Ribbon Cut VA's?

[kyriefurro]

As my pipe smoking career has progressed, I've found myself leaning heavily towards VA based blends - straight, VaPer,VaBur, what have you. Most of my favorites are flakes or broken flakes but....
I have a long boring 40 minute drive into town for work every day. To add insult to injury, I'm prone to road hypnosis, even when I'm wide awake. Being even a little sleep deprived just makes it worse. I've found that smoking a pipe is the perfect cure. It gives me just enough to do to keep my mind occupied and alert without reaching the level of becoming a distraction.
Unfortunately, flakes take just a little too much attention to smoke, making them less suitable for a drive-time puff. So I depend on ribbon cut blends for the road. Right now, though, the only ribbon cut VA's I've got in my rotation are Peterson's Irish Oak and Haddo's Delight (yeah, I know, not a pure VA lol).
So what else is good out there in a VA based ribbon cut?

 

[billypm]

McClelland Stave Aged 35 is excellent, a mild, sweetened, straight Virginia. Ya gotta like the topping, but it's easy to like. 5100, especially with age on it, is unsurpassed for a great clean Va. Wessex Classic Va is all red Virginias and its pretty tasty, more robust than the first two I mentioned. And F&T Golden Mixture is a wonderful blend that is richer and more interesting to me than the usual citrus-noted golden Vas.

 

[wnghanglow]

Might try mcelland 5100.
On a side note: what you described driving sounds like sleep apnea, might want to google that disorder, or take a quick test called "epworth" which can also be found on google.

 

[cobguy]

McClelland Scottish Cake is already rubbed out into ribbon in the tin.
Mostly a Va flavor with just a touch of Perique

 

[cortezattic]

H&H Marble Kake is easy to crumble up and load. Easy lighting, good sweet Va taste, slow and steady burner with minimal need for relights.

 

[cobguy]

OH! ... and if you like more Perique you MUST try H&H Louisiana Red. Really Good!

 

[petes03]

McClelland "Deep Hollow" and "221b Black Shag" are two that I like. Of course the Black Shag is a shag cut, not ribbon, but it smokes the same.

 

[flakyjakey]

Wnghanglow's side point may be important. As a pulmonologist 'Obstructive Sleep Apnoea' falls in my clinical bailiwick. I was going to send you a PM, but what I will say may be relevant to others because it is a very common condition that can have serious consequences, yet is very easy to remedy.
- Do you snore heavily and stop breathing for short periods at night? Most men snore but if you have a wife/partner who says you sometimes stop breathing this IS obstructive sleep apnoea.
- Do you fall asleep in the day, at times when the average man would not (eg at work, or worse when driving)?
If the answer to the above is "yes" you should see a physician. The consequence could be a fatal accident, and there are people in the UK who have been convicted of manslaughter for just that. There are also long term medical complications including hypertension and cardiac failure.
The treatment is ridiculously straightforward - a simple nasal CPAP mask at night. Please feel free to send me a PM if you are concerned.

 

[dragonslayer]

H&H LR is a great spicy ribbon VaPer (buy 2 get 1 - 8oz. $24 pound until the 14th). People complain about it being too bright in reds. But it is great for cellaring, the reds sit down after about 6 months and at a year it's smooth as silk. I also love HD, it's sweet when you want something a little different. It also is great for the cellar.
Craig

 

[kyriefurro]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Definitely going to have to add a few to my next TAD order.
As for the possibility of sleep apnea, its pretty unlikely. I'm a total stomach sleeper. The only time I ever snore is if I'm sick and the cold meds make me fall asleep on my back. It's just for some reason long car rides put me to sleep. Been that way since I was a baby. In fact my parents used to take advantage of that fact to help me sleep when unwashed teething. Mom said I didn't last more than a couple of blocks before I was out.

 

[flakyjakey]

That's good to hear Kyriefurro! In that case my practical 'piper's' suggestion is to prepare your pipe before you drive to work. A good tobacco in a large/large-ish bowl should last you the whole journey, so long as you don't develop 'road rage' and puff too much!! LOL

 

[mikestanley]

Both by McClelland, I would recommend Aurora and Sophisticate. Both are wonderful and Aurora ages very nicely. Sophisticate is a bit of stoved Va. On another note, the McClelland #25 is a stout Va ribbon which can be a bit strong for my tastes but might be right up your alley.
Mike S.

 

[burlpettibon]

For a straight VA ribbon cut I cannot recommend Ashton's Gold Rush enough. It is MOSTLY ribbon cut with a bit of rubbed out flake in it but it is all golden Virginias and MAN is it good! The flavor profile is pretty sweet (even though there arent any additives) with citrus that fades in and out. An AMAZING tobacco that I personally use for dog walking or long contemplative walks. Though, be warned, it can bite if puffed on too heavily.

 

[burlpettibon]

As a second recommendation I would suggest McClelland's Anniversary blend. Virginia with a "pinch" of latakia. This is a blend I havent had any problems with biting me no matter how hard I puffed on it and it pretty much tastes like sweet BBQ sauce even though, again, it doesnt have any additives in it. Another one of my favorites.

 

[wnghanglow]

Snoring is one symptom of certain types of apnea, mainly obstructive apnea. Some other common symptoms are nightmares or any vivid dreams, night sweats and waking up to go to the restroom during the night. Testing for apnea is one of my professions so it's kind of a passion of mine I could go on forever about it lol I still think everyone should take the epworth test, it's free and takes less than 3 minutes to fill out.

 

[flakyjakey]

@wnghanglow....aaah, that explains your earlier post. By and large I agree, and I have certainly had some patients who experienced 'night terrors'. As you will know Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is an important and under-recognised problem - easily fixed once diagnosed. It is so common that I would be surprised if at least some forum members did not suffer from it.

 

[wnghanglow]

The way it was explained to me by mu director/pulmonologist is when your dreaming you stop breathing, which causes stress, which causes nightmares, and when you arouse straight from REM to awake you remember those nightmares or regular dreams more vividly l.
I'm actually a Respiratory therapist but I practice as a sleep tech as well as working for a DME company setting up and trouble shooting the servo ventilator. What's your profession?

 

[flakyjakey]

@wnghanglow, we mustn't hijack this thread but I am a pulmonologist. I do not sub-specialise in sleep disorders but we have a very large and well-known Sleep Unit here in Edinburgh to which I refer suspected cases.
My own theory about the true 'night terrors', as opposed to bad dreams, is that they may be due to episodes of extreme hypoxaemia when the brain 'thinks it is about to die' and provokes a massive arousal response.
If you wish to discuss this further it is probably courteous to the OP that you use the PM approach.