McClelland Going Out of Business

[wij]

Wonder what's goin' to happen to the McCranie's blends?? :cheers: FTRPLT

Never mind!! Just answered my own question! The Red Flake and Red Ribbon are OOS!!! I do wonder if the boys will find someone else to blend these two!?!? :cheers: FTRPLT

I was just in McCranie's a week ago to pickup any McClellands they might have left and buy some more "First Light" which is 5100 Red Cake. They were completely sold out and that included all their store blends that were made by McClellands. They bought the last 60lbs of 5100 and when it got around they had it people were buying 5lbs at a time. Needless to say I walked out empty handed. :-(

Well not quite empty handed since they did have some tins of Red Ribbon and Red Flake for the store and not the internet.

 

[LFOD]

Yah well, say goodbye to mcCranies, Butera, Nording, Peretti's Scottish Flake, etc.... :no:

Yep, looks like Peretti's London Flake and Oxford Flake were sourced from McClelland's as well and are gone for good.

At least Cambridge Flake and No. 8 Slice appear to be safe.

 

[Thomas Tkach]

I've been on a pipesmoking hiatus for a few years, and I come back and THIS is what I see?! I was just getting into McC VAs and some of their other blends before I took off. This makes me feel sad and old. I remember people talking about Dunhill when I first started and it was unavailable. Now I'll be that guy talking about the glories of 2035 and 5100 that will never be matched again. ugh...

 

[Ozark Wizard]

I've been on a pipesmoking hiatus for a few years, and I come back and THIS is what I see?! I was just getting into McC VAs and some of their other blends before I took off. This makes me feel sad and old. I remember people talking about Dunhill when I first started and it was unavailable. Now I'll be that guy talking about the glories of 2035 and 5100 that will never be matched again. ugh...

Sorry Thomas. Welcome back though!

 

[Fight'n Hampsters]

Is it possible they can sell their blends to another manufacturer and carry them on?  Like Frog Morton for example, the Tin would be same, blend, etc.  it would just say C&D instead of McClelland?

The issue as I understand it, is that McC cannot source the same kind of leaf they have been using due to growers not growing it. So any substitute  will make a significantly different blend.

And as McC are known for this consistency it would be a different tasting animal. Maybe subtle, maybe significant.


Cheers,

RR

Also one has to keep in mind the new FDA regs coming into effect soon. Any blender who would buy the recipes would more than likely have to file them as new blends. They couldn't be call McClellands, I would imagine, so they would be considered new products and each and everyone would have to be passed by the really expensive testing process.

All that to say, unless some regs are repealed quickly, they are gone for goos.

 

[Zeno Marx]

I'm sorry I stumbled upon the gross thing happening on ebay. Common sense would have told me this was the situation, but I hadn't seen it for myself. I hadn't thought to look...already. So, I guess it is safe to say that genuine lovers of McClelland product weren't the ones who absorbed all the remaining stock. Yeah...gross. Sad. Unfortunate. All those things more importantly than it just being predictable.

 

[Lakebound]

I'm sorry I stumbled upon the gross thing happening on ebay.  Common sense would have told me this was the situation, but I hadn't seen it for myself.  I hadn't thought to look...already.  So, I guess it is safe to say that genuine lovers of McClelland product weren't the ones who absorbed all the remaining stock. Yeah...gross.  Sad.  Unfortunate.  All those things more importantly than it just being predictable.

I have 3 unopened tins. I may not open them for the next 20 years now so as to be able to enjoy them in my twilight years. I feel fortunate to have them now.

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

I feel fortunate to have what I have and I refuse to participate in the purse snatching of the 2nd hand market. Same goes for all th other hard to find blends..

 

[Brewdude]

I feel fortunate to have what I have and I refuse to participate in the purse snatching of the 2nd hand market. Same goes for all th other hard to find blends..

And this is spot on. Well said Chris. I have to believe all the dedicated and true pipe enthusiasts are arm and arm on this. I know I am!

:cheers:

There will always be opportunists and those looking to make a quick buck out of those gullible to take the bait. Sad, really. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!


Cheers!

RR

 

[Ozark Wizard]

I feel fortunate to have what I have and I refuse to participate in the purse snatching of the 2nd hand market. Same goes for all th other hard to find blends..

And this is spot on. Well said Chris. I have to believe all the dedicated and true pipe enthusiasts are arm and arm on this. I know I am!

:cheers:

There will always be opportunists and those looking to make a quick buck out of those gullible to take the bait. Sad, really. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!


Cheers!

RR

Indeed.

 

[pepesdad1]

This is beyond sad...truly some great tobacco that they produced. Glad to have cellared up with 25 tins of their different Va's. Holding my Christmas Cheer and Tudor Castle for at least another 5 years before thinking about popping a tin. Bulked up with 5100 which is really great in the morning with a cup of good coffee.
Walt

 

[idbowman]

I think the exception to the second-hand market rule is PipeStud. He's been in the second-hand tobacco business long enough to know that price-gauging is all short-term gain with no long-term upside (and a damn fine guy if you ever get to meet him).

As an example, I just sold some of my FMOTT through his consignment shop - he charged the buyer $45 for a 100gr tin with 14 years of age. Tins of the same age were being sold for $40 at the NASPC show this past summer (when McC was still very much around), and the same tin has a "buy it now" price of $135 on fleabay.


So I suppose I'm not as soured on the second-hand market as some of y'all. To me, it's a matter of finding a member of the community (not just a profit hawk) to do business with.

 

[GCook]

4 Noggins has McClelland's in stock. Screw eBay.
https://www.4noggins.com/capstanmediumnavycut50g-1-1-1-1-1.aspx

If you wonder why they no longer stock Esoterica, browse their consignments.

But seriously, I wish I could find the trade route that redirects anything Germain directly to eBay. I understand supply/demand, but at least McClelland was available to everybody (except Washington state) before closure.

 

[Ozark Wizard]

:affraid:

Holy Spirit! I'm smoking some of the most expensive tobacco on the planet!

 

[Fight'n Hampsters]

Those prices are ridiculous!

 

[Zeno Marx]

Can you see this?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/McClelland-Tobacco-Co-collection-of-75-50g-and-5-100g-tins-SEALED-UNOPENED-/323570475842?nma=true&si=3KHqOpV%252FzJaGAcjyefBPXBW3m6k%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

[user 2031]

Can you see this?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/McClelland-Tobacco-Co-collection-of-75-50g-and-5-100g-tins-SEALED-UNOPENED-/323570475842?nma=true&si=3KHqOpV%252FzJaGAcjyefBPXBW3m6k%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

GOOD GOD!!! Someone is going to have a Merry Christmas. And I'm not talking about the buyer! To each his own I guess. :lol!:

 

[user 2031]

I'd be real interested if he ever gets paid for that purchase. Some people like to bid. Of course IF that was sold on a buy-it-now, then they had to pay for it before it would be marked "sold". That's $57 a tin and most of it is 50g tins...

 

[History Prof 1861]

Wow!

 

[user 2027]

As much as I love McC's or Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon I would never pay that much for it. Must be nice to drop that much coin on 80 tins.