Benson & Hedges Special (Mellow) Virginia
(2.48)
A rich blend of pipe tobacco for a mature, satisfying smoke.
Details
| Brand | Benson & Hedges |
| Blended By | Scandinavian Tobacco Group |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Burley |
| Contents | Burley, Kentucky, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Caramel |
| Cut | Ready Rubbed |
| Packaging | 50 grams pouch |
| Country | Denmark |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Mild
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Mild
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
2.48 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 21 - 30 of 58 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 26, 2015 | Medium | Medium to Strong | Medium | Very Pleasant |
Mellow Virginia is something of a guilty pleasure - you know you shouldn't like it; you know there's not much to like about it - but for whatever reason it can hit the spot at unexpected moments. And as those unexpected moments are part of the intrinsic pleasure of pipe-smoking, so Mellow Virginia earns a place in your heart.
As noted by another reviewer, Mellow Virginia appears to be a rather inferior leaf which is brought to life by its casing. This is a deep caramel and toffee flavour which can last for a whole bowl depending on how it is smoked. In my opinion Mellow Virginia is best smoked with pipe clamped in mouth and with rapid initial draws to get the smoke started. Once it's well-lit in this manner, it seems to relax into a sometimes dark and inky boiled sweet, giving out plenty of flavour and smoke. Sometimes it tastes of caramel crossed with pencil lead; other times like a bitter resin. It can be a good smoke and a bad smoke, but you can never guess which in advance. The nicotine hit is variable and seems to depend heavily on how it is smoked.
Mellow Virgina is widely available in supermarkets and newsagents in the UK - it's a well-known and recognised OTC brand, and it's easy to see why it has become something of a staple - it rewards the long term smoker by catching one unawares at times. You can't predict when these moments will be, only anticipate them, crave them almost. But the same is true of the reverse - it can give many a bad smoke if you don't get the lighting and initial draws just right.
Recommended, if you can persist with it long enough to find a way of making it work for you. Despite the casing there is some complexity here.
Edited to add: This tobacco is usually fairly moist in the pouch - dried out its taste reminds me of Orlik's Golden Sliced. I've also noticed that the taste is affected by the way it's cut and packed - if you get a pouch in which the tobacco is crumbly it is generally a better smoke. Sometime it comes stringy, which requires a bit more work.
As noted by another reviewer, Mellow Virginia appears to be a rather inferior leaf which is brought to life by its casing. This is a deep caramel and toffee flavour which can last for a whole bowl depending on how it is smoked. In my opinion Mellow Virginia is best smoked with pipe clamped in mouth and with rapid initial draws to get the smoke started. Once it's well-lit in this manner, it seems to relax into a sometimes dark and inky boiled sweet, giving out plenty of flavour and smoke. Sometimes it tastes of caramel crossed with pencil lead; other times like a bitter resin. It can be a good smoke and a bad smoke, but you can never guess which in advance. The nicotine hit is variable and seems to depend heavily on how it is smoked.
Mellow Virgina is widely available in supermarkets and newsagents in the UK - it's a well-known and recognised OTC brand, and it's easy to see why it has become something of a staple - it rewards the long term smoker by catching one unawares at times. You can't predict when these moments will be, only anticipate them, crave them almost. But the same is true of the reverse - it can give many a bad smoke if you don't get the lighting and initial draws just right.
Recommended, if you can persist with it long enough to find a way of making it work for you. Despite the casing there is some complexity here.
Edited to add: This tobacco is usually fairly moist in the pouch - dried out its taste reminds me of Orlik's Golden Sliced. I've also noticed that the taste is affected by the way it's cut and packed - if you get a pouch in which the tobacco is crumbly it is generally a better smoke. Sometime it comes stringy, which requires a bit more work.
Pipe Used:
Peterson's Shamrock
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 05, 2011 | Medium to Strong | Mild to Medium | Mild | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The more I smoke this, the more it grows on me. I find it burns better with some drying, after which you can pretty much take it down to the so-called "fine white ash". The flavour seems just fine to me all the way to the bottom. There's a peppery effect mid-bowl, which can be mistaken for bite, but isn't. Otherwise, it appears so mild and well-mannered, you can easily be caught by the sting in the tail! Am I the only one to find this tobacco deceptively strong?
One benefit of using a Falcon pipe is that inspection of the condensate is made easy. Dried MV produces no more than an average amount of moisture. For a tobacco that produces a prodigious amount, try Haunted Bookshop. If anything will set your cheap briar a-gurgling, that one will!
One benefit of using a Falcon pipe is that inspection of the condensate is made easy. Dried MV produces no more than an average amount of moisture. For a tobacco that produces a prodigious amount, try Haunted Bookshop. If anything will set your cheap briar a-gurgling, that one will!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 03, 2011 | Mild | Medium | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
i like this when i take my dog about 5/30 i have a smoke listen to the birds this is one of them tobaccos that is nice to start the morning off then i like my condor
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 07, 2010 | Mild | Medium | Mild to Medium | Very Pleasant |
After a trip to the UK I noticed that if a newsagent only stocks one pipe tobacco, it will be this one, so I thought I'd try it out.
I must say that in my opinion it is nowhere near as bad as some say; I actually find it a pleasant mild smoke with a proper 'Grandad' room note that reminds me of going to watch Bradford City at Valley Parade when I was young, and sitting behind a pipe smoker. Slightly vanilla scent in the packet, not much in the smoke, which is fine by me. I doubt I'll buy it again since I have to get all my tobaccos by mail normally and I prefer tins, but I'll finish the packet happily. Three stars!
I must say that in my opinion it is nowhere near as bad as some say; I actually find it a pleasant mild smoke with a proper 'Grandad' room note that reminds me of going to watch Bradford City at Valley Parade when I was young, and sitting behind a pipe smoker. Slightly vanilla scent in the packet, not much in the smoke, which is fine by me. I doubt I'll buy it again since I have to get all my tobaccos by mail normally and I prefer tins, but I'll finish the packet happily. Three stars!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 09, 2009 | Mild | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
This is a mild Virginia, roughly rubbed out, with what I'm inclined to call a trite, unsubtle vanilla/caramel/malty topping. It used to be available as a flake, but I don't think this is still true (in the UK, at least). It's an easily-available supermarket/drugstore brand, mild, with not too much vitamin N, and quite a pleasant room note.
Several people that I've known over the years have adopted MV as an all-day smoke. It's certainly unassertive, and it won't weary you in the way that more robust and demanding tobaccos can. Like several other reviewers, I've noticed that MV tends to deteriorate in quality as you go down the bowl. DGT fails to deliver its customary reward, too: re-lit, MV comes across as hot, tasteless and ashy. Personally, I don't care much for the vanilla-type flavour, and the product as a whole leaves me with the impression of something a bit cheap and third-rate. My suspicion is that the topping is there to gussie up a somewhat low-grade leaf.
Let me try to rank MV in relation to other UK supermarket tobaccos, though. On the one hand, if it's a choice between MV and St Bruno or Three Nuns or Player's Whiskey, don't go for MV. On the other hand, MV is far, far superior to either of the Craven abominations; it has more character and body than the contemporary version of Gold Block; it smokes better than Clan (cooler, and without the mannerisms of flavour and room note); and it's nothing like as strong as the Condors. I don't notice that MV bites worse than most other Virginias will, either. The secret is not to rush, and not to smoke it when it's too dry.
As supermarket brands go, MV is all right, even if no more than all right. Availability is its strongest point. I'd give it two and a half stars if I could. Somewhat recommended: if you're stuck, it's a decent stopgap; MV is by no means a tobacco of distinction, but it's not bad for what it is.
Several people that I've known over the years have adopted MV as an all-day smoke. It's certainly unassertive, and it won't weary you in the way that more robust and demanding tobaccos can. Like several other reviewers, I've noticed that MV tends to deteriorate in quality as you go down the bowl. DGT fails to deliver its customary reward, too: re-lit, MV comes across as hot, tasteless and ashy. Personally, I don't care much for the vanilla-type flavour, and the product as a whole leaves me with the impression of something a bit cheap and third-rate. My suspicion is that the topping is there to gussie up a somewhat low-grade leaf.
Let me try to rank MV in relation to other UK supermarket tobaccos, though. On the one hand, if it's a choice between MV and St Bruno or Three Nuns or Player's Whiskey, don't go for MV. On the other hand, MV is far, far superior to either of the Craven abominations; it has more character and body than the contemporary version of Gold Block; it smokes better than Clan (cooler, and without the mannerisms of flavour and room note); and it's nothing like as strong as the Condors. I don't notice that MV bites worse than most other Virginias will, either. The secret is not to rush, and not to smoke it when it's too dry.
As supermarket brands go, MV is all right, even if no more than all right. Availability is its strongest point. I'd give it two and a half stars if I could. Somewhat recommended: if you're stuck, it's a decent stopgap; MV is by no means a tobacco of distinction, but it's not bad for what it is.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 04, 2004 | Mild | Very Mild | Very Mild | Pleasant |
Mild Virginia is an excellent choice when looking for a cheap, uncomplicated smoke. In spite of its name, it has nothing to do with the bygone excellent Benson & Hedges pipe tobaccos, such as Cut Plug, Sullivan?s Mixture or the wonderful Original Virginia Flake (IMO one of the best tobaccos there ever was).
This is a more commercial product, blended by Rothmans or Odgen?s of Liverpool, and together with St. Bruno, Clan, and Erinmore, it can easily be found in any news stand or Deli, anywhere in England. Ready rubbed, the tobacco is mainly light brown, with some darker strands thrown in, very soft and silky (not syrupy). It is easy to pack, it tends to burn cool, and it has a nice, nutty flavour. The room aroma is quite agreeable (to the point that non smokers would actually praise it) and subtle, dissipating quickly. For more experienced smokers, this tobacco would be a trifle bland, and not at all a memorable smoke. Then again, it is an excellent choice for beginners.
Think of it as an upgraded Gold Block, or the English version of American drug store blends.
This is a more commercial product, blended by Rothmans or Odgen?s of Liverpool, and together with St. Bruno, Clan, and Erinmore, it can easily be found in any news stand or Deli, anywhere in England. Ready rubbed, the tobacco is mainly light brown, with some darker strands thrown in, very soft and silky (not syrupy). It is easy to pack, it tends to burn cool, and it has a nice, nutty flavour. The room aroma is quite agreeable (to the point that non smokers would actually praise it) and subtle, dissipating quickly. For more experienced smokers, this tobacco would be a trifle bland, and not at all a memorable smoke. Then again, it is an excellent choice for beginners.
Think of it as an upgraded Gold Block, or the English version of American drug store blends.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 25, 2020 | Mild | Very Mild | Very Mild | Tolerable |
I hated it at first, weird sour smell on pouch opening and unpleasant taste with excessive moisture, even though I generally use absorbing filters! It ended up in a jar being mixed with some Amphora Full Aroma and St. Bruno RR. After a couple of weeks in search for clear-your-palate smoke I grabbed some of it and to my surprise enjoyed a bowl very much. In my view, it's a rather boring smoke but may provide fairly neutral and versatile mixing ingredient.
Pipe Used:
Various with balsa and meerschaum filters
PurchasedFrom:
Supermarket
Age When Smoked:
Fresh from the pouch
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 28, 2020 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
I hated this when I first tried it years ago... because I didn't have a clue what I was doing. Now I'm older... have a pipe with a filter...know how to actually smoke a pipe...it's lovely.its called special Virginia now. It's got a slight vanilla extract thing going on. There's some great smashed up flakes in there. Can get a tad sour in the bottom. But it's the best OTC I think.good smoke
Pipe Used:
Nording 1995 Neumarkt special
PurchasedFrom:
Tesco
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 18, 2019 | Medium | Mild | Medium | Very Pleasant |
This is a tobacco that I have been meaning to revisit for a very long time. I tried a bowl way back in the 1970s and for some reason I had not gotten round to trying it since. I know that it has had a good many poor reviews, but I like a challenge and wanted to see if it was as I remembered. On opening the pouch, I was greeted with a very familiar aroma of years gone by. Toffee and dark fruit and hints of chocolate reminiscent of old time Confectioners and Tobacconists. In fact it is one of the nicest pouch notes that I have encountered. As it came a little moist, I gave a good half hour of drying time. One false light and one true light and I was in business. The initial flavour was sweet and grassy with a good dose of dried fruit and this intensified somewhat and settled into a classic VaBur by mid bowl with a little dark chocolate from the Kentucky coming into play. The room note carried the toffee fragrance well and for a non aromatic it would be very acceptable to most. There was no hint of tongue bite or any tendency to burn hot. In fact it was a very well behaved smoke and kept its flavour all the way down with a good nic hit to end up. I got nearly an hour smoking pleasure out of a medium sized bulldog bowl. The after taste is great and the beard/moustache note is sublime. I would say in summation that I enjoyed this tobacco very much and would see it becoming part of my rotation. I wouldn't nescessarily recommend it for beginners, but it should please a seasoned Virginia smoker. One to enjoy slowly and it will reward your patience.
Update:-
Half way through the pack and my impressions have only changed for the better. Longer drying time before smoking helps bring out the nuances of the Virginias and it is fuller in flavour and more like a full Virginia. It smokes way better than it has a right to as an OTC blend !
Update:-
Half way through the pack and my impressions have only changed for the better. Longer drying time before smoking helps bring out the nuances of the Virginias and it is fuller in flavour and more like a full Virginia. It smokes way better than it has a right to as an OTC blend !
Pipe Used:
Falcon
PurchasedFrom:
Tesco
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 29, 2017 | Mild | Extremely Mild | Mild | Unnoticeable |
It's weird, this stuff has been around for years and I've never got around to trying it. Well not properly anyway.
Put off by the fact that it is OTC I've been avoiding it. I was expecting it to be foul in some way, like a Borkam Riff or Condor blend.
It's isn't. It actually a good virginia, with no bite, no overwhelming flavours, just the taste of a mild virginia tobacco. Usually with these 'plain' blends they are totally tasteless, but in this case it is oddly satisfying every time I pick up the jar.
It's a staple and solid blend, yes, generic, but a great filler between aromatics or stronger English blends, of which I enjoy both.
The pouch aroma is again, surprisingly pleasant and takes me back to the 70's. the leaves themselves seem to be coarser than I remember from the last time I tried this, whether by design or due to the fact that the blasted spoilsport Government has decided that pipe tobacco has to be treated like cigarettes, if you follow me. Either way, the coarser cut makes loading easy and some of the strands, as someone noted earlier, resemble a broken flake, not unlike SG's wonderful Golden Glow.
There is no nasty aftertaste, and relights are few. there doesn't appear to be a room note.
the best thing about this tobacco is that it is actually available from supermarkets and even some corner shops (shows my age). I'll make sure I have this in stock as it's perfect when you just don't know what you want, won't foul your best briars and is perfect straight out of the pouch (although I chose to decant it into a jar).
A damned good blend and one of the best OTC's available.
Put off by the fact that it is OTC I've been avoiding it. I was expecting it to be foul in some way, like a Borkam Riff or Condor blend.
It's isn't. It actually a good virginia, with no bite, no overwhelming flavours, just the taste of a mild virginia tobacco. Usually with these 'plain' blends they are totally tasteless, but in this case it is oddly satisfying every time I pick up the jar.
It's a staple and solid blend, yes, generic, but a great filler between aromatics or stronger English blends, of which I enjoy both.
The pouch aroma is again, surprisingly pleasant and takes me back to the 70's. the leaves themselves seem to be coarser than I remember from the last time I tried this, whether by design or due to the fact that the blasted spoilsport Government has decided that pipe tobacco has to be treated like cigarettes, if you follow me. Either way, the coarser cut makes loading easy and some of the strands, as someone noted earlier, resemble a broken flake, not unlike SG's wonderful Golden Glow.
There is no nasty aftertaste, and relights are few. there doesn't appear to be a room note.
the best thing about this tobacco is that it is actually available from supermarkets and even some corner shops (shows my age). I'll make sure I have this in stock as it's perfect when you just don't know what you want, won't foul your best briars and is perfect straight out of the pouch (although I chose to decant it into a jar).
A damned good blend and one of the best OTC's available.
Pipe Used:
All of them
PurchasedFrom:
Local supermarket
Age When Smoked:
coupla month
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