Top 3 Straight Virginias

[Old_Newby]

Enjoying my pipe smoking journey. Watched lots of YTPC videos and have learned a lot but am curious what is your top 3 straight Virginia blends still available today. Please don’t tell me about your 2017 or prior McClelland unless you are going to send me a tin.

It can be from Europe, Africa, anywhere. Just looking for straight Virginia blends only. No aromatics, no VaPer, no VaBur.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

C&D Opening Night
C&D Virginia Flake
GLP Laurel Heights

 

[Chasing Embers]

Please don’t tell me about your 2017 or prior McClelland

Leaves me out, that's about the only straight Virginias I smoke.

 

[Old_Newby]

Leaves me out, that's about the only straight Virginias I smoke.

Well now you have to send me some..

 

[Chasing Embers]

Well now you have to send me some..

Didn't mention them by name, you did, now you have to buy me more. My tobacco buying days are behind me but thankfully I'm in a position of having enough to last the rest of my days.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Currently:

Fribourg & Treyer Special Brown Flake
Seattle Pipe Club Hogshead
Wessex Gold Brick

 

[Old_Newby]

Didn't mention them by name, you did, now you have to buy me more. My tobacco buying days are behind me but thankfully I'm in a position of having enough to last the rest of my days.

I wish I could buy you some. No longer available. Out of business.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

F&T Cut Virginia Plug
MB HH Pure Virginia
SG BBF

 

[Chasing Embers]

I wish I could buy you some. No longer available. Out of business.

When they were still around, most of their tinned offerings were $5/ounce and below. I certainly wouldn't pay more for it. Lots of equally good blends available, I just bought what was available at the time especially during sales and just have no more room for mine or my wife's cellars.

 

[SBC]

• C&D Opening Night
• HH Pure Virginia
• Capstan Blue
• Honorable Mention: Newminster 400
  (Far and away the best bang for buck. I'm cellaring deep on it, not the others, because it's literally half the price of the others, or better, and it's 90+% as good.)

 

[Old_Newby]

When they were still around, most of their tinned offerings were $5/ounce and below. I certainly wouldn't pay more for it. Lots of equally good blends available, I just bought what was available at the time especially during sales and just have no more room for mine or my wife's cellars.

What are the “equally good blends” in your opinion.

 

[rmbittner]

Like most here, I’d guess, my “top” blends are quite changeable. And I consider some blends straight VAs that technically aren’t. (I’m very sensitive to perique, and I find it undetectable in Old Gowrie; so, for me, Old Gowrie is a straight VA.)

SG Full Virginia Flake
Capstan Blue
Peterson Flake

And I’ll give Honorable Mentions to both MacBaren HH Pure Virginia and GLPease Laurel Heights. I’ve cellared both on the basis of reviews, reputation, and my expectations of enjoyment. But I haven’t actually tried either one yet.

 

[futureman]

Klondike Gold would be at the top of my list if it was available. Man, that was stuff was good. Otherwise:

SG FVF
Capstan Blue
Tie: F&T Cut Virginia Plug and SG Best Brown

Very interested in trying Newminster 400.

 

[CoffeeAndBourbon]

Ken Byron - Mr. Christian's Brown Flek
KB - Red Line

 

[NomadOrb]

Man, there's so many good Virginias on the market, I would Sample from each of the big blending houses and find out which ones work for you.

Some of my favorites are HH Pure Virginia and Opening Night, but don't sleep on the bulk blends.

 

[pipingfool]

Sam Gawith Full Virginia Flake
Newminster 400 Flake (I second the notion that this is one of the best values in bulk tobacco)
C&D Carolina Red Flake

And I have to add G&H Best Brown Flake #2, but there is a touch of Burley in that blend (hell, there is probably a touch of Burley in the blends listed below; it tends to hide in unsuspecting places). BB#2 is one of my all time favorite blends and it ages very nicely.

 

[ray47]

My top 3 are:
Newminster 400
C&D's Yorktown
MacBaren Virginia #1

 

[Chasing Embers]

What are the “equally good blends” in your opinion.

Mac Baren HH Virginia
Aylesbury Luxury/Classic Flake
Sutliff 515 RC-1

 

[dino]

1. Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake
2. Newminster No. 400 Superior Navy Flake
3. Sutliff 515 RC-1

 

[kcghost]

You can buy McClelland on Steve Fallon's website, but you have to be very fast.