Returning to pipe smoking after a 15 year absence during which I only smoked cigars, I find the current tobacco scene interesting and frustrating. There is a ton more choice than there used to be, but there seems to be a failure to recognize the limitations today's blenders must deal with. As one who was fortunate to have started collecting vintage tins in the early 1980’s and to have learned what to look for from the likes of John Loring, Basil Sullivan, etc., it would be very easy to be snobbish and say that nothing made now is worth smoking. That is not true. It is extremely frustrating to read reviews comparing a currently available product to something that has not been available fresh for 2 or 3 decades, even if the name has been used continuously. The independent houses such as Sobranie, Dunhill and Rattray simply ceased to exist as independent entities, first becoming parts of cigarette conglomerates, then only brand names licensed to one of about four European chemical plants. (And those companies are capable of producing a smokeable product- it is just not the same thing as what was available in the good old days. )
So, if I were to compare McClelland 5110 to Rattray’s Black Mallory you would have every right to be frustrated with me. Don’t worry. I have not smoked Black Mallory in well over 15 years. 5110 falls short of the Black Mallory I smoked that was indisputably dated to before Rattray started being made by McConnell circa 1980. How it compares to currently produced Black Mallory is unknown to me.
I also do not know whether or not McClelland set out to duplicate Black Mallory. I doubt that they would attempt that with any tobacco meant to sell at bulk prices.
What they have done, very successfully in my opinion, is come up with a pretty fair imitation of something that never has existed- bulk Scottish made pre - 1980 Black Mallory. That is a concept that probably only has meaning to me, so the balance of this review will focus on evaluating this product on its own merits.
I recently ordered 2 ounces of 5110 from 4noggins. As expected, the product arrived more on the wet side than I prefer. I spread it out overnight, and it was fine. The aroma out of the package was very much that of Latakia. The cut is a mixture of ribbons and rougher cuts. The color is various dark shades.
The tobacco packs easily. On lighting, the first notes are definitely the smokiness of Latakia. Very quickly the slightly tangy, mellow sweetness of stoved Virginia becomes noticeable. The spicy notes of whatever Oriental is used are very subtle, noticeable but by no means an Oriental forward product. The Virginia flavor will be very familiar if you have smoked McClelland's 5105 or Dark Star. I have read reviews that say they only taste the Latakia, this is not my experience. You definitely taste the Virginia, and while I would not vociferously disagree with those who say it is Latakia forward, to my taste it is the contribution of the stoved Virginias that make this mixture a change of pace from the usual bulk English/Balkan/Scottish mixtures. I find the sweetness at about the level I would expect from stoved Virginia, with no additional contribution from topping.
As dried, the tobacco stays lit and is bite free. It could easily be an all day smoke, though I suspect your days would need to be spent in the middle of a ten acre field. Rating tobacco's on nicotine content is not a concept that is meaningful to me. I have never finished a bowl of pipe tobacco and felt I was starved for nicotine. I suppose nicotine patches would be helpful if you found this tobacco lacking. I smoked this in a variety of briar pipes, straight and bent, and it did not require constant attention from a pipe cleaner.
Based on previous experience with 5105, I would think this product would age well, though I would not expect a miraculous transformation. None is needed. It is ready to smoke now, and would be a fine hedge to have on hand against tax increases or regulations. In summary, while there are lots of options out there, bulk mixtures like this tend to have a sameness to me. This one is more distinctive than most. My own personal preference in this type of blend is a more Oriental forward mixture, but I will be ordering more of this and in a larger quantity.
So, if I were to compare McClelland 5110 to Rattray’s Black Mallory you would have every right to be frustrated with me. Don’t worry. I have not smoked Black Mallory in well over 15 years. 5110 falls short of the Black Mallory I smoked that was indisputably dated to before Rattray started being made by McConnell circa 1980. How it compares to currently produced Black Mallory is unknown to me.
I also do not know whether or not McClelland set out to duplicate Black Mallory. I doubt that they would attempt that with any tobacco meant to sell at bulk prices.
What they have done, very successfully in my opinion, is come up with a pretty fair imitation of something that never has existed- bulk Scottish made pre - 1980 Black Mallory. That is a concept that probably only has meaning to me, so the balance of this review will focus on evaluating this product on its own merits.
I recently ordered 2 ounces of 5110 from 4noggins. As expected, the product arrived more on the wet side than I prefer. I spread it out overnight, and it was fine. The aroma out of the package was very much that of Latakia. The cut is a mixture of ribbons and rougher cuts. The color is various dark shades.
The tobacco packs easily. On lighting, the first notes are definitely the smokiness of Latakia. Very quickly the slightly tangy, mellow sweetness of stoved Virginia becomes noticeable. The spicy notes of whatever Oriental is used are very subtle, noticeable but by no means an Oriental forward product. The Virginia flavor will be very familiar if you have smoked McClelland's 5105 or Dark Star. I have read reviews that say they only taste the Latakia, this is not my experience. You definitely taste the Virginia, and while I would not vociferously disagree with those who say it is Latakia forward, to my taste it is the contribution of the stoved Virginias that make this mixture a change of pace from the usual bulk English/Balkan/Scottish mixtures. I find the sweetness at about the level I would expect from stoved Virginia, with no additional contribution from topping.
As dried, the tobacco stays lit and is bite free. It could easily be an all day smoke, though I suspect your days would need to be spent in the middle of a ten acre field. Rating tobacco's on nicotine content is not a concept that is meaningful to me. I have never finished a bowl of pipe tobacco and felt I was starved for nicotine. I suppose nicotine patches would be helpful if you found this tobacco lacking. I smoked this in a variety of briar pipes, straight and bent, and it did not require constant attention from a pipe cleaner.
Based on previous experience with 5105, I would think this product would age well, though I would not expect a miraculous transformation. None is needed. It is ready to smoke now, and would be a fine hedge to have on hand against tax increases or regulations. In summary, while there are lots of options out there, bulk mixtures like this tend to have a sameness to me. This one is more distinctive than most. My own personal preference in this type of blend is a more Oriental forward mixture, but I will be ordering more of this and in a larger quantity.
