Enjoyed reading this thread a lot. I still haven't tried most famous blends aside from Orlik Golden Sliced and PS Luxury Bullseye Flake which I really enjoy.
I missed the boat on McClelland Va's aside from being able to buy some Butera Royal Vintage right as the craze was happening when McClelland announced their closing. I bought 2 tins with the idea that it would be the closest I'd get to trying the 5100, or 40th Anniversary Flake that I read so much about. They're in a jar for a day when I feel like I really know what I'm doing with flake tobacco. I managed to get Frog Morton Cellar, and On The Town and they were good. I didn't find them to knock my pants off like a lot of people claim. Had I known, I just would have tried to find and buy more Va's and Balkans from McClelland.
Out of the perceived famous blends that are still readily available, I'm most excited to try Escudo, Presbyterian, Old Dark Fired, Solani ABF or HH Burley Flake, Capstan Blue, Balkan Sobranie, and Tabac Manil Semois. HU blends are very intriguing too.
Would like to try SPC Potlatch, Mississippi River & Plum Pudding but I just find them too expensive when there's other blenders like GLP available. Not interested in chasing Esoterica or SG/GH or anything hard to get like that, at least for now. Never was that interested in Nightcap, EMP, or 965. Available funds is also a barrier, especially now. Will get around to it in time!