McClelland Oriental Mixture No. 8

(3.04)
An extremely refined medium mixture, its soft round flavor due to the fully rubbed matured red cake tobaccos forming its base. Lightly sweet, smooth and rich, a truly mellow smoke.

Details

Brand McClelland
Blended By McClelland Tobacco Company
Manufactured By McClelland Tobacco Company
Blend Type Oriental
Contents Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Ribbon
Packaging 50 grams tin, 100 grams tin
Country United States
Production No longer in production

Profile

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

Average Rating

3.04 / 4
11

10

4

3

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 28 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 22, 2006 Mild None Detected Mild Pleasant
The depth of flavor here is much better than McClelland's #6 (IMO, of course.)

The Virginia/Oriental base accompanied by the wafting of Latakia makes for a pleasant and mild smoke with a complexity that I rather enjoyed. I wish the strength registered a little higher on the meter, but otherwise, this was thoroughly enjoyed.

This is, by the way, an extremely clean burning blend with a nice fresh tobacco taste.
12 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 09, 2009 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Very Pleasant
I completely agree with Briarabbit that this is the best Oriental that McClelland produces.

I have been exploring the byways of this side of the English-mixture field--Virginia/Turkish, no Latakia--where the Balkanic condimentals serve as a natural buffer and sweetener to Virginia, in this case wonderfully honeyed, smoky Red. McC # 8 has the best balance and the most satisfying Oriental lushness. This is so much better than anything with Burley in it!!

In a medium-sized briar it smolders so lazily and refinedly. Love every long minute of it.
11 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 07, 2004 Mild None Detected Medium to Full Very Pleasant
High quality American Red Virginia leaf combined with High quality Spice tobaccos from the old Orient,Greece and Turkey.

A lovely soft taste of the Virginias backed up and tangled nicely with the Orientals makes this a whole lot of pleasure. The Orientals contribute an herbal likeness to the tangy soft Red cake Virginias that is most enjoyable,and I haven't found similar to in any other tobacco. This (IMO) is truly the best Oriental that MC produces.

Ribbon cut leaf,the tobacco burns cool and clean to the bottowm with a gray ash. Wonderful pipe weed.
11 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 15, 2017 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
The smoky, woody, dry, mildly floral, herbal, fairly spicy Orientals have a bare touch of sweetness, and mostly takes a very small lead over the tangy fermented dark fruity, earthy red Virginias. The Virginias also have a hint of spice, “vinegar”, and light wood notes, but its sweetness is a little less than anticipated. The smoky, woody, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia is a condiment. The strength and nic-hit are in the center of mild to medium. The taste level falls a step shy of medium. Won’t bite or get harsh though the amount of spice may tingle the tongue of a fast puffer. Burns cool, clean and a tad slow with some inconsistency in its savory, spicy flavor, which lacks a little depth and character. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires a few relights. Has a pleasantly lingering spicy after taste. Can be an all day smoke.

-JimInks
10 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 05, 2007 Mild to Medium Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
I am halfway through a tin of this stamped 2004. The bouquet from the can is a melange of fruit and spice. The signature McClelland aroma is present but more subdued than a straight Virginia.

It is a mix of light and dark leaf ribbon perfectly cut for packing. It was a little too moist for my taste, but a weekend of air made it perfect.

Packing a Pererson bent spigot bulldog with this mixture and striking a match, I felt the perfect harmony of flavors by mid bowl. VA, orientals, and a little Latakia are perfect.

Anymore, I find straight VA's to be lacking. Strong VA/Latakia's are too obnoxious. Too much Perique with a VA overwhelms the taste buds. #8 is a VA mixture supported by the subtle sweetness of the Orientals, with a little Latakia for spice. Refined and mellow, and just right.

This tobacco was a one match affair. It burns slowly and evenly. Never harsh and no gunk in the bowl.

5 more cans of 2004 vintage are in the cellar for future evaluations.
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 28, 2004 Medium None Detected Medium Tolerable
To myself, this is the premier "Oriental" blend in the McClelland Line.

I enjoy matured red virginia all by itself. What McClelland has done in this blend accentuates the best of the oriental genre.

With a red virginia base, and the high quality orientals dancing in and out of the experience,one can sit puffing in a near state of bliss, (especially if home alone, lol).

Just a great, smooth, almost meditative experince. I can tell you this blend does improve with cellaring even more.

It burns to a nice grey/white ash without leaving a wet-heel.

***12/07/2011 Just opened and started smoking a tin from 2000. Wow, wicked smooth and clean, with a slight spicey and citrus-like note. I have a half-dozen of these tins from 2000...hidden away...
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 29, 2016 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Presentation is medium brown ribbon with some dark and light brown accents. Tin note is tangy and chocolatey with some spicy and mildly floral background notes. Moisture content is just right and this is ready to smoke right from the tin.

The charring light is very dry and brings deeper, darker chocolate favors with a backdrop of parchment and nuts. The Virginias assert in the first third of the bowl, adding a light, lovely sweetness perfectly mellowed by the Orientals, and creating a biteless and delicate smoke that still retains richness and body. No.8 has a full creamy mouthfeel that belies the fundamental delicacy and balance of the blend.

There's a bit more tang by mid-bowl but it doesn't replace the mild sweetness. Rather, it adds a third flavor to the gentle sweet and chocolatey Orientals. The finish is an extraordinary balance of flavors, each demonstrating their distinct characteristics without competing with or eclipsing one other. This is s blend that could easily be an all-day smoke, yet contains enough flavor complexity to stand in as a more contemplative, evening blend.

Overall an excellent Virginia/Oriental mixture that smokes dry and mellow, earthy yet sweet. The Orientals tame the Virginias without overwhelming the subtle sweetness. The Orientals here are very chocolatey with a bit of parchment and nut. The Virginias are soft and subtly sweet with just a pleasant hint of tang. Latakia is condimental here, adding just a touch of earthiness by mid-bowl and a hint of mustiness in the final third.

Balanced and nuanced. Zero bite. Exceptionally cool smoking and very dry. Outstandingly well blended. Smoke this one in a wide, shallow bowl such as a pot or prince, sit back, and enjoy.
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 18, 2010 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Very Pleasant
The sweet tangy red virginias lead the band here, with the orientals adding subtle notes and the latakia playing softly in the background. A truly fine smoking experience. No bite, no bitterness; just wonderful all the way down the bowl. Like puffing smoky honey.
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 04, 2019 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Unnoticeable
I bought two 100 gram tins of this back in 1998 and never intended to cellar these for 21 years but until about a month ago I could not bring myself to open one. So finally I took it to the pipe club and we popped the lid. It is a medium dark coarse ribbon cut and has a strong earthy, musty sweet smell out of the tin. This is a really smooth blend that starts out a little sweet and sometimes ends a little tart. I have no way of knowing what the 21 years of age did to this one but there were no complaints at the club. Thumbs up all around. I had a lot of fun opening something that was two decades old. Today I smoked some more and this is one great blend that has a lot of flavor. But as for the other tin it is going to sit a spell. My stash of McClelland is limited even more so since they closed their doors. So, I will wait my time to open the other one when the moment is right. But hopefully not on my death bed. Ha.
Pipe Used: Briar
Age When Smoked: 21 years 🙂
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 12, 2009 Mild Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
This, along with McClellands Blakeney's Best Latakia Flake, is probably the cleanest smoking blend I've ever experienced. I can't really describe "clean" in this context. It's very smooth and seems well balanced. No harshness unless you overpuff. It's obviously made of very high quality leaf.

That said, this blend is not for me. I find little excitement in this. I can't say it's too mild exactly but I'm wondering if they could have beefed up the orientals a bit to make this tobacco more complex. Not objectionable in the strict sense, just sort of flat and boring -and that's the last thing I expect from an oriental with latakia style tobacco.

Again, McClellands is world renowned and revered for their virginia offerings but I have yet to experience much of their talent for oriental mixtures (FrogMorton On The Town being a notable exception). As always, your mileage may vary.
4 people found this review helpful.
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