Red Cake May Be A Thing Of The Past
- Thread starter Chasing Embers
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I think it will be back, it's too big of a money maker for McClelland. At least McClelland is keeping up with their standards which I appreciate.
Kinda glad a local shop just got a big order in. I haven't had any 5100 in about 6 months, so I'll be sure to stock up.
That's funny, the only shop I know that carries it charges 7.50 an ounce, you might need to up the starting bid.
I'm on a red Virginia roll right now. I sort of cycle through flavor profiles over a course of time and red is currently in the pipes. On its own, 5100 may be the single most boring blend on the face of the earth, very light in flavor when fresh. So I have it jarred in the hope that it will develop into something more interesting over time. It's a great component for blending and its interruption may have a ripple effect on the wider market. I would be surprised it it just disappeared. I suspect that it will be back, hopefully next year.
5100 is an old favorite. True, it's a simple experience, but it always satisfies a certain yin for Virginia, and nothing else. I'll look forward to its reappearance when a suitable crop is available. It's a great condiment tobacco for home mixes, but, to me, always pleasing as a single leaf when the mood strikes.
Tobacco isn't what it used to be as a cash crop in the tobacco belt, but it is still a huge and profitable base for many farmers. Sold mostly by contract rather than auction these days. A suitable crop should appear next year, or soon. Otherwise, there's something else going on.
Hints of ominous developments on the horizon? Could this be the beginning of the end of McClelland?
(Settling down with my popcorn to watch how the geezer network reacts to this unfounded rumor)
P&C doesn't have very many McC Bulks listed. They must be getting ready for inventory.
Red Cake is a very good Virginia, and if you are focusing on Virginia flavor without perique or sweet casings, then 5100 has a lot of flavor. You just have to have the right palate for it. It's a "you can't taste the flavors in tea if you've been drinking coffee," sort of thing.
But, if you've been smoking Red Cake for flavor, there are lots of diversity among the McC tinned red Virginias. But, if you merely wanted it to fill up your cellar cheaply,.. then oh well.
Red Cake is a very good Virginia, and if you are focusing on Virginia flavor without perique or sweet casings, then 5100 has a lot of flavor. You just have to have the right palate for it. It's a "you can't taste the flavors in tea if you've been drinking coffee," sort of thing.
But, if you've been smoking Red Cake for flavor, there are lots of diversity among the McC tinned red Virginias. But, if you merely wanted it to fill up your cellar cheaply,.. then oh well.
Yeh, I've grown weary of tales of doom and gloom.
Red Cake is a blended red Virginia.
This year's crop would have just come out if the flue a month or so ago, pending where it was grown. Unless the whole cure process was botched by a farmer, but I can't imagine a whole crop getting botched. I wouldn't have wanted to see that farmer's face... But, usually it takes two or three sweats to bring out the flavors, which means there could have been something that has been slowly going awry on McClelland's end.
If we speculate wildly enough, maybe Mike will come on and correct us. Getting the popcorn...
Red Cake is a blended red Virginia.
This year's crop would have just come out if the flue a month or so ago, pending where it was grown. Unless the whole cure process was botched by a farmer, but I can't imagine a whole crop getting botched. I wouldn't have wanted to see that farmer's face... But, usually it takes two or three sweats to bring out the flavors, which means there could have been something that has been slowly going awry on McClelland's end.
If we speculate wildly enough, maybe Mike will come on and correct us. Getting the popcorn...
I'm not mostly a Virginia smoker, but when I shop for VA, I think immediately of McClellands. They seem to have some of the most sophisticated and nuance blends, and the greatest variety, similar to what C&D does with burley. There are many superb Virginia blends from others, but McC's seems to be the one-stop shop for Virginias.
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