I was pleasantly surprised by Virginia slices from Sutliff. It's available as bulk and comes sliced, not ready rubbed. I found it very flavourful, grassy with a very light citrus undertone. Didn't irritate me on retrohale. I like it for a morning smoke because it's a bright flavour that wakes me up. It rubs into a fine ribbon which smokes very evenly with only light packing, not hot, not harsh, I haven't experience tongue bite with it.
I typically smoke heavier Cavendishes, English, Balkan, and Turkish blends. This tobacco made an immediate impact on my palate as something subtle and completely different from my typical favourites. It is especially good in a cob, a meerschaum, or a clay.
I also tried Red Virginia Krumble Kake from Sutliff. It was another departure from my regular tobaccos with a bolder and rounder flavour than straight Virginia. You might like a Virginia blend that has some Red Virginia to accent it. Oriental Silk from Cornell and Diehl is a wonderful blend of Virginia and Turkish, it is more fragrant and darker in flavour than a straight Virginia.
I hope you do try a few blends, it's a wonderful experiment to stretch your smoking palate a bit and it may give you renewed appreciation for old favourites.
