Rattray - Black Virginia pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 39 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >
TK Pipe	01/31/2013	Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
Rattrays Black VA…. Mild in strength but has some noticeable VA flavors. As others have mentioned this stuff is a real pain to keep lit, when smoked straight from the freshly opened tin, and I agree that considerable drying Is just about mandatory to somewhat correct this problem, not to mention this drying also does IMO wonders in BV’s flavor department, smoothing out some of its sharpness. My 100 gram tin will probably last me for some time, because this profile is not my favorite. But seeing how it does seem to blend well with just about anything, I can see the rest of my tin being used for that purpose. Bottom line; I would recommend this blend only to those that love VA’s enough to go through all the annoying relights and added drying fuss.
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WooseyWid	09/23/2012	Mild	None detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong
When I was buying my first pipe, I had no idea what I was doing so I grabbed a tin of this because I remember reading that virginias are sweet. This baccy was not very sweet and did not taste too great at the time, but I was happy to start leaning how to smoke a pipe. I soon got a hold of the Lane Limited aeromatics for a local B&M and loved them untill I realized the goopy, low quality nature of these. Now that I knew how to smoke, I returned to my tin of Black Virginia to give it another shot and was rewarded with experience of how good non-aeros can be! When Black Virginia is opened, the tin note smells just like raisens. As it ages, the tin note is more like hay. When you smell hay is when the baccy is at its best. I allways had a little trouble getting it lit but when it is, the first third of the bowl has a sweet and incredibly tangy taste to it. Such a good virginia taste. But the downfall of Black Virginia is after the first third, the sweet tang is gone and your left with a spicy and kind of burnt of smoke, which is so upseting after the first third was so good. This is probably why it is currently a 2 star baccy. I still recomend trying it because it is a unique tobacco the sweet tang is so good. Black Virginia turned me into a virginia smoker.
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Tuckers Gpa	07/07/2012	Very Mild	Very Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is a good VA Cavendish that can be smoked either stand alone or as others have mentioned,a somewhat expensive mixer. Very mild, very soft flavors of plums and its a slightly sweet, making this an extreme example of mild VA Cavendish. An all dayer, this is a good smoke for the summer. Not heavy nor gloopy, just a clean mild smoke. She Who Must Be Obeyed has stated this is "not offensive, but really not much aroma at all." I was expecting more VA and less steam/stove/cavendish and for it to carry over into this. No such luck. Feel like this couldve been accomplished in a far less expensive arrangement. I will celler the remainder. For another day...
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The German	02/11/2012	Extremely Mild	None detected	Very Mild	Unnoticeable
Well, I had misread the description and am guilty of not having read the reviews of this blend when I ordered. So I got what I guess I deserved. Opening the tin, this is a pure Black Cavendish, but that it's made from VA is immediately obvious. The tin note is delicious! Unfortunately, my palate is used to stronger stuff, and I had left BCs behind a long time ago, so for me, too little strength and too little taste, though the medium-sized ribbon cut does burn pretty well for a BC, especially compared to Black Luxury and its ilk. Still manages to burn rather hot, and produces some condensation. If you like ultra-gentle blends, go for it. After six or seven smokes of this blend straight, I am using the rest of my 100g tin as an additive for a few other blends (and it looks like this goes particularly well with VA/Pers) to add some smoothness and sweetness where I feel it necessary. I'll say this much -- it turns the dry cocoa- ness of some Burley mixtures to something much smoother and sweeter, and does the same for the room note. If you don't like it, don't throw it away. It seems to work well as a blend-in for stronger blends lacking in sweetness and refinement. If you do like it... stay with it. Addendum 02-18-2012: This is still the best pure BC I have experienced. I would recommend to the beginner: it is mild, and unlike most other BCs I have experienced, it actually burns properly -- most BCs are practically unsmokeable for beginners; this one could be the exception.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Jakob Kiilerich	11/27/2011	Mild	None detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Unnoticeable
Like Dark Fragrant from Rattray this is a jet black pure VA Cavendish. Unlike Dark Fragrant this is extremely bland and boring. I am very well aware that Rattray-blends can be difficult to smoke and thence appreciate, and I am also aware that pure VA Cavendish can be a pain to keep lit, but I have had luck with some of the similar blends from Astley's, McConnell and Rattray, so I should think my empirical data should be ok. Maybe this could be used to mellow out other blends og to smoothen them; I cannot say, but as a stand-alone, this will give you nothing - and I mean: nothing! I have tasted E-gigarettes with more power... Jakob Kiilerich, Denmark (Review No. 100. Yay!)
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bryantm3	12/23/2010	Mild	None detected	Very Mild	Pleasant
This is an expensive blending tobacco— that's all I can see this as. It's a Virginia-based unsweetened Cavendish that will bore you to death. I wouldn't give it one star because that rating really belongs to most of the 'blends' produced by Altadis and Tinderbox. The taste is not terrible, it's just that there is nothing going on— an extremely mild caramel taste is the only thing present.
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Plus Twos	07/23/2010	Mild	None detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
Despite its extremely dark colour there is no roughness but a pleasant tang - just the thing for an early morning smoke with a cup of coffee.
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doc'spipe	04/19/2010	Mild	None detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant
I first tried this in the 1980s thinking it would be similar to the Tinderbox's Captain Spice. Boy, was I wrong! First off, there was little if any tin aroma. Second, it wasn't jet black like the Spice. Third, it was a bugger to keep lit. Finally, little to no taste. Not sweet at all, occasionally a whiff of that hay-like barn smell, but not much. I was quite disappointed to say the least. If Tobaccoreviews existed then - a 1 star rating. Over the years as my experience in pipe smoking grew, I would from time to time try Black Virginia. I came to appreciate it for what it was - a mild, stoved or steamed Virginia, nothing more, nothing less. I would dry this out in the tin for days at a time and this helped to reduce the frequency of re-lights. With slow smoking I sometimes experienced the subtle hay-like taste in an otherwise bland tasting blend. All in all, if you want something very mild with an at times very subtle flavor, and if you are willing to dry this stuff out sufficiently for smoking, this may suit you. As such, only somewhat recommended. For this piper after nearly 34 years of pipe smoking, not a re-visit for me.
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dogwood	12/08/2009	Mild	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
This is an excellent english cavandish that the virginia lover with savor and enjoy. People have commented on the one dimentional smoke produced but it is wonderful for the smoker who looks for natural dark virginia taste. The smoke is rich and sweet. Black virginia is an extremely relaxing smoke.
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Skando	11/01/2009	Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant
BV has been the latest (and previously unattempted) trip to Rattray's Va's dept. At the opening of the lid I realized right away that this almost black stoved Va shares the most with Rattray's Dark Fragrant, having the latter just a smidgen of Perique and maybe a bit pronounced casing. The contents of my 100grms tin was not moist, I found the tobacco just ready to smoke and - differently from other esteemed reviewer - I haven't faced any kind of efforts, nor steam and hot pipe. I have basically appreciated BV, giving an easy (non complex) smoke with the lightest hint of fruity sweetness. I see BV as a no-nonsense tobacco, perfectly fitting its intended task for those moments one looks for a mild Va smoke. Regarding myself, I could easily rate it *** (the same to DF and McC's Maduro) if they just had a wee bit more body.
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Orchid	10/11/2009	Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
It does need a little more attention to keep it going, and the rewards are not really worth the effort. Although certainly entirely uncased, there is a natural liquorice- like flavour to Black Virginia, but other than that, it’s a bit tedious. I find it draining on both the palate and general constitution. Next morning, my mouth felt very ‘ashy’, so the smoke on this must be very heavy. Besides the widely noted extra effort in keeping it alight, the actual smoking is not unpleasant (for one bowlful when otherwise feeling fit and up for anything), but it’s not very inspiring either. The only way I would ever smoke this again is mixed with something else. I’m trying a blend of 5 parts Samuel Gawith’s ‘Golden Glow’ (aka Medium Virginia Flake) to 2 parts Black Virginia (by weight). The hay/grassy light quality of the GG is not on the face of it an obvious match for the liquorice of the BV, but it works quite nicely. I like the ‘Black & Gold’ concept that comes with this blending, and the light and dark flavours makes for a smoke of greater dimensions than offered by either tobacco unmixed. This is my first go at blending, and I wonder whether a dash of perique might make it something more heroic. I’d be interested to hear of other blends by other smokers here using Black Virginia. On its own, this is a two star tobacco - in my GG blend, it’s an interesting three star (my blend is, of course, four star).
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DK	12/31/2008	Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Nice pouch aroma! Whatever it is, it doesn't hold for either the taste or the room aroma when it comes to strength. This is a subtly-flavored stoved virginia with a mild tanginess that is quite enjoyable. As others have mentioned, this needs to be dried out or you'll puff your lips off trying to keep it lit. Dried out, it smokes cool and slow and burns to a fine gray ash. Doesn't change complexity as you go down the bowl. In fact, this is hardly a complex smoke. I'd call it very simple. A tangy virginia flavor that doesn't call much attention to itself. While I find this a good tobacco and can recommend it, it really doesn't have enough flavor to suit me on a regular basis. I'm going to mix a small amount of blending perique to this and see what happens. Probably a very small batch to start. Still, this is a pleasant light tasting tobacco and is perfect for someone who doesn't want to be overpowered by their tobacco.
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marosi	09/18/2008	Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
I am mad at Black Virginia. I have attempted to smoke this blend several times over the course of many years, all from the same tin. Each time I found it very hard to light, unwilling to accept a char, difficult to keep burning without excessive puffing which heats things up to an intolerable degree, and lacking in any enjoyable flavor. When I sit down at the end of the day to enjoy the one or two bowls life, and my wife, allot me, I do not want to have to do battle with the blend. Black Virginia, damn you to hell! To tone the hyperbole down just a bit, Black Virginia is black in the tin, as described. It appears to be covered with something, but what I do not know. It smells tangy, like most virginias, plus something else which defies description, at least for me. It packs ok, due to its very odd cut. It is cut into large chunky flat squares. The only thing that I have seen similar is cavendish existing as a constituent part of a va or english blend. Cavendish, however, will burn, and this, at least for me, will not. Even after drying, it is wholly resistant to the flame. When I finally get it going, it flames out quickly, and burns hot. The flavor is a great let down from the strong tin presence. Overall, this tobacco had bad mojo, and I have thrown the rest of mine out. Things have been right with the world ever since.
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Fly ticky	04/25/2008	Mild	Very Mild	Very Mild	Very Pleasant
Good smoke I can dig it.
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donk93953	01/05/2007	Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is interesting....Ive never considered myself a Virginia smoker. Of course, its present in the blends I generally reach for (Highland Targe, Black Mallory, all the Frog Mortons), but not just a Virginia. Granted this is stoved, but it is still new territory for me. I've had a dozen bowls now and like this. Its dark as charcoal, incredibly mild, smooth, rather monochromatic, but enjoyable. Everyone else has described its appearance, but I found mine only need one night spread on a serving tray to dry a-bit. I'll grab this tobacco again. It probably will be part of my usual rotation. Try it....
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Pipestud	12/24/2006	Mild	Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant
This will no doubt please the pipe smokers who enjoy light, semi-sweet Virginia flavor. If you prefer more taste in your Virginia leaf, better let this one dry out first or your constant sucking for flavor will produce a throbbing tongue. I have seldom seen a dark stoved Virginia that packs less wallop. I don't know whether or not this blend burns clean to a fine white ash at the bottom of the bowl because I never got there.
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calavera	04/06/2006	Very Mild	None detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
This one is good, but the taste is somewhat ethereal. Through the wisps of smoke, an occasional tangy sweetness dances at the edge of the palate. Never as much as I want, but always enough to keep me coming back for another try. My tin dried out fairly quickly.
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Spike	02/08/2006	Mild	None detected	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
10/07/2005 As a major consumer of Rattray's fine pipe tobaccos, I was let down by this one. First I must say I have not been a lover of Stoved Virginias. They may be too subtle for my less-experienced palate. I will follow the advice of some of the other esteemed reviewers and dry the heck out of this tobacco. Otherwise it may take me a number of years to work my way through the 100 gram tin. Will update after the drying-testing process is completed. 02/08/2006: I have smoked eight of the eighteen blends listed in this section and this is the only disappointment of the lot.
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Meerschaum Man	01/08/2006	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
This is difficult for me to smoke. The stoving leaves an oily residue that stains the fingers and presents problems with trying to keep it lit while not getting tongue bite that Virginia leaf is notorious for. It mixes favorably with Hal 'O the Wynd without excessive taste clashing. The only way I can appreciate smoking it is to let it dry for a couple of days outside the can. I guess I've learned that I'm not a zealot for stoved tobacco. Meerschaum Man Smoking an old noname Meer
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OSR	01/02/2006	Mild	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Tolerable
This stuff bites my tongue regardless of the moisture level in the tobacco. The taste is flat, somewhat spicy for such a one dimensional virginia (is there some flavoring added?)and I can't get past the bitiness... With all the good va's on the market (stoved or not) I sure can't recommend this one.
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 39 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >