Red & Black (along with Red Flake and Ribbon) and the Grand Orientals are great.
Remembering McClelland Red Virginias
- Thread starter Goose55
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5100 Red Cake was far and away my favorite, but I did really enjoy the 2013 Christmas Cheer and the 2016 Christmas Cheer. I have a tin of 40th Anniversary I haven't popped yet, so I'm really looking forward to that at some point.
Yeah. There was another bulk 5100, a red Virginia ribbon cut that I wish that I had bought tons of. McClelland's closing went from being just a rumor to a reality, overnight. There was no time to react.
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I used to be tempted by Stonehaven, based on the description. But was scared away by the scarcity of it. But that was the blend that got me into Macbarens Burley flake. I heard it was similar to SH. I don't know if that's true but I love me some burley flake!
I love HH Burley Flake.
As are mine. Too many chase opinions of tobacco reviews hoping to find ambrosia and are sorely disappointed then think that they've done something wrong because they don't enjoy it like someone else does.
You guys are guilty of malfeasance for hijacking a thread about McClelland Red Virginias
Conversations organically evolve or new ideas can't be born. We're the conversation strictly about red Virginias in general, 10 years ago McClelland would have only been mentioned in passing. Their most touted blends while still in production were their Syrian latakia blends Grand Orientals, and Frog Mortons.
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5100 some Cheer and Dark Star for me. If you ever mastered keeping Dark Star lit it was sublime.
I still enjoy the Blackneys process blends, especially Guillotine Slices. Pebble Cut is another.
I still have some Deep Hollow, which is an awesome Virginia Cavendish.
Red and Black was a hit on the forums as well.
I’m smoking some of their British Woods now.
5100 and the CCs were good, but they had a bunch of really good Virginia blends as well. They seemed to vary processes for Virginias, probably more than any other company. Their processes also relied upon working with fresh uncured leaf, cultivating a variety if flavors. I haven’t heard of any other blenders doing this. Mike was a rare breed of artist that we haven’t seen the likes of which.
People tend to think they did like the rest, buying cured leaf and just mixing the shit with stuff. But, Mike developed these processes he used.
This is why people get confused about the state of red Virginias. He merely lost the farmers he was working directly with. Has nothing to do with any state of quality in all red Virginias.
People have put them on pedestals, and some denigrate them. Mike was an inspiration to folks who study these processes. But, many also didn’t like them.
I still have some Deep Hollow, which is an awesome Virginia Cavendish.
Red and Black was a hit on the forums as well.
I’m smoking some of their British Woods now.
5100 and the CCs were good, but they had a bunch of really good Virginia blends as well. They seemed to vary processes for Virginias, probably more than any other company. Their processes also relied upon working with fresh uncured leaf, cultivating a variety if flavors. I haven’t heard of any other blenders doing this. Mike was a rare breed of artist that we haven’t seen the likes of which.
People tend to think they did like the rest, buying cured leaf and just mixing the shit with stuff. But, Mike developed these processes he used.
This is why people get confused about the state of red Virginias. He merely lost the farmers he was working directly with. Has nothing to do with any state of quality in all red Virginias.
People have put them on pedestals, and some denigrate them. Mike was an inspiration to folks who study these processes. But, many also didn’t like them.
I don't smoke it often, but really enjoy it when I do.
I love the Blakeney's blends. Unfortunately it's about impossible to add anymore to my stash.
Well said on the rest.
When it first dropped on SPC back in 2018 I bought 2 one pound boxes. They didn't last a month.
I love the 40th. Too bad it’s not a red Virginia, nor are many of the Christmas Cheers. Some of these ARE reds, some, like the 40th, are a mix of red and orange Virginias.
I wasn’t a fan of 5100, straight, and left it jarred for the past decade, but having decanted it for the move, discovered that it had really exploded with flavor.
I always loved McCrainie’s Red Flake, etc that McClelland produced.
McClelland developed a house style for their Virginias that was instantly recognizable. Nobody will ever replace it, but there are different options still available.
I wasn’t a fan of 5100, straight, and left it jarred for the past decade, but having decanted it for the move, discovered that it had really exploded with flavor.
I always loved McCrainie’s Red Flake, etc that McClelland produced.
McClelland developed a house style for their Virginias that was instantly recognizable. Nobody will ever replace it, but there are different options still available.
How's it done with aging over the years? Lose or gain anything?-When it first dropped on SPC back in 2018 I bought 2 one pound boxes. They didn't last a month.