The Search For a New Virginia Favourite Is On
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Some quick takes - my opinions:
Capstan Blue > Yellow
Capstan Blue with a few years age >>>>> Capstan Blue.
I was pleasantly surprised by Union Square recently. A pipe club buddy opened a tin from 2015 and gave me a few flakes. Love the texture and the flavor is as natural as any I've tasted. If you're not a fan of sweet casings or just prefer straight tobacco flavor this is a winner.
I've seen some sources say Marlin Flake is a straight Virginia blend, and others maintain it has perique (and even black cavendish?). I've never tried it myself, so what's the consensus here?
Capstan Blue > Yellow
Capstan Blue with a few years age >>>>> Capstan Blue.
I was pleasantly surprised by Union Square recently. A pipe club buddy opened a tin from 2015 and gave me a few flakes. Love the texture and the flavor is as natural as any I've tasted. If you're not a fan of sweet casings or just prefer straight tobacco flavor this is a winner.
I've seen some sources say Marlin Flake is a straight Virginia blend, and others maintain it has perique (and even black cavendish?). I've never tried it myself, so what's the consensus here?
I'm on the same exact hunt, and I went through all of those. I really like them all, but none of them did it for me as a new favorite. Interested in your search!
The Kohlhase & Kopp website describes Marlin Flake:
Hal O'the Wynd, and Brown Clunee.
But some folks don't find the Perique that K&K claims for this and its sister blends: Old Gowrie,
Hal O'the Wynd, and Brown Clunee.
I think a lot of Va's have a touch of Perique that is used to mitigate Virginia's natural piquancy without adding too much to the taste. Orlik Golden Sliced falls into that category for sure.
barepipe: a distinguished trio with which to begin your quest. I have been a fan of Rattray's Marlin Flake for many years, but recently I have fallen in love with Rattray's Old Gowrie - stellar IMO, and worth a try.
My own No.1 Va has always been SG FVF/FVP, and why not? But, I recently opened a jar of GH&Co Bright CR Flake (vintage 2013) from my Retirement Cache and was blown away. Not as complex or as 'deep' as aged FVF but as a tasty yet rich, all-day bright Va smoke I haven't tasted a better. IMO it is often overlooked in this genre. BTW, no "Lakeland Essence" detected - promise!! :wink:
EDIT: Bright CR Plug is even better (as is often the case in plug vs. flake of the same blend).
My own No.1 Va has always been SG FVF/FVP, and why not? But, I recently opened a jar of GH&Co Bright CR Flake (vintage 2013) from my Retirement Cache and was blown away. Not as complex or as 'deep' as aged FVF but as a tasty yet rich, all-day bright Va smoke I haven't tasted a better. IMO it is often overlooked in this genre. BTW, no "Lakeland Essence" detected - promise!! :wink:
EDIT: Bright CR Plug is even better (as is often the case in plug vs. flake of the same blend).
I just now bought a tin of Union Square myself to try.
My favorite VA's are Wessex Red and Gold flakes.
My favorite VA's are Wessex Red and Gold flakes.
All three of these flakes are fantastic. I have to say that Union Square was an epiphany for me. Was way too fresh when young, like many C&D blends, but at 2-3 years I was really impressed. Just a very lush bready Va flavour that was oh so good. I have hit the cellar button hard on all of these.
Peck, I love that phrase "the cellar button". I wish I had one of those, which, when I push it, the cellar reloads or fills with the desired blend in the desired quantity .... Star Trek technology musing aside...
I love all three blends but I do prefer to the Marlin Flake Rattray's own Hal O'The Wynd. The dark fired in it just puts it more in my wheelhouse. If you enjoy knetucky in a blend, I recommend Hal highly.
I love all three blends but I do prefer to the Marlin Flake Rattray's own Hal O'The Wynd. The dark fired in it just puts it more in my wheelhouse. If you enjoy knetucky in a blend, I recommend Hal highly.
I have yet to pop a Rattray tin that I didn't like, even their aromatics are top notch. I love all three of those blends, but if I had between those three on the shelf, and I went to automatically grab something, it would be the Marlin. Just a reflex.
Totally agree with Thomasw. Hal is great. Marlin Flake is nice as well, very sweet, but I like Capstan Blue better. All of them have a place in my rotation. Don't know Union Square.
M
mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast
Guest
I agree with Mr. Peck that Union Square does need some time, and is a bready Virginia with a no nonsense pure tobacco depth of flavor; but it wasn't an epiphany for me. I like it alright though. Although, it's cousin Fillmore with 5 or 6 years on it... wowee zowwee, epiphany.
Capstan Flake Blue is an all day everyday smoke for me. It and Campaign Dark Flake, along with CVP, FVF, Luxury Flake, and Dunhill Flake are the anchors of my rotation. I used to keep a McClelland's red flake of some sort in there, but since Mary and Mike's retirement, I've removed them and they've become a weekend and special ocassion thing. I've got about 30 tins of 1776, and a few other miscellaneous tins, and they unfortunately no longer serve as an anchor in the rotation because I need them to last.
I need to try more Rattray's blends. I don't know why, but they've always kind of eluded me. I smoke primarily Virginia's, but do like Escudo and Fillmore. They're my Vaper anchors. Much more Escudo than Fillmore. I think Escudo is a masterpiece. I guess I just always think Virginia perique when I think Rattray's, and Escudo just does the trick for my hankering for a Vaper. Maybe I'm missing out on something and should give one a try? I don't know? I'm just kind of over trying tobaccos. Shit, I smoked Camel Lights everyday of my life for about 15 years without ever trying another cigarette. I don't know why I feel compelled to try another blend of pipe tobacco. I guess I don't, which is why I never made it to trying Rattray's?
Capstan Flake Blue is an all day everyday smoke for me. It and Campaign Dark Flake, along with CVP, FVF, Luxury Flake, and Dunhill Flake are the anchors of my rotation. I used to keep a McClelland's red flake of some sort in there, but since Mary and Mike's retirement, I've removed them and they've become a weekend and special ocassion thing. I've got about 30 tins of 1776, and a few other miscellaneous tins, and they unfortunately no longer serve as an anchor in the rotation because I need them to last.
I need to try more Rattray's blends. I don't know why, but they've always kind of eluded me. I smoke primarily Virginia's, but do like Escudo and Fillmore. They're my Vaper anchors. Much more Escudo than Fillmore. I think Escudo is a masterpiece. I guess I just always think Virginia perique when I think Rattray's, and Escudo just does the trick for my hankering for a Vaper. Maybe I'm missing out on something and should give one a try? I don't know? I'm just kind of over trying tobaccos. Shit, I smoked Camel Lights everyday of my life for about 15 years without ever trying another cigarette. I don't know why I feel compelled to try another blend of pipe tobacco. I guess I don't, which is why I never made it to trying Rattray's?
Capstan Blue is a great Va that you could puff all day.
Union Square - I’ve only had a fresh tin and fresh it’s pretty complex. Seems to have just about all of the different type of Va flavors and they take turns nicely during the bowl. It’s very much for me a blend that I have when I want to focus on the flavors.
Haven’t had Marlin flake yet.
Union Square - I’ve only had a fresh tin and fresh it’s pretty complex. Seems to have just about all of the different type of Va flavors and they take turns nicely during the bowl. It’s very much for me a blend that I have when I want to focus on the flavors.
Haven’t had Marlin flake yet.
Marlin flake is like an appetizer for me. Very sweet and not savory. Hal o' the Wynd is more filling, as the kentucky dominates towards the end. Capstan is a very good straight virginia, a little less filling than FVF, but equally good IMO.
I dont know exactly how much time Union Square needs to get in "the zone" but the 8 year old tin I smoked was absolutely amazing. Without the added casing/topping that other virginias have, it had an amount of bloom that rivaled that of the tin I had found on a 2006 tin of Christmas Cheer (of course the CC was a much better smoke).
The fellow who I bought the tins from had switched exclusively to Fillmore. I tried it fresh at it was intense! I put the other tin I bought in the deepest reaches of my cellar and will visit it again in about 5 years maybe.
The fellow who I bought the tins from had switched exclusively to Fillmore. I tried it fresh at it was intense! I put the other tin I bought in the deepest reaches of my cellar and will visit it again in about 5 years maybe.
Greg Pease talks about Benson&Hedges OVF being the finest Va Flake he’s known. Perhaps, that was his model?
Mike S.
Mike S.
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