McClellands Syrian Has Run Out

[buroak]

I would more or less shrug off the disappearance of Syrian Latakia were it not for the fact that I like the blends in which McClelland uses the leaf. Alas, I suspect the new FDA rules prohibit substituting Cyprian Latakia, or at least the label changes such a substitution would require.

 

[mso489]

Hey, I'm as nostalgic as anyone, but right now, with so many amazing blends around, perhaps for a limited time only, I'm not spending any time on mourning. As glacial as my smoking is. Blends get discontinued by the time I open the tins.

 

[kcghost]

As Mike McNiel says,"When it's gone, it's gone."

 

[perdurabo]

I've go at a little held back from one blend or another, I'm not crying, but I'm sad for those who love the stuff. If my palette had been blessed with blends that really showcased Syrian, then Id know what I'm missing.

 

[toobfreak]

There is still Cyprus, for the time being. That said, Syrian being gone for now or forever also opens the door to maybe something else, something new, as good or possibly better to fill its place. You never know.

 

[buroak]

For those few of us not on Facebook could someone please post the entirety of Mr. Gage's post?

 

[kanse]

God damn, I never got to Wilderness, Legends and Highlander.

If anybody is curious, McConell ran out as well.
toobfreak

As far as alternatives go, I contacted Smoker's Haven and they told me that in their Syrian blends they use alternative that they source from some secret source they would not mention, which is not at all Cyprian.
For me personally, I would have taken the loss of Cyprus Latakia much better, Syrian was the stuff.

 

[Dutch Pipe Smoker]

:crying:

 

[wyfbane]

Too bad Latakia has such a poor shelf life. Otherwise I would be stocking up like crazy.... :roll:

This Philosophy drove my stocking. I have enough for about 15 years of recreational smoking across the blends that still use Syrian.

Anyway, don't shy away from cellaring latakia. If stored properly, they last a good long number of decades. The problem is when they aren't stored correctly.
I've opened many 10+ and 20+ year old tins with latakia and have only ever run into 1 that has gone flat. And I attribute it to the previous owner not controlling the storage temperatures.

THIS makes me sad and wish I'd known. I would have doubled my stocks. I'm unable to buy like I once did.
I think this may leave MacBaren as the sole holder of Syrian, right?

 

[clickklick]

Yes all other Syrian is what I've heard to be highly doctored burley or some such thing.

 

[kanse]

If Germain found it a viable replacement, I imagine it's decent.
Anybody willing to sell off some Syrian samplers anyway?

 

[buroak]

Yes all other Syrian is what I've heard to be highly doctored burley or some such thing.

During his Radioshow interview Mike McNeil even said that he thought the remaining "Syrian Latakia" was actually a different Oriental tobacco.

 

[hawky454]

I've got one more tin of 3 Oaks Syrian from 2009 and though I loved it when I first started smoking, I feel that their stock of Syrian Latakia is losing it's potency and fading, as is all of the Syrian leaf, not just McClelland. Anyway, one tin is enough for me.

 

[whitesands77]

My Syrian Star just arrived and is going straight in the foot locker. Time to troll the local B&M's for the remaining I guess.

 

[balkisobrains]

kanse, there's no Syrian in Legends, so no immediate worries there. Not sure what you heard about the Smokers Haven blends, but the OBB that came out last year didn't seem to me like it was trying to act like it had any Syrian in it. I know that OBB used to have it in there. The Latakia in my tin of OBB smelled and tasted like what you would find in Margate or the new Sobranie. (AFAIK these all use the same source for tobaccos.)
whitesands77, sorry I got you hooked on that Syrian Star man. That was the worst possible timing ever.

 

[mackeson]

Sad News!

I enjoyed 3 Oaks Syrian, and am happy I have a few tins left. The one I will miss the most (and only have 2 tins!!!) is Orient 996. That was probably my favorite "Mellow yet flavorful," smoke when I was in the mood for subtle flavors. I greatly enjoyed that one as my morning smoke during the summer.

 

[jvnshr]

Sad news. It's getting worse and worse every single day.

 

[username]

Going to miss wilderness

 

[balkisobrains]

P&C is down to "Tudor Castle Arcade", "Syrian Full Balkan", "Yendije Highlander", & "Rose of Latakia".
SP has Ringlow Reserve", and "Syrian Full Balkan".
They both have FMOTP but I have not smoked it and am not 100% sure it still has Syrian in it. If someone wants to confirm that it does, that would be great.
It's still out there elsewhere on-line, but not a lot, and generally more expensive.
I wonder if anything else is still en-route to the distributors, and what it might be.
I ordered 5 tins of Syrian Star, that's the only recent damage that I did.

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

Sad to see so many great blends dying. I just got turned on to Yenidje Highlander a few months ago and already it is easily my favorite in production blend with latakia. And I only have a few tins.