McClelland Dilemma - To try or Not?

[OSOBUCO]

DO NOT SMOKE THEM!!! Send them to me and I will let you know how they are

 

[didimauw]

If you have them, smoke them. If you haven't tried them and don't have any, I personally wouldn't go searching. I've never tried any of theirs, or esotericas, and don't plan on it.

 

[renfield]

With the blends you’ve listed I’d say to smoke them.

You might use the 5100 to blend with some other Va/VaPers to bulk them up. Try some straight first, though. A good red by itself but it really shines as a blending leaf.

 

[daytonsean]

Tear through them. Deep Hollow was an excellent blend.

 

[woodsroad]

I would say smoke them and enjoy them. We never know if we'll see tomorrow.

Sage advice.

 

[craig61a]

I can help with the McClelland dilemma. There's a 'D' on the end...

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

This …

 

[ThermionicScott]

Try ‘em. You could get hit by a beer truck tomorrow.

 

[kola]

I never smoked many McC blends - and never liked the ones I smoked. Sell them to the Asian markets and get the big bucks. Then buy some good tobacco.

 

[DotAndBang’sPipes]

My advice, and I sometimes remind myself of this when it comes to rare/expensive tobacco:

Sometimes the hype and the build up to it gets out of hand. "If only I could get a tin of this or that!", whether it is esoterica, mcclelland, whatever. Crack one of them, whichever you think will be the best for you, smoke a couple of bowls. I can almost guarantee that you will chill out about it, and realize that it is just tobacco. Sure it might be good, or unique, but it isn't going to be some life changing experience. At that point, you will be able to take a more reasonable approach to this decision.

If I were you, I'd crack the deep hollow, realize that its good, but it isn't going to change your life one way or another whether or not you ever find or smoke more, and then probably sell the rest and get a dozen tins of something else to try. Break the spell by just lighting it up, that's what it is for anyway.

Yes. This.

 

[DotAndBang’sPipes]

Smoke them.

There are so many unknowns: 1. You might drop dead tonight. 2. You might die tomorrow morning. 3. Death. 4. You might not like McCs. 5. You might love it and upon smoking the last bit of dottle from the last tin of McC you have, you might die then. So, I say, smoke it. Tomorrow has enough worry of it’s own.

 

[Puffaluffaguss]

I gotta say smoke umm. I've tried 1 McC blend (penmans choice) that I received from a fellow forum member. I must say I sat on it for awhile not wanting to open it, and when I did I realized I should of kept it sealed. Don't get me wrong it was a decent aromatic it was good just not what I made it out to be.

 

[otm]

I too got in after they closed, but don’t regret opening a few of the tins I have acquired. I highly recommend Christmas Cheer and No. 24. No. 24 is the best straight Virginia I have tried thus far. I did pop a ton of Frog on the Bayou recently, but I feel as though there are many blends that are readily available and just as good.

I’d be happy to send a bowl or to of CC and No. 24 if you cover shipping.

 

[BriarsAndBottles]

My advice, and I sometimes remind myself of this when it comes to rare/expensive tobacco:

Sometimes the hype and the build up to it gets out of hand. "If only I could get a tin of this or that!", whether it is esoterica, mcclelland, whatever. Crack one of them, whichever you think will be the best for you, smoke a couple of bowls. I can almost guarantee that you will chill out about it, and realize that it is just tobacco. Sure it might be good, or unique, but it isn't going to be some life changing experience. At that point, you will be able to take a more reasonable approach to this decision.

If I were you, I'd crack the deep hollow, realize that its good, but it isn't going to change your life one way or another whether or not you ever find or smoke more, and then probably sell the rest and get a dozen tins of something else to try. Break the spell by just lighting it up, that's what it is for anyway.

Ugh. I wish I could internalize this. I’ve cracked a few and still haven’t reached enlightenment lol. But every time I miss one I think it’s the end of the world. I’ll often find tins I forgot I bought, but at the time it felt like life or death. This hobby can be problematic for those with OCD

 

[americaman]

I wanted to get into pipe smoking shortly before McClelland closed, and ended up getting into it about two months after they closed in 2018. I remember looking to buy some when I first got into it (as my brother had told me about how cool their blend names were), and the Frog Morton series seemed to be sold out everywhere.

So because I wanted to try their stuff so bad, and had “just” missed the boat, I went on a mission to cellar deep with what I could find.

 

[Winnipeger]

It's tobacco. Smoke it.

 

[Ag®o]

Everything others have said, start smoking and evaluate, you will have a few more notches on your meter.
I don't have much of a specific tobacco, sure I have a little more than I like, but I have many different ones because I like to try everything that comes close to my profile.
My research is based on what I haven't tried yet, and there are many.

 

[judcole]

Smoke 'em. That's why you have them.
I don't have much McC, either, which I regret. But I smoke 'em anyway.
((Personally, I wonder why anyone would ever ask such a question. ))

 

[manny816]

I agree with the "smoke it" crowd. Nothing in life last forever. Enjoy it while you can.

 

[marc75]

I say smoke them. It's damn good tobacco in those tins. You might as well enjoy them.