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Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 27 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >
turfprince	01/15/2013	Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
I just reviewed this tobacco on pipesandcigars website. I've only had one pipefull, and so I feel foolish in raving about Virginia Spice. The new tin is too moist for me, but I packed up anyway. I like strong tobacco, and this is if you aren't careful with it. I like to inhale through my nose, and with this tobacco, that is a true pleasure. I immediately noticed the Perique; a nice peppery/spicy note. It is not dominant; mostly, I simply had the Perique sensation, more than actually tasting it. The Virginias keep this tobacco bright and clean and are always present. It wasn't until I was over half way through the smoke that the cigar leaf would flit in and out. It was delicious; as I told Bobby and Russ at the store, it was a lip-smacking sensation. I have been smoking for 50 years, and I truly cannot remember a better stand alone, all day, go to smoke. I love Nightcap and Frog Morton's cellar, but the former is a bit tough for all day, and the latter a bit cloying. Virginia Spice is my new go-to smoke. Russ didn't create a fine tobacco only; this is a masterpiece. UPDATE 2/3/2012: I love this tobacco, but it doesn't love me. For some reason, it makes me cough very badly when I inhale. It is probably just me, but I thought that I should mention it. If I just puff, everything is fine.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
JimInks	12/14/2012	Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant
I don't really taste the cigar leaf as I generally do when smoking a cigar, so the amount must be very small. I had assumed that it's just enough to add a little body to the overall taste, and while I still feel that way, I discovered that the cigar leaf is actually a maduro, which explains why I couldn't detect the regular cigar note. Being a maduro fan and now able to look for it in the mixture, I understand this blend's taste better. It adds a little body to the the natural sweetness of the Virginias, and the more plum than peppery perique taste. The spice is darn near at the perfect level for me, and works in harmony with the other flavors. It burns very well and cool, but if you are a fast puffer, you will miss some of the sweetness, so I recommend sipping it a little. I imagine it'll only get better with age, but you don't need to age it to enjoy it. It's a terrific all-day smoke, and I'm stocking up on it to smoke now and later. One of my favorite blends by anybody!
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Emil	12/14/2011	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
Im on a quest to try all the cigar blends that I can find, and was very happy to find this as it doesnt have any Latakia in it, which is rather unusual in cigar blends. I actually cant detect the cigar leaf, but the taste is that of an excellent VaPer with a very unique extra "spice" to it. Its both full and bright, if you know what I mean. The Perique level is good, low enough not to make it taste like lingonberries (I hate that!) or even noticing it. Love the cut which makes filling easy and burning cool and even. Looks good too. Great taste all the way down, never gets boring. Could wish for more fullness, but its silly of me really. This is one of the best blends I have tried, looking forward to smoke this on a nice summers day by the lake. For me this is a an uncomplicated chill out blend, at the same time absolutely unique. Top notch!
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boogieman	07/07/2011	Mild	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
A very nice smoke. You get the sweetness of virginias. I can't detect any topping, just a clean smoke that shows off the tobacco. It has a creaminess to it, and a nice, but not overpowering cigar flavor. I don't know how to describe the cigar aspects, but it makes me imagine old books, maybe an empty wine barrel? This seems to start off sweet and pretty mild, nice but mild. Toward the bottom half of the bowl, the flavor develops more and has a nice peppery spiciness to it (Perique?). Until the last half, I wasn't sure why they called this Virginia Spice. Another thing I like about this, with cigars, the last inch or so gets real nasty, ammonia like. This blend lets you enjoy the smoke till ashes. I just always hate how with a cigar you waste so much. EDIT: Forgot to add, not even a hint of tongue bite.
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Pipestud	04/03/2011	Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant
This blend is nothing short of outstanding! I have not smoked many of Russ Ouellette's blends but I've never had one that didn't float my boat. Virginia Spice has strength (yippee!) and a subtle sweetness that truly enhanced the natural Virginia flavor. The Perique was expertly added and did not intrude. And while not a condiment expert; I can safely say the spice in this blend was a joyful addition. Just an outstanding compilation!
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SteelCowboy	03/31/2011	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Virginia Spice in my opinion is one of the best, but often overlooked blends from Russ Ouellette and Pipes and Cigars. I haven't tried many blends that I can compare this blend to in that it is a Vaper, but not really. Its a cigar blend, but again, not really. It does come across to me as somewhat similar, stripped down, less complex version of Stogie made by the same folks. The tobacco smells of very sweet and tangy Virginias and for the most part that's the flavor profile, but the cigar leaf adds a whole other dimension. It arrives a bit moist and after a few minutes of drying, one can expect large billows of smoke and a blast of intense flavor. I tend to like my Vapers on the sweet side but Virginia Spice would actullly be too sweet for me however there is enough cigar leaf to balance things out and add a richness to the blend. If tobacco could be described in terms of sounds, I would call this blend "loud." It may be too much of a good thing for some Vaper smokers that like a more nuanced blend that's not quite so "in your face." Highly Recommended.
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piedpiper	02/09/2011	Medium to Strong	None detected	Full	Tolerable
Just finished another bowl of this great blend. This offering has been one of my primary blends for the last few months. I choose to classify this as a cigar blend, although it could fall into the category of a Virginia/perique blend as well. I haven't tried a lot of va-pers, as I prefer English blends, but those that I have tried haven't contained cigar leaf as this blend does & I believe that's what really makes this blend stand out. As other reviewers have indicated, the sweetness of the Virginias comes through nicely, with the cigar leaf adding it's own sweetness & fullness to the smoke. The perique comes through nicely in this blend as well which I usually look for in an English. This is one of at least a couple mixtures by Pipes & Cigars that contains cigar leaf with no mention of that ingredient in the current description as listed on their website, which I thought was odd (Strike Force being another example). This makes the third tobacco I've tried from them, and I've been pleased with all 3. A very solid 4 stars as this would make for a primary blend/all-day smoke.
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babysinister	08/24/2010	Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I admit my palate enjoys a wide and eclectic range of pipe tobaccos. But that mere fact should not elicit the raised eyebrow and the knowing, condescending smile of those who know me and believe I'm an easily deluded tobacco bimbo. To those who don't know me and have not read my other reviews, just fuggedaboutit. But I do love this blend and I don't care who knows it. I could smoke Hearth&Home's Virginia Spice all day, as it is a perfect all day smoke for me. Surprisingly for a VaPer with cigar leaf, it's mild to my palate, and the draw and intake are smooth and very flavorful. The nicotine is there for sure, but nothing as heavy as C&D's Habana Daydream (which I also smoke and like, but not as an all day smoke). Virginia Spice fills the bowl easily, smokes cool and provides a smooth draw, particularly out of a medium sized or larger bowl. There is a fresh feeling and lightness in the taste and mouth feel that I cannot attribute to any of the aforementioned components. Is this yet another case of a "mystery" ingredient - or is there some fortuitous synergy going on here? As for room note? Well, some Virginia and some cigary scent I guess. Since I live alone I don't give half a hoot about room note anyway. Which might be one of the reasons why I live alone... So, there's an added benefit of pipe smoking right there. But I digress. I will be buying more of this blend which, like all H&H's, comes in bulk, the relatively least expensive option. Highly recommended.
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rramstad	01/21/2010	Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
I try to avoid "blend inflation" and rarely give four stars. Russ makes great VAPer blends, and this one, with cigar leaf, is no exception. I think it's my favorite Hearth & Home VAPer, and that's saying a lot! It has a lot of richness, while being smooth, spicy, and sweet, all at the same time. Very well behaved in the pipe, too!
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
strongirish	11/17/2009	Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
From the description of this blend on the Pipesandcigars website, I was expecting a hearty blend that would be in my face because of the added cigar leaf. Boy, was I wrong! This stuff is mild, smooth and creamy right out of the pouch! I did taste the cigar leaf wafting in and out but the main player here is the VaPer base. It does have a spicy flavor and is very Va sweet, but the perique really behaves itself, never burning the back of my throat or nose, but it does give it's wonderful flavor presence to the blend. I have smoked this several times in a tall Caminetti stack, and it never smoked too full or strong, nor lost it's taste. It never bit me one bit and simply tasted delicious. It is a rough cut semi ribbon cut, is mostly a brown blend but with some darker leaf mixed in. It has a pouch aroma that is tangy and rich and just a little sour smelling. It came to me the perfect moisture content and loaded very easily into my pipe. It stays lit very well and burns down to a dark grey ash and no moisture at the bottom of the bowl. This is the perfect smoke to go with a cold ale or stout beer. The room note to me is dominated by the perique but I do pick up notes of maduro cigar in it but it smells wonderful to me. It does have a slightly stale cigar aroma about a half hour after finishing, so not a wife pleaser really. I only bought a sample of this but I will buy pounds of it to cellar, as I really like it and I highly recommend it.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
beaupipe	04/06/2009	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable
Just what the world needs: another VaPer and another VaPer review. The saving grace of this fine tobacco, however, is that it's not just a Vaper. It's a CiVaPer or a VaPerGar or a VaCiPer. For me lately it's been a PaCiFier. The tobacco hits all of the right notes with its components--Virginia, Perique, cigar leaf. The Virginia provides bright, herbal/grassy aromas and a lingering sweetness. The Perique adds its signature dried fruit aromas and acidity and the cigar leaf fattens up the whole blend, giving body and richness. Every now and then, the integrity of the blend comes apart like a wanton braid, but the effect of this unraveling is genuinely pleasant. The richness provided by the cigar leaf here might be too much for those who aren't particularly fond of cigars themselves, but pipers who also smoke cigars might like this very much. I've always been of the mind that when I want to smoke a pipe, I will; and when I want to smoke a cigar, I'll do that. But I don't want a cigar that tastes like a pipe or pipe tobacco that reminds me of a cigar. I still hold to that, but really the cigar-ness of this blend shows up as a series of flashes, not a sustained, gar-ish assault on the tender senses of most pipe smokers. I guess I like this a whole bunch. I find I like this best late in the evening with a small black beer or a smaller brown Bourbon. And while reading Hemingway, lost among the Spanish and found among the bulls. Somehow he just completes this very good tobacco for me.
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JLong	03/26/2009	Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
It took a few bowls for me to define the taste of this blend. My bag came at the right dryness level for a ready pack. It packs and lights nicely, and stays lit. This tobacco burns cool. The taste is mildly sweet and spicey. However, the sweetness and after taste reminds me of artificial sugar like used in diet soda. I am more of a burley lover but like to switch to virginia blends for variety. For a Virginia based blend with all the goodies added, this is good tobacco. I've given it 3 stars because of the artificial sugar taste. It could be in my head. I don't know. It's just there for me.
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Slow Triathlete	04/29/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
While listed as a VaPer with some cigar leaf in it I would switch that around and state that it is more a cigar blend with some Virginia and Perique thrown in. It kind of falls in the category of VaPer-like, similar to Haddo's, but there is other stuff thrown in to alter the tastes a bit. Regardless, this was a great blend to smoke and I would highly recommend it to anyone who may be burnt out on VaPers or someone who just wants to try something a little different. The taste and aroma for this blend takes you on a rollercoaster ride. One minute it smells and tastes like a VaPer, the next it smells and tastes like your smoking a Macanudo Maduro. All in all, it's a tasty blend, burns well, no bite, and the price is good.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
bighitter	04/10/2007	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
Alone, sometimes I get a little too much cigar, but the Virginia-Perique taste is very nice. This one may change every time you load a bowl, as it's a very heavily mixed tobacco, seemingly with different types just sort of tossed together. That's okay of course, that's how you blend tobaccos, but I prefer one that's been pressed or flaked, as the different tobaccos have a chance to mix better, to sort of flavor each other. The way this is, sometimes it tastes like a cigar, sometimes like a chocolate cherry, sometimes like grass. One word of caution, I was smoking this stuff one day and it made me a bit woozy, so something in there is strong, but I'm not sure what. It's good but not that good for the price, which I think should be a little lower for what you get, not that it's bad at all.
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loosewatches	02/23/2007	Medium	Extremely Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
I was recently gifted a few samples from the Hearth and Home series and this one is a keeper. I was impressed with them all really, but this is the one, along with Larry's Blend, that I'm definitely ordering more of.(dp) I should also say that I noticed a similar creaminess among all the blends that just might be from casing, though it's so light, it's hard to tell. . . Could be Russ' leaf. On to Virginia Spice. . This is my first cigar blend. This is a very well rounded blend, flavor-wise. Nothing takes over. Each leaf plays well with others. It's sweet, yes, spicey, and has a depth from the cigar leaf that I really like! (No bite, either, but I won't smoke anything that does). Great taste from the perique, too; not just pepper, but a little of the old fermented plum. Virginias (tastey ones) are a great base. My sample was quite dry, so lighting was no problem, but the burn rate was a little high. Therefore, I've got to hold off on all four stars 'till I get some with a bit more moisture. Nicotine content is just right for a relaxing smoke with a book or an in depth study of a spider's crawl across the ceiling. Of course, if you're so inclined, you could also try interacting with humans, but they may not enjoy the room note. I think it smells just fine;-}
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NEWMAN	01/09/2007	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I ordered this blend based on the cut indicated above and there was no detail in this respect @ pipesandcigars.com. What arrived was clearly labeled as this blend and even had pieces of the cigar leaf visible. However, in my view this blend consists of wide ribbon cut yellow to brown VAs with some Perique and cigar leaf added. This difference impacts the burning rate which is much too fast for my habits compared to my normal true flake preferences. Although it smoked dry and without bite I felt that the cigar influence on the taste was greater than I would choose although I didn't detect it in the room aroma.
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bent-1	10/31/2006	Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant
Delicious. The sweet VA's, peppery Perique, & cigar leaf intermingle nicely. The individual components are not lost, yet complement nicely to make for a satisfying, full flavor. Sorta like a wave of flavors as the draft is drawn. The progression of each draw, first the sweet VA is tasted, then the slightly fruit peppery Perique steps in, rounded out by the fullness of the cigar. I think the cut has a lot to do with this. Example, the cigar leaf seems large in comparison to the VA & Perique, but it is very thin and burns in proportion to the rest of this blend's ingredients. The blend was smoked in a Tinderbox Grecian Briar Prince shape.
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LV9	10/24/2006	Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Very good stuff, there's a little smell of ketchup in it but none of it as you smoke it, the perique content is just right.
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Talonr1701	09/02/2006	Medium	Mild	Full	Pleasant
Have been working a 2oz I got of Virginia spice....After several smokes in many pipes I can say with certainty that I love this stuff. IMHO best in a bulldog or Rhode, The bag smell is an exotic spiced virgina. Sweet and the spice reminds my of mulled cider. The smoke is very full on the mouth, yet finishes clean and the ashed pipe leaves one satisfied. Nicotine was just right for me. Taste, Room, strength- Russ hit a home run on this one. Ordering more in about 5 mins.....
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DjSamwise	04/04/2006	Very Strong	None detected	Full	Tolerable
I am a new Smoker of virginias and the first word that comes to mind when smoking the virginias of my main preference is sweet. Home and Hearth's Virginia spice is NOT that kind of virginia.. yet it is completely tasty in it's own way. I liken this blend to black coffee. Some people like sweet flavorings or cream to mellow thier joe out. This is more like a naturally tasty coffee that tastes good with no sugar or cream added. At first light it might taste a bit too strong or heavy but mid bowl I've found this blend mellows to a nice dark rich flavor with a coffeeish flavor. Its not too tangy or sweet but it is rich and a treat in it's own right. I wouldn't make it my daily smoke but it's a perfect bit of that something different, confident in it's own right. Might be perfect for the person who hates sweet but loves virginia. One last word, the nicotene level (probably due to the perique) seems to be high. I enjoyed this. I had to set the bowl down to take a break at one point but this suited me just fine.
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 27 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >