McC Blackwoods vs. Virginia No. 27

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.

tarak

Lifer
Jun 23, 2013
1,528
15
South Dakota
Hey all. He my first tried of Blackwoods flake and really enjoyed it. I think I may be a fan of red Virginia's.
How does that compare to McC's other red blends? Virginia No. 25? Not understanding the differences.

 

pipestud

Lifer
Dec 6, 2012
2,010
1,749
Robinson, TX.
My thoughts cut/pasted from TRC -
Blackwoods Flake: I don't normally head in this direction when choosing a blend, but a friend recently sent me about 25 grams of this and it was from a 1998 tin. The age may have something to do with the fact that I kind of liked this stuff... Okay, I loved it!

It was not difficult to load and stayed lit well. My sample was quite dry and burned that way. And wow, the smattering of about ten different flavor sensations all at once was delightful. Smooth, refined, spicy, tangy, sweet, sour, mellow and strong rather than weak pretty much sums up the way Blackwoods Flake presented itself to me.
#25: The predominant element is the matured and stoved Virginias - dark brown sugar sweetness, an earthy smoothness, a nice musty character that reminds me of the smell of mushrooms at the grocery store veggie section. Like most McClelland Virginias, the flavor deepened and developed as the bowl continued to burn lower. This is not an "obvious" tobacco, it doesn't leap out at you. But it piques your curiosity. The closest comparison is Esoterica Tilbury.
#27: I recently cracked open a 22 year old tin of this delightful Virginia/Oriental broken flake. I cannot remember a time I had more fun smoking a tobacco. The tin top was actually puffed a bit and let out a gentle swhoosh when the seal broke. The broken flake was extremely dark and the smell told me the leaf was richly fermented. The tobacco was almost totally dry, but retained just enough dampness to make it perfect for smoking. It burned clean and cool right down to the bottom of the bowl leaving nothing but ash. Just past mid bowl on my second smoke, I hit an otherworldly zone that I'll remember forever. A pure aged Virginia naturally sweet and tart at the same time. This old 100 gram tin will not last long.
Pipestud

 

moses

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 12, 2013
792
2
Biddeford
Also, for a completely different (to my palate, anyway) red VA experience, there's always Hearth & Home Louisiana Red. Tasty and fairly straightforward, but far from boring.
Per the tin description:
A great sweet and spicy blend containing two different Red Virginias, and a good amount of outstanding Perique. The rich, round sweetness of the Virginias are complimented by the plum and pepper hints of the cool-burning Perique.
For what it's worth, I think the tin description is pretty spot on. And you will probably like McClelland's St. James Woods. It's basically Blackwoods Flake plus a bit of Perique. Amen to the Red VA's!

 

jdto

Might Stick Around
Nov 11, 2012
89
0
McC 5100 should also be mentioned when speaking of good, red Va. It's a bit lighter, but I find when I smoke it slowly and easily, I get a whole bunch of nice, sweet flavour.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.