About half the comments here at that time were: “Smells/Tastes like tomato ketchup/vinegar… I’d never smoke that crap”
True, mostly because the complainers were clueless about how to deal with that, an effect of the acids used in processing that would largely air off by opening the tin and let it air out.
The few McClelland products that got regular praise here were the Frogs, Dark Star, and the Cheers. The moaning and rending of sack cloth didn't really get going until word got around that McClelland was closing. That was accompanied by a rush of speculators to buy up every tin they could find.
Nobody loves and appreciates you until you are gone.
McClelland had a house style, in the tradition of British manufacturers, which was the model they referred to when developing their brand, aging their blends for years before releasing them, so that they could be enjoyed at their peak. Outside of the UK, who's doing that now?
You either liked what they did or you didn't. Personally, I liked their Virginias, particularly their matured red Virginias. I didn't like the Frogs, and most of their orientals. They had a lot of snoozers and a lot of winners.