What Makes A Great Virginian Blend?

[KennethR]

I am new pipe smoker and have not been smoking a lot of Virginia blends. I started smoking Capstan blue and this is meant to be gold standard in Virginia blends. My question to the forum is what makes a high-quality Virginia blend and how does this differentiate itself from cheaper offerings when they say they select the choices Virginian leaves... what does this mean? For those who are actual blenders I would love to know your thoughts on sourcing and ranking the quality of the Virginia leaves.

 

[Mrs. Pickles]

Intersting question!

As far as ranking goes, here's the USDA standards for grading flue cured tobacco:

Tobacco | Agricultural Marketing Service

www.ams.usda.gov

Their grading considers the stalk position, color, leaf size, oiliness, wholeness, and cleanliness of the leaf. Leaf brokers or blending houses seem to have their own similar standards as evidenced by the grading codes on certain C&D blends, like Caroline Red Flake, that don't match with the USDA grade codes. Sugar and nicotine content is apparently also measured for commercial lots of tobacco.

These are all objective qualities but not the subjective quality.

As to what translates to "quality" to you (i.e. what tastes good or bad, what a good Virginia should taste like, etc.) is a obviously personal determination.

Was this your question? How would we personally describe the virginia blends we like?

Also, a brand's description of a bend as "choice Virginia leaves" is probably just marketing speak and probably doesn't corolate to any particular grading.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

How much you enjoy it is all that matters. I like Capstan Blue but it isn't in my top 5. I prefer a sweeter, bready Virginia. It's all about personal preference. My favorite Virginias are McClelland 40th Anniversary, Sir John's Flake Virginia, F&T CVP, HH Pure Virginia, MB Virginia Flake, Vauen No 14, Pfeifen Huber Virginia Golden Flake then Capstan Blue.

 

[Zamora]

It's all a matter of personal taste. I suggest trying a few that are popular and going from there. Capstan Blue, Mac Baren Virginia Flake, Peter Stokkebye Luxury Twist Flake, and Hamborger Veermaster are all good starting points. Do note that a lot of new smokers don't care for straight VAs much at first but veteran ones often do, their flavors are usually more subtle than Englishes or VaPers.

 

[greeneyes]

To me? It's simple. Pack your pipe and forget it for two weeks.

If the Virginia is a good, quality Virginia, the smoke will be fantastic.

If you're smoking toppings and flavorings sprayed onto cheap filler Virginia, it won't survive the two weeks.

 

[sablebrush52]

There are a variety of Virginias and they exhibit different flavors. One person's excellent Virginia is another person's gag me with a spoon.

For example, I prefer the funky tang of matured red Virginias over Virginia brights, though I like the citrus they bring to other blends.

And, aside from reds, these days I prefer the bolder flavors of Empire leaf, leaf grown in Africa, India, and South America, to the current American product, which tastes less flavorful to me, unlike the the Old Belt stuff I used to smoke years ago.

Try Virginia blends, the good one will be the one you enjoy, not the one you're told to enjoy.

 

[Chasing Embers]

What Makes A Great Virginia Blend?

The person smoking it.

 

[KennethR]

Intersting question!

As far as ranking goes, here's the USDA standards for grading flue cured tobacco:

Tobacco | Agricultural Marketing Service

www.ams.usda.gov

Their grading considers the stalk position, color, leaf size, oiliness, wholeness, and cleanliness of the leaf. Leaf brokers or blending houses seem to have their own similar standards as evidenced by the grading codes on certain C&D blends, like Caroline Red Flake, that don't match with the USDA grade codes. Sugar and nicotine content is apparently also measured for commercial lots of tobacco.

These are all objective qualities but not the subjective quality.

As to what translates to "quality" to you (i.e. what tastes good or bad, what a good Virginia should taste like, etc.) is a obviously personal determination.

Was this your question? How would we personally describe the virginia blends we like?

Also, a brand's description of a bend as "choice Virginia leaves" is probably just marketing speak and probably doesn't corolate to any particular grading.

Thank you for replying and sharing interesting links and ideas for objective evaluation. Is there such a thing as a tobacco judging panel that ranks the best tobaccos of the year like scotch?

 

[fireground_piper]

Thank you for replying and sharing interesting links and ideas for objective evaluation. Is there such a thing as a tobacco judging panel that ranks the best tobaccos of the year like scotch?

There’s always questionable YouTube personalities who surely do. Watch at your own risk.

 

[Auxsender]

Beware of marketing hype.
“Select choicest Virginia leaves” and similar phrases, is marketing hype and all it means is “please buy our product”.

Smoke some Virginia blends and find what your favorite is. It’s out there waiting for you to find it.

Recommendations:
Watch City Simply Orange
Watch City Simply Red

Pfeifen Huber Old Belt Virginia

Ken Byron Ventures: Van Gogh, Brown Flek, Jim’s Special Flake, Redline

Cornell and Diehl: Opening Night, Carolina Red Flake, Derringer

 

[Briar Lee]

Don’t forget Buoy Gold, at $12 a pound.

It comes from the heart of the Old Belt in Kinston North Carolina by a family owned business that’s had a tobacco warehouse for eight generations.

The best North Carolina flue cured bright leaf contracts for .$2.05 per pound.

Then it has to age in a tobacco warehouse.

Since my wife got sick I mainly stuff it into tubes for a quick smoke, but the part that falls out into the boxes, is exactly the cut Bull Durham or other cloth sack Virginias were.

Bouy Gold is likely cut with a bit of burley to give it a chocolate richness and also a little Maryland to keep it lit.

But it’s mostly hay and citrus and goooood stuff.

Try aging it at least six months.

 

[OzPiper]

Thank you for replying and sharing interesting links and ideas for objective evaluation. Is there such a thing as a tobacco judging panel that ranks the best tobaccos of the year like scotch?

That is still someone else’s opinion rather than your own

I have friends who buy only 100pt wines which are all but undrinkable

When I got back to pipes a few years ago I read up on tobacco reviews to cherry pick the “most favoured” blends.
There were a couple of 5***** blends I absolutely disliked

By all means get a list - that’s what I do.
But then taste.
And trust your own palate.

 

[HeavyLeadBelly]

If anyone wants to try Bouy products both TobaccoPipes and Cup of Joes are liquidating their RYO stock right now. I snagged a nice rolling machine for 75% off.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Only you will know what your tastes are set for. Some people like those European Virginias. Some prefer the C&D and D&R non cased blends, like Opening Night and Virginia Flake, which I do. I miss the D&R VaPers. C&D has some lightly cased Virginias that are pretty good too, but they are just not my track. But, everyone is different. Like what you like. If you are new to smoking or Virginias, then try a spread of tobaccos till you find your groove.
Good luck.

Also, don't be afraid to try some burleys like Pegasus, Kellys Coin, or Two Timer. There's no rule that you have to be an either or sort of pipe smoker.

 

[BingBong]

You could try "smoked by shrewd judges" Orlik Golden Sliced, an easy smoke.

 

[Brad H]

Watch city cigar simply orange is a fair place to start. Then try a red Virginia and see which way you want to go from there. Also some Peter luxury twist flake.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Also some Peter luxury twist flake.

That LTF is a Virginia Cavendish with a caramelized coconut sugar casing. I like it occasionally, because the casings doesn't translate directly to the flavors. But, it would be smart to smoke it at least knowing that this isn't a straight up Virginia Flake. All that said, pending that STG hasn't tampered with the recipe.

 

[sablebrush52]

Is there such a thing as a tobacco judging panel that ranks the best tobaccos of the year like scotch?

I was part of a panel on another forum that was tasked with updating their "gold standard" list of tobacco blends of different types, 6-7 years ago. With all of the component subbing now going on it's pretty meaningless these days.

Try some of the recommendations that have been given. See what you like. It would be nice if the Pfeifen Huber blends were actually available in the US, but you have to go to Munich to buy them. I'd be buying Pfiefen Huber Virginia Golden Flake.

Blenders are doing the best that they can under difficult circumstances. There's less high quality leaf being grown and there have been climate events that have affected crops. More components are being sourced from different places. That means changes in blends and a level of instability with maintaining the flavor profiles of a great many blends.

So try a bunch of stuff and if you find something you like, stock up on it, because it could be different next batch.

 

[kg.legat0]

Just my two cents on this as I tend to focus on Virginia blends -- while there are many different varieties and ways they can go, what I am always looking for is the development of flavor as I make my way down the bowl. Some blends do this well for me while some are more consistent from start to finish. I don't think there's anything 'wrong' with either, but I am always looking for blends that finish with those unbelievable fruity/complex flavors.

I think the development/end flavor is definitely dependent on the person smoking it as well as environmental factors (ie humidity) ...but, this is what I am always after with Virignia blends.

 

[anotherbob]

The smoker. In two ways. One technique really matters with these types of blends. And just preference. I hate some of the most popular blends. I don't like Capstan. I didn't know I could be bored by a smoke.