With a yearly average humidity of 84%, maybe this is the answer to why their tobacco is so moist.
Wring out the Full Virginia Flake
- Thread starter Choatecav
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With a yearly average humidity of 84%, maybe this is the answer to why their tobacco is so moist.
I definitely wouldn't go that far but it dries easily when fully rubbed out.
British tobacco is wet and that’s how it’s always been from my understanding. Pack light and get a good ember going, try not to tamp too often or too hard. The moisture locks in the flavor and it’s mighty good. I like to cube cut FVF and add it to my 3 Sails for a “luxury” smoke. 
Allegedly their factory doesn't have air conditioning. Tradition!
"Does a bear shit in the woods?" Is a favorite up here. Don't know why. Bears seem to shit wherever they want. Who's is to tell them no? My front yard seems to be a favored latrine. Seriously, I'm not trying to hi-jack the thread. Me bad!
I find many of these, such as Sam's Flake, rub out and smoke very easily, but here are a couple of tricks for the more stubborn GH and SG flakes.
First, I will often take some flakes, air them for a bit, then put them in a small Tupperware for a few days, which seems to liberate excess moisture.
Second, rub out by hand, then take any of the larger chunks that won't rub out and put them in a weed grinder and grind well. Mix the two batches back together and you'll have a blend that burns nice and cool with minimal relights.
First, I will often take some flakes, air them for a bit, then put them in a small Tupperware for a few days, which seems to liberate excess moisture.
Second, rub out by hand, then take any of the larger chunks that won't rub out and put them in a weed grinder and grind well. Mix the two batches back together and you'll have a blend that burns nice and cool with minimal relights.
Good lord, Kendal is like Miami!
It's the British way with tobacco, I think. Forty or fifty years ago, I would buy RYO like Golden Virginia and it was so wet on opening, the Rizla would fall apart. Once open, it would dessicate pretty fast; half ounce and ounce packets would be dust by the end, two ounce tins took a bit longer to dry but still did. A guy I worked with had the answer, open a two ounce tin in the morning and finish it within 24 hours.. not sure that he's still with us...
I don't understand the trouble with fvf. I simply rub it out and smoke it.
I have some I’m trying to age for a decade. My plan is to see if it’s easier to light in ten years. That’s about when I expect to feel like making the effort again to tackle FVF. In the meantime, I have Peterson Flake which lights with no effort.
The Lake District has its own microclimate, changeable is an understatement. Lots of rain, sudden sunshine. The softest water I've ever encountered; touch a bar of soap, ten minutes to wash it off. Absolutely beautiful place, enchanting.
Enjoying a bowl right now. Cube cut that bad boy. Dried it out in a sunbeam for 30 minutes while I ate dinner, packed the pipe, and it took to the flame quite easily, requiring zero relights. This is my favorite straight Virginia.
It’s also batch specific. My last batch of Ennerdale (same company) was huge dense flakes that were pretty dry and didn’t burn well until I figured it out. This new one is all broken flake (even in the tin) that feels pretty moist, but burns easily, go figure. Basically shred them finer than other flakes and they should burn well, even wet, but drying helps.
Full Virginia Flake is still one of my favorite VA tobaccos, probably top 3. I think the hype is generally warranted but it does take a bit of fooling around trying a few techniques to unlock it for you and make you go wow!
I have tried pretty much everything and now having managed to smoke a couple pounds of it, I now just fold and stuff it as it comes from the tin. I've dried it right out and while that does make it easier to smoke, for me dried out it loses something in the depth of flavour. I just adjust my pack and cadence to suit the moisture level.
The biggest difference maker I've found is to get it light easily. Full Virginia Flake (like most Gawith flakes) can be hard to light, especially if it is a little moist, and if your scorching it to try and get it going that tends to give you either some tongue bite, or diminishes the flavour of the tobacco. The simplest way I've found is to light it with some 'tinder'. I load the bowl fold and stuff about 3/4 to 7/8 full leaving a bit of room to sprinkle a pinch of dry, finely crumbled Virginia ribbon or finely crumbled flake. Just whatever I have handy, something like Mac Baren, or Peter Stokebye LNF etc. I find using something dry and easy to light will help to get the FVF (or any stubborn flake) going fairly easily resulting in a much easier and flavourful smoke. It really helps to get the best out of the Kendal flakes.
I have tried pretty much everything and now having managed to smoke a couple pounds of it, I now just fold and stuff it as it comes from the tin. I've dried it right out and while that does make it easier to smoke, for me dried out it loses something in the depth of flavour. I just adjust my pack and cadence to suit the moisture level.
The biggest difference maker I've found is to get it light easily. Full Virginia Flake (like most Gawith flakes) can be hard to light, especially if it is a little moist, and if your scorching it to try and get it going that tends to give you either some tongue bite, or diminishes the flavour of the tobacco. The simplest way I've found is to light it with some 'tinder'. I load the bowl fold and stuff about 3/4 to 7/8 full leaving a bit of room to sprinkle a pinch of dry, finely crumbled Virginia ribbon or finely crumbled flake. Just whatever I have handy, something like Mac Baren, or Peter Stokebye LNF etc. I find using something dry and easy to light will help to get the FVF (or any stubborn flake) going fairly easily resulting in a much easier and flavourful smoke. It really helps to get the best out of the Kendal flakes.
While there is a bit more work to your method, I must say the description of the benefits makes it tempting. Thanks.
Wow! Lots of really inventive and complex ways to prep this poor defenseless blend and none of them even remotely correct.
Virgin sacrifice, at midnight, winter solstice, 7th day of a 7th month of a 7th year.
Ye gods and little fishes…
Virgin sacrifice, at midnight, winter solstice, 7th day of a 7th month of a 7th year.
Ye gods and little fishes…