Life After McClelland

[pitchfork]

There's nothing quite like McClelland, but Benjamin Hartwell Signature Blend might scratch that itch for you. I once thought it was made by McClelland, but I believe it's made by Sutliff.

EDIT: I was just reading up on this, and apparently it used to be made by McClelland, but of course no longer is. I had a very old tin of Signature, so it was probably made by McClelland. The newer tins (post-2017?) are in fact Sutliff VAs and therefore not the same.

 

[mso489]

This is like prolonged mourning. Everyone gets through it their own way, but embrace change. All is not lost. Even McClellands live on in our esteem.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

This is like prolonged mourning. Everyone gets through it their own way, but embrace change. All is not lost. Even McClellands live on in our esteem.

@pipestud advertised and sold a 2004 100 gram tin of Mc C Christmas Cheer for $85 this weekend. I suspect a firm offer to buy a tin of approximately that vintage at that price posted in this forum would be productive. Either @hoosierpipeguy or @cigrmaster has done the math and figured out how many bowls that would yield and compared it to an equivalent value in cigars. Even smoking dog rockets in my price range, one would be ahead of the game buying the McC.

if you want McClelland, buy McClelland. And no, I don’t have any for sale. But lots of people do and the market isn’t nearly as frenzied as it was a few years ago.

 

[3rdguy]

Wish I had a lot, I would trade all of it. Except Dark Star ?

 

[mortonbriar]

As mentioned, the sutliff version of 5100 works as a substitute, not that it is identical, but it is a similar blend.

I think many of their blends were very tasty but I will never pay the new prices for the McC tins, it would create an expectation for them to be better than I remember them, which would probably lead to feeling let down. In saying that, I do have some frog, dark star, oriental somethings, and a couple of others tucked away to enjoy in a future year.

 

[Chasing Embers]

how many bowls that would yield

Depends on the pipe. I've got a few that can kill 100 grams with 6-10 smokes, though my actual Christmas Cheer pipe is much smaller.

Wish I had a lot, I would trade all of it. Except Dark Star ?

No amount of money or tobacco could replace my collection.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

@pipestud advertised and sold a 2004 100 gram tin of Mc C Christmas Cheer for $85 this weekend. I suspect a firm offer to buy a tin of approximately that vintage at that price posted in this forum would be productive. Either @hoosierpipeguy or @cigrmaster has done the math and figured out how many bowls that would yield and compared it to an equivalent value in cigars. Even smoking dog rockets in my price range, one would be ahead of the game buying the McC.

if you want McClelland, buy McClelland. And no, I don’t have any for sale. But lots of people do and the market isn’t nearly as frenzied as it was a few years ago.

Since you asked. LOL You should get at least 33 bowls from a 100 gram tin. Even at $100 for the tin, that's $3.33 per bowl for premium 16 year old tobacco. A Padron 2000 which is a middle of the road cigar is going to cost $6 plus in most cases. A good price for a box of 26 is $140.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Since you asked. LOL You should get at least 33 bowls from a 100 gram tin. Even at $100 for the tin, that's $3.33 per bowl for premium 16 year old tobacco. A Padron 2000 which is a middle of the road cigar is going to cost $6 plus in most cases. A good price for a box of 26 is $140.

And I won’t pay $6 for a cigar. Others won’t pay $85 for a tin of 16 year old pipe tobacco. Gee, you reckon human beings are just different?

 

[deepspringfarm]

I know after I popped a tin of Sutliff Crumble Kake Red Virginia the first thing I thought was this could be a cousin to McClelland's. Reviews are here.

 

[deepspringfarm]

Also, after McClelland closed, I was poking around Smokingpipes.com and looked at one of my graphs of tobacco purchases. Approximately 75% of my tobacco purchases were McClelland. I miss Beacon Extra!

 

[mortonbriar]

Also, after McClelland closed, I was poking around Smokingpipes.com and looked at one of my graphs of tobacco purchases. Approximately 75% of my tobacco purchases were McClelland. I miss Beacon Extra!

I also did not realise just how many blends of theirs I had smoked until after they had gone. I keep a simple spreadsheet of reviews for myself, and they were (and remain) the brand with the most blends tried by quite a margin.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

And I won’t pay $6 for a cigar. Others won’t pay $85 for a tin of 16 year old pipe tobacco. Gee, you reckon human beings are just different?

For years, prior to taking up pipe smoking again in earnest, I smoked 5 or 6 Padron 2000 level cigars per day. I had one online cigars shop who auto shipped me 2 or 3 boxes of Padron 2000 each month. Pipe smoking is such a bargain by comparison.

 

[Zartoon]

having been a former aromatic smoker, it is painful to look at my tiny cellar (about 10 tins) and they are all aromatic. two are McClelland, but of course, they are aromatic Cavendish 50g tins. Now that I'm an English smoker, I find that I missed out on the real fun. But in reality, there is nothing to do but tango-on. Still lots of choices out there, and I'm sure you can find something you like. Just dont fall in love with any Germains or Esoterica or Samuel Gawith blends as that will leave you wanting too.

 

[americaman]

For years, prior to taking up pipe smoking again in earnest, I smoked 5 or 6 Padron 2000 level cigars per day. I had one online cigars shop who auto shipped me 2 or 3 boxes of Padron 2000 each month. Pipe smoking is such a bargain by comparison.

Wow.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Just dont fall in love with any Germains or Esoterica or Samuel Gawith blends as that will leave you wanting too.

Unless you loaded up on them prior to their present unicorn status.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I had one online cigars shop who auto shipped me 2 or 3 boxes of Padron 2000 each month.

I had a similar setup around 10 years ago with Olivia Serie V Maduros.

 

[woodensmile]

I had a similar setup around 10 years ago with Olivia Serie V Maduros.

Those Oliva V Beliscos
Mmmmm!

 

[logs]

having been a former aromatic smoker, it is painful to look at my tiny cellar (about 10 tins) and they are all aromatic. two are McClelland, but of course, they are aromatic Cavendish 50g tins. Now that I'm an English smoker, I find that I missed out on the real fun. But in reality, there is nothing to do but tango-on. Still lots of choices out there, and I'm sure you can find something you like. Just dont fall in love with any Germains or Esoterica or Samuel Gawith blends as that will leave you wanting too.

Cellaring is dangerous business, never doubt it. Just be thankful you only have a handful of tins to fret about. Wait until you've collected pounds of assorted English blends and then loose your taste for Latikia. That can happen. It's just as possible you could have a giant cellar-full of McClelland and feel the same distaste you feel right now.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

For years, prior to taking up pipe smoking again in earnest, I smoked 5 or 6 Padron 2000 level cigars per day. I had one online cigars shop who auto shipped me 2 or 3 boxes of Padron 2000 each month. Pipe smoking is such a bargain by comparison.

I was the same way in the late 1970’s but my gars of choice were. Hoyo/Punch Rothschilds Maduro Maduro (now Oscuro). Five or six of those wouldn’t have lasted past lunch some days.

 

[anotherbob]

This is like prolonged mourning. Everyone gets through it their own way, but embrace change. All is not lost. Even McClellands live on in our esteem.

if we can find a way to smoke our esteem we'll make a fortune.