Straight Virginia's

[badbriar]

I'm not a fan of most VA's, VaPers or any other Va-somethings. As has been said, not a lot of taste & flavor.
Sure, there are some tasty ones, but too much work chasing that amazing, but all too light flavor, like FVF & St James.
Personally, I have appreciated English, Scottish, Orientals and most others with Latakia.
No wonder that, as I'm a BBQ, hot sauce, siracha, spicy pepper guy!

 

[JackOrion]

There’s actually a lot of Straight VAs, that are complex, with a lot of notes going on.

Bread, hay, grass, citrus, floral, honey/sugar, graham, vanilla, to name a few. Then these can present themselves, tart, tangy, sweet, spicy, etc.. I’ve also experienced very subtle fruit, a bit perique raisins like, and then stewed like raisins/plum with aged, or more pressed, fermented blends, as well.

If you aren’t finding complexity in VAs, you’re not smoking the right ones, of course, there are very straight VAs, without a lot of depth to them.

Just to clarify, I’m referring to a straightforward Virginia as being unadulterated from other varietals.
Regarding the complexity of ‘flavors’ within any particular pure Virginia blend….. that’s a purely subjective issue between the smoker and the leaf. Now if you believe I’m smoking the wrong blend, maybe you can send me a tin or two of what you ‘think’ I should be smoking.

 

[ray47]

If I remember correctly, about 10 yrs ago I wouldn't touch a straight Virginia. I was more of a burley smoker and still am to some degree. I was getting bored with the burley blends I was smoking. After joining the forums and reading alot about straight Virginias I said why not give them a try. I did and thru proper smoking technique I learned to appreciate them. I'm still primarily a burley smoker but when I need a change I reach for the likes of MacBaren Virginia #1, C&D Yorktown and Virginia Slices #507-C.

 

[AJL67]

Smoking my first bowl of 2023 WCC Simply Red .. much smoother and a bit sweeter than past years, much better than last years back which is now sleeping in a corner somewhere, this is on par with the 2018 i have as far as being mellow, very nice.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I think it is interesting how we all try to hard press the things we like or dislike. If someone says, "I hate Petersons," there would be a 6 page thread of people explaining why you should love them. If someone says that they Love something, there would be a ton of people explaining why you shouldn't.
I'm in the camp that says that if someone doesn't like Virginias, GREAT! More for me. Besides, you have to be a really good pipe smoker to like them. They are for the more experienced pipe smokers. And, no everyone can be in that catagory, ha ha. JK

 

[brooklynpiper]

You should try to be more inclusive and accepting. There are many Virginians who are not straight. Try one of them.

And anyways nearly all VA’s have some small percentage of air-cured to balance out the PH, so they’re not really entirely straight.

Say it’s the Kinsey-Virginia scale.

 

[vosBghos]

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.

Guess the thing about straight Va's is there are so many, some Bitey some Cool some Bright some Dark Some Red some Stoved some cased A lot some Hardly some Deftly topped Some that taste like they came off the field and were just tinned and it goes on and on and on. I love them all, the difference between SG FVF and McCranies Red Ribbon is like comparing peanut butter to jelly. But hey to each his own.

 

[Rockyrepose]

I think it is interesting how we all try to hard press the things we like or dislike. If someone says, "I hate Petersons," there would be a 6 page thread of people explaining why you should love them. If someone says that they Love something, there would be a ton of people explaining why you shouldn't.
I'm in the camp that says that if someone doesn't like Virginias, GREAT! More for me. Besides, you have to be a really good pipe smoker to like them. They are for the more experienced pipe smokers. And, no everyone can be in that catagory, ha ha. JK

I await your wisdom in the burley thread

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I await your wisdom in the burley thread

Not that I may have any wisdom, as I am quite daft ... but out of curiosity, which burley thread?

 

[Jbrewer2002]

And anyways nearly all VA’s have some small percentage of air-cured to balance out the PH, so they’re not really entirely straight.

Say it’s the Kinsey-Virginia scale.

So even if it’s advertised as VA only, it has burley in it?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

So even if it’s advertised as VA only, it has burley in it?

Many of the blends will just say "Virginia Flake" and may only list Virginia in the online sites. There is no rule anywhere that all forms of leaf involved have to be listed anywhere. I don't think I've ever seen one listed as "Virginia only."
However, I have heard Jeremy, who was the one who first pointed this out on here, list off some in podcasts that are only uncased Virginias.

The blender's job is to keep a product tasting the same through years when a crop may taste differently. The reason they are called blenders is that they either have to add casings or blend in different leaf to keep a blend tasting how the customers expect. But, there may be various other reasons that other leaf may be added.

I wouldn't say that "all" Virginias have burley added. But, you'd probably be surprised which ones. And, there may be only undetectable levels added.

I wouldn't put too much stock in what is on labels and websites. That is all marketing copy, to help the customer understand what to expect from the blend. Virginia Flake, is merely a description, not a binding legal contract.

And, never say "all," "none" and "every" when talking about tobaccos. Things may change from crop to crop. I see so much people saying, "all tobacco is cased," and things like that, which just isn't true. Someone may say that "most tobaccos are cased," and then it gets hyperbolized on the forum as "ALL tobaccos are cased," which is definitely false.

 

[Rockyrepose]

Not that I may have any wisdom, as I am quite daft ... but out of curiosity, which burley thread?

Like being allergic to peanuts

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Like being allergic to peanuts

I posted on there earlier this morning. I'm not sure whether my comment will help. It seems like he has his mind made up, and is just looking for confirmation. It's hard to show someone with their mind made up anything. These threads tend to be just declarations.

 

[Jbrewer2002]

Many of the blends will just say "Virginia Flake" and may only list Virginia in the online sites. There is no rule anywhere that all forms of leaf involved have to be listed anywhere. I don't think I've ever seen one listed as "Virginia only."
However, I have heard Jeremy, who was the one who first pointed this out on here, list off some in podcasts that are only uncased Virginias.

The blender's job is to keep a product tasting the same through years when a crop may taste differently. The reason they are called blenders is that they either have to add casings or blend in different leaf to keep a blend tasting how the customers expect. But, there may be various other reasons that other leaf may be added.

I wouldn't say that "all" Virginias have burley added. But, you'd probably be surprised which ones. And, there may be only undetectable levels added.

I wouldn't put too much stock in what is on labels and websites. That is all marketing copy, to help the customer understand what to expect from the blend. Virginia Flake, is merely a description, not a binding legal contract.

And, never say "all," "none" and "every" when talking about tobaccos. Things may change from crop to crop. I see so much people saying, "all tobacco is cased," and things like that, which just isn't true. Someone may say that "most tobaccos are cased," and then it gets hyperbolized on the forum as "ALL tobaccos are cased," which is definitely false.

I always assumed this was the case. I think our body’s chemistry dictates what we like or dislike. I typically don’t buy based on what tobacco the advertising says is in the blend. I usually go by the description and or tasting notes from reviews (although my tasting experience may be different) I’ll try anything a few times.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I always assumed this was the case. I think our body’s chemistry dictates what we like or dislike. I typically don’t buy based on what tobacco the advertising says is in the blend. I usually go by the description and or tasting notes from reviews (although my tasting experience may be different) I’ll try anything a few times.

Smoke what you like. I don't think anyone should twist someone's arm to make them try something. If you enjoy a particular variety, stick to it. However, I find that being open to new things... makes my wallet lighter and my cellar heavier, ha ha.

 

[alexnc]

It took me about 5 years. Suddenly I found myself smoking almost exclusively straight VA. It’s been since Sept 2023, I rarely go off straight VA. And when I do it seems like I just didn’t get what I wanted out of it. Spent last weekend on burleys trying to break the VA binge. Ended up heading for the VAs again. Like a long smoke just puts me in the zone. Other blends seem like an hour into it and I’m ready to flip to something else.

 

[alexnc]

8 years that is

 

[alexnc]

And I don’t what year it is, jeez

 

[cosmicfolklore]

And I don’t what year it is, jeez

I do that all the time. I’m at the age where everything feels like just a couple of years ago.
“Just been on the forum for a couple of years.”
“Been smoking pipes for a couple of years.”
“My adult kids were born just a couple of years ago.” Etc.

 

[ThermionicScott]

It took me about 5 years. Suddenly I found myself smoking almost exclusively straight VA. It’s been since Sept 2023, I rarely go off straight VA. And when I do it seems like I just didn’t get what I wanted out of it. Spent last weekend on burleys trying to break the VA binge. Ended up heading for the VAs again. Like a long smoke just puts me in the zone. Other blends seem like an hour into it and I’m ready to flip to something else.

What other news do you bring from the future?