Mclelland Christmas Cheer 2012 (and Virginia Woods)

[ericwinpa]

Since receiving Mclelland Virginia Woods about two weeks agao, I have been smoking it daily. I have never tasted a tobacco that I enjoyed as much as this.
The question that I have is that this is advertised as a straight Virginia blend. When smoking it I note that it is extremely sweet, a bit smoky at times (tastes a bit like toasted marshamllow or toasted wood)
and has a distinct sweet pine taste. It's as if I were smoking a sweet pine tree ha Is this flavor I am expereincing due to the tobacco being cased/flavored with something?

Last night I also smoked my first bowl of Mclellands Christmas Cheer 2012. I again found it to be very sweet. But I also noticed around the last half of the bowl that it began to taste a bit spicey. It was as if it had some Oriental leaf added to it. Again, is this a straight Virginia blend or is it flavored/cased?

I am loving the taste of these Virginia blends in my Altinook Meerschaums. I tried them in briars and they still tasted nice but the flavors I get from the Meerschaums were just outstanding.

For years I have been an English blend smoker. Star of the East, British Woods, Charring Cross and others have been my go to blends to smoke. I also purchased Blue Mountain recently and it is an excellent Balkan mixture but after smoking a bowl of it I immediately went back to the Virgina tobaccos. I also have recently smoked Forg Morton Cellar. I found it to be very nice and mild but after one bowl I am back to the Virginias.

Today my new Savinelli Miele bent Dublin arrived. It's a very nice looking pipe and although not terribly expensive, I like it In the future I am looking at a other briars and am leaning towards a Radice. With this pipe I also ordered some Mclelland 5100 Red Cake, Mclelland Boston 1776 and Mclelland Black Woods Flakes.

I am having fun and learning.

Merry Christmas and be well,

Eric

 

[Carlos]

Virginia Woods uses a stoved Virginia that seems to give it a pronounced woodsy, or smoky aspect. McClelland is famous for it's Virginia tobaccos. I do not know what they use to add moisture to their tobaccos. But some say many things. But as I understand it, tobacco is usually handled by the bale. And it's quite dry. Some moisture needs to be added at some point in the processing. That is where it gets speculative on the part of the end user. Many think they can taste some additive or flavoring.

My thoughts are evolving on this subject. I think McClelland has managed to find sources willing to work with them in producing the best they possibly can. Meticulous records are possibly being kept. It's not just that they have a great red Virginia for blending. They have several top quality Reds to choose from. They know the history, the seed, the soil. Weather conditions and what effects that has on a crop. And not just Red's. All the varieties that interest them. Boutique tobaccos. Small batch. Makes sense to me at least.

This is also what enables them to offer Christmas Cheer. The best of the best of a type of Virginia. But it changes from year to year. Where other blending houses strive to maintain a consistent product over a long period of time with an ever changing source to work with. McClelland makes use of those changes to offer various blends not obtainable any other way.

Don't forget the processes. The stoving, pressing, aging, possible steaming, cooking. etc etc. All those necessary secret things blenders can do.

In my opinion, of course. :santa:

 

[jj1015]

Virginia Woods, like Deep Hollow, is slightly flavored with an aromatic agent. There's not a lot of it applied, but it's definitely there. What makes it interesting is that it's an aromatic which uses top-shelf VAs as a base, which means you also get to taste the tangy virginia flavor that McClelland is famous for.

 

[monbla256]

Don't know if it's what I would call an "aromatic agent" in Virginia Woods, I just know it's one of Mcc's BEST non flake Va blend/mixture they make !! It's one I keep in my 3/4 daily bacs that I smoke and always will! As for CC 2012, I haven't opened my tin I got this year but find the CC's tend to be more of a "pure" sweet Va flavor in them than VW. Kinda like 'bac candy (BTW, if you like VW you're gonna LOVE Blackwoods Flake !! Rub it out thuroughly, let it dry a bit then put it in a nice wide bowled pot and light 'er up and you'll be on your way to heaven )

 

[ericwinpa]

Yes sir I agree, Virginia Woods will always be a mixture I keep on hand and smoke often. I have only smoked one bowl of Christmas Cheer 2012 and I found it to be sweet and a bit spicy It's sort of like chunks of flakes so I rubbed them out to fill the pipe. I have not nor do not know how to smoke the Christmas Cheer mixture without rubbing the flake chunks out because they are smaller than other flakes I have smoked which can be rolled and stuffed. I also still find Virginia Woods to a smoother and sweeter smoke than Christmas Cheer 12 but again, I have only smoked one bowl of Christmas Cheer. I am glad that I have found Mclelland Virginia blends. Previous Virginia tobaccos always have given me tongue bite. It's the first time in my pipe smoking experience that I am beggining to understand Virginia tobaccos and the sweetness they offer to a smoker. I am looking forward to the Blackwoods Flake and I also want to purchase Samuel Gawaith Full Virginia Flake in the future. I also have recently tried Orliks Golden Slices and I liked it alot. After five years of smoking pipes I am beggining to crave Virgina blends.

Everyones palette is different so..........no matter what.... enjoy whatever it is you smoke.
Thanks for your time and always have fun.

Eric