For the record, every time I smoke 5100 I say to myself "I wish this had a pinch of latakia in it." So I was quite excited to find that both the appearance and the tin note are very reminiscent of McClelland 5100 with a hearty pinch of latakia dropped in. The colors run the gamut of deep red and tan virginias with the speckling of jet black latakia. As usual for McClelland, moisture content is perfect for me: ready to smoke right out of the tin.
The blend starts out very red virginia dominant for me. Sweet, complex, and sour with the signature McClelland vinegar (which I'm a fan of). The latakia is condimental. Some puffs it's very forward, some puffs it's just lingering in the undertones. But it perfectly weaves in and out throughout to keep the smoke interesting. Compared to the 2010 Anniversary release, I find this to be slightly more sour and tart. It could be the leaf or it could just be the young age. I'm quite excited to crack another tin in 5 years or so.
Overall, this is an extremely satisfying smoke now. It scratches that itch when I'm not quite sure whether I want a virginia or an english. There's no doubt that with some age on it this will be a 4 star blend for me.
The blend starts out very red virginia dominant for me. Sweet, complex, and sour with the signature McClelland vinegar (which I'm a fan of). The latakia is condimental. Some puffs it's very forward, some puffs it's just lingering in the undertones. But it perfectly weaves in and out throughout to keep the smoke interesting. Compared to the 2010 Anniversary release, I find this to be slightly more sour and tart. It could be the leaf or it could just be the young age. I'm quite excited to crack another tin in 5 years or so.
Overall, this is an extremely satisfying smoke now. It scratches that itch when I'm not quite sure whether I want a virginia or an english. There's no doubt that with some age on it this will be a 4 star blend for me.