Recommendation for Non-Aromatic and Non-English

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bentbulldog

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Yesterday, I had the luxury of trying the #1 tobacco according to tobaccoreviews.com, Full Virginia Flake. Having met a pipe smoker who lives in my building, he shared his experience with pipes and showed me FVF. I broke it down like I did Penzance and began the interesting route to true virginias. I wasn't quite a kicker as Penzance when I first tried it but I found that it required more attention. He gave me a few flakes to smoke on my own, but I would also like to know what recommendations do you have for a non-aromatic that isn't as full as FVF. I hear confusing statements in some instances. For example: MacBaren Navy Flake, Scotish Mixture; Peterson's University flake - Are these aromatics even though some say they are and some say they aren't?

I picture Virginia to be golden yellow and red, but so far I've seen them as black. Are they all like that?

Any good recommendations, answers to the above and advice?

Thanks
 
An arromatic has some kind of casing or topping. The blends you mentioned do not have these. Actually, I can't remember if UV has any kind of flavoring added to it, but I believe it is the sweetness of the VA that comes through.
 
Some other good VAs are :

Orlik Golden sliced, VA with a hint of citrus

Mclelland 2000 and 5100, both VAs, unique in their own rights.

I've grown fond of what the forum calls the Holy Trinity:
Old Gowrie
Hal of the Wynd
Marlin Flake

Hal of the wyND probably my favorite. Gotta warn you, these aren't cheap.

Another tobacco that hasn't been discovered is Peter Stokkebye's Skandinavik that comes in a tin. I believe I was told it was cavendish, and it may have cavendish in it, but I taste a lot of VA in this one.
 
Navy Flake, Scottish Mixture, and Peterson University Flake all have a topping. Honey on the Navy Flake and Mixture, coming through as a sweetness all through the smoke (typical Mac Baren Flavor). University Flake has a fairly noticeable blueberry essence on top of the burley.

These are not the same as the ordinary (drugstore) black-cavendish based aromatics at all. They are more like a good tasting tobacco with an added bonus, where the drugstore aros are bad tobacco with a heap of flavoring added to make them smell good.
 
The Rattrays still manage to be pretty good.

But the obvious lighter version of FVF is Best Brown Flake.

:face:
 
A touch lighter than FVF and in my opinion just as amazing is GL Pease latest release
Union Square. I'm looking forward to this wonderful Virginia with a few years in the tin...
 
My recommendation would be Old Red , one of Scotty's Blends from pipesandcigars.com. Straight Virginias , Soft Sweet and will not bite no matter how aggressive your puffing gets. Plus it's more economical than most of the aforementioned blends.
 
Two other ribbon Va's worth a try are C&D Virginia Gentleman & GLP Laurel Heights. I recommend them both.
 
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