Your Favorite Straight Virginia
- Thread starter delkhouri
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F&T Special Brown Flake
Wessex Brigade Campaign Dark Flake
Astley’s 44
Wessex Brigade Campaign Dark Flake
Astley’s 44
Sutliff 507-C, Dunhill Flake, Ashton Gold Rush
A while ago I would've said SG FVF or Capstan Blue.
These days, though, it has to be Wessex Gold Brick.
These days, though, it has to be Wessex Gold Brick.
Fairly new to Virginia and VaPers, so I won't impose my untrained palate on anyone.
Not quite what the OP asked -
There is a Forums thread from 2017 on Air-cured vs Flue-cured Virginias. Excellent explanation of how the curing affects the flavour of the final product.
Apologies. My lack of skills preclude posting the relevant link.
Not quite what the OP asked -
There is a Forums thread from 2017 on Air-cured vs Flue-cured Virginias. Excellent explanation of how the curing affects the flavour of the final product.
Apologies. My lack of skills preclude posting the relevant link.
By cellar weight, my favorites are Hal O The Wynd, Campaign Dark Flake, FVF and a simple red Va in bulk.
You can argue that HOTW has other ingredients, but none of those were listed on the label back when I bought them. It was considered a straight VA. I don’t think it used to hav DFK, and had so little perique that it was just an odor.
You can argue that HOTW has other ingredients, but none of those were listed on the label back when I bought them. It was considered a straight VA. I don’t think it used to hav DFK, and had so little perique that it was just an odor.
Wow everyone thanks for so many responses..… I had a really busy day and finally got around to reading everyones posts. there are so many great suggestions on this list. A great deal of them I have tried. But many more that i havent yet. When I asked the question, i half expected to blown away with responses of SG FVF and while that response is common and present almost everyone shared other responses as well.
I have historically been a big fan of mcclellands take on virginias and really love mccranies red ribbon BUT i dont want to make this another moan fest about mcclelland as they are done and as this proves there are still a great many amazing virginas out there.
Personally i do really enjoy SG FVF and Rattrays Marlin flake/HOTW/old gowrie are some of all time favorites particularly marlin flake but I am not sure if any of the rattrays offerings are PURE virginias.
Here are some take aways from the thread:
1) I need to get some more wessex and f&t in my cellar particularly wessex campaign dark flake in my cellar
2) I have never had a pease blend that i was wowed by enough to buy again but i think i need to give union square another shot
3) I have never gotten around to trying capstan blue and for some reason i thought it had a bunch of other stuff in there like even some latakia.. man was wrong about that.. going to go buy some asap
4) i have sutliff va slices and newminster navy flake awaiting me at a friends house as we put in an order together. The sutfliff has been while since i have had it and the newminster is new to me.
5) I also want to try some watch city va flakes soon.
Keep up the suggestions everyone.
I have historically been a big fan of mcclellands take on virginias and really love mccranies red ribbon BUT i dont want to make this another moan fest about mcclelland as they are done and as this proves there are still a great many amazing virginas out there.
Personally i do really enjoy SG FVF and Rattrays Marlin flake/HOTW/old gowrie are some of all time favorites particularly marlin flake but I am not sure if any of the rattrays offerings are PURE virginias.
Here are some take aways from the thread:
1) I need to get some more wessex and f&t in my cellar particularly wessex campaign dark flake in my cellar
2) I have never had a pease blend that i was wowed by enough to buy again but i think i need to give union square another shot
3) I have never gotten around to trying capstan blue and for some reason i thought it had a bunch of other stuff in there like even some latakia.. man was wrong about that.. going to go buy some asap
4) i have sutliff va slices and newminster navy flake awaiting me at a friends house as we put in an order together. The sutfliff has been while since i have had it and the newminster is new to me.
5) I also want to try some watch city va flakes soon.
Keep up the suggestions everyone.
I'm a burley devotee first, so come to think of it, I don't smoke any single leaf Virginias on a regular basis. I recently bought some GH black twist rope, which is a single leaf Virginia, but I haven't mastered slicing, rubbing it out, and drying it out yet, so it can't be a favorite.
All of the other Virginia I smoke is the base for a more complex blend or a condiment with some other leaf. I used to enjoy McC's 5100, and I have on hand a bit of Sutliff red Virginia, from 2018, that I've never smoked.
All of the other Virginia I smoke is the base for a more complex blend or a condiment with some other leaf. I used to enjoy McC's 5100, and I have on hand a bit of Sutliff red Virginia, from 2018, that I've never smoked.
I'm very new to the pipe and have smoked hardly any straight Virginias. I have a couple of the heavy favorites in my very modest collection (aged tins of F&T CVP and SG BBF) but I haven't tried them yet. However, I recently grabbed some samples of various GH tobaccos, and both the Glengarry Flake and the Brown Twist are superb. So for now, my favorite straight Virginia would be Glengarry Flake, but I look forward to trying a whole bunch more - so I certainly appreciate this thread!
SG BBF tops the list
Capstan Blue and MB HH Va Flake are both must haves
You mentioned older HOTW and OG- both are sublime
Not straight VAs, but if you don't have them already, you should lay in a sturdy supply of Stokkebye LNF, Orlik Golden Sliced, and Newminster #400
If you like grassy/hay/summer meadow type flavors, SG Golden Glow when fresh is very good. Aging this one goes the wrong way imo. It loses its freshness and becomes a good but not great bright VA.
This list, however, won't be very helpful since the SG blends are scarce as hen's teeth.
Capstan Blue and MB HH Va Flake are both must haves
You mentioned older HOTW and OG- both are sublime
Not straight VAs, but if you don't have them already, you should lay in a sturdy supply of Stokkebye LNF, Orlik Golden Sliced, and Newminster #400
If you like grassy/hay/summer meadow type flavors, SG Golden Glow when fresh is very good. Aging this one goes the wrong way imo. It loses its freshness and becomes a good but not great bright VA.
This list, however, won't be very helpful since the SG blends are scarce as hen's teeth.