Wessex Classic Virginia

This is a superb smoke. A little tangy, a little tart, just a touch of spice and a very mild sweet addition as well. Citrus, figs and raisins. In the second half a little bread and earth. Everything a Red Virginia should be (plus the added sweetness). Has a little creaminess to it. Has enough strength to easily satisfy. Just a pure pleasure.

Medium in body and taste. Added sweetness is very mild. Burn is near perfect.

After reading the above reviews, I had to check again to make sure what I was reviewing was the same stuff because I came away with a totally different impression of this blend.

I found no spice in this blend, I found it to be plain tobacco, which I liked a lot. If I had to describe this in a word, it would be "tasty!"

If you want pure tobacco flavor without casing or extra sweetness, well, grab a tin of this stuff in a hurry!

Because there are several colors of tobaccos in the mix, and it is billed as a straight red Virginia, I claim some of the reds were processed differently. That would account for some of the subtle flavor notes, plus there seems to be a very light essence of a sweet topping. There’s plenty of earth, moderately tangy dark fruit, some wood, a small amount of tart citrus and grass, a touch of sour, spice, bread and floralness, as well as a trace of fermented stewed fruit. The strength and nic-hit are at the center of mild to medium. The taste is a step shy of medium. Won’t bite or get harsh. Has very few rough moments. Despite the variety of taste aspects large and minute, it doesn’t quite have the depth one usually expects from a straight red Va. blend like McClelland’s 5100. Burns fairly cool and clean at a reasonable pace with a mostly consistent mild sweetness. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Has a pleasant, short lived after taste and room note. Can be an all day smoke or a mixer. Two and a half stars, rounded up to three.

-JimInks

When it comes to straight red Virginia that's meant to be smoked instead of blended, there's not a lot of competition - for me it came down to McClelland's 5100 or Wessex Brigade Classic Virginia, and Wessex won.

It's ready-rubbed, easy to maintain, cool smoking, and less sweet. Rich, deep, complex, earthy flavors all the way through, it makes me want to bake bread.

James B. Russell, Inc. used to import this fine tobacco, and it no longer does. [*] Pity. It is an excellent, classical flake.

The broken ["Scotch"] cake inside the tin is the colour of fig pudding. It smells like it, too. The taste is mild, savoury, spicy, not too sweet. There is none of the bloating of the heavier stoved plugs, no topping, casing, shaving-soap smell or anything else, but the natural, zesty mildness of Queen Virginia.

I smoked Brigade in a new corncob, which brought out the full airborne elegance of this tobacco, proving, yet again, the essential greatness and nobility of corncob pipes. Heartily recommended.

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[*]? I am told that all these Wessex tobaccos are now imported by XYZ Direct.

Wessex - Classic Virginia (Brigade).

It's quite a well broken flake, there's only a small proportion of the blend in need of further rubbing. The smell from the tin suggests a sharp topping of some kind, maybe citrus. Mine was a touch too moist, but not damp enough to avert having a bowl from the fresh tin.

The smoke doesn't taste like the usual Virginia blend, it has more depth to the flavour. The initial part of a bowl carries the sharp, slightly acidic, citrus note that emanated from the tin. It doesn't taste, in any way, cased, but gives lots of natural Virginia sharpness. This soon calms down giving way to a sweeter style of Virginia, with some dark fruit and bready notes. I've read a few comments about the temperature being too high, but I can't see a problem with it, even if I forcefully 'chug'. It gives a burn that has a medium speed, requiring very little attention.

The nicotine: mild to medium. Room-note: very pleasant.

I could see myself cellaring some Classic Virginia for when the urge for a Virginia takes me. Highly recommended:

Four stars.

A fellow piper brought some of this in and even after only having two bowls I found myself really liking this one. It has a nice pure Virginia taste to it, nice ribbon cut. Another one if I did not have too much on hand would buy some and give it a proper review. I will consider this a place holder for future endeavors.

One of the better broken flakes that I have smoked . Looks and smells very nice upon opening . I needed to rub it out a little but it packs and burns well . Best smoked in at least a group 4 sized pipe this tobacco will give you a long smoke full of really good Virginia flavor . Much less harsh than some other red flakes I have had , this is sweet down to the last puff . 1/21/21 Beware ye faithful for K & K has altered the playing field . The new Classic Va. Brigade is a virginia PERIQUE blend . The original was totally red virginia and was an excellent tobacco . It was also a ribbon . The new one that they are now selling under the same name is a lite VaPer with a broken flake presentation . It is, however ,a decent smoke . The virginias are not the same quality as the original virginias which is probably why they tweekd the blend . The smoke is a fairly good VaPer with only some perique taste although it is there . It stands on it's own as a usable VaPer if you want that lite hit of perique . It seems like many blenders are altering their blends due to the lack of quality virginias and periques available on the market . Many have been replaced by black cavendish or dark fried kentucky . Orientals are also hit . We must use care in orfering .

Although Classic Virginia is a better than average straight Virginia, I can give it only a two star recommendation as there are just too many others from which to choose. Much better bet.., Brigade Campaign Dark Flake

Tin note of spices, sugar and bread. Tobacco is a Ready Rubbed of brown, dark brown and black. Moisture content is great. Larger pieces may need a little rubbing. Burns slow with a few relights. The strength is mild to medium and nic is mild. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium and very consistent, with notes of fermented herbal hay, spices, floral, toasted bread, woody, tangy citrus peel, rich earth, semi-sweet tart dark fruit, slightly acidic, mildly savory, a lemon and grassy background note, and a peppery retro. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.