What Am I Not Getting About Virginias?

[Sincerely]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9)

I don't like aromatics, I love Englishes of all kinds from mild to strong to Scottish with every kind of condiment or co-base from VA to Burley, etc.

I just can't get into Virginias, but I really want to. I want to enjoy and savor and collect virginias like so many of the rest of you seem to. I want to roam and inspect and analyze the huge world of VAs that so many of you get to -- but I just can't seem to love VAs. They're just "okay" for me.

I've never had those "nirvana smokes" or revelationary reactions where I immediately want to buy pounds of any VA based blends the way I have with Englishes.

I run the spectrum from bored to "this is okay" on every VA I've smoked.

I'll try to think of every VA based mix I've tried: Escudo, PS Navy Flake, PS Luxury coins, golden sliced, Haddo's, penny farthing, PS aged Virginia made by S Gawith.

Please help me, I want to like.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Make sure you dry them out thoroughly before smoking. Smoke slowly.

Love the Sagat avatar.. he was always my go-to character in SF.

 

[lukasstrifeson]

Why do people do this to themselves? Nothing wrong with not smoking Virginias.

But usually when it comes to Virginias it's a technique problem: "dry longer, pack lighter, sip slower" was the advise I got and it definitely pointed me in the right direction.

Also I am curious where all this "aromatics: booo, virginias: king" sentiment is coming from, probably a McClelland conspiracy marketing plan to relaunch ?

EDITED: spelling

 

[jpmcwjr]

Quite right. Smoke what you like and like what you smoke! I will try VA's every week or so, and while most are all right, none have swayed me from my English and Balkan blends, with some VaPers.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Nothing wrong about not liking Virginia's. But what you listed are VaPers. Try some straight Virginia's blends and then form an opinion.

 

[cshubhra]

To me English Blends are full flavored while Va family is with subtle nuances.
Not perfect example but if I compare with food, English blends will be like a hearty curry while Va blends will be like a fresh Oyster with a pinch of lemon where you can still taste the sea where it came from.
Comparing to scotch - English blends are like full flavored Islay like Laphroaig while a Va would be a nuanced highland like Dalwhinnie.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Took me a bit to come around to them as well, but now they are some of my favorites. As others have said, dry longer, smoke slower, tiny sips. I think for some people it just takes more time for your palate to come around to more subtle flavors too. It certainly did for me.

I’d say keep smoking what you like, but try a VA every once in a while as well. Many of the blends you listed also significantly improve with a few months in a jar. If I try a VA I’m not a big fan of, thats my go to move, jar it and try in a few months. Many have changed quite a bit for the better.

If nothing changes after a while, then maybe they just aren’t for you. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.

 

[desrtrat68]

I have the same opinion as you. they're ok, but not what I want to smoke in a regular rotation. I've done as alaskanpiper has suggested and jarred them up. I'll revisit at some point in the future.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I just can't get into Virginias, but I really want to.

How long have you been smoking? For some, aromatics, Virginias, and milder blends can take years to develop a taste for.

 

[petes03]

Try going a few days without smoking English/Balkans. Smoke some burley for a few days, then go to some Virginias and VaPers. Smoke VERY slowly. Take small sips, retrohale every few sips and occasionally exhale through your nose. The slower you go, the better. And don’t worry about relights.

 

[Sincerely]

How long have you been smoking? For some, aromatics, Virginias, and milder blends can take years to develop a taste for.

Only about a year. Started with cigars. Pipes probably 10 months.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Only about a year. Started with cigars. Pipes probably 10 months.

Probably a bit too soon for Virginias then. Some take right to them while others take longer to develop a palate for them, if at all. It took me nearly three decades to be able to taste aromatics.

 

[bullet08]

Va/Per was more immediate for me. But soon after, I tried English and didn't smoke them. But straight Va took some time to "enjoy" it. It wasn't bad or anything. Compare to English/Balkan, it was just bland. Sort of like eating good spicy curry then having fish and chip, or any English food. Give it time and go back to it now and then. To me, Va is just very comfortable and sweet smoke.

 

[Casual]

I’m just over a year in and still in the same boat. At the rate my tastes have gone increasingly lighter in character over time, I expect to be able to “get” Virginias next year.

 

[Pipelady20]

I don't like aromatics, I love Englishes of all kinds from mild to strong to Scottish with every kind of condiment or co-base from VA to Burley, etc.

I just can't get into Virginias, but I really want to. I want to enjoy and savor and collect virginias like so many of the rest of you seem to. I want to roam and inspect and analyze the huge world of VAs that so many of you get to -- but I just can't seem to love VAs. They're just "okay" for me.

I've never had those "nirvana smokes" or revelationary reactions where I immediately want to buy pounds of any VA based blends the way I have with Englishes.

I run the spectrum from bored to "this is okay" on every VA I've smoked.

I'll try to think of every VA based mix I've tried: Escudo, PS Navy Flake, PS Luxury coins, golden sliced, Haddo's, penny farthing, PS aged Virginia made by S Gawith.

Please help me, I want to like.

I understand this. I've had a few *straight VAs* and they either do nothing for me or by the end of the smoke my tongue feels like it has been stabbed with needles for three days. They're in the cellar and I'm in no rush to ever see them again.

The VaPers were a better experience (Peterson Elizabethan,
PS403 Bullseye Flake) but this was after jarring them for some time.

 

[virginialover]

Your Virginia should be the first smoke of the day, I find Plugs and Flakes more flavorful but that could be just me imagining things. Pack light in a big bowl with the tobacco slightly on the dry side or slightly on the moist side, depending on the Virginia. Brown and Red Virginias usually carry more flavor for someone who mainly smokes Latakia or Kentucky. And most importantly smoke slowly almost sip to get the most of your Virginia tobacco.

 

[kcghost]

Many English smokers, such as myself, didn't develop any taste for Virginias for many years. Then we did it was look out nellie!

 

[hauntedmyst]

How long have you been smoking? For some, aromatics, Virginias, and milder blends can take years to develop a taste for.

He's right. Took me 40 years and I am.just now starting to enjoy them. Even if you don't immediately enjoy them, if you can afford it, but a tin of two when you shop and put them away and forget they are there for 5 to 10 years. That way they'll be aging and if you still don't like them you can sell then for more than you paid for them.

 

[sablebrush52]

I started smoking VIrginia and Va/Per blends exclusively after I burned out on Latakia about 7 years ago. At first I thought there was no "there" there, but I learned how to get the most flavors from them.

The nice thing about English, Balkan, and Oriental blends is that these very aromatic leaves don't require any great technique to have an enjoyable smoke. Not so with Vriginias in my experience. Virginias will school you. Smoked too wet and there's little to no flavor. Smoked too fast and they will incinerate a pipe, along with your mouth. Dried to just short of crumbly dry and Virginias will deliver their flavors, not the sort of powerhouse orientals deliver, but a real kaleidoscope of more delicate nuanced flavors. Smoked very slowly so that they barely simmer and they will deliver all the flavors in the blend, will not get hot, and will not incinerate your tongue unless you have a body chemistry issue.
Today I smoke Virginias and Virginia variants almost exclusely and English, Balkan, Oriental occasionally.

 

[logs]

The nice thing about English, Balkan, and Oriental blends is that these very aromatic leaves don't require any great technique to have an enjoyable smoke. Not so with Vriginias in my experience. Virginias will school you.

Wow. Leave it to Sable to say everything right in the most useful and economical way possible. I wish we could make this post required reading for anyone starting their VA journey.