F&T's CVP is a dead ringer for Capstan Navy Cut Medium, an old guilty pleasure no longer available here. The tin aroma appears identical, and although it lacks the overt sweetness of the Capstan, it does have a lovely sweetness of its own, one that is mild yet persistent. It's cool, clean, and as easy to smoke as any flake.

The word that always come to mind while smoking this blend is "delightful."

Appearance: This is pretty! Seven flakes stacked on top of one another in a roughly 1-1/4" by 3" pile. The colors vary from bright yellow (20%), orange-red (60%), dark brown (10%) and black (10%), and the flakes are well-pressed and the colors evenly distributed.

Packing and Lighting: I've picked out an Upshall Lovat, a big ol' stacked pipe with lots of wood that always delivers a cool smoke. Rubbing a couple of flakes out fills the bowl almost to the rim. The first light is VERY smooth and lightly sweet and the smoke is creamy and rich with just a hint of spiciness on my tongue. A relight isn't really necessary as the whole top lit on the first try, but out of habit I tamped lightly to smooth the ash and made a quick pass with the flame.

Exposition: Once the burn is settled in, I'm realizing what I like most about this tobacco - both the flavor and aroma are pure tobacco. I get nothing fruity, nor overtly spicy or exotic; it's a very simple Virginia taste, woody, slightly sweet and very well balanced. It vaguely reminds me of many different smokes I've had, but seems to be lacking a bit in complexity. I like the flavor, I just hope it picks up some more interesting nuances as the bowl progresses...

The Story: I stopped to make lunch for myself and my little one and laid the pipe aside for a half hour or so, and the relight flavor is almost identical to what it was before. Odd indeed. Ok, the sweetness has dropped a notch, but that's it. It's still a pleasant smoke, but I'd be more likely to enjoy it at work where I'm busy helping customers than I am now when I'm searching for subtleties that just aren't there.

A little further along, and about the 2/3 mark, the flavor is picking up some spicy pepper flavors and the sweetness is peeking back out, reminding me of dried figs and dark honey. The aroma is still pure tobacco with a slightly sweet woodsy essence, and a nutty but leathery aroma coming off of the bowl. That's more like it! I still don't find it to be all that compelling, but it most certainly isn't BAD. One thing I can't fault is the burning properties: it lit easily and is burning evenly with very little moisture and very fluffy ashes that show complete combustion.

Denouement: Down at the very bottom of the bowl the flavor is still mostly unchanged. It's gotten a little bit spicy and the sweetness has become darker and richer but that's all. It still tastes good even in the bottom of a tall narrow bowl, which is quite a feat. It doesn't stay lit quite as easily as before, but that's understandable in a bowl this deep.

Pros: It's one of the easiest flakes I've ever smoked and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to a beginner as it has a lot of the typical VA flavors without being as difficult to smoke as many others are. It tastes and smells quite natural with no top dressings or added flavors that I can detect and would also be a good all-day smoke.

Cons: It's quite a bit too mild and straightforward for my taste; I like my tobacco to be heavy, complex or both and this, unfortunately, is neither.

This may be one of the best introudctions to straight Virginias. It lacks the natural sweetness I have tried in other blends (Bjarne´s Flake de Luxe or Dunhill´s Light Flake), but its toasty and wheaty undertones would surely attract a cigarrette smoker. It is made from quality leaf and it is extremely simple to pack and light. A very good option when in a rush, or to smoke it at work. Nobody seems to mind!

Upon opening the small 50g tin, the tobacco is true to its plug form, looking like a dense brick of tobacco. A little coaxing yields a three-inch flake, the cutting of the plug was executed very well. I pinched off a few 1/4" pieces for the bottom of the bowl, followed by a barely rubbed-out middle, and finally a finely rubbed out topping to help the charring light.

The first light was tangy and slightly astringent, but without bite. Nothing too eventful until the second light. Holey-Smoley-Canoley! This tobacco is everything a straight virginia should be. There was a musty sweetness kind of like a freshly opened package of graham crackers, with a lingering flavor of white raisins. I hit the zone on this bowl and stayed with it for a long time. There were brief flashes of different flavors that I can not name yet, but it kept me interested all the way to the bottom of the bowl.

Afterwards, my palatte tasted clean and dry, no bad lingering flavors. In fact, I immediately wanted another bowl! This is a really fine virginia, I am stocking up like a madman on this one, I can not wait to see how a few years will improve this blend.