Yenidje:What Is It & What Does It Taste Like?

[mawnansmiff]

I have three more new to me American blends winging their way to my small patch of England, all by McClellands. I have 'Tudor Castle', 'Beacon' and 'Beacon Extra' and while looking into each I see the Tudor Castle described as thus...
"Tudor Castle uses a very high sugar content bright Virginia with a good amount of rare No.1 grade Yenidje, Red Virginia both dark stoved and raw red plus a full amount of barrel aged Louisiana Perique."
...though I have come across the term Yenidje on several threads I only know think that it's an Oriental leaf and nothing else.
So what does it taste like and how does it affect a blend overall?
I'm quite looking forward to their arrival and am trying to prepare myself for more smoking delights from over the pond ::
Regards,
Jay.

 

[pitchfork]

Yenidje has a bright, ethereal, incense-like flavor and smell -- it's almost a little sweet, but not really. It's not really sharp or medicinal or olive-like the way some other Orientals are. Tudor Castle is a great blend/flake -- I've kind of lost my taste for McClelland VAs, but I'm sure I'll go back to it at some point. VaPerO's (VA, Perique and Orientals) are really nice -- much more flavorful than VaPers or VA-Oriental blends. Well, the combination really hits the middle of the palate in a way that the others don't, at least to me. I think you'll enjoy it.

 

[pitchfork]

BTW, yes, it's an oriental. I study the 18th century (primarily) and I once came across a text from the 1790s talking about tobaccos in Greece and Macedonia and Yenidje was mentioned by name as a prize varietal (as it is, today).
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/yenidje-pics

 

[hawky454]

Yenidje is one of my favorite tobaccos from the Oriental varietals. It's a very complex smoke just on it's own. I fell in love with it when a forum member sent me some of his homegrown samples. I need to try the commercial Yenidje and compare it with his.

 

[Chasing Embers]

A forum member sent me some whole leaf samples, and it is quite a Heavenly smoke on it's own. Yenidje Highlander is a blend that I have well stocked!

 

[oldreddog]

Curses Embers don't be advocating another blend. It might become impossible to get before I get to try it.

:rofl:

 

[Chasing Embers]

:rofl:

 

[mawnansmiff]

Many thanks Pitchfork for the info and link. So I am looking for gentle incense & lemon flavours...sounds good to me.
The tin by the way is 1yr 5months old so whether that brief ageing period has improved matters I can't be sure but I'm well looking forward to my new US blends.
The Beacon BTW is 3yrs old and the Beacon Extra is 1yr 8months old. These I believe to be pretty decent VaPers.
These by the way will be my first taste of McClelland tobaccos ::
Regards,
Jay.

 

[pitchfork]

Jay,
Will be interested to hear what you think of these. One thing about McClelland is that their tobaccos are well aged before they even get to the tin.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"One thing about McClelland is that their tobaccos are well aged before they even get to the tin."
That is interesting Pitchfork, is it fact or just something you read on the forum?
I have read that all/most McClelland blends have a vinegar/ketchup smell to them, that doesn't sound too appealing I have to say :?
Regards,
Jay.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I have read that all/most McClelland blends have a vinegar/ketchup smell to them, that doesn't sound too appealing I have to say

Really doesn't come out in the taste of the smoke. I think you'll really enjoy it.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Jay, as Duane said, there's no ketchup taste in the smoke. And the scent disappears once you light it as well. There's no ketchup room note either.

 

[simong]

Out of all the Yankee blends I've tried, I'd say beacon was the one I enjoyed most.

Once you get over the Tommy sauce stench, after opening the tin it's a most enjoyable high quality smoke.

 

[balkisobrains]

Yenidje main flavors to me are lightly lemony initially and then some pine flavor builds up later.

Jay you might want to go with Yenidje Supreme over Yenidje Highlander if you still don't like Latakia, but don't worry about the vinegar, as already mentioned. I'd be surprised if you were to notice it in the smoke.

 

[hawky454]

Actually sometimes, for the first few minutes, I get that ketchup/vinegar taste in the smoke (depending on the blend) but I actually quite enjoy it. Makes it extra tangy and savory. But the others are right it usually dissipates within the first few minutes and that's if your palate even picks it up. McClellands VA's are some of the best in the world.

 

[huntertrw]

In his 1970 book titled "All About Tobacco" author Milton M. Sherman describes Jenidze (Yeniji) as follows, "Jenidze tobacco is a Xanthi type tobacco that is reddish brown in color and has a more distinct, stronger taste, with little or no aroma."
Of Xanthi he says, "Xanthi tobacco is a grade of Basma, coming from the area of Xanthi. It has the same outstanding qualities as Basma and the same variety of color. It also has a very strong but pleasant aroma.
With regard to Basma he states that it, "...is considered by the experts to be the finest aromatic tobacco in the world. They refer to it as "the king of tobaccos." Grown exclusively in Greece, and principally in Western Greece, it accounts for approximately 35% of the country's tobacco crop. The word Basma comes from the Turkish word meaning "to compress."
"The outstanding characteristics of Basma tobacco are the following:

1. Small leaves and fine vein system.

2. A variety of color from golden yellow to deep brown, depending on where it is grown.

3. Very elastic and velvety to the touch.

4. An exceptionally sweet and refreshing taste.

5. Excellent burning qualities."
I hope that this information is helpful.

 

[yaddy306]

So yenidje is a subtype of a very strongly aromatic tobacco that has little or no aroma?
Yes, very helpful.

 

[huntertrw]

"So yenidje is a subtype of a very strongly aromatic tobacco that has little or no aroma?"
In essence that's what the man wrote.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Many thanks for the details Hunter, very interesting.
Yesterday my package arrived and I hurriedly opened up all three McClelland tins and almost wretched at the stench of stale Heinz Tomato Ketchup! It really was overpowering.
How come Pease and C&D blends smell so sublime (sprayed with an enhancer?) yet McClelland blends smell so icky?
I rubbed out some Tudor Castle last thing yesterday to air overnight and am smoking a bowl right now. Thankfully, as I was told above the ketchup doesn't interfere with the taste of the blend.
Though only half way into the smoke, I think it is a quite boring smoke with no particular flavours 'popping' out but of course it is early days yet ::
I shall be trying the two Beacon blends later and I hope they are an improvement.
Thanks for all the tips chaps.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[condorlover1]

The stuff was also used in the original oval shaped Balkan Sobranie cigarettes that came in the white paste boxes as well as in those infamous Russian Belomor Canal cigarettes I donated to the box pass the other year!