Virginia Tobacco Recommendations?

[nitemair13]

After my visit to Pipes By George and getting to actually smell each tobacco type (for the most part) individually, I've found that I have a love for the Virginia tobacco. My favorite blends are all heavily Virginia based and it would seem that this type does not have a huge amount of nicotine in it (Yes I know all tobacco has nicotine, I just don't like large hits of it.)
I tried some straight red Virginia that I got from George which just reaffirmed its what I like best. But I don't want to go into ordering a bunch of Virginia tobacco blind, so I was hoping for some recommendations. Like I said, I'm not after a strong nicotine hit. Last time I had one of those it knocked me on my butt.
Thanks.

 

[mso489]

You know this thread could go on for the rest of the century. Well, I'll start by mentioning Orlik Golden Sliced. Peter Stokkebye's Luxury Navy Flake. For starters.

 

[erhardt85]

I know Dunhill is going away soon but I'd recommend Elizabethan as a simple and tasty blend. Fairly mild. Maybe medium for someone sensitive to nicotine but worth it. Esoterica Brighton and Dunbar for unique, light, and exceptional virginia smoke. Mac Baren HH pure Virginia has to be up there, along with their Virginia no.1 if you want something really light and basic. I'm you get what you pay for there though. There are so many virginias it's hard to narrow

 

[seacaptain]

I gravitated toward straight VA flakes, and tried quite a few. I found Wessex Red and Gold to be the best. GLP Union Square is great too. McClelland makes several excellent blends also but that time has passed for the most part.
There are some good VAPer's out there too.

 

[seanv]

Westminster Virginia slices is as straight forward and mild as a straight Virginia can be yet still flavourful.

If you like Elizabethian try Cornell and Diehl bayou morning.

 

[sasquatch]

Easy to obtain and therefore recommended: Mac Baren Virginia Flake - very good, unheralded. Bright and sweet. Capstan Yellow or Blue, both wonderful. Union Square from Pease - darker tasting leaf with maybe a slightly fruity tone on top. Erik Stokkebye 4th generation 1855 - very much straight-between-the-eyes va pipe tobacco.
Less easy to come by but around: Mallard from Dan Tobacco - very rich and sweet, untopped. Cut Virginia Plug or Cut Blended Plug from Fribourg and Treyer - mild mannered, easy companion va. Wessex Red as mentioned above. McConnell Scottish Flake - a dirty virginia, deep flavors, lots to think about. Full Virginia Flake from Gawith - british va treatment leaves the leaf darker, fuller, less sharp and a bit less sweet. Rattray Brown Clunee. Sweeter than FVF but still a mile from the Danish/German types.
Unobtainable, sell a child to get: Dunhill Flake - the best there is, was or will be. Digger Flake and a whole host of other long-disco'd british classics - player's navy cut etc, just aren't made anymore. McClelland 24, 27, and any Christmas Cheer.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

SG Best Brown Flake. Rattray's Old Gowrie and Hal O' The Wynd. F&T Golden Mixture, Special Brown Flake and Vintage. Mac Baren Pure Virginia. These are in addition to what has already been mentioned.

 

[ashdigger]

My go to is Peter Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake or Orlik Golden Slice
My next favorite, and not to be a jerk..... Klondike Gold, Dunhill Flake, John Aylesbury ..... currently hard to impossible to find.

 

[64alex]

In addition to what said I would add Kendall plug which is the plug version of Best Brown Flake which are both lower in nic compared to FVF/FVP. I really think with Virginia you should consider trying some plugs as they open a whole new world (for the better IMO). Only problem is that for the most they are not available in the US and likely you have to buy from Europe (some sellers ship to USA anyway).

 

[curl]

I like Amphora Virginia Blend

And Rattray’s Old Gowry

And Hearth and Home Anniversary Kake.

And MM Country Gentleman.

 

[blackadderlxx]

You can't go wrong with Golden Sliced, Luxury Navy Flake, Luxury Bullseye Flake, Anniversary Kake or Escudo. Easy to find, popular for a reason.

 

[workman]

Anyone mention SG St James Flakes? Va/per of the gods!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I like how the OP asks for a straight Virginia, and almost everyone suggested a blended VaPer, ha ha. I find that a true straight Virginia with little or no casing has a much more mellow impact on my tongue. VaPers are good, but different from a straight Virginia, IMO.
I enjoy C&D Virginia Flakes, MacBaren's Pure Virginia, Astleys 109, and as far as a straight red goes, I really miss McClellands, but D&R has a straight Red Virginia in their blenders series. None of our sponsors has it, but you can call some B&Ms that carry the blending series and get it.
There were some great heavily cased VAs and VaPer blends mentioned also.

 

[bluto]

Sg st James flake is difficult to come by on this side of the pond
I saw it online for 135 danish krone , that’s 30 cdn to me

 

[lordofthepiperings]

Sutliff: 507 C Virginia Slices

Mac Baren: HH Pure Virginia

Amphora: Virginia

GL Pease: Union Square

 

[mso489]

Plenty of good Virginia single leaf or Virginia-only blends out there, just not as widely promoted usually. Most bulk blend menus include Virginia-only blends. And dare i say, some of the bagged tobaccos are all-Virginia and some are pretty good. You have to shop selectively and sample in small quantities to find what you like. Nothing has emerged with the popularity of McClellands 5100, but I think a Forums favorite will emerge. Since I'm a Virginia appreciator but a burley fanatic, I'll leave the nominations of Virginias to other extremely discerning Virginia smokers here.

 

[jazz]

Straight Virginias that are regulars in my pipe are the usual suspects in Best Brown Flake and Full Virginia Flake by Samual Gawith but another regular and one I seldom hear about is Golden Glow by the same manufacturer. I suspect this gets overlooked by many because it is much lighter in every way compared to its bigger brothers but don't get lighter confused with insipid. I find when smoked right this is a delicious little blend with plenty of the goodness you may expect from a good Virginia.
I smoke some Dunhill's often too but as they are going away I won't bother recommending them.

 

[bigpond]

Taking notes here. Straight Va seems to have taken it on the chin wrt to availability and in making my own list it seem’s way easier to find a decent blended va Flake than a straight if you want to actually buy something...right now.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Almost all Virginias are blended. I just was thinking that to suggest a VaPer blend or BurPer was a bit off. In fact, with McClellands being tits up, there really isn't much of a single crop Virginia out there... none comes to mind at all.

 

[haparnold]

Here's another vote for Union Square.