Questions on Virginia Blends

[sablebrush52]

When I first started smoking Virginias all I got was hot air. I learned to adjust my technique in order to get the more delicate flavors.
Now, Virginias, Va/Pers, Va/Burs, and their variants are 95% of what I smoke. With FVF, it needs a long drying time or there’s no flavor. This pretty much holds true for most Virginia blends. Try drying out FVF for a few hours before smoking and smoke very slowly.
I didn’t like HU Haymaker. Too bland. Try Edward G, or Director’s Cut.
Do you have access to C&D blends? Try Yorktown. GL Pease Union Square is pretty good as is Telegraph Hill, which is a Va/Per.
Learning how to get the most out of Virginias takes practice and patience.
But, if you are happy with other types of blends, stick with that.

 

[Sigmund]

I really dig vapers and tobacco with virginia leaf. Its the more straight version I cant get excited over. I do taste it. Yes, its nice and I can appreciate it BUT I never tend to lean towards it. I guess I will keep a couple around and if they ever float my boat I will get more. There isnt much C&D in the EU and its 24 bucks a tin...same with GLP. There are plenty others I can get for a normal tin price. I will stick with the genres I prefer for now and dabble over time. Thanks and keep recovering @sablebrush52

 

[karam]

You may find appreciation for Virginia, or you may not. If VaPers float your boat - they certainly do mine - they are a good gateway to straight Virginias. Have you tried blends where red VA is a major component? I find I prefer them to straight bright VAs as they have more body.

 

[Sigmund]

I tried HU My Red Fox. It was ok. I just seem to prefer more eventful smokes. Something you can "Sink your teeth into" so to speak. Maybe next order I will try a Vabur and get some Reniers long golden flake. I didnt get any becuase I worried it would be too much like Orlik GF which I found to be uninspiring.

I love my vapers and english blends as well as a few burleys. Typically the richer the better for all of them. When I smoke more straight virginias I feel like Ive been put on a low fat diet. Pipe smoking is an indulgence.

 

[karam]

Hah that's good (the low-fat diet bit). I'm a pig, I just can't feel satiated if a meal is totally devoid of some fat or oil.

Try HU Janneman Flake (not a straight VA, though), I am looking at Jim's reviews side by side and it appears he found Janneman to be a bit lighter than My Red Fox (which I haven't tried). Here's a review I wrote. If you don't like it I'll be happy to buy it off you at market price.

 

[Sigmund]

Nice review

Maybe I will give Jameman a try.
I really like DC and Ed G.

But my go to blend is HU Delight which is half and half DC and ED G. plus a healthy 10 percent addition of torben Dansk Perique.
Its rich, figgy, a nice sweetness and it goes great with a black tea with milk and sugar. It is my after lunch desert pipe most days.

Another is what I call PsychoAnalysis: St Bernard Flake, Shavings from Salty Dogs plus a nice pinch of latakia. Sweet, a little rummy from salty dogs and the lat adds some complexity

Having a limited cellar I like to mix

I do stock GLP Quiet Nights. Its such a rich latakia blend. Amazing stuff. For more economical smokes HU Tuarkeh is great. If Im not paying attention I can think Im smoking Quiet Nights. Ive tried 2 pipes at once and it is extremely close for half the price in the EU. I give QN half a notch better...probably becuase its pressed and processed differenty.

I bought some Balkan Passion but I cant seem to warm up to blends than lean heavily towards orientals.

 

[karam]

Nice! I haven't had much luck with blending...blends, but like you I like to boost certain blends with single leaf DFK (or near single leaf like G&H Dark Bird's Eye or Cimette di Toscano) or Perique.

Orientals are another big, difficult group to get to grips with. I've had single variety Basma from Greece which tasted like a complete blend. I got tastes of anise, cumin, incense, curry (yes, curry!), cinnamon, clove all from single leaf. Have a go at Ascanian No1 or 2 (I prefer 2, I find it excellent) which plays the orientals superbly with the VaPer.

 

[Pipke]

The only VaPer that I very much enjoy is GLP Cumberland. It's a VaPer with Dark Fired Kentucky (DFK) added. The DFK is probably why I enjoy the blend so much.

I buy small quantities of new blends to try, usually smoking an 25-50 grams (1-2 oz.) of the blend before deciding if truly enjoy the blend. Blends that are more Virginia forward may have this certain taste and mouth feel that I dislike. Burleys tend not to affect me in this way. English and Balkan blends do not affect me in this way ever, and that is why I prefer those blends.

For example
Half and Half strongly has this flavor and effect. A blend I bought an ounce of, C&D John Marr, less so. Cumberland does not have it at all. From noticing the effect of Virginia tobacco on me, I learned that for my taste mixing in small amounts of Perique, DFK, and/or Latakia can improve the taste. It may improve the taste enough for me to finish smoking my sample and never buy it again. I dislike leaving many partially full containers of tobacco.

My tastes may change and blends may disappear. So what? I won't plan for that. Why waste time and money with blends that I do not enjoy?

 

[hoipolloiglasgow]

It took me a while to get into Virginia’s and I’m still really picky with them. I only care for the red/oranges myself. It’s okay to have a little DFK with them if you like that and especially Perique. Hu Director’s Cut is pretty good. McClelland’s Christmas Cheer series is excellent if you can find them and they can still be had for fair prices. If you smoke cigars, 100$ a tin isn’t so bad. There’s nothing quite like them. Spicey, sweet, vinegary, fairly complex for just a Virginia. You’ll find that much of what is produced today the Virginias have gone down in quality, but there are still good blends available. Many times reds are being subbed with something less. Most will be best with at least 4 years age on them to really make them pop.