I rarely pop a tin these days. I've spent 3 years cellaring madly and buying lots of lots on the forum. I'm still inundated with baggies full of untried blends and any tins or sealed units most often go straight to the cellar.
In the past few months, I've benefited from the generosity of several of you here. I know my benefactors are wondering, "When's he gonna smoke that shit?"
Well, today I've decided to pop a tin. I've chosen one of my Secret Santa tins, from @sablebrush52 . Thanks again for giving me this opportunity.
My previous experience with McClelland tobacco has been hit-or-miss. Very early in the game, my B&M guy sold me a tin of Red & Black. I roasted my mouth and I hated it. I wrote off Virginias for the better part of a year because of it. The few Frog blends I've tried, however, I've greatly enjoyed, as well as one blend called Dark English.
Since then, I've learned that a moderate sensitivity to red Virginias, combined with my lack of technique had become my recipe for discomfort. I've improved my skills a bit and re-ventured into the land of Virginia flakes. I still approach VA flakes with caution and respect but have learned to love them, also.
The first thing I notice, the can does not say McClelland anywhere, but Blakeney's Best appears to be the "brand". According to tobaccoreview's notes, "McClelland introduced their Blakeney's Best line at the 21st CORPS (Conclave of Richmond Pipe Smokers) Pipe Show in Richmond, Virginia. The 50g tin was released to the public in late 2005."
Now I know what CORPS means!
Not sure if I'm reading the date stamp correctly, but my tin appears to be from the 71st day of March, 2006...
I popped the tin and was definitely hit with a slightly subdued but very distinctive McClelland's ketchup aroma. Rekindling the traumatic Red & Black memories, I nevertheless decided to put on my big boy pants and soldier on with this review. (Are you surprised to find that, up till now, I had no pants...) ?
Inside was a beautiful broken flake, just a wee bit more moist than I prefer. Again, mindful of my past, I decided that now was not the time for cutting corners on dry time. We are coming up on a half hour and I believe it's ready!
The pipe of the hour is a Peterson Tankard snagged last year from mkelaw's site. It's been a great travel pipe and small chambered "tester" pipe. Coffee with a touch of cow juice on the side.
The tin description is as such:
"Little, elegant flue-cured Virginia flakes, redolent with sun-dappled sweetness, and pleasantly tangy. This skillfully blended tobacco, mellowed with Blakeney's exclusive toasting process, fills the pipe with pleasure."
After loading the pipe, I can sense the sweet and tangy just from a dry hit of the pipe. Still a wee apprehensive, I reach for the lighter...
I'm getting the usual Virginia suspects, some grassy light and mid-flavor fruits but there's something extra there. If you've ever had Bush's Baked Beans with their perfect touch of brown sugar, it's an earthy sweetness that COULD cloy but, in this case doesn't.
Per P&C's write up, "Straight Virginia flakes can often have an acidic sharpness that many people don't enjoy. Tawny Flake takes full advantage of the Blakeney's toasting method that removes the edge from the flue-cured leaf and imbues it with a mellower character and a rounder type of sweetness than in the typical Virginia flake."
I suspect the toasting method IS responsible and would not mind learning more about it.
Being afraid of unleashing the red VA monster, I'm now on my 4th gentle tamp and light. I think one more time will do it.
I can sense a wee bit of the sting of the reds now. Not yet a deal breaker, just part of the price of admission for some of us.
My attention to cadence, drying and other factors over the past 2 years is paying off. About a third of the way into this bowl and I'm not even crying yet.
Behind the red sting is a mild, sweet and consistent Virginia experience. Like many VA flakes, heat it up too much and it drifts from delicate and sublime to painful and steamy. It's up to you which experience you want to have.
? ? (Do you want the red pill or the blue pill?)
At the halfway mark, heat and moisture have been well behaved. There's no multi-dimensional taste experience to be extracted here.
It takes me some work and focus to stay in that "sweet spot". I'm really enjoying a deepening sweetness, not sweeter, but "deeper" as some cherry like flavors present around the 2/3 mark. Not quite into the "stewed fruit" zone. The citrus flavors most likely blocking the descent.
From here on out, the load has hit its stride. I'm able to relax and enjoy the fruits of my labor. A number of touch up lights, combined with restrained micro-puffs suffice to get me to the finish line.
I will go for a longer dry time in the next taste. Today is a higher humidity day here, so going for crispy was not so much an option.
I found it a good smoke but I feel there's more to be had from it. In addition to extreme drying, I'll likely pair it up with my conical Dublin champion flake burner. I hope to report back with additional discoveries.
I know my limitations. This tin requires me to push my boundaries a bit. For those of you unaffected by some Virginias, this is a no brainer. Get some.
For those like me, having a tin for the occasional diversion might be fun but don't count on an all day smoke.
Almost a medium nic hit and a lingering sweet aftertaste will remain with the dottle.
In the past few months, I've benefited from the generosity of several of you here. I know my benefactors are wondering, "When's he gonna smoke that shit?"
Well, today I've decided to pop a tin. I've chosen one of my Secret Santa tins, from @sablebrush52 . Thanks again for giving me this opportunity.
My previous experience with McClelland tobacco has been hit-or-miss. Very early in the game, my B&M guy sold me a tin of Red & Black. I roasted my mouth and I hated it. I wrote off Virginias for the better part of a year because of it. The few Frog blends I've tried, however, I've greatly enjoyed, as well as one blend called Dark English.
Since then, I've learned that a moderate sensitivity to red Virginias, combined with my lack of technique had become my recipe for discomfort. I've improved my skills a bit and re-ventured into the land of Virginia flakes. I still approach VA flakes with caution and respect but have learned to love them, also.
The first thing I notice, the can does not say McClelland anywhere, but Blakeney's Best appears to be the "brand". According to tobaccoreview's notes, "McClelland introduced their Blakeney's Best line at the 21st CORPS (Conclave of Richmond Pipe Smokers) Pipe Show in Richmond, Virginia. The 50g tin was released to the public in late 2005."
Now I know what CORPS means!
Not sure if I'm reading the date stamp correctly, but my tin appears to be from the 71st day of March, 2006...
I popped the tin and was definitely hit with a slightly subdued but very distinctive McClelland's ketchup aroma. Rekindling the traumatic Red & Black memories, I nevertheless decided to put on my big boy pants and soldier on with this review. (Are you surprised to find that, up till now, I had no pants...) ?
Inside was a beautiful broken flake, just a wee bit more moist than I prefer. Again, mindful of my past, I decided that now was not the time for cutting corners on dry time. We are coming up on a half hour and I believe it's ready!
The pipe of the hour is a Peterson Tankard snagged last year from mkelaw's site. It's been a great travel pipe and small chambered "tester" pipe. Coffee with a touch of cow juice on the side.
The tin description is as such:
"Little, elegant flue-cured Virginia flakes, redolent with sun-dappled sweetness, and pleasantly tangy. This skillfully blended tobacco, mellowed with Blakeney's exclusive toasting process, fills the pipe with pleasure."
After loading the pipe, I can sense the sweet and tangy just from a dry hit of the pipe. Still a wee apprehensive, I reach for the lighter...
I'm getting the usual Virginia suspects, some grassy light and mid-flavor fruits but there's something extra there. If you've ever had Bush's Baked Beans with their perfect touch of brown sugar, it's an earthy sweetness that COULD cloy but, in this case doesn't.
Per P&C's write up, "Straight Virginia flakes can often have an acidic sharpness that many people don't enjoy. Tawny Flake takes full advantage of the Blakeney's toasting method that removes the edge from the flue-cured leaf and imbues it with a mellower character and a rounder type of sweetness than in the typical Virginia flake."
I suspect the toasting method IS responsible and would not mind learning more about it.
Being afraid of unleashing the red VA monster, I'm now on my 4th gentle tamp and light. I think one more time will do it.
I can sense a wee bit of the sting of the reds now. Not yet a deal breaker, just part of the price of admission for some of us.
My attention to cadence, drying and other factors over the past 2 years is paying off. About a third of the way into this bowl and I'm not even crying yet.
Behind the red sting is a mild, sweet and consistent Virginia experience. Like many VA flakes, heat it up too much and it drifts from delicate and sublime to painful and steamy. It's up to you which experience you want to have.
? ? (Do you want the red pill or the blue pill?)
At the halfway mark, heat and moisture have been well behaved. There's no multi-dimensional taste experience to be extracted here.
It takes me some work and focus to stay in that "sweet spot". I'm really enjoying a deepening sweetness, not sweeter, but "deeper" as some cherry like flavors present around the 2/3 mark. Not quite into the "stewed fruit" zone. The citrus flavors most likely blocking the descent.
From here on out, the load has hit its stride. I'm able to relax and enjoy the fruits of my labor. A number of touch up lights, combined with restrained micro-puffs suffice to get me to the finish line.
I will go for a longer dry time in the next taste. Today is a higher humidity day here, so going for crispy was not so much an option.
I found it a good smoke but I feel there's more to be had from it. In addition to extreme drying, I'll likely pair it up with my conical Dublin champion flake burner. I hope to report back with additional discoveries.
I know my limitations. This tin requires me to push my boundaries a bit. For those of you unaffected by some Virginias, this is a no brainer. Get some.
For those like me, having a tin for the occasional diversion might be fun but don't count on an all day smoke.
Almost a medium nic hit and a lingering sweet aftertaste will remain with the dottle.
