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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2018 20:29:34 GMT -5
I thought it would be nice to have a thread simply extolling the virtues of McClelland (without speculation, politics, etc.), and maybe sharing info about the few blends that are still available.
I'm realizing just how many McC blends make up my cellar - which is great because I'm not going to run out real soon... but unfortunate because they're such a unique top-notch blender. I know they're famed for their VAs, but nobody does Orientals the way they do. They have a real finesse and subtlety with them, and do things with individual strains that no other blender has done. Mixed with their signature "vinegar" (which I've read is due to aging in apple cider barrels) and the sweet top note, there's really nothing like them out there. To me they're the tobacco world equivalent of single malt Scotches.
As well as the Frogs and 5100, I'll especially miss Orient 996, Bombay Court, the Grand Orientals series, 2050, and of course 3 Oaks Syrian.
They also did some fine aromatics, including the totally underrated, slightly odd, and stupidly named McTruffle. Oldchurch is really nice, too, and their VBC is like a luxury version of BCA.
The only one I haven't been impressed with are Dark Cherry Cordial, and couple of lat blends that I found a bit heavy-handed (like British Woods).
I have many more to try, and was lucky enough to recently nab a large-size tin of all the Green label Oriental Mixtures before they disappear. Arcadia sounds great and seems to be widely available for the time being (as are the Frogs). Balkan Blue is still out there, too - I have one tin but have never tried it, and am contemplating buying more.
So what are your favorite McC blends? And are there any sleepers out there you'd recommend while still available?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2018 21:08:51 GMT -5
They had some real world class VaPers as well including Tudor Castle, Beacon and Beacon Extra. #2015 was one of my favorite bulks of any kind, real bargain cellar builder which ages extremely well.
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Post by slowroll on Feb 27, 2018 22:05:44 GMT -5
Yes, their orientals are/were superb. A couple of the Grand Orientals have been special treats for me, as well as 2050. I mixed them with a little latakia and nearly had the old Balkan Sobranie. Glad I've got about 2 lb. Of 2050, and about 1.5 of Yenice Agonya. Didn't stash enough Smryna #1, regrettably. I'll miss Blue Balkan and Royal Cajun, too. White
Knight and Byzantium come close for those 2, but, ah, I'm gonna miss the Grand Orientals. Nothing like them.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 2:33:48 GMT -5
Yes, their orientals are/were superb. A couple of the Grand Orientals have been special treats for me, as well as 2050. I mixed them with a little latakia and nearly had the old Balkan Sobranie. Glad I've got about 2 lb. Of 2050, and about 1.5 of Yenice Agonya. Didn't stash enough Smryna #1, regrettably. I'll miss Blue Balkan and Royal Cajun, too. White Knight and Byzantium come close for those 2, but, ah, I'm gonna miss the Grand Orientals. Nothing like them. I have a tin of Royal Cajun Dark, but didn't pick up the other two in the line. I'm not much of a Perique guy, but they sound interesting. |
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Post by Dramatwist on Feb 28, 2018 2:53:45 GMT -5
...they made some GREAT blends, I have a certain quantity of favorites in my cellar, when they're gone I'll miss them... and then I'll find some new favorites...
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Post by headrott on Feb 28, 2018 4:18:35 GMT -5
Drama Reserve is an excellent "Grand Reserve Oriental". One of my favorite oriental blends. unfortunately, I only have one sealed tin of it in the cellar. I also have a tin of Yenidge in the cellar, but haven't tried it yet.
40th Anniversary is one of my favorite virgina blends by McClelland. Dark Star is another great one!
I still have an number of sealed tins inthe cellar that I have not opened and tried yet, so (unfortunately I may have other favorites in the cellar that I have yet to try)...........
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Post by Legend Lover on Feb 28, 2018 4:22:19 GMT -5
The only one I've tried, being in the UK, is Cellar...but it kept me in the game. It gave me a new taste for pipe tobacco that had previously been lacking. It's a shame that I won't be able to pick any more up.
The idea is to keep the stave, re-soak it in whiskey, and find a similar tobacco in which to add the stave and recreate the experience.
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Post by rblood on Feb 28, 2018 4:31:21 GMT -5
The loss of their 5100 / Red Virginias has gotten most of the "headlines", but for me its the black stoved Virginias that I'll miss. No one does it better.
Perfect example, St. James Woods... in a league of it's own, with Blackwoods Flake right up there.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 6:42:44 GMT -5
I will miss Dark Star, Beacon Extra and 3 Oaks. All are excellent and among my favorites.
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Post by peteguy on Feb 28, 2018 11:48:45 GMT -5
Dark Star and 5100 are my favorites. After the recent scare - (I am calling it a scare until I see a picture of the building with a for sale sign on it) - I inventoried a pound of Dark Star and 1/2 lb of 5100. Not a lifetime supply by any means. Luckily there are many great blends to take their place but I will still try to stretch these quantities out. I find a lot of there blends run together and are hard to distinguish a difference for this simple palate.
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Post by cigrmaster on Feb 28, 2018 12:48:45 GMT -5
The first 2 bulk pounds of tobacco I ever bought were MC 5100 and 2045. Both were recommended to me by my cigar buddy who got me into pipes in the first place. The flavors of the 5100 were amazing, unfortunately it burned my tongue off. The 2045 was great especially as it didn't burn me like the 5100 did. I put that 5100 in a jar to age hoping the burn went away that was in 1999. Fast forward to 2009 and I opened the 5100 and it burned me just as bad as when I first tried it.I ended up trading that 5100 for some Stokebeye flakes but those burned me as well. I eventually found out that I had an allergy to red virginia tobacco and just couldn't smoke it no matter how much I loved the flavors. I stayed away from any Mc Virginia blends until just a few weeks ago.
I had taken a hiatus from my pipes and when I came back I asked jiminks for a few flakes that I might enjoy. He mentioned the Butera Dark Stoved knowing it was made from Lemon Virginia tobacco. I bought one tin and loved it. I decided I needed to cellar that one fast and deep as I heard about the rumors of MC closing. I now have plenty of the Butera and am thankful that jiminks turned me on to it.
I feel badly for all the folks who really love their MC blends but are not able to cellar as much as they want. It sucks when you find a blend you really love only to find out it is going the way of the DoDo.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 13:21:20 GMT -5
Looks like there's still quite a lot of Frogs out there. Not too surprising since they're some of the bestselling blends in the world, so McC must have put a lot of resources into mass production. I guess like the Syrian blends, a few outliers will linger for a good few months before it's all gone. Before long it'll just be a few stray tins of Dominican Glory and Best in Show.....
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Post by headrott on Feb 28, 2018 15:47:22 GMT -5
I will miss Dark Star, Beacon Extra and 3 Oaks. All are excellent and among my favorites. I can recommend Peretti's Scottish Flake as a "replacement" for Dark Star. It is the exact same leaf that McClelland used (but is cured with red wine, and the red wine is not over the top if you are worried). I am not going to say they are identical, but very similar, and still available? Edit: I just checked the Peretti site, and it is sold out. If they have it available again, BUY SOME. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 16:18:06 GMT -5
RIP Dark Star, one of my very favorite pipe tobaccos to hate. Every bowl was a challenge. Gosh, I loved that stuff.  |
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Post by johnlawitzke on Feb 28, 2018 16:35:20 GMT -5
McClelland and the McNeils have brought a lot of joy into my life and will continue to do so for many years. For that I thank them. 40 years is one hell of a good run for a small family run business.
I've been a McC fan boy for a long time and McC represents over 25% of my cellar. My top five favorites are Christmas Cheer, Old Dog, Stave-Aged 35, 3 Oaks Syrian, and Frog Morton's Cellar. Additional favorites for me are #24, #27, Balkan Blue, Beacon, Frog Morton on the Bayou, Pebblecut, Rich Virginia Ribbon, Rose of Latakia, and 3 Oaks Original.
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Post by slowroll on Feb 28, 2018 19:13:38 GMT -5
Well, much of their stuff is nonpareil, I just wish they would consider selling the recipes to someone.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 19:48:17 GMT -5
Well, much of their stuff is nonpareil, I just wish they would consider selling the recipes to someone. Without exactly the right tobaccos processed the right ways, they wouldn't be the same if made by say, C&D. I gather that's the main reason they're closing up shop. |
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Post by Dramatwist on Feb 28, 2018 19:49:07 GMT -5
...they're not actually gone yet, eh?
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Post by Darin on Feb 28, 2018 19:50:33 GMT -5
Smoking some '07 McClelland Katerini Classic right now.  |
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Post by slowroll on Feb 28, 2018 19:55:19 GMT -5
Well, much of their stuff is nonpareil, I just wish they would consider selling the recipes to someone. Without exactly the right tobaccos processed the right ways, they wouldn't be the same if made by say, C&D. I gather that's the main reason they're closing up shop. Probably true, but at least there'd be a reasonable approximation. And, then we could have all manner of discussion about Remembrances of Tobaccos Past while having a moderate match. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 19:55:43 GMT -5
...they're not actually gone yet, eh? Technically true, and no official date has been given. We change the date in the thread title if they last until next year.  And hey, maybe they'll see all the love and change their minds! |
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Post by Dramatwist on Feb 28, 2018 20:09:16 GMT -5
...they're not actually gone yet, eh? Technically true, and no official date has been given. We change the date in the thread title if they last until next year. And hey, maybe they'll see all the love and change their minds! ...I run as an optimist... |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 20:57:12 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 21:34:24 GMT -5
I keep envisioning the next generation of pipe smokers looking back and speaking reverently of McClelland Tobaccos, much like current remembrances of the past classics so often mentioned in today's forum threads.
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Post by Dramatwist on Feb 28, 2018 21:35:38 GMT -5
I keep envisioning the next generation of pipe smokers looking back and speaking reverently of McClelland Tobaccos, much like current remembrances of the past classics so often mentioned in today's forum threads. ...inevitable... |
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Post by daveinlax on Feb 28, 2018 21:57:54 GMT -5
This is sad news but many of us had plenty of time and the resources to stock up when word of the closing went out. I feel for the guys who had no idea they were smoking McClelland bulk tobacco in their "hand blended" mixtures they enjoyed from pipe and cigar shops across the country.  |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 22:07:22 GMT -5
This is sad news but many of us had plenty of time and the resources to stock up when word of the closing went out. I feel for the guys who had no idea they were smoking McClelland bulk tobacco in their "hand blended" mixtures they enjoyed from pipe and cigar shops across the country. Nice; however, you can put that little condescending emoji after all your posts here where the sun doesn't shine. |
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Post by just ol ed on Feb 28, 2018 22:30:56 GMT -5
Didn't do a huge bizness with Pipestud but for sure, a standup dude & everything went well every time. Thanx Steve, great tribute
Ed Duncan, Batavia, NY
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 23:32:46 GMT -5
This is sad news but many of us had plenty of time and the resources to stock up when word of the closing went out. I feel for the guys who had no idea they were smoking McClelland bulk tobacco in their "hand blended" mixtures they enjoyed from pipe and cigar shops across the country. Nice; however, you can put that little condescending emoji after all your posts here where the sun doesn't shine. That's just plain unfriendly, Mark. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 23:38:36 GMT -5
Nice; however, you can put that little condescending emoji after all your posts here where the sun doesn't shine. That's just plain unfriendly, Mark. While I greatly respect your opinion Don, I don't believe so in this particular instance. |
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And hey, maybe they'll see all the love and change their minds!
