What is "Bronze" Virginia?

[ThermionicScott]

I debated whether to post this in the "Beginner" forum, since it seems like it would be a simple question. But I haven't found much via PM forum searches or on Pipedia, either. I see it called out in a few of the Dunhill/Peterson blends.

From what I've gathered, most of what we call "Virginias" are leaves from a family of tobacco plants that are flue-cured, and then processed/aged in different ways to produce the various colors that we refer to. Is Bronze Virginia aged for a particular amount of time, or is it simply a mix of bright, lemon, and/or dark Virginias? Feel free to disabuse me of anything I've gotten wrong so far.

Thanks!

 

[shanez]

Bronze Virginia is third place Virginia.

 

[Chasing Embers]

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Bronze Virginia is third place Virginia.

Haha, I was thinking back to the old days and “screwed by the East German judge in figure skating!”

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It might help us (me) to answer this if you could tell us which tobacco blend that you saw this term used. Much of what is printed on tins and in ads for pipe tobacco is just generalizations used in marketing.

 

[ThermionicScott]

It might help us (me) to answer this if you could tell us which tobacco blend that you saw this term used. Much of what is printed on tins and in ads for pipe tobacco is just generalizations used in marketing.

Good point! I mostly had Dunhill Flake ("a medium-strength flake of selected grades of Lemon and Bronze Virginias") in mind. I know I've heard it in other descriptions for a couple other blends, looks like Royal Yacht also has/had bronze virginias.

 

[bullet08]

She's a sexy well toned and well tanned vixen from Scandinavia.

 

[anotherbob]

I honestly don't think there are any real rules for what you call certain things in a blend. If I remember correctly the only issue is province, basically if you say it's from Connecticut but it's really from Mass. then that's not allowed (probably). But as far as how it's described..... That's between the consumer and the marketing department. My guess is that it would be almost red but not quite.

 

[kcghost]

I've never heard of "bronze Virginia" in any tobacco.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It's definitely not a trade name for color cured Virginias. But, in pipe tobaccos sometimes they will just call something by whatever makes sense to the blender. What exactly they mean by the term... I'm not sure. It could be anything from a Virginia Cavendish to just an air cured Virginia. I did notice that Royal Yacht calls it sweet. And, mostly I found the term on a few dozen aromatics... but those usually don't rely on the flavor of the leaf as much as the toppings.

Most likely just marketing... and, it probably means something different from blender to blender.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

...it could even just be rejected flue cured Virginias. When I over cure a Virginia, it does tend to have that bronze color to it. It's not terrible tasting. It just doesn't meet expected qualities that the mfg is shooting for. I tend to just toss it. I love loading up a barrel fire with some tobacco leaves, and just standing in it, ha ha.

 

[solideogloria86]

It's what happens when you put Copper Virginia in a Tin....... Ok, I'll see myself out.