Bite me Dept: How to smoke Virginias and survive?
Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 4:41 pm
Nice! Or ouch! Or double ouch!!
I have come to the point where I can appreciate why Virgina and VaPer lovers really love them. Under the right circumstances - with very careful and slow sipping - they are really sweet, interesting and enticing. But heaven help you, when that pleasantness leads to puff just a little more, to get more of that loveliness, then - ouch! And your tongue and the bowl is history.
What happened to me recently was that I tried a McClelland #27 Matured Virginia: orange/red light/dark, shag cut - it's like a broken up flake. I rolled it around in my fingers a bit, so as to pack it like you would McC's Navy Flake. I took my time lighting and relighting, and sipping slowly and it was very, very nice.
That was so inpirational that I decided next to have a small bowl of Louisiana Red - VaPer made of course with red virginia and a modest amount of perique. Unlike the #27, it is a ribbon cut. Again, I proceeded with what I thought was sufficient care, but this time I quickly found myself with the dreaded Virginia tongue bit.
Both tobaccos are a bit moist to the touch, and in both cases I did not care to dry them out. I can only surmise that the broken up flake and flake pack of the #27 slowed down the burn, and saved my tongue, while the ribbon cut of the Red just burned faster. The issues that arise are moistness, cut and I guess, technique. Oh and that one included perique.
Your help will be appreciated. What observations or advice can you offer for approaching these V-based blends?
I have come to the point where I can appreciate why Virgina and VaPer lovers really love them. Under the right circumstances - with very careful and slow sipping - they are really sweet, interesting and enticing. But heaven help you, when that pleasantness leads to puff just a little more, to get more of that loveliness, then - ouch! And your tongue and the bowl is history.
What happened to me recently was that I tried a McClelland #27 Matured Virginia: orange/red light/dark, shag cut - it's like a broken up flake. I rolled it around in my fingers a bit, so as to pack it like you would McC's Navy Flake. I took my time lighting and relighting, and sipping slowly and it was very, very nice.
That was so inpirational that I decided next to have a small bowl of Louisiana Red - VaPer made of course with red virginia and a modest amount of perique. Unlike the #27, it is a ribbon cut. Again, I proceeded with what I thought was sufficient care, but this time I quickly found myself with the dreaded Virginia tongue bit.
Both tobaccos are a bit moist to the touch, and in both cases I did not care to dry them out. I can only surmise that the broken up flake and flake pack of the #27 slowed down the burn, and saved my tongue, while the ribbon cut of the Red just burned faster. The issues that arise are moistness, cut and I guess, technique. Oh and that one included perique.
Your help will be appreciated. What observations or advice can you offer for approaching these V-based blends?