McCranie's Red Ribbon, Vintage 1983

Red Ribbon is the ribbon-cut version of McCranie's tobacconist's unflavored red Virginia blend. The 1983-stamped batch was produced from that year's harvest and shares the same leaf as Red Flake; the difference is the cut. Being based on a single harvest, it wasn't remade once the batch ran out, and later editions on record came from the 1996 and 2000 harvests. Compared to the flake version, the ribbon cut packs more easily and burns faster; in flavor, red Virginia's dark, bready sweetness stands out along with a creamy roundness from long aging.