoking days, once I realized what kind of blends I liked, I would google information on burley blends I was considering purchasing, and often times this forum (I was a lurker then), and your username more specifically, would come up. We must have similar palates because most things that you like I ended up liking, even down to the SWRA recommendation you made to another forum member, which was surprising because to this day it’s the only aromatic I’ve tried that I enjoy. Thanks for all of your input on this forum over the years.