McClelland No. 2030 #1 Grade Balkan

(2.54)
A classic style medium Balkan mixture prepared from a rich stoved, Eastern and Middle Belt strip; Cyprian Latakia, Lemon Carolina and the finest Greek Oriental tobaccos.

Details

Brand McClelland
Blended By McClelland Tobacco Company
Manufactured By  
Blend Type Balkan
Contents Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Broken Flake
Packaging Bulk
Country United States
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Mild to Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

2.54 / 4
2

14

9

3

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 28 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 28, 2012 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
My tobacco is from a mason jar dated 2003. I remember well when I smoked this the first time and was not too impressed. The aging has made this blend very close to the original Balkan Sobraine...ahh those memories. Get some and store in mason/ball jars and forget it for some years. Bilowy clouds of new leather and spice. Sweet smoky and chewy. It has a long finish and the room aroma is pungent and earthy. Outstanding blend when the aged.
10 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 19, 2015 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Tolerable
The Virginias have the typical McClelland characteristics of tangy “vinegar” notes, and though I pick up a little citrus and some grassiness, they aren’t doing that much for the product. The Orientals are smoky and woody with a sour note and some spice, and at times, is the star. The Cyprian latakia is smokey, woodsy sweet, and tends to lead. I notice some inconsistency of taste at times, and the Orientals seem to show up more in the latter half of the smoke. Won't bite. Has a mild nic-hit. Burns fairly cool at a reasonable pace, but the sourness seems more obvious near the finish. Leaves a little moisture in the bowl, and needs an average number of relights. Can be an all day smoke.

-JimInks
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 02, 2011 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant
A very nice and well balanced meat and potatoes Balkan. Not overly complex nor deep. The nice part is when air dried for awhile you can pick out the different tobaccos, whereas others tend to become a vat of chilli.

I prefer to add 3 oz. of McClelland's Blending Latakia to 16 oz. of this blend. Thus making it fuller and a tad smoother. I quite enjoy this a bit more when compared to some of McClelland's tinned blends.
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 01, 2005 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Tolerable
I am a surprised that this blend hasn't received better reviews - it makes me think that there may be batch variations with it...(My latest purchase came from smokingpipes.com in February of 2005.)

This is a fine bulk blend and I have smoked it on and off over the years. I prefer to smoke this dry and it burns bone dry to a very nice white ash. It's certainly not very complex (like Squadron Leader, Caravan, etc.), but the underlying Latakia element is simply outstanding. If you enjoy English blends with tastey, smokey Latakia...like I do...(the kind that makes your mouth water)...then you will enjoy this straightforward blend.

This is an under-appreciated classic that, when purchased by the pound, is a real bargain - try it.
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 21, 2002 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Tolerable to Strong
For the cost-conscious Balkan smoker, this would be a fine 'turn to' blend. Nothing really exciting here.

The latakia takes a backseat to the orientals, which, for me (belonging to the Sykes school of Latakia being a condiment tobacco), is a good thing.

For my unrefined palate the virginias are MIA.

Criticisms aside, a good dependable smoke.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 04, 2018 Very Mild None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
I dont see why this is rated at 2.5 stars, I will miss this mixture greatly when it disappears from my cellar. Best quality tobbacos, each type of leaf used plays together tasting different characteristics of each leaf throughout the bowl. Unique and distinguished and very underestimated mixture of pipe tobacco from first light to last puff. This is a great smoke....
Pipe Used: Savinelli 510ex
PurchasedFrom: Cigar hut
Age When Smoked: Fresh and aged
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 08, 2010 Mild Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Tolerable
The first bowl I packed with this tobacco left a very good first impression . At the first try I thought that I had found a new tobacco to enter my regular rotation, but every time I have tried it since then it hasn't been the same. What I noticed from going back to it from time to time is that it burns fast, and the subtle but sweet maple syrup like back round is like a dog begging at the table that wont stop while your trying to enjoy your meal. The pipe being your meal and the dog being the sweetness. To me this tobacco doesn't have anything to offer that really stands out from the crowd flavor wise. I would recommend this tobacco for someone who wants to transition from aromatics to something else.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 27, 2017 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
McClelland - No. 2030 #1 Grade Balkan.

It's a bit of a twiggy mixture, this imminently lessens the rating! Moisture's decent, and it's a traditionally English pouch-note.

The smoke? Far tamer than I expected. Although the Latakia has a piquant side, being smoky and a little rough, it also lends a slight sweetness. The Orientals are easily the second in command, with a spiciness which accompanies the Latakia well. The Virginia does the least work, simple. No. 2030 burns well, not becoming too warm, and it doesn't bite me one bit.

The nicotine: quite mild for a Balkan. Room-note: pleasant to tolerable.

McClelland #2030? it isn't 'bad', just slightly mundane, in comparison to some other Balkans. Two stars:

Somewhat recommended.
Pipe Used: Peterson Sherlock' Lestrade P'Lip
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: New
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 26, 2016 Mild None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant
Purchased 8 oz of this a few weeks back. The pouch aroma seems kind of flat and lacking that smoky latakia aroma I thought it would contain. When loading the pipe, I noticed several times the number of stems and undesired tobacco bits that this 8oz contained. This is something I never encountered with McClelland, they are usually on top of the QC

The Base Va tastes sweet and toasty without any bite. I really enjoy this component! The Orientals are much more forward than the Latakia, but stay throughout the entire bowl. The Turkish also seems a bit subdued, usually a Balkan blend with Turkish leaves a clean almost minty finish on the palate. It is almost non-existent.

All in all a good mild mannered Balkan that will get your day started.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 04, 2012 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Excellent blend! Sweet, pungent, a bit of tang, and a wonderful over-all aroma. Good all day Balkan blend. Nothing too complex...but it's good! Just doesn't excite me or keep me interested. I would recommend it, but won't remain as one of my regulars.
Pipe Used: Bent Billard, Dublin, Egg, Acorn
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: New from store - 1-3 months
2 people found this review helpful.
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