Straight Virginia's

[BriarLinedMeer]

Does anyone else here, dislike straight Virginia's?

I've been fortunate enough to try many aged straight Virginia's and I just don't like em.

I get the impression this is something you may 'grow' into, but I'm not seeing it, pretty subjective but interested to hear if any veterans dislike them too.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

What is it that you dislike? Just curious.

 

[SBC]

(a) For how long have you been smoking a pipe?

(b) What flavors do you taste when you smoke straight VA?

(c) What sorts of tobacco do you like?

 

[hawky454]

Took me several years to really appreciate them, it wasn’t that I disliked the taste, they just didn’t have much flavor, I chalk that up to lack of technique and a novice palette. Some people seem to like them right away, while others need to learn how to taste them but it’s also okay not to like them. Something like Orlik GS with a bit of top flavoring added helped me to find some of citrus flavors. I’d say just don’t swear anything off, you just never know.

 

[BarrelProof]

I don’t like or dislike them, but they certainly don’t live up to the hype in my opinion.

 

[ThermionicScott]

I've been fortunate enough to try many aged straight Virginia's and I just don't like em.

Did you try any fresh ones? Some folks do prefer Virginias with all the "grass/hay" and edge they can have.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I can easily see how people would not like Virginias. They are probably the hardest to smoke, getting too hot very easily, and the taste is very subtle, like tea if you are used to only colas and coffee.

 

[ThermionicScott]

"Hot air blowing over mouldering grass clippings" is one of my favorite comments after being disappointed by a straight Virginia.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

"Hot air blowing over mouldering grass clippings" is one of my favorite comments after being disappointed by a straight Virginia.

I've always said that they should make a cologne that smells like a freshly mowed yard. One of my favorite smells.

 

[Peter Turbo]

They're for you or they aren't, there’s quite a few folks on here that don’t smoke them.

Me? I just like smoking pipe tobacco. it could be viriginas or latakia or orientals, aros, burley? I smoke it all.

 

[FLDRD]

I've always said that they should make a cologne that smells like a freshly mowed yard. One of my favorite smells.

Hmm. My wife always says she loves the smell of the newly mowed yard... could work for some.

 

[DanWil84]

My first encounter with VA was MB Virginia #1. Me being a pipedummy I smoked it like the english and burley based blend I tried. Got bitten like sticking your face in a wasps nest.

The "ephiphany" came with capstan blue and OGS (the whole yes/no perique discussion, for me there is no perique). Lemony, haylike connotation, soft on the retro. In my rotation of about 15 jars there are 4 or 5 straight VA of which I like the MacBarren Virginia Flake and HH Pure Virginia the most. I cant decide which to cellar, but to me they are to similair to decide. Or I might turn back to OGS or Capstan Blue.

To get into your question, I grew into them, about a year in pipesmoking I got to appreciate them with the right technique in regards of packing and puffing. You might also, or you might not, no big deal. Enough other tobaccos on the market.

 

[JimPM]

Straight VAs are A-okay in my book. Not sure what you smoked. Capstan Blue, Sutliff 507-C, both Samuel Gawith and Peterson Flakes, The Squire's Green Dragon, C&D Opening Night, Low Country Natural Virginia, Stokkebye's Danish Export, Mac Baren's Amphora, Virginia #1, and HH Virginian are some of the better ones, IMO. Never disappointed by any of these.

 

[lraisch]

I don't care for the tart, citrusy qualities of some Virginias. That's just not what I want when I smoke a pipe.

I can just appreciate the nutty character of some darker and more matured red Virginias, but it takes work to smoke them slowly or the result tastes like cigarettes.

 

[BriarLinedMeer]

I tend to smoke anything

(a) For how long have you been smoking a pipe?

(b) What flavors do you taste when you smoke straight VA?

(c) What sorts of tobacco do you like?

A: A few years now, on and off for ages before that.

B: It was just 'boring' and bitey, that is the easiest way to describe it subjectively I suppose.

C: Dark Fired / Lat blends typically.

What is it that you dislike? Just curious.

Bitey, boring, not much going on.

Did you try any fresh ones? Some folks do prefer Virginias with all the "grass/hay" and edge they can have.

I'll give it a go!

Straight VAs are A-okay in my book. Not sure what you smoked. Capstan Blue, Sutliff 507-C, both Samuel Gawith and Peterson Flakes, The Squire's Green Dragon, C&D Opening Night, Low Country Natural Virginia, Stokkebye's Danish Export, Mac Baren's Amphora, Virginia #1, and HH Virginian are some of the better ones, IMO. Never disappointed by any of these.

I smoked Wessex Dark Campaign flake from 2012

 

[BriarLinedMeer]

With my lat blends, its like a spicy milkshake when its at its best.
With my DFK blends, its either like a chai latte, or vanillaish sweet pudding sorta taste. (Really hard to describe)
With my straight VA's, its like a bitey, hot, not much going on taste.

 

[tmcg81]

I wouldn't say I dislike straight Virginia's, but I definitely don't like them as much as vapers or especially vaburs. I've only tried a couple though. So far, I'm coming around on Capstan Gold.

 

[Chasing Embers]

With my straight VA's, its like a bitey, hot, not much going on taste.

You just described wet tobacco, packed too tightly, or smoked too quickly. Straight Virginias, straight orientals, and aromatics are my primary smokes.

 

[BriarLinedMeer]

You just described wet tobacco, packed too tightly, or smoked too quickly. Straight Virginias, straight orientals, and aromatics are my primary smokes.

I'll bone dry it, pack it lightly and give it another go, thank you.

 

[brooklynpiper]

While I think you’re getting good technical advice, I think the amazing thing about pipe tobacco is how wide the flavor experiences on offer vary. I get a lot of enjoyment out of a very light and mellow tea-like Virginia and I get a lot of enjoyment out of something punchy with lots of Latakia or dark-fired. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being interested solely in the more robust.