McClelland - British Woods pipe tobacco reviews

Review

Please log in to add or edit a review. If you do not have an account yet, you can sign up for one here.

Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 63 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >
Peppino	08/09/2010	Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant
Aged 11 yrs and it still one of the great MC blends markings(370699) this still has the great flavor as I remember. Reminds me of FM but more sweetness and latakia near the bottom of the bowl, This seems to be the virginia coming through. I took a 6 yr break from my pipes and finally went back to them. Thats why all these blends have been aged for so long. I must say it's great to be back!
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Chatsworth	08/01/2010	Medium	None detected	Full	Pleasant
The tin note of this is just wonderful. I could just sniff the tin and get the same sort of reaction as to smelling bacon cooked outdoors. Which is to say, mouth watering. More latakia flavoring than the FrogMortons, although I love plain old FrogMorton. Yes, McC can do latakia mixtures well.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Claudius Stradivarius	07/25/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
Smooth, dark mixture. It brings a different kind of taste for an English mixture. I am not sure that I would smoke it regularly but it still proved interesting.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
zulujerk	06/28/2010	Mild	None detected	Mild	Tolerable
McClelland calls British Woods "full, rich and dark." What? While, admittedly, the contents are 90% darkened, broad cut leaf, I find this blend bland and weak, and I'm a bit curious how so many people can agree with the tin description. Maybe I've upped my nicotine consumption so much that I can't appreciate the subtlety, I don't know, but my opinion of British Woods closely mirrors my other experiences with McClelland English's, particularly from the the Frog Morton line. Where's the strength? The ingredients are exceptional, but they are lost on me...I can't find myself able to pick out the Macedonian leaf or any other of the fine Orientals employed in various McClelland blends. That's not a knock on McClelland, but rather my own shoddy palate--no one should doubt the quality of any McClelland mixture. British Woods is unfortunately destined to the back of my smoking drawer, which is a shame because I spent nearly twenty dollars on this tin (my misguided attempt to support the local brick and mortar). I suppose if I were to change this blend up, I would go for a stronger Virginia component, though as is, far too light for my tastes. Two of five.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
russ	06/04/2010	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable
I am one who loves latakia in tobacco, but at times desire a tobacco without the latakia. When I opened the tin I knew imemediately I was in for a treat. When I packed my bowl with this tobacco, and lit up I received One of the greatest smokes I have ever experienced. Although when I stuck my nose into the tin the latakia seemed to be very prominent When lit there is much more going on here. Along with the smokey latakia there is a spicey yet mild background. Then I also detected the macedonian floating around too. I currently have this in my full rotation of tobaccos. For me this tobacco literally takes me to another place. I more than love this stuff, and will keep it handy. I really enjoy this with a morning cup of coffe. I smoke this on a regular basis since finding it. I also will note that as many state about that so-called ketchup aroma with these tobaccos--I really didn't find it with the "British Woods". For me this is a top of the list of must smokes for a true pleasure. I rate this at the top of many tobaccos I have smoked. I cannot say enough about it---I really love this stuff, and plan on keeping it at the top of my rotation for now. A truly great blend tht for me trips my trigger.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
SteelCowboy	03/21/2010	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable
I was really looking forward to trying this blend that enjoys so many positive reviews. The description fits the bill as to what I am looking for in an English. This is a quality tobacco, but not for me. The first word that comes to mind is "flat."I found the flavors to be very mundane. The tobacco is slightly sweet, but in a world loaded with English blends, it falls far short of others. I was waiting for the flavors to develop thoughout the several bowls that I smoked and it just didn't happen.I am now using BW to mix with other tobaccos as I find that it mixes well in creating my own blends. Two stars because the fine folks at McClelland don't skimp on good leaf, but only one star for my personal taste.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Mendon	03/19/2010	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant
This is my morning pipe tobacco, smoked with a cup of coffee after breakfast; really good when swallowed and puffed through the nose. Kind of like eating a dark chocolate.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Pipe4ever	03/11/2010	Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable
Update: I dont see any interest in this blend, not balanced, not refined, completely overwhelmed with latakia, sorry, I cant recommend it to anyone -------------------- This is mainly a Cyprian Lakakia tobacco mixed with dark Virginia and some oriental. the taste is very smokey, semi sweet with oriental background. I am not a Latakia guy, my favorite Latakia smoke is Mac Baren HH.V.S., I have bought this blend just because of the name "wood" which remind me the great "black wood flake", I was not highly impressed, but still it is a good quality blend.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
MaSuAnime	03/09/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This blend is dark, rich, and creamy. The smokey flavor has a subtle sweetness that works so beautifully together. This was my first foray into English blends, and definitely won't be my last. I like this blend so much I shelled out about a hundred bucks on different english and balkan blends. All of them are wonderful, but she will always be my first. 9.75 out of 10.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
ELF	02/23/2010	Medium	None detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong
5 WORDS:...Large Pipe,Smoke it Slow...6.5/10 :^}
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Balisongbaka	02/23/2010	Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
this is a long burning tobacco! i usually smoke kinda quickly so i was surprised at how long this burned but i am glad it burned that long it is a very good blend
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
wdsmith	12/03/2009	Mild to Medium	None detected	Very Mild	Tolerable
Having smoked everything from "Old Dublin", Dunhill "London Mix", "Skiff" and my absolute favorite "H.H. Vintage Syrian" I thought that I would give an American blender a shot... Upon opening the tin I was greeted by the McClelland ketchup/barbeque sauce aroma that I've oft read about but after a moment or two it did seem to calm down... Nice cut, packs easily but...this one just didn't do it for me and it could possibly be that I just received a bad batch, not sure. The depth is lacking and it seems to be monochromatic. The smoke is quite heavy and rich; nice room note for an "english" blend but the taste is flat. I've smoked the blend in several pipes (Savinelli squat, BC and Charatan dublins, Sasieni bull dog and a very large meer)with much the same result; though the squat seemed to bring more of the flavor. I will let it age a bit and see what happens. Recommended as a entry level "English" but not for someone looking for a full-bodied smoke. 2 out of 4 stars.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
DK	11/09/2009	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
This one seems to have a lot of reviewing activity recently. Must be the season (autumn). This is for those that like a little bit of oriental with their latakia. This is a heavily pungent full English mixture that smells sweet in the tin and tastes both sweet and smoky in the bowl. A mostly all black tobacco with a few strands of chocolate brown matured virginia, said virginia doesn't seem to play a role I can discern in this one unless it's simply to tone it down a hair. The taste of BW is robust, yet sweet and mellow. Latakia predominates, with the various orientals peeking through the haze from time to time - a refined and occasionally elegant flavor. Somehow this doesn't beat the smoker about the head with latakia, however, and I'm not sure how they did that (perhaps the inclusion of matured red VA). If you love latakia but prefer not to be overwhelmed by it, give this one a try.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Sasquatch	11/07/2009	Mild to Medium	None detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is delicious. Smells a bit sharp in the tin (surprise surprise), but in the pipe this is wonderful medium english. Smooth, sweet, robust... just a lovely blend. I could forget a lot of other classics for this tin.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Thorre	10/28/2009	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Full	Strong
As far as English blends go, this for me is tip top. I tried this several years ago when I was just a young Latakia junkie. I liked it then. Now after going through the other blend types, such as Burleys, Virginias, VaPers,and Aros. I have now tried this anew. Silky smooth, spicy Orientals, cool smoking English pleasure. I give this the highest mark.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
tramroad28	07/02/2009	Medium	Very Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
English blends are my favorite and British Woods consistently delivers the goods. It is one that I won't be without. Opening the tin and a deep sniff lets you know that each bowl will bring a depth of flavor that meets the expectations of an English-type blend. Moisture is spot-on for me...and it just looks right. I enjoy it most in the Autumn and find it fits well when a bowl is called upon when driving between woodcock and ruffed grouse coverts.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
wosbald	06/30/2009	Mild to Medium	None detected	Very Full	Strong
The tin aroma reeks of a torte-like richness; the pungency of ample latakia and turkish leaf overlying the sweet and fetid reek of highly fermented virginia. The medium, choppy cut lights slowly and burns moderately well. The main focus of the flavor is a duet between latakia and dark-stoved VAs with balance and interest provided by fine turkish leaf and red VAs. The penetrating distinctiveness of the richly fermented, dark-stoved VA provides backbone and prevents stolidity. British Woods is a rich and opulent delight which goes well in a chamber of any gauge.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Captain	06/27/2009	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant
It is said that this is Barry Levin's masterpiece. I agree. It is the smoothest English Mixture that I know. Sweet and mellow tasting Virginia based Latakia Oriental Mixture. The taste of sweet Macedonian leaf delivered in a release of full rich flavor. Is this the best English Mixture? As in all of the Arts, there is no "best" tobacco. This is,in my opinion,close. It is at the front of my Golden Circle.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
BriarBurner	06/02/2009	Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant
An enjoyable english/oriental blend...i.e. more oriental than a real english blend. Dark rich fragrant tobac on opening and also very very wet. had to dry for 36 hrs. Reminded me of Frog Morton Across the Pond. Both excellant smokes. Definately worthy of your briar.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Kleophrades	02/18/2009	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable
Out of the tin (stamped 2006, popped 2009) British Woods looks like strong, villainous stuff: some of the darkest leaves I've seen in a ribbon cut. But appearances can be deceiving. In fact it is the smoothest English I've ever tasted, indeed one of the smoothest blends of any kind. The Cyprian latakia is not the heavy sort one finds in, say, Pelican, Margate, or 965, but the middleweight of Butera's Latakia #2 (also blended by McClelland) and Pease's Maltese Falcon. As others have noted there is a distinct sweetness to this blend; Maltese Falcon comes again to mind, and I wonder if there mightn't be a bit of casing. Butera's Latakia #2 is the other comparison, and in this case British Woods is a bit sweeter and downplays the Orientals. While it lacks some of the complexity of the really great blends -- "one dimensional" is a term that's been used -- this blend is delightful on its own merits: wonderful on a cold morning with coffee. It's not big and heavy but it's not trying to be. Lovely.
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 63 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >