why va?

[cosmicfolklore]

What I love about the "Virginia" (brightleaf) category, growing it, curing it, and smoking it... is the limitless variety it offers. You've got tons of heritage and commercial seedstock, like cherry red, Canadian, African, and all of the golds. Then you have flue curing, color curing, and the whole range of flavors you can pull from the same seedstock by just how it is cured. Then you can shred, ribbon, press, twist, roll it up in many different varieties to get different flavors.
I have been able to grow and cure Virginias with a distinct lemony flavor, a lightly cherry tasting fruity red, deep robust cigar-like flavors, and balanced mixes. The range is limitless. Then add in the affect of pipe geometry and packing on the flavor... and, the effects of how fast or strong you puff... After years of smoking Virginias, just doing a three step packing process of a Balakan into a pipe is a boring ass smoke to me.
But, I also enjoy the huge range of burley flavors and the occasional latakia blend. Heck, I even enjoy an aromatic and lakeland sometimes. But, none beat the delicate nuances and the huge flavor ranges of everything that can be done with a brightleaf alone. It is more for those with a more sensitive palate for smoke flavors. It takes a little more than just trying a few blends to decide whether you like it, muchless what it should taste like.

 

[irishearl]

Vast majority of straight Virginia blends have flavor profiles which are too subtle and not rich enough for me. Therefore too bland. 1 of the exceptions is the now defunct Klondike Gold. Got to try it thanks to Ashdigger and it was sufficiently deep and rich to entice me. Otherwise, the only Virginias I smoke are VaPers. That and latakia blends, often with perique. I like bold flavors. ODF is bold enough to be a favorite of mine.

 

[tabakpfeife]

Two reasons. First, to me, Latakia overpowers everything else in an English blend. It's often the only thing I can taste, and I get tired of it. For some reason, I can pick out different flavors in VA blends better.I prefer Oriental forward Balkans if I am in the mood for Latakia. Secondly, I smoke Latakia in cooler weather. I prefer VA/VAPERs in the hotter months.

 

[Chasing Embers]

First, to me, Latakia overpowers everything else in an English blend.

I smoked strictly lat heavy blends for nearly a decade, and now can't taste the difference between Pirate Kake and Penzance. Mostly straight Virginias for me as the spectrum of flavors across the curing methods is vast. I love Virginia/Orientals, and usually only smoke blends containing Latakia if they are in condiment amounts such as Black Frigate.

 

[trubka2]

I think the thing that most draws me to blends in the VA family is their incredible variety - how they taste, smell, burn, look, etc. I'm often surprised that I enjoy straight VAs so much, and that the differences between VAs blends are very stark to me. It's not like I have great technique or a developed palate - I don't. My current pet theory is that it's at least partly because I was a heavy cigarette smoker for 30 years, so even though I took up the pipe in earnest only recently, I've smoked at least a half ton of (mostly) VAs in my life. I still smoke some lighter latakia fare daily, mainly for breakfast with coffee, and I smoke at least a couple bowls of burley a day, but VAs, VAPers and VAKYs are what hold my interest best and what I hanker for most lately, so that's mainly what I smoke.

 

[gamzultovah]

I find that my palate changes with seasons (two in Florida). I like Virginia's and aromatics in the summer months and English and Balkan in the winter (cooler) months. All to me are good in their proper season.

 

[seldom]

why va?

Because VA is for lovers!

I don't know why I like Va and VaPer blends. I suppose they don't bludgeon my taste buds so badly. I just like the way they taste.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Today I hardly smoke anything containing Latakia for the same reason mr Sablebrush told us above,I began to get fatigued with that campfire taste,Today If I smoke anything with latakia it has to be only in condiment roles such as found in Presbyterian or Skiffmixtures

As of now,I'm mostly Burley / Kentucky devotee, but also do occasionally smoke Vapers, and straight lighter/medium Virginas

as Sablebrush mentioned, Virginias are far less forgiving of mediocre technics and as such, I do find these tobaccies do teach me how to properly smoke a pipe + they work well as palate cleansers,

 

[elbert]

Because VA is for lovers!

She doesn't own a dress.

Hair is always a mess,

Catch her stealin' she won't confess.

She's beautiful...
(Yes, I went to a Train concert in Omaha.)

 

[Chasing Embers]

She doesn't own a dress.

Hair is always a mess,

Catch her stealin' she won't confess.

She's beautiful...

I've met Virginia. :mrgreen:

 

[mso489]

Why not burley? Sorry, I'm smoking some Tabac-Manil Semois medium cut. Burley variant actually.

 

[anotherbob]

why not?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I enjoy a straight burley about as much as I do a Virginia. So, why not?

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

@Cosmic/Mso489, I'm hearing You,,

 

[hauntedmyst]

Bullet, I've been smoking for 40 years and just recently got an urge to try va's and va/prs. So far, with the exception of Ennerdale (would you even call it a VA?) I've found the same experience as you. They just seem monochromatic and boringly flat. I have a few more to try that I bought but I'm not seeing what others see in them.

 

[disinformatique]

Why Not? I think you havent smoked enough VA VaPer VaLat VaBur at this point thats why you're thinking on these terms.
Also remember can't have cake daily. Even if you're married to a SuperModel you WILL get tired of her s**t eventually. It's good to be eclectic and try everything.
Smoke Pease's Six Pence or Fillmore or Haddo's and your "Va, VaPer isnt complex enough to enjoy." I've only example of one blender, there are many who are wizards at what they do. Russ Oulette, Jeremy Reeves, Joe Lankford, Blenders at Mac Baren and the list goes on and on and on.
Cheers,

Chris :puffpipe:

 

[burleybreath]

I think you can make a comparison of Virginia tobacco with tea. At least I do. At their best, either is nectar or ambrosia or whatever you want to call it. At their worst, they are dull, flat, and tasteless. Refined technique plays a large part here--which is why I drink a lot of coffee and smoke a lot of burley.