Hearth & Home Virginia Night

Not a simpleton, Virginia Night offers a lot of variance as you work your way down the bowl. The rich and sweet Red combined with what I believe to be some toasted Virginia, made for a presentation that offered a bit of strength and rich Virginia with that touch of depth that you find only in the best Virginia leaf. Just an overall well done compilation of leaf! And finally, it burns very cool for a straight Virginia but sipping is advised... not to stave off the heat, but to enjoy every subtle nuance of flavor.

A dark virginia of fine ribbon cut in the tin with musty, deep aroma. Smells like pure tobacco, with a sort of burley underneath. Some burley-like flavor as well and I would guess there was burley in it if I didn't know differently, particularly since I noticed some pretty fair nicotine content here.

Dark, deep flavors in this one. I noticed very little to almost no sweetness. This one was more earthy and toasty. The flavor didn't change to a high degree but it seemed like almost each puff had subtle differences from the previous one. Snorking is absolutely essential with VN to get the most from it. Fans of McClellands Virginia #25 and C&D Briar Fox should check this one out. It didn't DGT as well as #25 but it was still pretty good when revisited. The flavors ranged from light toast to creamed coffee (no sugar), and everything in between. I tasted just a hair of something that seemed like a topping but I couldn't place the flavor. Wasn't nearly as complex as others in the Marquee series but it would make a better "set it and forget it" smoke that would throw little surprises when I was paying attention. This is an interesting blend that may grow on me and I'm very curious how it will age. I plan to get more!

Virginia Night, I was the one who added this one on here, fitting I should do a review. It should be noted I am not a huge fan of Va's by themselves. However this one strikes a chord with me. Was gifted a partial tin last winter, liked it and then gifted a full tin by my pal and fellow piper (and drinking buddy). Tin is about 6 months old, maybe older as the label is in Black and White not the coloured one in use today. This is a very toasty blend, it does have some aroma to it that isn't Virginia but it's mild and sweet and most I think will find that it adds to the aroma. Smokes cool, comes at the right amount of moisture. The blend seems to respond to longer stemmed pipes (smoking in a BC faux bamboo). Reminds me a lot of GL Pease' Montgomery if a bit smoother and consistent in taste.

Recommended.

I first smoked this blend in 2017. By the time I had finished the tin and decided I wanted more, there were none to be found.
Fast forward to late 2023 - here I am, puffing away at 2013 Virginia Night.

Three red Virginia leaves are cut in to narrow ribbons and blended. There's a matured flue cured, a toasted red, and a dark stoved red. Blended, they produce a silky smooth, tangy, delightfully sweet and nuanced experience.
Upon opening the tin at a ripe age of 10 years I was greeted with an audible "swiish" and the unmistakable pungent aroma of fermented red Virginia.
I'd go so far as to say it's as close to the Mcclelland flavor/aroma profile as one can get without having actually been tinned in Kansas City.

After letting a bowls worth dry for a couple hours I packed it up in a BST full bent chimney. Nothing like a tall, narrow bowl to bring out all the layers of sweet and tangy nuance in a Virginia blend like this.

Virginia Night has everything you could want in a Virginia ribbon blend. It's got that tangy, piquant sweetness from the matured flue cured leaf. The stoved Virginia ramps up the sweetness and adds a slightly musty and bready flavor. The toasted reds round it out and provide the tasty pathway between the other two.

Not a common sight in today's tobacco market - even among the usual aged tin consigners. If you are a Virginia lover and do happen to come across a tin of Virginia Night, go for it. You will not regret it.
3.75/4 stars.