A friend gifted me a bottle of Balcones Texas Single Malt Whisky Classic Edition last week. Very nice with just a touch of water, it is 53% after all. It does NOT work well with ice. It takes on an unusual fruity/ester note when cold.
I never really smoked McClelland aromatics. Closest would be 2050 which is a VA cavendish bulk. I liked it some on its own and sometimes mixed with 5100.
Anytime you expose tobacco to air you get a chance for mold. Store in plastic and that chance greatly increases. Plastic is NOT good at preventing air and moisture from moving in and out.
I have 5100 in mason jars from 2004 and 2005. Stored in a cool, dark, closet. It is a shame that the source of good red Virginia dried up like it did. I know one friend who has about 15 pounds of 5100 in jars. He always feared this day would come.
I have some VA blends (like Christmas Cheer) from the early 90s. Many are bulging but I have not yet had one pop on its own. I live at about 900 feet above sea level, so a higher elevation could make a difference.