McClelland St. James Woods - Thanks Samcoffeeman

yazamitaz · May 16, 2014

Sam first introduced me to this tobacco about a year ago at my first attendance at Morley's Pipe Club in Philadelphia. Being a novice I followed his suggestion and bought a 100 gram tin of this baccy. I smoked it and hated it. I thought it tasted like peat moss, so the next time I let it set out for 30 min. Now it tasted like treated lumber. I pushed this to the back of the cellar and basically overlooked it like the girl you KNOW you could get but decided to go home alone. I brought it out to the club last night hoping to get rid of it and thinking there would be more folks that would want it so I could get rid of it. Of course, the only person that sampled it was Lestrout and he commented that this tobacco was at its perfect humidity level.
I have to admit that this tobacco never did anything for me, but since my tin was so low I figured I could almost kill it tonight and make room for some other tins that were in my favor. Well that's when then epiphany you never thought would happen did. I let a bit sit out for about 30 min as I cleaned up after dinner. This tobacco gave me a sweet, molasses-like full smoke that I never tasted before. This tin had always been the red headed step child of my cellar and was looking for a reason to chuck it. Well all I can say is stop the presses. This tobacco gave a long, creamy flavorful smoke that I never got before. I think the resting time turned this from something I had no patience for into one of the best smokes I have ever had. Odd??? Yes. But I have to give this up to aging. Call me crazy but this is my first realization of aging tobacco, even for only a year.
Let me know your thoughts.... And thanks Sam. You were so right about this baccy.

andrew · May 16, 2014

This is my favorite VaPer, my first VaPer I smoked, I didn't even know it was a VaPer or it had perique or what perique was, it was just some open old tins well aged that weren't selling at my B&M so they decided to sell it in bulk. At first I was smoking it too fast, the perique can really burn your mouth, or bite, or whatever it is. This is the blend that taught me to smoke slow. At first I liked it, and then one day I decided to try it in my kaywoodie drinkless. It was a moment of nirvana, I knew I had found a wonderful new blend. I've got 4 tins, just waiting to pop one, not yet though, I know what to expect, but with my tobacco supplies and the amount of tins open I'll wait. Still, this is a top notch VaPer up there with the best of the best. It's a testament to finding the right blend for the right pipe. After though any blend I smoked in my kaywoodie was perique ghosted, so I've dedicated my kaywoodie to my future smokes of this.

yazamitaz · May 17, 2014

I think I also smoked this too fast at first Andrew. I did everything wrong with this tobacco in the beginning. It's been said on this forum many times; if you don't like something put it aside for a while and then come back to it. I kinda thought that was hooey. How will my tastes/techniques change so much or how will the baccy mellow that drastically that I can go from hate to like??? Well it DID happen, and that is why this is the best website.....period. I know I would have given up on this habit last April because this hobby of ours is something that is hard to learn on your own.

lestrout · May 17, 2014

yaz - the magic factor was my Karma. Somehow, when I put you onto PSSPE, No.14 or whatever, your antenna are more receptive. Same thing happens with trouts: when I show up at the stream, they start to rise. They do it to please me.
hp

les

peckinpahhombre · May 17, 2014

Well, this is a relief. I have put 23 200g tins of this stuff away (5 lbs) but don't think I have tried it yet. The first part of your post (treated lumber?) made me a little nervous.
I have had this experience with a few tobaccos though, including First Responders and 2012 Christmas Cheer. Didn't like it the first few times I tried them, so I let them sit for awhile and then tried them several weeks later. Bam! I loved them.

Strike Anywhere · May 17, 2014

yaz, it could be your tastes have changed a bit too. I've always found St. James Woods to be one of the best, if not the best, VAPER on the market. SG St. James Flake gets more press because it's SG. Blends like PS LNF and LBF get a lot of press just because they're good (not great) and crazy cheap. St. James Woods just keeps flying under the radar, which is fine by me because that means it's usually in stock.
Also keep in mind VAs and VAPERs can be more fickle when it comes to the pipe in which they're smoked. I'm sure you've been around long enough to know that, but just keep that in mind when trying any new blend (especially VAs and VAPERs).
At any rate, I'm glad it hit the right notes for you.

Strike Anywhere · May 17, 2014

I know I would have given up on this ~~habit~~ hobby last April because this hobby of ours is something that is hard to learn on your own.

You can't post stuff like this too often or the FDA will try to shut us down for being detrimental to public health. :wink: :mrgreen:

phil67 · May 17, 2014

I have put 23 200g tins of this stuff away (5 lbs) but don't think I have tried it yet.

You have 23 200g tins of something you never tried!

Just out of curiosity... why would you purchase that much of something that you never tried?
If I had done that with something like Ennerdale I think I would end up slitting my throat! lol

cortezattic · May 17, 2014

Stockpiling popular blends, whether you like them or not, is a better investment than gold -- safer, and more liquid.

Think of Peck as an investor in commodities.

Perique · May 17, 2014

If you like St James Woods, I would suggest also trying Beacon Extra and the often-overlooked Blakeney's Bayou Slices (each also from McClelland). All three are similar, and all three benefit enormously from aging and drying.

beefeater33 · May 17, 2014

+1 Cortez

I totally agree, you will never lose money on an unopened tin of tobacco. They are like money in the bank!

phil67 · May 17, 2014

Thanks, but I think I'll take the gold. :wink:

peckinpahhombre · May 17, 2014

If you had bought gold in recent years you may have got hammered. A tin of tobacco like this will never be worth less than I paid (unlike gold) and then there is upside.

andrew · May 17, 2014

Apparantly it's blackwoods flake with perique added, so if you've tried that you'll like st. James woods. I would agree it is the best VaPer I've tried, most definitly in the top 10 of all VaPers

mrjerke · May 17, 2014

SJW was love at first site for me. I recently got to sample thanks to the box pass and loved it. Glad I already had some aging! This stuff is great.

foggymountain · May 17, 2014

Thanks for reminding me about it. I really like this tobacco and put away a few dozen cans then forgot about it. It needs to be aged and dried a little.

yazamitaz · May 17, 2014

Les - All I need to say is that you have NEVER steered me wrong and glad that you invited me to Morley's last year. You have forgotten more tobacco lore than I have been able to comprehend and I take your word as gospel.
Peck - You need to fire up a bowl of this. Not sure what you have put through your Parks billiard yet, but this would be delicious. That bowl would take this rubbed out like a champ.
TAB - I meant to type hobby, but that's what happens you type on a phone before your first cup of coffee. I love VAPERs and would have to agree that this one gets overlooked. Not any more by me anyway. I do admit my tastes have changed and am just starting to understand how to smoke slower and discern flavors. I just bought 250g of SG SJF based upon some friends recommendations. This is getting jarred then pushed to the back.
Perique - Thanks for the recommendations. I will check them out.
Jordan - are you holding out on me????

Thanks for all of the guidance gents. I will be cellaring this one.

peckinpahhombre · May 17, 2014

Yaz, what was the date on your tin? Just checked mine and they are 2011 - so already 3 years of age. Not too shabby.

lestrout · May 17, 2014

321511
hp

les

andrew · May 17, 2014

I let my tin rest open for at least 3 months before I smoke it. Do that with all my Mcclelland Virginias.

Yes I think this process is more important than the aging process with McC's tobacco, as the Blackwoods flake my first time I smoked it I was totally dissapointed with but after a month or so resting with the lid on it drastically altered the taste.

McClelland St. James Woods - Thanks Samcoffeeman

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