Tobacco Blending Part 2- Virginia Tobacco.

For all intents and purposes, all pipe tobaccos are based on three different families- Virginia, Oriental and Burley. A great many different sub-species and variations on these primary "Varietals" exist. 

Today we get to know "Virginia" tobacco.

Named after the state where it was first cultivated, Virginias are characterized by their high natural sugar content and light  sweet flavor which some call "grassy" or "hay like".They  Naturally light in taste and flavor, and carry a medium to high Nicotine content. The majority of these tobaccos are "Flue Cured" a process by which the leaves are cured via exposure to indirect  heat which produces a a lighter colored leaf, hence the varieties' nickname "Bright Leaf" 

Virginia is the most widely cultivated tobacco in the world today, due in part to its importance as in ingredient to the cigarette industry. The higher grade, thicker leaves are what we pipe folk are interested in, however, and the best come from Africa, USA and South America, 

Due to the multitude of different growing, fermenting and processing techniques, there are many different finished Virginia tobaccos offered to the blender. I'll go through the major ones here

Bright Virginia is the simplest of the bunch. It is cured quickly and contains the highest sugar content of the different colors.  Available in a variety of different cuts, Bright Virginia has a light citrusy, grassy, hay-like  flavor and a light "camofire" room aroma. It is used either straight or as a base for many English blends. Commercial blending tobaccos include Stokkebye Virginia Long Cut, Stokkebye Bright Virginia, Sutliff SPS-201 Long Virginia, Sutliff TS1Y Yellow Virginia, and Sutliff TS-1 Bright Virginia Ribbon.

Red Virginia is a a Virginia tobacco that has been cured longer. It takes on the characteristic reddish brown hue and, due to the extra aging, has less sugar content and a deeper flavor. Commercial Virginia offerings include Sutliff TS1R Red Virginia Ribbon and Cornell & Diehl Red Virginia.

Matured Virginias, through pressing, heat, steam etc, are much darker and complex in their flavor. They can take on a deeper, darker and sweeter flavor due to the caramelization  of their natural sugars brought about by the processing. Another name for Matured Virginia is "True Cavendish" or "Natural Cavendish" Commercial offerings include Sutliff TS3 Cavendish and  Gawith & Hoggarth DVC. Many blenders prefer to make their own Matured Virginia utilizing various methods, one or two of which I will explain when we get more into actual blending.

Stoved Virginia mainly refers to Bright or Red Virginia which has been darkened by coming into contact with a heated surface like a pan or tray over a heat source. The tobacco is in constant motion during the stoving process. Some manufacturers stove thier tobacco inside a drum which is rotated over an open flame, and some companies stove thier commercial blends "In-Tin", placing the tinned blends inside an oven. Depending on the length of the stoving and the intensity of the heat, either a very black sweet tobacco is produced, such as McClelland 5105, or a slightly smoky sweet dark tobacco such as Cornell & Diehl's Stoved Virginia. They can be smoked straight or used to add sweetness and depth to blends.

Next up: Orientals...