FVF Alternatives?

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I haven't tried MC Blackwoods Flake, Dark Star or Rattray's Marlin Flake. I'm looking for a good smooth Virginia flake. No Perique!

I've been trying to stock up on FVF but I want to venture out a bit. I seem to be immune to nicotine so a heavy blend is not off the list.

I've written off HoTW. Not because the flavor but because the minute amount of Perique still gets me. I don't know why. Latakia doesn't have the same effect.
 
I can definately recomend Blackwoods Flake. It is a VERY smooth full flavored, naturally sweet Red Virginia and is one I would recomend to anyone wanting to enjoy a great VA! Another McC Va flake I would heartily recomend id their Fragrant Matured 2000 in bulk. Another naturally sweet, full, smooth Red Va is one of my "daily smokers". I really like straight, dark, matured red va's and McClelland blends several and they are some of the BEST IMHO :p
 
I'm a FVF lover here too. It sits at the tops of all things Virginia, IMO, including Thomas Jefferson. The list for FVF replacements a short list. I read once on Mr. Swearingen's email from smokingpipes.com that he thinks the closest match is Germain's Brown Flake. Good luck finding that one. I have never tried it myself. As I recall, he said the worchestire taste is similar in BF.

For a Virginia that is different, but equally as sweet, many sweeter, I've recently discovered McClelland's Christmas Cheer and I would recommend it. My first tin of that was 2003 and boy was I impressed. It was like candy. I smoked the whole 100g relatively quickly and learned to stock up on it when I can (two in the cellar now). Fortunately, the secret is out and you can find an aged tin on Ebay for a nominal price or Pipestud has 1999 and 1995 CC tins for $40 and $50, respectively. That would be money well spent.

Blackwoods Flake is lighter than FVF, but still nice. Compared to FVF?... I don't think it is near as tantalizing.
 
If you are looking for virginia substitutes try Rattrays old gowrie and Marlin Flake, GL Pease Montgomery and Union Station.

There are many more that are readily available and many are cheaper per tin and available in bulk.
 
IMHO any McClelleand Va will do especially blackwoods,another I would recomend is Newminster superior Navy Flake,I think this one is definately worth a try.One all Va smoke that is strong but I find grows on me more and more each time I smoke it is Petersons Irish flake,this one is definately not as sweet as other Va blends,but is worth looking into.Dont smoke Irish Flake on an empty stomach.
 
I wouldn't say its a replacement, but best brown flake is like a really tasty cousin (ok that doesn't sound at all appropriate, but you get the gist). I'm going to shut up now before I embarrass myself further.
 
Yup, another strong vote for Blackwoods Flake. I think that's what your looking for. Nornally I would also suggest PS Luxury Navy Flake, but that does have a touch of Perique. If nicotine isn't an issue, you may want to give GH Dark Flake a try. Not as a replacement, not its definitely of the same ilk. But BF will come closest to FVF.
 
Thanks for the input guys! I think I'm going to give Blackwoods Flake a try next after my FVF bulk runs out. I'll pick up some of the others for the cellar. I've read that some need a little aging time.

Bulk
McClelland's - Fragrant Matured 2000
Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Dark Flake

Tin
McClelland's - Blackwoods Flake
Rattray's - Marlin Flake
G.L. Pease - Union Station

Rare & Seasonal
McClelland's - Christmas Cheer
Germain's - Brown Flake

Ribbon Cut
GL Pease - Montgomery
Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. - Dark Birdseye

Rubbed
Rattray's - Old Gowrie

I love Irish Flake but I think it's only 33% Virginias.
 
That's a nicely balanced selection of good VA's! Give each a full tins/2 oz worth before you decide! And remember, va's are SUBTLE 'bacs and take some time to "work" flavor wise, but boy are they WORTH it :p
 
FVF opened up my world to Virginias, because it was touted as "the best," and I didn't get much out of it when it was fresh, I'm waiting for some age on a few of my tins. I had to start someplace!

Great list of stuff to try.

I'll add GLP Embarcadero as icing on the cake, if you won't mind. The stuff blew my mind, and continues to do so.

Have fun with it all.

8)
 
BBF is the opposite side of the same coin. Both excellent.

The only other tobaccos in the world that bear any resemblance to these two SG Va flakes are
Wessex Brigade Campaign Dark Flake
Germain Brown Flake

that said, they are both quite different, but in a world of interchangeable German flakes and interchangeable McC broken flakes, these two do a lot of things right and are at least in the same zip code as FVF and BBF. Unfortunately Brown Flake is even tougher to get than the SG products. It contains a small amount of Semois, so is not a straight Va flake, but it is pretty special IMO.
 
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