Review- McClelland Syrian Super Balkan

[mayfair70]

I scored a 10 year old can today. Opened it and it smelled like a fine dark chocolate. Believe me, I know chocolate. Popped it in a bent billiard and went to town. First retro-hale was oriental. Then it slowly settled into the Syrian, I'm guessing, because it tasted similar to the Turkish I received earlier this year. Very mellow and nice. It got spicier and I was loving it. A third of the way in, the Latakia hit. Heaven. It's getting cooler and now I know what to smoke on a cold night. If I can make this last. Started getting chocolate and Latakia and Syrian and Orientals. WOW!! Smelled the tin again and now it smells like ketchup and chocolate. Two things I will NEVER mix together. It was little unsettling. I'm really loving this stuff. Too bad it is disappearing off the planet. Better late than never. Very Good !!

 

[balkisobrains]

I steered away from the "Super" and the "Full" (and "Rose of Latakia") when I was searching out different blends with Syrian in them because they all had pretty bad reviews on TobaccoReviews website, and the "super" has Perique in it. Sounds pretty good with all that age on it though! I wonder if yours has Drama leaf in it due to the chocolate notes. I get that in Drama Reserve.

 

[johnbarleycorn]

Sounds good. And I wish it was getting cooler here. We are still setting record high temps everyday in Mississippi.

 

[texmexpipe]

Sounds great! And Johnbarleycorn, you should post soon to get rid of your devil's post count.

 

[uncleblackie]

May suggest that neither of you post, for a little while at least, so that others may see the awesome coincidence here? Johnbarleycorn currently has 666 posts, texmexpipe has 777. Weird!

 

[mayfair70]

Anyone at 555 or 888? 8O WTF?
I have no idea about the chocolate notes. I have a weird palate. Could be ghosting for all I know. I've never had Drama leaf to my knowledge, but if it tastes like chocolate, I'm there.
Correction: I was tasting Turkish after the orientals. I just read the label correctly and the Latakia is Syrian. Oops. This is why I don't do reviews. When the Lat hit, it was super subtle coming on then boom, it was there. I didn't know what it was until the strength reached a threshold.
This stuff swings in all kinds of directions for me. Glad I took the plunge, it was the last tin.

 

[uncleblackie]

Do you like any of McClelland's other Syrian offerings? I really enjoy several of them but have stayed away from this one as well due to the low reviews.

 

[hmhaines]

Sounds really good, man. Thanks for sharing!

 

[mayfair70]

Do you like any of McClelland's other Syrian offerings?

I haven't had any others yet. Hoping to correct that soon.

 

[beefeater33]

This sounds like one that's in my wheelhouse........ Thanks Mayfair, you enabler, you......... :P

 

[balkisobrains]

mayfair70

Preferred Member
I have no idea about the chocolate notes. I have a weird palate. Could be ghosting for all I know. I've never had Drama leaf to my knowledge, but if it tastes like chocolate, I'm there.

I get some chocolate/mocha from Drama Reserve, and Legends, which also has Drama in it. I've been meaning to crack open a tin of #24 for the first time, so I'm expecting some chocolate/mocha from that as well. Looking at your pics, I see some pink/red leaves which I noticed in the Legends, so maybe that is the Drama. I'll have to look at my Drama Reserve and see if it has any similarly-colored leaves in it. :puffpipe:

 

[jvnshr]

Looks so good. Yummy.

 

[mayfair70]

Thanks Mayfair, you enabler, you

You're welcome. I do my best.

I get some chocolate/mocha from Drama Reserve, and Legends

Thanks Balkisobrains, I'll be sampling those soon I hope.
I finally tasted the Virginia in this blend while I was driving my woman to work. I was about halfway through a bowl. What I taste seems really dependent on my cadence. I also noticed the chocolate backed off to a cocoa a little ways into the bowl on two occasions, so I'm guessing that is the Drama as Balki describes as mocha. None of these flavors are hit you over the head strong, and I can easily imagine people not being impressed with this blend due to its mild nature. Since I've been smoking a lot of Kendall brown #4, this blend sings in its subtle diversity, Right place at the right time. Any more Drama leaf blend suggestions are more than welcome here.

 

[sthbkr77]

I grabbed two tins of this not long back and was very surprised with it. Not as smoky as I had thought it would be from the tin note but a really nice blend nonetheless. My guess with the mediocre reviews is that since it doesn't have a prominent smokiness to it people were off put.