Red Virginia recommendations please

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alandadp

alandadp

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During a recent TAD attack, I included a couple of ounces of McClelland 5100 Red Cake more out of curiosity than any other reason.
Well, I really like this stuff, a great all day smoke.
My only criticism is that it's a bit lightweight in the flavour department.
Can anyone recommend a Red Virginia blend with more in-your-face flavour preferably without casings or toppings?
 
Alan, McCranies Red Flake is one of my favorites and is also available in a ribbon cut.
 
You may try Wessex's Red Virginia Flake and Classic Virginia. Both excellent Red VAs with a slight top note.
 
alandadp":3t1521j4 said:
During a recent TAD attack, I included a couple of ounces of McClelland 5100 Red Cake more out of curiosity than any other reason.
Well, I really like this stuff, a great all day smoke.
My only criticism is that it's a bit lightweight in the flavour department.
Can anyone recommend a Red Virginia blend with more in-your-face flavour preferably without casings or toppings?
Click to expand...
First off Alan, ALL blends/mixtures are CASED, it's part of the processing procedure to go from raw leaf to finished product. That said not all blends/mixtures are TOPPED! Now that THAT is out of the way another ALL Red Va blend/mixture from the house of ketchup would be their Fragrant Matured 2000 which is a delightfull, full flavored straight Red Virginia in a broken Flake form. Some claim it's topped but to my old worn out (40+ years will do that to ya :twisted: ) palate all I taste is dark. rich Flue Cured fermented Red Va!! Just so I will be allowed back on the Bob, I'll go ahead and tell ya it's topped with ketchup as EVERYBODY here says !! But it's gourmet ketchup as only the best will do for members of BoB !! Besides that, it's one DAMN FINE ALL Red Va smoke !! Try some !! I smoke at least 3 bowls daily, at times more ! Have for over a decade now. If you can't tell, I LIKE IT !! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
 
I like Fillmore. It has Perique in there and a breath of latakia I'm told. Smokes great for me.
 
I'd recommend:
Astley's #109 Medium Flake or #44 Dark Flake
Wessex Campaign Dark Flake
 
alandadp":ivrrh05w said:
During a recent TAD attack, I included a couple of ounces of McClelland 5100 Red Cake more out of curiosity than any other reason.
Well, I really like this stuff, a great all day smoke.
My only criticism is that it's a bit lightweight in the flavour department.
Can anyone recommend a Red Virginia blend with more in-your-face flavour preferably without casings or toppings?
Click to expand...
Adam, for me the pinnacle of red 'ginnys is pretty much defined by 5100. McCranies Red Cake/Flake is cut from the same cloth, as has been noted here on other threads. And both of those are just more expensive and indeed not terribly dissimilar from 5100. When one weighs in the cost factor, mind.

Not saying they're not worth exploring since they are. Equally, for my money 5100 is the best expression of red 'ginnys.

JMHO as always.


Cheers,

RR
 
monbla256":8ces5679 said:
alandadp":8ces5679 said:
During a recent TAD attack, I included a couple of ounces of McClelland 5100 Red Cake more out of curiosity than any other reason.
Well, I really like this stuff, a great all day smoke.
My only criticism is that it's a bit lightweight in the flavour department.
Can anyone recommend a Red Virginia blend with more in-your-face flavour preferably without casings or toppings?
Click to expand...
First off Alan, ALL blends/mixtures are CASED, it's part of the processing procedure to go from raw leaf to finished product. That said not all blends/mixtures are TOPPED! Now that THAT is out of the way another ALL Red Va blend/mixture from the house of ketchup would be their Fragrant Matured 2000 which is a delightfull, full flavored straight Red Virginia in a broken Flake form. Some claim it's topped but to my old worn out (40+ years will do that to ya :twisted: ) palate all I taste is dark. rich Flue Cured fermented Red Va!! Just so I will be allowed back on the Bob, I'll go ahead and tell ya it's topped with ketchup as EVERYBODY here says !! But it's gourmet ketchup as only the best will do for members of BoB !! Besides that, it's one DAMN FINE ALL Red Va smoke !! Try some !! I smoke at least 3 bowls daily, at times more ! Have for over a decade now. If you can't tell, I LIKE IT !! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
Click to expand...
Yup, gotta say McClelland makes some great "Ginny weed". You want more thump? Try 4 parts 5100, 1 part plain straight Perique, 1 part Kentucky. Mash it all together, put it in a baggie and stick it under your pillow for the night.

If you try doing that with packed Tablespoons you only go through 6 Tblsp of tobacco, no harm done....
 
Alan,
I came back and forth to this post 5 times trying to figure out what to recommend. The only items that come to mind are 5100 and McCrannies. (IMHO there the same, but that's another discussion). While Wessex Red Flake is good it just doesn't equal the flavors or price point of 5100.

Here's a tip. Get yourself as much 5100 as you can. Take some of it and smoke it. Smoke it straight and mixed with other baccys. Ozarks recommendation sounds great. Also a little stoved Virginia is great. In fact I look it as the CH of Virginias. Almost anything mixed in it is great.

The rest of the purchase? Jar it up and put it away someplace cool and forget about it for the next 5 years, the longer the better. Aged 5100 is one of the greats of the pipe smoking world.
 
alandadp":4a3p0nr7 said:
Can anyone recommend a Red Virginia blend with more in-your-face flavour preferably without casings or toppings?
Click to expand...
I've been looking for the same and I'm starting to wonder if it exists.  I thought for a while that I had an aversion to all Va tobacco, but I'm starting to think it is that McC caseing/topping that turns me off (its there, I don't care who says otherwise).  I can appreciate the role the Vas play in certain blends, and find some of the light Vas like the stuff in OGS to be nice, albeit very mild.  However I have not yet found a red Va I could enjoy.  I'll certainly give a few of the suggestions here a try, and I just ordered some C&D red Virginia that has reviews suggesting it is " in-your-face."  I'll report back and let you know if it is doused in vinegar ;)
Mike.
 
OW - if one were to try some blending perique to make a VaPer with 5100, what would you recommend? I like the figgy over spicy, and am thinking 15-20%.

Sounds like a good experiment for my new press.
 
DireWolf":nv82lrs6 said:
OW - if one were to try some blending perique to make a VaPer with 5100, what would you recommend?  I like the figgy over spicy, and am thinking 15-20%.

Sounds like a good experiment for my new press.
Click to expand...
Well, I was making my own "Perique", but had a batch go south on me. I ordered some from Pipesandcigars.com, and it's good, but the source has me shy about placing another order. The other source I got some from is from Leafonly.com, but unless you are willing to try your hand at destemming and shredding, it comes as it is, (basically a short 'hand' of Perique leaves). Otherwise, I would try here:

http://www.4noggins.com/blending-tobacco-perique.aspx


As someone else suggested, a little Stoved black VA wouldn't hurt either, just to add a deeper note and slow the smoke down.....
 
G.L. Pease: Telegraph Hill if you like a bit of Perique, Union Square if you don't.
 
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