Smells too sweet in the tin, but doesn't smoke that way. The flakes are delightfully moist and any attempt to dry them would be immoral. Put down whatever you're doing instead, and just smoke. If you do that, I promise it will burn perfectly. And you'll savor the creamy richness that is the hallmark of a moist tobacco such as this. It is a proper example of how long a tobacco should burn, which is a long time for FVF! If you dry it out and then go on Tobacco Review to write how you find FVF to be boring and unappealing, I will come and find you...
The flakes are a little large for the pipe I smoke them in, so I usually shred a full flake by hand and allow it to dry in the open air for about 15-20 minutes. Then after loading I like to draw on the pipe unlit to allow for savoring the straight tobacco aroma.
Go Cabbies!GB full crack [full version]
This flake ages wonderfully due to the purity and quality of the leaf, but it is also easily enjoyed from a fresh tin. It is affordable and, with patience, fairly easy to find in waves. Those who continue to complain about the unavailability and the hoarding simply need to look longer and realize that this flake needs to be procured when it is available and stored for when it is not. SG&Co makes this stuff one batch at a time on presses and hand-operated cutters that are probably older than anyone alive. They are not a giant manufacturing conglomerate. If you require that kind of security and mechanization then Dunhill Flake might be more striking to you. But it is nowhere near as good.
Thankfully, no Lakeland florals are present. This is a rich flavorful, no-nonsense virginia flake that has loads of depth, color and nuance. A complex flake that yields vast riches of complexity. Not much to add to other wonderful reviews here except to say that if straight virginia is your thing (if you're a Hal O' The Wynd fanatic as I am) you definitely need to check this out! I won't say it's "better" than the Rattrays but it will sit proudly alongside the Hal in my tobacco bar. I'll bet this stuff ages beautifully! Well done, SG!
Full Virginia Flake is about as good as a flake can get: full of flavour, sweet (in a natural way), cool, slow-burning with a pleasant room note, and uniform all the way down the bowl. Taken slowly, it's absolutely delicious, though it probably won't appeal much to the lover of strong flavours.
Opening a tin or a box of Full Virginia Flake is always delightful. The flakes are usually full of plume and marvelously presented. FVF is moist out if the tin and needs some dry time prior to smoking. As far as prep goes, I have always rubbed this flake out thoroughly and I have never had a bad smoke. It smokes dry, soft and cool with a slight fruity flavor that could almost at times be mistaken for a Lakeland essence, but the flavor is a bit different as it is not floral or soapy. It's quite light and refreshing on the palate and I find the first portion of the pipe to have a sprite tanginess along with a whisper of sweetness that is tremendously enjoyable.
Out of a freshly opened tin, this stuff is nearly impossible to smoke. It's sopping wet. I open up the tin and stick it in my cigar humidor for a week or so to dry it out a bit (while simultaneously humidifying my cigars LOL). Once you get the moisture content just right this stuff is delicious (note- it CAN be smoked wet, but I find that too much steam in the smoke is not ideal for flavor). I had a bowl of this last an entire full length movie once. It burns slowly and sweetly. It's for the PATIENT Virginia lover. It is indeed one of the premier Virginias on the market and I have plenty of this stuff on hand. In my top 5.
For me, I like to dry this out for at least a few hours. Sometimes I dry it out overnight, then breathe onto the flakes a bit to give them a little pliability back. I rub it out fully and pack tightly, as I find that gives me a consistent, long-lasting smoke. A group 4 sized pipe can smolder this stuff for two hours. That somewhat makes up for the moisture taking up so much of the packaging weight. I usually find that I can get 16 pipefuls out of 50g, but this was more like 12-13.
Full Virginia Flake is a straightforward, almost dry tasting, medium to full smoke. Unlike other natural Virginias reviewed here, FVF is of a rather austere variety: there is virtually no natural sweetness and no flavour complexity to it. Still, it is a very pleasant natural tobacco, easy to rub out, with a good burning rate and a lasting, toasty denouement (redolent of Grape Nuts cereal). The flakes are medium to dark brown, slightly oily but not moist, with a very plain and agreeable aroma. One could safely say that what you see and what you smell is what you smoke.
Like most Sam Gawith tins, the flakes (which are quite dense to begin with) are very moist. Given 12 hours of time to air out in a dry room with decent air circulation will work WONDERS for the experience. Smoked straight from the tin you'll consistently be relighting, fussing, and struggling for a smoke that is slightly sour, lacks body, and is unsatisfying. Smoked with appropriate drying time, all of the wonderful flavor and aromas that you're expecting come to life in a smoke that is full-bodied and rich.
The smoke itself is pretty much what you would expect. The pretty full flavored taste of a straight, dark Virginia. Sweet, grassy, hay, earthy, slightly fruity and floral, it's all there. It's not spicy and the taste is uniform from start to finish. That's what I like about tobaccos like this: you don't have to contemplate, focus and delve into the different flavors, the melange, the bouquet. You just need to sit back, relax and enjoy the simple, yet very pleasing taste of a good Virginia flake. A truly venerable classic.
This is one of my very favorite flakes of all time. I am well aware that personal opinion is what has shaped this mediocre rating posted for this underrated gem. I would like to share my opinion about flake smoking method in general in order to clarify what I believe to be some reasons why this and other flakes like it are underrated. First, I am of the seemingly opposed view that a flake should never be dried out for any reason. "Wet" flake properly rubbed out and packed (Patience required with a little practice) gingerly, as well as tended skillfully, can be the coolest, most pleasurable smoking experience on earth. As with all fine fermented and or aged luxuries such as tea, coffee, tobacco and others, once the original moisture content that was so skillfully and patiently crafted is depleted, along with the natural oils that are so flavorful, you are left with something that looks like it's former self, but even with careful rehydration will never be what it once was. Second, a deep somewhat narrow pipe is ideal for flake smoking, I do believe that a large part of some people having difficulty with moist flake is a less than ideal pipe for this type of tobacco. I just purchased a tin of S. Gawith Full Virginia Flake this morning, popped the seal, rubbed out a half flake, and was able to enjoy a 45+ min smoke on my way home without a single relight. I hope this was helpful, happy smoking.
Rich, creamy and oatey is how I would describe the taste of this Lakeland style blend. I don't often smoke pure Virginnia's since most of my regular blends are heavily blended with latakia, and this makes a nice change and gives a pure tobacco taste. Earthy, yes, full flavoured yes but never overpowering.
Straight forward full flavoured Virginia flake. Comes very moist and will require a fair bit of drying time to be properly appreciated. Notes of grass/hay and citrus with pops of mild sweetness. I personally prefer the plug version as I like to cut thinner slices but I think both the plug and the flake deserve a 4 star rating.
In the world of tobaccos, Pure Virginias are what Blanc Sec's are in the world of wines. Both are the pinnacles of their respective industries, being the most refined, complex, nuanced, noble and delicate products in their realms. I do humbly acknowledge that the Full Virginia Flake is the epitome of the SG blends. It's unsurpassed in complexity and subtlety of its delicate flavours. It's fearfully and wonderfully made of the best Virginia tobaccos available today. I acknowledge the same regarding the best Dry White wines as well.
This is my first review of any tobacco. I really enjoyed the mellow flavor & taste of the FVF. It has more prep time than I am used to for smoking my pipe, but it is fully worth it. I've tried it in my MM cob I use for non-aromatics & my briar which I've just restored not too long ago.
FVF burns well in both pipes, a little hot, but that might be me being a new pipe smoker. I have been using different prep techniques over the course of several bowls in each pipe. Each technique has it's own merits. I have been letting the flakes dry from 15 - 30 minutes before prepping them to smoke. So far, I prefer pinching off small pieces & loading the bowl until full or cutting up little cubes & gravity filling. They both provide a pretty consistent burn rate.
Like any Virginia blend, the Full Viginia Flake needs to be smoked deliberately gently and coolly in order to develop its full flavor. If it burns too hot, it'll loose its complex aroma and might even cause tongue bite. The full bodied, tangy taste has a distinct natural sweetness that reminds me of dark chocolate. The tobacco burns down evenly and slowly leaving some powdery, dark grey ash. However, as long as the flakes are still too moist, they tend to go out.
I usually need a few relights at the beginning to get it going, but once it does it pretty much stays lit with no problems. You need to smoke FVF very slowly, almost on the edge of the ember going out, to be able to enjoy full spectre of taste nuances that straight VAs bring. I love this tobacco. It's my favorite straight VA.
FVF has its own citrus notes, but closer to fresh squeeze orange , smooth apricot puree, and persimmon fruit. All this is natural accident of the virginia itself and not an applied essence, i suppose you could call it mature or fermented. Its smooth. The virginia has an earthy fresh baked golden crusty bread, with a slight burnt crust taste. A certain brown beer body like hops,malt and wheat. It is full body and gives a flour baked floury mouth sensation. 2ff7e9595c
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