McClelland Avenue Blend TQ

The burley is mildly nutty sweet, and slightly earthy. The Virginia is mostly citrus and grass. The black cavendish is mildly vanilla-ish. The tobaccos are fairly muted by the sweet, smooth and creamy vanilla, which I notice a little more than the cocoa. Can't say I really notice the coconut much, but I suppose that’s the minor flavor hit I occasionally get, and can’t quite define as coconut. Has a mild nic-hit. Burns at a moderate pace with no harshness, but the topping weakens just a tad near the finish and you’ll get the tobacco taste just a little more, especially the burley and grass from the Virginia. Leaves a little moisture in the bowl, but no dottle. Needs a few relights. Won’t bite unless you puff very fast. Has a very pleasant after taste and room note. Can be an all day smoke.

-JimInks

I have run several bowls through different pipes to find that TQ runs consistent from bowl to bowl and pipe to pipe. While some claim this is an equal to Lane's 1-Q, I find enough difference between 1-Q and TQ to have both at the ready. I find the taste to present a complex array from start to finish. The start will present a pleasing tobacco with hints of vanilla, as the progress of the bowl reaches the mid-point the full flavor of the tobacco starts. When the end is near you again find the vanilla with a stronger tobacco taste. The room is very nice (the wife really enjoys the aroma) and other have noted the pleasant note as well.

McCelland Bulk TQ - Top Quality Gold & Toasted (aka "Avenue Blend TQ")

I was very surprised and pleased with my first brush with McClelland TQ. It's a medium strength moderately aromatic blend of virginia and burley-based cavendish, with a moderately sweet creamy finish. It packs well, burns fairly cool, and is very easy to work with. The burley based cavendish imparts a nice body and a pleasing nuttiness (toasted pecan in this instance). The aromatics are used with restraint, and combined with the innate flavors of the tobaccos present evoke (for me) the nuances of Baileys Irish Cream. For those unfamiliar with Baileys, the signature flavors are smooth Irish whiskey, emulsified with sweetened condensed milk, chocolate syrup, instant coffee, and a trace of almond and vanilla extract {as a former bartender I reverse engineered it long ago, so I could make my own}.

Bottom line: This is a mellow, nutty, lightly sweet, and mildly aromatic blend, available in bulk. A friendly everyday smoke, at a good price. Recommended (3 of 4 stars).

Beverage Pairings: Beer - U.K. Mild Brown (ex: Newcastle Brown Ale), Wine - Amontillado, Oloroso or Cream Sherry, Whiskey - Jameson 12yr or Redbreast 12yr, Liqueur - Baileys Irish Cream, Coffee w/Cream & Sugar.

This McClelland's offering goes by a variety of names at different pipe shops that takes McClelland's bulk blends. It was called Bantam Vanilla at a shop down here in Texas.

I loved the smell in the glass jar and asked for an ounce. I loaded it up in a pipe reserved for aromatics and had a delightful smoke while driving down the highway (wife and kid in the car - it made the drive more enjoyable for them, too!)

The vanilla was creamy and the blend smoked mostly dry for an aromatic - typical quality stuff from McClelland's.

McCelland Bulk No. TQ - Top Quality Gold & Toasted

Star Rating = 4

Rating Scores - 10 is the Best and 0 is the Worst

Pouch Note = 9

Room Note = 9

Flavor = 9

Bite = 9

Burn = 9

After Taste = 9

Raw Score = 54

Rated Percentage = 90%

Comment = Very Smooth, Very Mild, Mellow with a good light Flavor, you will detect the coconut finish but this blend is not as sweet as Lane limited 1-Q. Depending on your sweetness threshold you make like this blend better than Lane Limited 1-Q

I'm still new to the world of pipe smoking, but I must say, this is the best smoke I've had to date. I seem to get a hint of carmel in it.

I smoke this on a daily basis. This is my go to guy. I find it most enjoyable in a deep wide bowl pipe. It does very well in an old GBD straight billiard. I also enjoy it in a number of straight stem Peterson bulldogs. The flavor is consistent, mild and sweet. As previously commented I agree it could be stronger. Simply because I just plain dam like the stuff. The room note is nice enough that people in a non smoking bar enjoyed it as the door kept opening while I was on the back porch enjoying some after a stout. True story!

I was crushed to find out my favorite blender was shutting the doors to their business. I must not of been alone, as I witnessed all of their discontinued products skyrocket in price on eBay. Panicked, I bought what was left of the bulk blends I've yet to try, from P&C.

Apparently it is quite similar to Lane's 1Q (which I have always enjoyed), so I am approaching this review by comparison. The contents of the bag gave off the same chocolate sweetness, though not as intense as 1Q, it had more of a graham cracker smell. Avenue's cut was slightly thicker, and both had a 50/50 mix of black cavendish and a tan tobacco (here is was burly).

With a sad finality, I lit it up. It was a fine easy smoke that stayed sweet without any harsh chemical topping taste. It was even smooth enough to inhale it, if you wanted to. It seemed milder than 1Q. There was none of the spiciness found in other McClelland products, yet the quality of smoke as still present.

It would make a great intro aromatic for someone's first trip to pipe land (it was perhaps too light for me to repurchse). As McClelland is a thing of the past however, that trip will be in dreamland.

This is my go to Aro. So delicious and smooth. If you have people in your life that aren't really a fan of the tobacco scent this should win them over. Cream and chocolate are the dominating flavors in this blend. If you really pay attention while smoking you should be able to pick up on some dark rum, nuts and maybe raisins/prunes as supporting roles. This is a blend that needs to be dried out, no doubt in my mind that McClelland used generous amounts of PG to humidify this blend. It burns well and down to a fine white ash. No bite or burn on your tongue with reasonable smoking. If you go after it with a vengeance, it will fight back.For me this was an all day smoke, went through a considerable amount in a weekend. I do not agree with most reviews saying that TQ is similar to 1Q. I would take TQ any day over 1Q. The main reason is the taste, 1Q is rather boring comparably, in my tastes. TQ has a richer smoke, more flavors and a more intricate smoke.

I believe this blend is much better than Lane 1Q. Once I received the blend, I let it sit out to dry a bit since it was too moist for my liking. The dominant vanilla flavor is not over the top but very present with lots of complexity. I get a slight nutty,buttery,caramel notes all the way thru the bowl. Plus a very pleasant room note. Once my 1Q stock is gone, I will restock with Avenue TQ.