21 year old McClelland 5100

[Pierre1965]

Well, in celebration of it's 21st birthday I opened a jar of 5100 that had been put up in March, 1999. Ketchup. The first thing I smelled was Ketchup and that's what I tasted as I smoked it. I smoked the whole bowl and it smoked quit nicely. It smoked cool, stayed lit well and was very mild. I kept waiting for the taste to change, but it remained consistent to the bottom of the bowl. The smell of warm ketchup is the reason we don't go to Six Flags which is 20 minutes from our house. I'm sure it's just me. I don't have a very developed palate. I don't taste many of the things you guys describe when reviewing a tobacco. I think for someone else this would be awesome. I plan to go to my first pipe club meeting this next Saturday and I think I'll take this along to give out; hopefully it'll me better appreciated by someone else.

 

[kwg116]

I think we all thought that the first time smoking 5100. It took me quite awhile to understand it. All of my pipe buddies were smoking it and telling me buy as much as I could to cellar. Depending on how much you have, I would give it a few more chances. Don’t look for too much complexity, but when it gets into the zone, it’s fantastic.

 

[logs]

5100 isn't known for complexity. I think it's safe to say most straight red VAs are a monochrome smoke from start to finish and designed mostly for mixing.

 

[mingc]

Well, in celebration of it's 21st birthday I opened a jar of 5100 that had been put up in March, 1999. Ketchup. The first thing I smelled was Ketchup and that's what I tasted as I smoked it. I smoked the whole bowl and it smoked quit nicely. It smoked cool, stayed lit well and was very mild. I kept waiting for the taste to change, but it remained consistent to the bottom of the bowl. The smell of warm ketchup is the reason we don't go to Six Flags which is 20 minutes from our house. I'm sure it's just me. I don't have a very developed palate. I don't taste many of the things you guys describe when reviewing a tobacco. I think for someone else this would be awesome. I plan to go to my first pipe club meeting this next Saturday and I think I'll take this along to give out; hopefully it'll me better appreciated by someone else.

Is this your first McClelland?

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I've smoked 5100 from 2001. I like the tin note from McClelland Virginias. But I don't taste any ketsup. I like 5100 fresh for the tang it provides, I like how sublime the aged 5100 smokes. Keep in mind 5100 was primarily used as a blending tobacco, especially by the B&M's. I may be one of the few that really enjoyed smoking it straight and in relatively large quantities. I can remember buying 5 lb bags of the stuff.

 

[logs]

Throw some perique in with it and you'll have more fun

 

[mortonbriar]

Hey, you have something valuable to trade with at the very least!

I like 5100, and could be tempted to miss it I guess but more because it is a specific flavour than because it is an amazing flavour.

 

[Pierre1965]

Is this your first McClelland?

Yes, with the exception of one bowl of Red and Black which I enjoyed.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It's good stuff. Was one of my favorites. But, I always found it complex, but with subtlety. Sweet from the lighting, and hints of bread, cinnamon spice, and a fruitiness, changing to a bolder flavor at the bottom of the bowl. But, it took me a while, smoking many bowls, to get to the flavors.

I don't remember anyone talking about blending with it, back when it was available. I mean, I am sure people did, but it just wasn't as discussed as often as people who just enjoyed it, as is. Of course, there were many that said they hated it, and folks would always get pissed when a Virginia thread became a total McClelland love-fest... but,. they really did have more blends with more diverse processes than any other company. So, they had a quality product, no matter how your tastes differed.

 

[mingc]

Yes, with the exception of one bowl of Red and Black which I enjoyed.

Congratulations! That's a rite of passage of sorts. As you probably know, that vinegary smell is part and parcel of the Mclelland experience. Comes with the territory.

 

[krizzose]

I’m among those who don’t taste the McClelland ketchup/vinegar in the smoke once lit, so it’s never bothered me at all.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

It's good stuff. Was one of my favorites. But, I always found it complex, but with subtlety. Sweet from the lighting, and hints of bread, cinnamon spice, and a fruitiness, changing to a bolder flavor at the bottom of the bowl. But, it took me a while, smoking many bowls, to get to the flavors.

I don't remember anyone talking about blending with it, back when it was available. I mean, I am sure people did, but it just wasn't as discussed as often as people who just enjoyed it, as is. Of course, there were many that said they hated it, and folks would always get pissed when a Virginia thread became a total McClelland love-fest... but,. they really did have more blends with more diverse processes than any other company. So, they had a quality product, no matter how your tastes differed.

Perhaps The Briary didn't blend with 5100 but 5100 was the base blending tobacco for many, many blends in B&M's across the country.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Perhaps The Briary didn't blend with 5100 but 5100 was the base blending tobacco for many, many blends in B&M's across the country.

Absolutely. But, it was also sold by itself at many many tobacco shops. We have actually had threads where people listed the rebranded names given to 5100 by different tobacconists.
Like I said, I know it was used, but was discussed very little as a blender, compared to people who discussed just smoking it by itself.
The reason I mention this is because recently, people have been dismissing 5100 as "just being a blender' when it comes up in posts. I didn't mean to suggest that it wasn't used as a blender.

 

[anotherbob]

5100 isn't known for complexity. I think it's safe to say most straight red VAs are a monochrome smoke from start to finish and designed mostly for mixing.

completely disagree. It's a very good and consistently enjoyable sameness and relative simplicity and that's a huge part of the appeal of such blends.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Absolutely. But, it was also sold by itself at many many tobacco shops. We have actually had threads where people listed the rebranded names given to 5100 by different tobacconists.
Like I said, I know it was used, but was discussed very little as a blender, compared to people who discussed just smoking it by itself.
The reason I mention this is because recently, people have been dismissing 5100 as "just being a blender' when it comes up in posts. I didn't mean to suggest that it wasn't used as a blender.

Of course it was discussed very little. The B&M's didn't want to give up their mixes and the mark ups. At one time, i bought 5100 in 5 lb bags from B&M's. Had one in Rhode Island that shipped it to me at a pretty decent price in early 2000's. I think it was $30 or $36 per pound. I'll bet though 100's of times more was consumed as blending vs sold straight for smoking. Look at how many B&M's discontinued blends because of the loss of McClelland blending components.

 

[coyja]

I have some 5100 from the late 90s and its my favorite tobacco in the rotation.
You must have a bad batch, send it to me for inspection, I'll replace it with something worthwhile.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I'll bet though 100's of times more was consumed as blending vs sold straight for smoking. Look at how many B&M's discontinued blends because of the loss of McClelland blending components.

This is way WAY outside of what my original point was. By saying that you bought it in 5lbs bags you are reinforcing my point that it was smoked widely by itself. I would bet that there is not one Virginia smoker that had not at least set back one jar of it while McC's was still breathing, and many more varied smokers had at least tried it as a straight Virginia.
But, yes, it was a blender also. But, it was not JUST a blender, like what others have insinuated.
I mean, like tobacconists weren't just selling it in bulk so people could JUST go home and make their own English blends. Some might have, but that just rarely ever came up in discussions. Most bought it in bulk to smoke it by itself. And, it was widely touted as a top notch Virginia. I can't even imagine a Virginia suggestion thread where someone hasn't posted 5100 as one of the first ten replies.

We obviously are in agreement. I am just having a hard time convincing you of this, ha ha.

 

[pepesdad1]

5100 with 5 years on it...it becomes a whole nother creature...sweet and very satisfying.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

This is way WAY outside of what my original point was. By saying that you bought it in 5lbs bags you are reinforcing my point that it was smoked widely by itself. I would bet that there is not one Virginia smoker that had not at least set back one jar of it while McC's was still breathing, and many more varied smokers had at least tried it as a straight Virginia.
But, yes, it was a blender also. But, it was not JUST a blender, like what others have insinuated.
I mean, like tobacconists weren't just selling it in bulk so people could JUST go home and make their own English blends. Some might have, but that just rarely ever came up in discussions. Most bought it in bulk to smoke it by itself. And, it was widely touted as a top notch Virginia. I can't even imagine a Virginia suggestion thread where someone hasn't posted 5100 as one of the first ten replies.

We obviously are in agreement. I am just having a hard time convincing you of this, ha ha.

I agree with that. I wasn't a very educated smoke in 2002, I didn't have the patience to mess with flakes. So I'd load that 5100 into big ole Castello Great Lines and HawkbillsI had at the time.

 

[SpookedPiper]

I was motivated to start at the time McClelland was closing it's door. I just purchased some tins of frog Morton and within the week everything was sold out! I was thinking to myself how much of this tobacco should I buy 5 tins...but that so much..do I really need that much????? Such a noob...at that I only picked up lat blends from them, now knowing that they aren't my jam! So I pay attention to the blends that reminds or hints to the OG's of the McClelland days gone by and follow those who I have similar tastes.

All this to say, if the OP is looking to did of some of the 5100 for a reasonable price, let me know!