It is a Miracle

[cigrmaster]

I had given up any hope of ever being able to smoke a Virginia flake from McClelland because I thought they were all loaded with Red Virginia's which I cannot smoke. But after doing some research( which I should have done long ago) I found that Dark Star does not list red's as a component. So I ordered a tin and I am sitting here smoking it bite free and really digging the flavors. It is one black flake that needed about 3 hours of drying time after I cube cut it. The flavors are very rich and sweet, and extremely satisfying. It is burning very nicely for me. I know some people are put off with the tin note, but it kinds of smells like a spicy barbecue sauce which is interesting to me. I will smoke another half dozen bowls before I commit to loading up the cellar with it just to make sure, but the first bowl is a very pleasant surprise.

 

[numbersix]

Glad to hear it Harris - I know how you've been unable to enjoy VAs. Very interesting to know.

 

[mthanded]

What is the smell of the McClelland brands? I recently opened a tin and then another and just cannot get past that smell. I also opened Nording's Beagle and it had the same "ketchup" smell and promptly closed it and will give away since the smell is almost sickening to me.

 

[cigrmaster]

mthanded, do not equate the smell with the taste, there is no ketchup or barbecue sauce in the flavor of any MC blend. I have heard it is just how they process it. You should really try it before giving it away. Once you light it up that tin note is gone. It could very well be the Nording is made by MC, they make a lot of blends for other people to put their name on.
6, I enjoy tons of VA's, in fact it is all I smoke, it is just ones with red virginia's I don't smoke.

 

[sparroa]

Great news, Harris. McClelland is a great tobacco company so I'm glad you have found a smokeable blend amongst their catalogue...
I have heard many people say that the "vinegar" aroma found in McClellland blends is the result of natural fermentation as well as the specific processing that their leaf undergoes...
To me, it is very similar to ketchup or barbecue sauce. To be fair, though, I have only encountered it in the tin aroma and never in the actual taste of the smoke itself. (Beware - it does "ghost" the pipe with the same tangy smell)
McClelland VAs have a unique flavour and a prominent sweetness that makes it all worthwhile, so I recommend that people give more than one blend a try before they decide to avoid their products. They are very high quality. (I've heard that McClelland tinned VAs get upward of two years aging before retail sale, though I can't prove it)

 

[numbersix]

6, I enjoy tons of VA's, in fact it is all I smoke, it is just ones with red virginia's I don't smoke.

Oops - my bad. Well, very glad for you anyway! ::

 

[yohanan]

Glad to hear you found a blend from McClelland that didn't strip the hide off your tongue. I think they make some very good blends. ::

 

[gnatjulio]

Thanks for the heads up cigrmaster. Better get a few tins before they're gone.

 

[doctorthoss]

Well, Dark Star does have red Virginias in it (in fact, I'm fairly sure it's mostly red VAs) but apparently the extensive processing has made it palatable to you. I'm glad you found one you like -- McCs virginias are very unique, in my opinion, and I think every pipe smoke should try them.
And yes -- many, many of us have noticed the ketchup/BBQ/vinegar smell of some McC virginias. Some swear that this doesn't affect the flavor, but in my experience it does. I personally love it! My favorite McC VA, in fact, is Blackwoods Flake and it has more of that tangy flavor than any other blend I've tried.

 

[cigrmaster]

gnatjulio, you had better hurry. I just ordered 17 100 gram tins from Rich at 4noggins. I have a credit built up with him for his selling my aged stuff. He has sold well over a grand worth of my stuff since August.
roth, not a bad idea, I think I will do that. By the way, I tried the Former Cross grain flake, it burned the shit out of my tongue, I guess it has red virginia's in it. It tasted freaking great, but after a third of the bowl I had to dump it. Oh well it was worth a try. My son will love this stuff so it won't go to waste, he has no problem with the reds. He likes his vaper flakes like his old man. He is smoking my stash of the aged Stokkebye flakes I have. The kid is starting off with the good stuff.
simenon, it was from our conversations that I decided to take a shot at this, thanks buddy.

 

[cigrmaster]

Doc, this is the description from the can, no mention of red anywhere.
"This tobacco begins as Bright Yellow, sugary top grade Virginia and Carolina leaf. Through careful triple aging, pressing and stoving, it becomes rich, cool and dark. A spicy aroma."
This is the description from TR.
" Years before tinning, this tobacco begins as bright yellow, sugary top grade Virginia and Carolina leaf. Through careful triple aging, pressing and stoving, it becomes rich, cool and dark. A seductively spicy aroma develops during the extended maturing process to complement the complex flavor of this concentrated, smooth broken flake, which is easily rubbed out to suit any occasion."

 

[cigrmaster]

I just looked at the tin and the quote I took from tobacco reviews is the same exact wording. I would hope the tin description is accurate.
The top quote was taken from P&C and it looks like they just left off some of the tin description.

 

[piperl12]

Harris,
Is it just the tongue bite from the red virginia that keeps you away? The only reason I ask is my first foray into virginia tobacco is deep hollow also a Maclelland mixture and it says black and red stoved virginias. Now this tin was from the mid 90's and may have mellowed but wow its sweet, cool smoking and very flavorfull. Not Ketshup smell either.

 

[cigrmaster]

piper, it is just tongue bite, hell I love the flavor of many Mac blends. 5100 Red Cake, Blackwoods Flake, St James Woods, 2002 Christmas Cheer, Ashton Black Parrot, Ashton Brindle flake, Ashton Pebble Cut, 2015 bulk, have tried them all and liked the flavors of everyone, just cannot get past the bite. I suffered through a ton of tongue bite trying to smoke all of these. I thought it was my technique or the bowl I smoked them in until I tried Astleys 109 Va flake in the spring of 2002. When I smoked that for the first time I was shocked, no bite at all. I then proceeded to try flakes from any companies besides MAC and found some I loved. It wasn't until I joined here in May that I learned there was such a thing as an alkalinity issue in my body which couldn't handle red virginia's. For years I thought it was just MAC blends and Rattray blends I couldn't smoke. I tried a few of the Rattrays flakes also but got the same results. I now have 22 va and vaper flakes in my rotation that I smoke tongue bite free and am very happy with them. Sure it would be nice to be able to smoke the ones mentioned above, but hey you can't always get what you want.