Help on classifying light colors of Virginia

[alPol05]

I am a new member and it looks like I need a bit of help with figuring the Virginias of lighter color varieties. Here is the outline:

1. Lemon Virginia from WLF - Flue Cured Virginia "Lemon" and where it falls in comparison to these Virginias

2. P&C: Eastern Carolina Ribbon - Eastern Carolina Ribbon is a ribbon cut, a bright form of Virginia, which has a natural tea/hay note to the taste and aroma. It works well with virtually any other blending component and is very popular in Latakia blends and works well with Perique.

3. P&C: Peter Stokkebye 701 Virginia - Peter Stokkebye 701 Virginia is a blend of quality flue-cured leaf from lighter-colored grades. The flavor is naturally sweet, with hay-like and citrusy notes. Great on its own, it also makes a terrific blending component.

4. P&C: Yellow Virginia - This is classic yellow Virginia with a citrusy tang and a good dose of sugar. I use it when a blend needs sweetness and/or a bit of acidic “zing”. Try to blend with tobaccos that burn coolly as it will become ashy if it gets too hot. It’s low in nicotine, may burn hot.

Of course, I understand the difference between all issues of "Manufactured" tobaccos and "unmanufactured" tobaccos. The problem I have that nomenclature to describe different Virginia is so different from manufacturer to manufacturer and from retailer to retailer that it is difficult for me to get some understanding and make a decision on a purchase.

I am more and more inclined to purchase some tobaccos from WLF and try some own blending but without understanding what I am really dealing with it is a very difficult task.

I will appreciate your comments and help.

 

[deluxestogie]

Wow. That is a difficult matter to settle. The commercial categories (and their accompanying descriptions) usually are just marketing fluff. If your question is regarding which flue-cured varieties from Whole Leaf Tobacco you should purchase, just pick up a selection of them, and give them a try. As an agricultural item, different bale shipments under the same name may have differing qualities within the same crop year, as well as from year to year.

For initial pipe blending, decide on a starting recipe, then experiment with adjusting a single component at a time (quantity or variety). You can easily just invent a recipe of whatever you have, in arbitrary proportions, and see how you like it. That's all blending is about. It's not mysterious or complicated--until you write down the recipe, at which time it becomes sacred.

For subtle differences between flue-cure varieties, I tend to experiment with a light-colored one together with a darker-colored one, whatever they are called. If I were to market and sell those ingredients, I would transform them into enchantingly named exotica.

Good luck with your blending, and be sure to share with the forum any recipes you invent.

Bob

 

[alPol05]

Bob, thanks for your comments. I think I need to simplify my question. I already have some tobaccos that I used for a few preliminary blends. All that was purchased before I started reading this forum and familiarize myself more with "Unmanufactured" tobacco. I tried a few blends, mostly based on your recipes and I am absolutely taken by blends that contain Latakia. I like what I made so far, although the melding time is still short to make any final decisions.

I want to take my experiments further and incorporate some of your tobaccos. Growing my own tobacco is out of a question – I live in an apartment and I am really most interested in blending and enjoying my own blends. Your website seems to have basic sets that I can use.

I have Sutliff Red Virginia and Lane Bright Virginia. Several different recipes I have call for Lemon Virginia and the only place I found it is your website. I simply want to understand where it falls in comparison to Red V. and Bright V. that I have. Intuitively, it feels to me that it should be the “brightest” of what I have. This is really the bottom line of my question.

I understand all the intricacies of different naming conventions and descriptions by manufacturers and retailers and the marketing aspect of it. Most confusing situation! I simply want to find some anchors that I can use in comparing Virginias. Or am I having a wishful thinking?

There is also another option - I still don't understand enough about tobacco in general and asking question that is impossible to answer. ;-)

 

[DistillingJim]

As a rule of thumb, the leaf at the bottom of the plant starts yellow and gets darker as higher leaves as harvested, ending with red virginia. Lemon tends to taste sharper and Red is deeper and sweeter. There are further nuances based on varietal, crop year, growing location etc but thats the broad idea. Commercial va probably differs by gunk added as well.