McClelland - Grand Orientals: Smyrna No.1 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 36 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >
Passion	05/13/2013	Medium	None detected	Overwhelming	Overwhelming
I love Drama Reserve and Yenidje Supreme. But this Smyrna, although a small leaf (the single intact leaf included in each tin is a very nice touch), it is so fragrant. And let me tell you, this fragrance is either one you love or one you hate. This is not a taste I can even describe with words. You'll just have to give it a whirl, but from memory, it is musty and potent. It ghosted my pipe for 5 bowlfuls afterwards. Not a pleasant taste at all. I gave the remainder of my tin away. If you love it, more power to you. But it was not for me.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Sgt_Fig	04/04/2013	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Very Pleasant
I enjoy all Orientals and after ordering several tins of the McClelland series, I was very impressed. While English Blends, medium to full, are my usual tastes, from time to time a lighter, subtler sensation is the order of the day. This particular blend is a highlight for me.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Katharsis	03/20/2012	Mild	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
I bought this six months ago today and just opened it. I wasn't actually planning that, but interesting. When I open the tin, I find the neatest presentation I've seen yet: a whole leaf of Smyrna sitting on top of the ribbon cut. That was cool. Is there a ketchup aroma? Of course, it's McClelland. Does it carry into the smoke? No, thank goodnes. I bought this blend for two reasons. 1) My previous experience with Classic Samsun was amazing, and 2) I wanted to try more from the series, so I read up on the descriptions of each, and I found these words over and over about this one: "Earthy, musty, pungent, spicy." That's exactly what I was looking for. And that's exactly what this is, and I love it. If you don't like spicy lingering in the back of your throat, occasionally even bothering you, you might not like this...well, at least not the first half of the bowl. It mellows out in the second half (which is where I'm at in my bowl now). I actually like all of the above. As a side note, I think this tin is the black tin of the series for a reason: Even though this series is light overall, this is probably the heaviest from what I've read. This is fantastic stuff if you're into earthy tobaccos.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Dr. Scott	02/09/2012	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
The Izmir is light, and Smyrna No. 1 is the typical aged Virgina with McClelland's acetic acid application. Not my favorite of the Grand Orientals, but I will revisit from time to time. I would have preferred a little more Izmir in this one.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Mr. Big	10/15/2011	Mild	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
First let me say that I do like all Orientals and this is no exception. This comes with perfect moisture to smoke. I find the taste so interesting, full Oriental, and a great change from the Latakia/Perque blends. The taste is a sweet & sour with a smooth musky scent. Doesn't bite, just the right spice to make it interesting but not spicy hot and it lights and burns great. I detect a hint of clove , nutmeg and cocoa. It is a little light on "N", but that doesn't bother me. This is somewhat complex depending on how fast you smoke this as you can change the flavors .This actually passed MY wife test, which is very hard to do. This gets 4 stars, as I want to keep this around and keep in the rotation. PS I do like this slightly better than "Drama" because the Virginias are more out front. Updated 7/19/12- I find this tobacco starts off very flavorfull, sweet and maybe some cocoa flavor. Unfortunately I tend to smoke this fast and by about halfway, the smoke turns hot and bitter, my fault. For me, "Drama" holds it's flavor better at a faster paced smoke.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Virginia lover	06/05/2011	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Nice tin presentation with that tobacco leaf and the preservative smell is more subdued. Not as sweet or fragrant as Drama Reserve but fuller bodied. As with all Orientals, the fragrance is specific and yet stands apart on its own. Pleasurable outdoors smoke on warmer days, with time to spare, in order to get the full spectrum of flavors. A four star mixture for Oriental tobacco lovers.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Billy777	02/21/2011	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
The tin note does not have much of the McClelland tomato ketchup smell, (Why do so many McClelland blends have that ketchup smell?), instead it's just a natural sweet tobacco smell. It's a gently does it blend any heavy puffing results in tongue bite. Overall a good any time of day smoke.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
JohnnyMcPiperson	01/28/2011	Mild	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I heard good things about this blend, but for me it came as somewhat of a disappointment after my love affair with Katerini Classic. I found the flavor to be sweet, almost too sweet and very one dimensional. I liked the blend at first, but became bored with it quickly. The tin note and room note were very similar to Katerini, however the smoke just didn't stand out IMO. Packs well, burns well, sweet and mild, you may enjoy it coming from aromatics, it burns much better than the traditional American aro.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Unsal	11/17/2010	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
An excellent tobacco. Highly Recommended.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Xeneize	11/14/2010	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
Smyrna No. 1 is one of my favorites from the Grand Orientals collection. An excellent Oriental leaf delicately balanced by sweet Virginias, providing a mellow, earthy, cool smoke with solid taste from the beginning to the end of the bowl, with very little vinegar taste.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Latakia	11/07/2010	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
I was not impressed on my first pipe full but eventually, got to appreciate the subtle sophistication. A sweet smokee most probably from the VA in the blend. Burns nicely and is a nice break from my usual latakia-based regulars. Will review again at the end of the tin.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Briar Mike	09/29/2010	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
I read through the reviews here carefully, and my excitement built for a long time. No local shops carried it, so I have been really excited waiting for it to arrive with my new Stanwell hans Christian Anderson. I tell you, it totally lived up to the billing. Its spicy and robust, but fragrant and layered. I could tase the sugary McClelland Virginias, and I have tried all the other GA's in some way, this one is so cool and different though. Its more "exotic" to me and feels so natural. I am going to be buying much, much more of it, and it will be a regular outdoor and afternoon smoke. I can't wait to sit down in the evening and pair it with an Irish Whiskey. Thanks to all the great reviews of it on here, it replaced Drama as my Fav Grand Oriental.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
yinyang	09/23/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This blend was slated for a four star review by me, until, that is, I made a simple mistake: I smoked one of my wife's Marlboro Special Blend cigarettes. Smoking it like a pipe(not inhaling, snork only), I found the similarities between the two disconcerting, to say the least. (I realize ciggy's occasionally have some oriental component, so maybe I shouldn't be suprised?) Anyways, part of the allure of pipe tobacco is the vast array of tastes/flavours/aromas to be had. Realizing this blend tasted much like a cigarette disappointed me to a point I have yet to recover. That said, I really enjoy Smyrna #1. I admit to a minor love affair of all things oriental, so this may be a no-brainer. (Previous statements notwithstanding). Mild, spicy(kitchen cupboard spicy, not Perique spicy, if you know what I mean), a quality Virginia blend. Lights well, burns to fine ash, and who doesn't get a kick out of those tiny leaves staring up from an open tin? Only my aforementioned annoyance keeps this from the highest rating here. Three stars for now.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
strongirish	09/19/2010	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable
I rarely give a tobacco a low rating as I find I enjoy most all tobaccos and can find something good to say about most of them. I struggle to do that with this one. I just tastes plain hot and bland to me. Very one dimentional. It presents itself nicely in the tin, mostly small rough cut brown leaf with a few whole leaves thrown in. It has the nutmeg smell I get from most Turkish tobaccos in the tin and it loads quite easily into the pipe. It came at a good moisture level in the tin and it lites quite well, one the first light after the rise for me. On the first puff, it emits the very fragrant aroma of the Smyrna, which is kinda aromatic with a spicey overtone. I like Smyrna in a blend as it adds charactor, but in the proportion this blend uses this leaf, it is just overwhelming to my pallette. It is so spicy that that is all I taste all the way down the bowl. It tastes hot to me, though my pipe in reality stayed cool and I experienced no tongue bite. It burns all the way down in the pipe to a light grey ash and little dottle and no moisture. I would imagine this would make a good mixer with other blends, but as it stands alone, I do not recommend it at all.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Country Doc	09/05/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Light, smooth, complex. There are sweet notes and occasionally a dark sugary quality comes through fleetingly. Spicy cinnamon pepper present but not overstated. Gentle, subtle, intriguing. A most elegant smoke.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
7formy1911	08/23/2010	Mild	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
I've been holding off on this review for a bit because I almost expected myself to get tired of this blend but I haven't and find myself wanting to smoke it more and more. In the past anything that had a large percentage of orientals just did not sit right with my mouth and throat. I particularly remember Red Rapparee and how acrid the orientals were and they just seemed to hit me right in the back of the throat. I had almost given up on oriental leaves and figured they weren't for me. Boy was I wrong. Enter Smyrna No. 1. To this point in my pipe smoking I have not found a blend that I really liked in a meerschaum. Smyrna No. 1 changed that as well. It is absolute perfection when smoked in meerschaum. The Smyrna leaves are brought to the fore front and the virginia base provides a rock solid altar on which the Izmir (Smyrna) leaves are offered to God in thanksgiving for this blend. I have a sensitive tongue and I think that is why burley and English blends find their way into most of my pipes. This blend is quite easy on my tongue despite the Virginia and Smyrna. I certainly have to take it slow but even a faster puffing rate didn't hurt me much at all. I liked the Virginias so much that I'm actually looking at McC Virginia blends to find something I like. In any case the taste notes are as follows: There is a sweetness to the Virginia that is certainly not overpowering but it is evident. The Virginias add body and provide a great back drop for the Smyrna. With the Smyrna I detect hints of cinnamon along with a mild spiciness and other warm spice notes I can only liken to mulled cider. It honestly reminds me of Christmas spices if that makes any sense. When all is said and done I truly enjoy this blend and it has given me renewed hope in finding some wonderful Virginia/Oriental mixtures. I think the McC Grand Oriental line has hit a home run and I'll continue my quest through their other Grand Oriental offerings.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Deckard	07/23/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Very Pleasant
This has become my favorite blend. It packs and burns easily, has the most wonderful tin and room note, and the perfect balance of sweet and spicy flavor.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
BriarBurner	07/03/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
The dominant feature in this blend is the sweet/spicey orientals that really pop with slow steady draws.I found this to be an easy packing, smooth smoking, no bite tobac. The strength is no powerhouse, but the flavor delivers throughout the bowl, As for room note, I could care less. I have found that in 45 years of pipe smoking what people think of my tobacs' smell is a non-issue, compared to the enjoyment I get from some of the more foul smelling blends out there.. Enjoy
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
AZ_Smoker	06/18/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
This is one of the outright smoothest, creamiest and delicious tobaccos I have ever had the pleasure to smoke. It smells so wonderful in the can that you almost think you could eat it with a spoon. Ketchup and vinegar? I think NOT! For those of you who have smelled the fragrance of fresh-ground 100 percent Kona Coffee..... then add the aroma of a fine Oriental tobacco.... That is what wafts its way past this set of nostrils, in my humble opinion. So what's not to like? By the way, this tobacco goes exceptionally well WITH a cup of 100 percent dark roast Kona made espresso style. Needless to say, I am impressed with this one. So much so that I have dedicated two of my finer meerschaum pipes to it. Well, ok, I use them for the Samsun, too, but you get my point. My wife wants me to smoke it on a fairly regular basis...... she likes the aroma that much! Finally, one my wife enjoys almost as much as I do.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Marshall Law	05/10/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This puppy really settled down and mellowed out after opening and leaving it to rest in the tin for a week or two. Yet another winner in the Grand Orientals series. Smyrna is similar in some ways to Samsun and the much lighter Katerini. By comparison, however, it is richer and more dense than Katerini, and a bit darker and more earthy than Samsun, with what could be perceived as undertones or suggestions of fig, cinnamon, and some other light spices. It is a bit two-dimensional and simple on the palate, but its focused, balanced flavor is sufficient to carry it on its own merits. Like the rest of the series, it lights and burns flawlessly, down to a light grey powdery ash, with no goop or mess. Won't bite or burn hot, but if you go ballistic on it and puff like a freight train, it can dry and numb the back of your throat, like most Turkish blends with a fair amount of nicotine. Prefers to be sipped and savored from a small bowl to explore its smooth, rich flavor, or worked more intently from a large bowl to kick up its spicier side. Unlike Katerini which is more delicate and better smoked in the morning or early afternoon, this is an all-day anytime smoke with plenty of flavor, but still smooth, mild and sweet. Tasty Turkish satisfaction. Well done. Three stars.
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 36 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >