I have never written a review and compared to the likes of some of the jedi night smokers on here, I don't hold a candle. However, maybe a few novice reflections for the piper passing by might be of some use.
My entry point into Virginias has mainly come through VaPers. I bought a tin of Orlik Golden Sliced and a small bag of PS Luxury Bullseye Flake. Immediately I liked what I smoked and continue to explore VaPers a bit, but thought I should try a straight Virginia. Searching this forum and tobaccoreviews.com, you can't miss the the venerable Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake (FVF). A fellow piper on here sent me a sample, which I tried and thought I liked, so I finally splurged this week on a tin.
Opening the tin which is beautiful in its own right, you are immediately greeted with what you expect from a Virginia. Sweet, grassy, and maybe a bit citrusy. From the start, you have a sense that this is a gentle tobacco that is going to give a mellow, but pleasant experience. In fact, it is one of the few tobaccos I have opened that I have thought, this would be even interesting to chew! It smelled that nice.
Reading tobaccoreviews.com, you can't help but notice the debate and sometimes outward hostility about how damp FVF is, resulting in multiple relights. I must admit I was a bit intimidated by this and expected the worst. My tin was not dripping in moisture, but it was certainly damp. Reading around on the reviews, some people even leave FVF out over night before smoking. Rather than do that, I took a bit of a risk and decided to compromise. I rubbed it out and let it set for 30 minutes.
It was still pretty moist and loading my pipe I could see the risk of over packing, so I intentionally adjusted my technique to go slightly lighter than I would a ribbon cut aromatic. Having already smoked VaPers, I was prepared for the possibility that it might take several lights to get it going and it did. However, once I did get it going, it was no worse to keep lit than an aromatic requiring a few relights. I was prepared for the worst and it actually did not seem too bad.
The smoke was smooth, buttery, cool and was consistent with the tin note. It was not dominating, but rather enticingly subtitle... inviting you to slow down and find the flavours, as opposed to a freight train of flavours that knocks you over. I did not find in my impression that the flavour profile changed much through the bowl, though towards the end it seemed to get a bit more tangy for me. I did not notice a lot of nicotine, so I would rank it somewhere between low to medium. I did not get bit and never had a concern as this just strikes me as an easy smoking tobacco unless you get crazy in the relights.
I don't usually drink alcohol when I smoke a pipe, but on this occasion I paired it with a healthy shot of Jim Beam Double Oak on the rocks. It was a nice combo.
Compared to a VaPer I must admit I had to adjust my frame of mind that this is much more one dimensional smoke and I could easily see that sometimes that is what the doctor has ordered... a simple, refreshing, smooth smoke, that you could sit out on the front porch with on a warm sunny day, like a glass of iced tea. I am going to keep some FVF for such occasions when a VaPer just seems a bit too much. Nice tobacco!
My entry point into Virginias has mainly come through VaPers. I bought a tin of Orlik Golden Sliced and a small bag of PS Luxury Bullseye Flake. Immediately I liked what I smoked and continue to explore VaPers a bit, but thought I should try a straight Virginia. Searching this forum and tobaccoreviews.com, you can't miss the the venerable Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake (FVF). A fellow piper on here sent me a sample, which I tried and thought I liked, so I finally splurged this week on a tin.
Opening the tin which is beautiful in its own right, you are immediately greeted with what you expect from a Virginia. Sweet, grassy, and maybe a bit citrusy. From the start, you have a sense that this is a gentle tobacco that is going to give a mellow, but pleasant experience. In fact, it is one of the few tobaccos I have opened that I have thought, this would be even interesting to chew! It smelled that nice.
Reading tobaccoreviews.com, you can't help but notice the debate and sometimes outward hostility about how damp FVF is, resulting in multiple relights. I must admit I was a bit intimidated by this and expected the worst. My tin was not dripping in moisture, but it was certainly damp. Reading around on the reviews, some people even leave FVF out over night before smoking. Rather than do that, I took a bit of a risk and decided to compromise. I rubbed it out and let it set for 30 minutes.
It was still pretty moist and loading my pipe I could see the risk of over packing, so I intentionally adjusted my technique to go slightly lighter than I would a ribbon cut aromatic. Having already smoked VaPers, I was prepared for the possibility that it might take several lights to get it going and it did. However, once I did get it going, it was no worse to keep lit than an aromatic requiring a few relights. I was prepared for the worst and it actually did not seem too bad.
The smoke was smooth, buttery, cool and was consistent with the tin note. It was not dominating, but rather enticingly subtitle... inviting you to slow down and find the flavours, as opposed to a freight train of flavours that knocks you over. I did not find in my impression that the flavour profile changed much through the bowl, though towards the end it seemed to get a bit more tangy for me. I did not notice a lot of nicotine, so I would rank it somewhere between low to medium. I did not get bit and never had a concern as this just strikes me as an easy smoking tobacco unless you get crazy in the relights.
I don't usually drink alcohol when I smoke a pipe, but on this occasion I paired it with a healthy shot of Jim Beam Double Oak on the rocks. It was a nice combo.
Compared to a VaPer I must admit I had to adjust my frame of mind that this is much more one dimensional smoke and I could easily see that sometimes that is what the doctor has ordered... a simple, refreshing, smooth smoke, that you could sit out on the front porch with on a warm sunny day, like a glass of iced tea. I am going to keep some FVF for such occasions when a VaPer just seems a bit too much. Nice tobacco!
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