Mc 5100 - Topped, Cased, or Not?

[smokingspiritualized]

Recently I came across a tobacco I enjoy. It seems rather obvious to some in this forum: McClelland 5100. After reading reviews, etc. for a season, I went ahead and ordered a sample, smoked it, bought more, and began reading up more thoroughly about the blend. Call it strange research, but it has been an enjoyable journey.
In reading some of the online reviews, there seems to be a minor debate as to whether the tobacco has any extra flavoring, other than that naturally produced by the curing process. Regardless of the answer, it will remain in my ready reach.
Topped, cased, or not? Does anyone have an answer?

 

[collin]

Great question. Great blend.
Not detecting any, I also wondered if it was cased.

 

[lordnoble]

I don't know anything about the blend, but I'd imagine it IS cased as there are very few tobaccos that aren't cased in some way. There's an article on this site somewhere, but I can't find it where the author (I'm pretty sure is was G. L. Pease or Russ Ouellette) states you wouldn't want to smoke a non-cased tobacco.
-Jason

 

[menckenite]

I second that Jason. It would be like eating mashed potatoes with no salt, or pepper, or butter, or gravy or anything. Just plain straight mashed potatoes with nothin', ... yuk! I guess if you're a crazy purist that might just tickle your fancy but I prefer adulteration in moderation.

 

[cortezattic]

I've heard that there's no such thing as an uncased Burley.

But I never before heard that saying applied to all tobacco.

I'll let Pease speak for himself, but I seem to recall that

he said most blenders use at least some PG -- which is different.

 

[smokingspiritualized]

Thanks for the information. The Pease reference brought back to my mind what I thought I read on a Pipedia page. I'll have to look that up. I suppose the more direct question has to do with the degree of casing.
Would anyone object to it being labeled an English Virginia? I ask only because it is my introduction to such a blend and want to gain other insights.

 

[collin]

I read an article not too long ago with a description of 5100 under the heading "Straight Virginia's"
Someone else wrote: "This blend is a style of an English Virginia that has seldom been seen in the United States."

 

[fred]

If you get the chance to smoke plantation leaf Virginia or Burley,

this experience will teach you that all commercially produced Pipe

tobaccos have some degree of casing.

 

[smokingspiritualized]

Fred: Very interesting idea. Please tell me more about plantation leaf Virginia. Where do I get it? What exactly is it (thus betraying my ignorance)?
Thank you!

 

[strongirish]

99.9 percent of tobacco is cased as tobacco by itself has very little flavor at all. Pease does have one called Union Square which is an uncased VA that is quite good but I don't know how he does it. 5100 is cased.