What is your favorite Virginia blend?

waznyf · May 14, 2012

Hey everyone!
I have yet to to try a virgina blend, and for that matter I have yet to try many blends at all.

Mostly I've tried a few aromatics and plenty of English blends some with more Latakia and others with less and some Virginia's added.

Wanted to see what most people are smoking so that I can possibly try what seems to be well liked!

rickpal14 · May 14, 2012

McCranie's Red Ribbon 2000

Sam Gawith FVF

jpberg · May 14, 2012

That's like asking which of my kids I love more.
A few favorites of the readily available kind:
Germain Brown Flake

Astleys #44

McClelland Blackwoods Flake
While I smoke more Latakia blends than strictly Virginias, I do think that the pinnacle of pipedom is a Virginia flake.
Keep in mind, age does more wonderful things for Virginias than any other tobacco, buy a bunch now, and put it away for a few years.

judcole · May 14, 2012

I have to give a +1 to Red Ribbon. I am also quite fond of SG Best Brown Flake.
The smoking technique for Virginia blends is quite different from the technique for smoking an aromatic. Tread carefully, and smoke slowly.

jameral · May 14, 2012

Samuel Gawith FVF

McClelland 5100 Red Cake

mlaug · May 14, 2012

I enjoy all of the McClelland Matured Virginia series, SG FVF, and my recent exploration of Wessex's Gold Virginia Flake.

stogie37 · May 14, 2012

That's like asking which of my kids I love more.

Ha! yes, I agree! Well, to respond to your original post specifically, I won't include VA flakes, but rather blends only:
Chief Catoonah, Bailey's Reserve is knocking my socks off lately - incredible!
I really like a number of the C&D VA blends such as;
Virginia Gentleman

Three Friars

Or Olam
From Hearth & Home I would recommend;
AJ's VaPer

Rolando's Own

Louisiana Red
But I agree with most of the above responses, that VA Flake is where it's at!

jpberg · May 14, 2012

My hunch is that the OP means straight Virginias, not another type blended with Virginias, as that would constitute about 98% of every tobacco available.

cortezattic · May 14, 2012

For a purely Virginia blend, Mac Baren Virginia #1 -- is the only Mac Baren blend that is 100% Virginia leaf.
I have recently sampled, and taken a real liking to Altadis' Bulk - Virginia Slices 507C, which is an economical generic Danish style Va. flake. Their website claims it's "The ultimate in natural quality tobacco. 100% A-1 Bright Matured Virginias pressed and single cut in the classic British European tradition."
Most Virginia blends will have other leaf as an amendment like Perique, which, evidently, the vast majority of smokers welcome.

Like jpberg said, "That's like asking which of my kids I love more", and I have a lot of favorites.

Fribourg & Treyer's Cut Virginia Plug is a standout, and PS Luxury Navy Flake never fails to delight the palate.

And of course, no discussion of Virginia flake would be complete without mention of R L Will's Solani 633
You might find Luxury Tobacco Reviews.com very helpful in locating certain categories of tobacco. The left hand column of the home page has the categories into which nearly 500 listed blends have been divided and, in many instances, reviewed.

nobail · May 14, 2012

Currently I like Red Ribbon but am smoking McClellands 5100 more to let the few tins I have of Red Ribbon age. I'm new at keeping tobacco, so it is doubly hard to read good reviews and stash the tins or bulk away to age. Sure I open one, but then what? Another diagnosis of TAD, that is what.

buster · May 14, 2012

A Virginia that is also an aromatic that I enjoy is Mac Baren vanilla cream flake. You have to smoke it slow to get all the flavor but has a nice light sweetness to it. I have a non flake version in the cellar but have yet to open it.
http://www.smokingpipes.com/tobacco/by-maker/mac-baren/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=15577

sajgre · May 14, 2012

Another vote for McClelland 22,backwoods flake and dark star + SG FVF and BBF

ohin3 · May 14, 2012

Samuel Gawith Best Brown Flake

Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake

Rattray's Marlin Flake (Or as I like to call it Virginia CRACK!!!)

Rattray's Hal o' The Wynd

Fribourg And Tryer Cut Virginia Plug

Solani 633 (contains perique)

Escudo (contains perique)

Dan Tobacco Hamborger Veermaster (which seems to be extinct lately)

Dunhill Flake

McClelland 5100 bulk
That oughtta get you started = )
Let us know what you think.

cortezattic · May 14, 2012

I also found another thread that lists many VaPer blends, and might be worth looking over.

bentmike · May 14, 2012

GL Pease Fillmore & Telegraph Hill are a couple I like. They are Virginia but both do have a bit of Perique. Mac Baren Mixture Flakes is another I like where the Virginia is in the foreground but it's got some burley added. I've got an open tin of Peterson's University Flakes but I've only smoked from it once so I've not really formed an opinion on that one yet. That's about the extent of my knowledge on Virginias.

xray · May 14, 2012

originally posed by cortezattic

Click to expand...

For a purely Virginia blend, Mac Baren Virginia #1 -- is the only Mac Baren blend that is 100% Virginia leaf.

Nah, there are others from Mac Baren. A few examples are Virginia Flake, Red Velvet and HH Mature Virginia.

baronsamedi · May 14, 2012

+1 on the Escudo and the MacBaren Mature VA. The thing with VAs, is however slow you think you are smoking, smoke slower. While you are puffing, you will feel the heat creep up as you sip. Stop sipping at that point and pause. VA will get hot on you, but not if you are careful.

baronsamedi · May 14, 2012

I just got done smoking some through a 4" clay. If I can do it without ending up with a piece of fried bacon as a tongue, anyone can.

cortezattic · May 14, 2012

xray wrote:

originally posed by cortezattic

"For a purely Virginia blend, Mac Baren Virginia #1 -- is the only Mac Baren blend that is 100% Virginia leaf."
Nah, there are others from Mac Baren. A few examples are Virginia Flake, Red Velvet and HH Mature Virginia.

Wrong, xray. Did you really think I'd post a claim like that if I couldn't back it up with authoritative sources?
Listen to Mac Baren Product Specialist Per Jeorge Jensen say exactly what I wrote in the PipesMagazine.com

video interview Mac Baren Factory Tour Part 3, at about the 2 minute mark.

ocpsdan · May 14, 2012

McC 5100 is a mainstay, but also love MacBaren's Virginia Flake, Orlik Golden Slices, and Erinmore Flake.

What is your favorite Virginia blend?

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