Please Recommend Some *Sweet* (Less Hay-Like, Non-Aro) Virginias.

[fishingandpipes]

Fribourg and Treyer Cut Blended Plug is super sweet to me.

 

[cigrmaster]

fishingandpipes, I wish I could smoke Cut Blended Plug because it is sweet and delicious, unfortunately the reds in it bite me bad and I cannot tolerate it. It is a fine blend from a great house.

 

[futureman]

Harris, I purchased a tin of Capstan Blue after reading your review of it. I'm enjoying it quite a bit. Indeed, it would be superb with some age on it. Thanks for taking the time to discuss it.

 

[cigrmaster]

future, glad to hear you are enjoying the Capstan, I agree it will be even better with age, but I sure enjoy it fresh as well. I think in ten years this blend could be one of the finest flakes on the market.

 

[taerin]

I'm really surprised no one mentioned Peter Stokkebye's Luxury Bullseye Flake. It is naturally sweet due to the black cavendish in the center of every flake. It is very unique, flavorful, and cheap in bulk. I am trying his Luxury Twist Flake as well to see if that is a little less tonguebitey and its very cheap, since my tongue is super sensitive, you probably will never feel it like I do. It would be nice to find something inexpensive that I could cellar and that would save my tongue from agony. Right now that is Orlik Golden Sliced which bites less hard, but still bites too hard to smoke every day.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

I recommend Brigham's Klondike Gold (now one of my favourite blends) or Stonehaven

 

[cigrmaster]

eric, I cannot smoke the Stokkebye flakes because of the reds in them, they bite me too bad. For my tastes the best bulks for no bite and great flavor is SG Best Brown, St James and FVF. Also Mac Baren ODF is a very good value and I get no bite from that either.
peck, I agree, the Klondike Gold is a very sweet great tasting flake. I am on my second tin and have been enjoying it as much as almost any flake in my rotation. It reminds me of John Aylesbury Luxury Flake which is impossible to get.

 

[taerin]

Thanks for the suggestions Harris! I had asked you about them in my pm, but it seems that you answered me early! I second the FVF as having no bite (when it is dried correctly). I can't wait to try the BBF I have, I'm very excited as you have reviewed it so highly for so long. I was thinking it was the perique that bit me in the Bullseye Flakes and ordered the Twist Flake to test that theory out. The bullseye doesn't bite me that much, just enough to annoy me, so I still smoke it as the flavor is amazing. At some point I really need to get something in a pound in bulk so I can age it, in that quantity it would take me 5-10 years at to smoke it all. I have quite a bit of Orlik Golden Sliced due to its low cost and how much aging improves it. I can smoke OGS maybe 3 days back to back before I have to quit from bite, so it is almost there.

 

[taerin]

@Peter I'm quite happy about my technique, it takes me much longer than most to smoke a pipe, I'm very slow at it. A medium sized pipe takes me 1.5 hours to smoke (I usually quit early due to nic issues), takes my friends and father 40 minutes. Conversely, they suffer no bite but I do. I would like to think my sensitivity comes with positives, I seem to get a lot more flavor and nuances from "mild" blends than most do. Another good reference point is a "legend" by MM is a 1-1.25 hour smoke for me with a flake last time I timed it. I find fold and stuff method with VA's gives the longest smoking time, since you can't really light all of it on the first go really well, but it eventually lights up semi-evenly with lots of tamping.
I also have many blends that I enjoy which have zero bite including FVF which is a straight Virginia, Moontrance (aromatic), the Middle Earth Series, and the Frog Morton series. I could smoke those 3 times a day, every day if I wanted to. I'm starting to wonder if I am sensitive to red Virginias like Harris is.

 

[taerin]

I'm a very positive person with very thick skin, the only way anyone can get to me is by direct blatant disrespect. It has never happened here in over the year I have been here. I could understand why you made the comments you did, I have voiced the same exact concern at people who have claimed bite on blends that do not bite me the same way. I think in the end a lot of it is chemistry and in skill. I have had 3 years to get my skill down pact, I have a lot to learn and blends do bite me less each year as my skill improves, I just don't see how I will improve enough for certain blends to stop biting entirely at this point. I'm hoping OGS will stop entirely because it is so close to the verge where I feel nothing at all. Bullseye Flake is far from that point however, it's a dammed shame because I love the flavor so much!

 

[taerin]

And that's why I love our trading section so much, a thousand cheers to Kevin for being understanding and making it an option!

 

[cortezattic]

There have been lots of good suggestions made so far. Something Eric mentioned earlier that is worth emphasizing is

Stokkebye Luxury Twist Flake. All Va and to me, very sweet and milky.