Results of the VA and VaPer recommendations

[thecrowdog]

Some members expressed an interest in this, so here are the results... informal as they may be.

I pulled 207 recommendations (so far) for VA or VaPer blends from past BoB posts. There were a total of 68 different blends recommended. These are the 13 that were recommended most frequently in those 207 recommendations.

Peter Stokkebye Escudo Navy Deluxe 7.73%
Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake 5.31%
H&H Anniversary Kake 4.83%
Solani 633 4.83%
GL Pease Fillmore 3.86%
McClelland 2015 3.86%
McClelland Beacon 3.86%
Rattray Marlin Flake 2.90%
Davidoff Flake Medallions 2.42%
GL Pease Haddo's Delight 2.42%
GL Pease Union Square 2.42%
Orlik Golden Sliced 2.42%
Samvuel Gawith St James Flake 2.42%

I chose to post 13 because there was a five-way tie for spots 9 and 10.

This does not mean that one is necessarily "better" than another, or that they taste similar, or that these are the most popular or best selling. These are just the VA and VaPer blends that BoB members have recommended most frequently in their past posts.

I noticed something while compiling the list that struck me as exactly why I thought this might be useful, at least to me, and probably others. I had already gone through over 100 recommendations and SG's FVF was not mentioned once! That seemed impossible! If someone new to VA's had waded through 100 recommendations, they could have easily never heard about FVF, or might have left thinking that it never gets recommended. Of course it ended up being #2 when I had gone through all 207 recommendations.

Of course this is not a complete sample, and the more I enter the more reliable I would think the results are. But I only had a couple of hours, so I did what I could.

 

[bruins]

no wonder you've been so quiet all day. i have only tried five of the thirteen, so i've got some smoking to do. thanks for your work! saved me a bunch of time! and now i know what to put on my christmas list...

 

[Muddler]

I haven't tried the Davidoff yet, but they're all really fine tobaccos & worthy of mention. Someone wanting to experience some very good Va's & Vaper's could do worse than start off with this list. Of course, FVF should be #1.

 

[velveteagle]

Well this is great work.. I have tried numbers 1,2, and 8. All were rated above 8.5 on a 1-10 scale in my taste book. Looks like a good list to sample out for sure.. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

 

[Carlos]

Two things interesting to me.

1. How high Union Square ranked for the short time it's been available. Says a lot about how good it is.

2. That two of the Samuel Gawith blends made the top 13. Which makes me wonder of the vintage. I am not so sure that all of the current production might be so highly recommended. At least for me, some of their blends have changed quite a bit. Still, what I have stashed is among my favorite flakes. I have hopes that time will work magic with the newer purchases.

 

[Skip48]

Dang you have been really busy, LOL! Great idea though and one reason for FVF not making the top is it's never available or at least it seems that way since you only get a couple shot a year at buying any. Also at the same time since I have never smoked any aged of any of it, I don't see a great difference in it and a lot of others I have tried. I mean each has it's own flavor and all, but the sweetness and such is very close in all the top favorites at least to me.

As of this time I have only fired up one bowl so not really a fair test for sure, but reading reviews I see several that say mover over FVF and such statements as that. I like most of the Virgina tobaccos, but some are pretty easy to get and this makes for having a better supply of them and can put some back for age. I see lots talking like this when comparing FVF and Opening Night and while I see a difference I like both, as well as Escudo, 633 etc, etc.

Thanks for the effort to put this together and it makes for good info to guy like me that have not known much for one reason or another. Me I quit my pipes for 30 years and didn't know back then what all of that (Perique and Latakia etc.)means anyway, but have to learn now to know what your buying.

Skip

 

[Nitschke066]

Appreciate you taking the time to dig into this! I've all but three of these so I might just grab the other three next time I'm at the B&M. Thanks!

 

[ZeroContent]

sweet, thanks for the work. Will have to add those to my list of stuff to try.

 

[DoverPipes]

Had them all except for Rattray's Marlin Flake.
Still say my top five are (in no particular order):

PCCA / McClelland Beacon (2015 bulk also)
Solani 633
SG FVF
GLP Union Square
Escudo

Now if we were going to go slightly outside of VaPer only and into blends with a little something extra...... PARK LANE'S RED PARAMOUR!!!!!

 

[bruins]

Had them all except for Rattray's Marlin Flake.

that's because you're a legend (as piet would say)!

 

[DoverPipes]

Had them all except for Rattray's Marlin Flake.

that's because you're a legend (as piet would say)!

Not a legend, just VERY into VaPers that's all!!!!

 

[Trout Bum]

Crow -- great work, and hey, look, the world is still spinning! Very interesting, and a good resource for those looking for where to start in such a vast world of choices. Good on ya!

 

[Smokntaz]

I have 8 out of 13. 8) Out of the 8 there's still a couple I haven't opened tried yet! Kudoss for your effort :cheers:

 

[Justpipes]

Great job Crowdog! Obviously there is interest!

You might need to creat a separate thread for John Middleton Walnut. :lol:

 

[DoverPipes]

Great job Crowdog! Obviously there is interest!

You might need to creat a separate thread for John Middleton Walnut. :lol:

Speaking of Walnut.........
Did you ever sample that "aged" tin???? :scratch:

 

[RealtorFrank]

Thanks for the info, I will definitely be checking some of those out!

 

[Tim_Haggerty]

Tried about half of 'em, cool to have a new wish list.

Thanks for the work!

 

[Ol'Dawg]

Keep up the good work! Though I've smoked about all of them, it would have been nice to have something like you've made several years ago.

Don't let the negative comments get you down. Just because someone may have been doing something wrong for a long time doesn't make it right. :lol:

Jim

 

[puros_bran]

If you mean trying to build a better mouse trap, errr review system I'm 100% with you..

Personally I think TR kinda sucks.. but it's beyond me to figure out how to make it better.. I gave up thinking about it along time ago.

 

[jhuggett]

I've smoked all of those and they are pretty damn good. Well I never understood the hoopla over Anniversary Kake but I didn't dislike it. A few of them I was lucky enough to get samples of in the ten year range. Sublime stuff that was/is.