This may be a lighter VA flake than even Mac Baren's Virginia Flake. A grassy-citrusy taste, with little body, this caused me to overpuff to find some real flavor - and we all know what happens then! On subsequent bowls, I slowed down and was rewarded with mostly hot smoke. I smoked 4 bowls of this and put the rest back into the cellar. I may mix this with something in the future. On its own, it's simply to mild and bland to worry about such things as it being hard to find in the U.S. It's not worth a second thought. Not bad, just not worth a repeat performance.

I have friends who smoke multiple bowls a day and have said that light Virginia leaf is their favorite because their palate does not get overwhelmed and their tongue remains intact. I think this is a perfect tobacco for them. Not for me though, I like to taste something other than warm air when smoking my pipe.

Still, it is class weed and the tin art is wonderful.

Somehow unnoticeable smell in the tin - which I normally see as a good sign, but when lighting up, the bland monochromatic taste lingers through the entire bowl.

Yes, it's quality leaf, but there are WAY better straight VAs out there..

Jakob Kiilerich, Denmark

I don't believe there's any perique in this either. It tastes like a sharp, tangy pure Virginia to me. The middle of the bowl has all the flavor and the end of the bowl changed dramatically for me- turning somewhat sour and ashy tasting. I'll try it again in a smaller pipe and see what happens.

Not bad, not great. There's better Virginias out there that are easier to find.

Update: 11/26/2004 I bought some of this at Paul's Cigars in Portland, Oregon on a walk-in purchase. It was a little spendy at $8.95 for 50 gms. but it is only place in the U.S. I have ever found it. I have not found it on the internet either.(in the U.S.)

Appearance and Tin Aroma: beautiful bright yellow and brown leaf in a small rectangular tin, smells like sweet hay.

Packing and Lighting: I prefer to rub out completely and gravity fill with a light tamp before lighting, which is easy.

Initial Flavor: Aaaaahhhh, smooth VA.

Mid-bowl: Building strength gently, the natural sweetness is coming out more. Flavor comes out with no need to puff strongly at all. This burns cool as well.

Bottom of Bowl: Nice round mellow flavor, a non-cloying sweetness from the leaf, finishes all too quickly.

Overall: This is a delightful mid-stength VA that will make my top 5 VA rotation. Not as Rich as Marlin Flake, but slightly sweeter. Not as oatish as Old Gowrie, but with more high flavor notes. This blend burns cool for a VA and since I don't like perique anymore, this blend suits me perfectly. I will put this blend between those two in my rotation. The only difficulty with this blend is that it is not available in the USA, but will have to order from Europe or wait until one of my friends travel over there again.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 points, Enjoy

Their technology is second to none. This looks very pretty in the étui. I must admit I never realised CVF had périque. I thought 499 was their V & P offering, and this the all V proposition.

Actionwise, this is another Danish tutorial on slow puffing: this sweet, lite thing will evaporate your tongue if you absent-mindedly let it.

Not unpleasant, but with 499 and SOLANI 633 around, do we really need this lowest gradation, the UnPérique of V & P mixes?

When I first opened the tin the sweet smell of Virginias poured to my nose, these flakes really tell you how sweet Virginias really can be. The 3" flakes inside the tin where cleanly cut and very nice looking. This promised good.

Humidity level of this tobacco is a bit too high, so it needs a moment before making its way to bowl, 15-30 minutes in the open is enough. I always cut the flakes to small pieces, like a cube cut, so it is easier to fill the bowl and light the tobacco. This works very well with this tobacco too, at least for me.

Taste at the beginning is sharp, not strong. From the first moment on this tobacco burns my tongue, not much, but still... The aroma is sweet like Virginias usually. When I get closer to the middle section of the bowl, the taste gets maybe a bit smoother but the sharpness is still there. It stays like this to very end of the bowl. Don't get me wrong, taste is not bad, as a matter of a fact it is really good, but I don't like the tongue bite.

As usually Virginias burn hot and if not smoked slowly your pipe will become too hot, this is very true for this tobacco also. Maybe even more compared to any Virginia blens that I have smoked before.

I bought this tin from FF Piber of Denmark (thanks Jesper) and in their description the contents were: Virginias with touch of Perique. I would have to agree on this one, the Perique is there, you can taste it... (or maybe it is my imagination, who knows?)

This is a good blend and I can recommend it to Virginia lovers without a doubt. I think this tobacco could be perfect after a few years in the cellar. When the sharpness mellows down a bit. Maybe I buy couple of tins more and get back to you after five to ten years.