McClelland - Virginia No.24 pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
bernie c	02/08/2010	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
1999 tin, decanted into a glass jar perhaps 2 months ago. Radice medium sized straight pipe. Flakes are dark and richly coloured with a variety of different hues. On closer inspection I notice what appears to be bloom on the flakes. I certainly hope it isnt mold!! I`ve seen this before, particularly on some of G&H and SG`s offerings. There are also a multitude of sparkling sparkly bits. Glistening in the light as I turn the flake one way and another...they twinkle like stars. Dried out just this side of crispy, I loaded the flakes in a broken almost cube cut into the bowl. Upon lighting I notice sweetness with a slight spicyness in the background. It is similar to a VA with a small dose of perique, but slightly different. Unique. I notice a pronounced creaminess too. Taking a sip on my beer I notice some bite across the tongue, but nowhere near the agony a typical beer/VA experience usually produces. Putting down the pipe and picking it up again several minutes later, I am pleased to find it smoking gently. Puff, puff....thar she blows. No problems smoking this flake, with a bit of drying its burns superbly. As I make my way down the bowl I taste darkness more. Less sweet VA and a headier, thicker darker noted smoke. Really quite nice. I am surprised how smooth it feels too. As carefully as I smoke, most VA`s far too often give my mouth pain. Not this one, not tonight...not in this pipe. Having a tin/jar of this tobacco which has aged since 1999 is a treat for sure. This is the kind of stuff probably not that great straight from the store. With a bit of aging tho...quite delicious in very subtle and interesting ways. Smoke it slow, sip.... breath-smoke it gently...and it is a rewarding VA flake with a little more depth than a pure virginia. Put some of this away for a decade if you can. Nice.
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MDP	02/08/2010	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Overall impressions: Dark and deeply flavorful Virginia flake made the more complex with a varietal Oriental dappled in the layers. Very cool, slightly sweet and without the sourness associated with some Virginia/Oriental attempts (cf. Embarcadero or even Blended Flake made by McClelland). Perhaps my favorite McClelland Virginia presently, having tried all their brown and reserve tins. I can find no fault.
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mo	01/23/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
I must say, this blend caught me by surprise, a very pleasant one if i may add. I love the cut, the tin aroma, the perfect moisture level from the tin. The taste is deliciously tangy, sweet and natural. It is a great virginia blend that i really enjoy. If you are a lover of virginia blends you cannot go wrong with this one, please bear in mind that it is a bit light on nicotine
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doc'spipe	01/23/2010	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
An ammonia-like smell is what greets you after opening the tin. The only drawback is that it can taint the room note, hence the "pleasant to tolerable" rating. Some have noted the smell of urine while I smoked it (a similar experience with McClelland Navy Cavendish), but don't worry as none of this translates into the smoke. In spite of all this, I enjoyed Virginia No. 24 very much. It was pleasantly sweet, and I am sure some of that extra sweetness was due to the addition of the Drama leaf. There was no bite or moisture while smoking, the end result a clean medium-gray ash. If you favor Virginias, you should try this blend at least once. Not in my regular Virginia line-up, but a nice smoke for when the mood strikes. 3 solid stars.
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seasonalpipesmoker	12/01/2009	Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant
This can had been cellared by an expert for years before he handed it to me, so your mileage may vary. On opening the can, I didn't get any of the ketchupy aroma that people seem to associate with MacClellan. It was sweet, but not at all tangy or pungent. The cut packs wonderfully, lights easily and stays lit once you get it lit. The aroma is also very nice. It makes me think "pipe tobacco" in a pleasant way (as opposed to an old socks on a campfire way). It will burn hot if you let it get too dry. I find just moist enough to hold together after a pinch is just right. I'll be buying more of this to put in my own cellar for a few years.
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Alguhan	11/28/2009	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This blend offers all the great tastes of a true Virginia smoke. If you puff it slowly you'll have a great pleasure with some real and sweet tobacco taste and a nice nicotine dose. It is rubbed easily. However I choose to smoke it unrubbed for a slower smoking. The little flakes are hard to keep lit if you don't air them as they have a higher humidity level. Highly recommended for Virginia lovers.
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Requiem	11/07/2009	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
What an excellent tobacco. As tastefull as a Virginia can be, it progresses admirably down the bowl, changing notes and ending perfectly. I can´t really discern the role played by the drama leaf, but this is a winner.
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Kilmarnock Piper	10/04/2009	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
Loved it, but I love most McClellands I've tried. This one is especially rich and satisfying.
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Kapnismologist	06/06/2009	Mild	None detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
Moist broken flakes which are predominantly bleached brown in color streaked with chestnut, chocolate, and light grey to nearly cream-colored veins along with a light dusting of sugar crystals. The visual effect is that of a dull late-winter landscape, something accentuated by the overall grayness of the sugar bloom and the jagged brokenness of the flakes themselves: a tired, abandoned field at the edge of a ratty forest on an overcast, snowless February afternoon. It is presumed that the grayish-white streaks are the Drama. The tin nose is sharp, with a predominant note of fresh cut grapefruit and just a touch of musty earth. The expected acetic acid aroma is entirely absent, perhaps obscured by the heady citrus smell. Thick and moist, the broken flakes of cut cake rub out with considerable ease as well as having enough pliability to accommodate various fold-and-stuff methods, depending on individual circumstance or preference. Like all such preparations, lighting and maintaining a proper ember requires patience and attention. Topping the bowl with a pinch of finely rubbed crumbs is recommended. On the thin side of medium bodied, this oriental-seasoned matured Virginia flake is sweet and piquant with notes of citrus, new wood, and light roast coffee. Marked by a peculiar, occasionally smoky spice which can tend towards sourness, it has a refreshing finish which is short and crisp. The grapefruit aroma present in the tin carries forth in the bowl, adding a brightness which is accentuated by the signature natural zest of the McClelland aged Virginias. While this reviewer found bite to be rarely, if ever, an issue, No. 24 can become a bit taxing on the tongue if puffed too aggressively. As a Virginia-Oriental blend, it components are clearly distinct yet sometimes a bit off balance. The example under review here, coming in the ever fetching McClelland 100g. tumbler, was tinned in 2000 and opened in 2009. An intriguing blend, Matured Virginia No. 24 bears many of the hallmark characteristics of McClelland's unique aged Virginia cut cakes. Among them, however, this particular offering seems the least zesty and rich, although like its brethren there is little reason to believe that it will not fare well with extended cellaring.
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DK	05/22/2009	Mild	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
This is by far my favorite of the McClelland brown label virginias, and I think the inclusion of the Drama leaf is the reason. It imparts a beautiful spiciness faintly reminiscent of perique to the blend and elevates this to 4 star status. Not my favorite blend but it will be part of my regular rotation... a regular but occasional smoke. As mentioned, this is wet out of the tin and needs some drying time to perform at its best. I recently smoked a 19 year old tin of this but most of my review is based on a 1 year old tin. With regards to the aged version, it's absolutely wonderful - the best tobacco I have ever smoked. The one year old is also very good but it makes me want to cellar a tin or two for a couple of decades, which I have decided to do. As is, this is still a great smoke.
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frankluke	05/02/2009	Mild	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
this is the best of the brown label series IMO. a little too wet out of the can like most McC stuff i hate to say but that's my only complaint. after a few charring lights your rewarded with a slow burning sweet and sometimes spicy (drama leaf?)smoke.
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william trexler	03/27/2009	Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable
I love the the smell needs to be ground up in a leaf grinder to pack properly.Takes a while to light drying out first helps.Pack loose in a large bowel for best results.the taste is very smooth and sweet halfway down to end.can't pinpoint a flavor.just a mild sweetness.Not bad,but I'm still a Mccranies ribb,flake fan.
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Hermit 78	09/17/2008	Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
The virginias in this blend are typical McClelland fare: sweet, grassy, with a ketchupy aroma that fades in a week or so. The drama imparts a subtle oriental flavour with floral and citrous notes, as well as a weird sweet taste that strengthens with age. Give this some time--it tastes like hot air until it gets at least a year on it.
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al1	08/20/2008	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is one weird va blend. It has this nutty almost musty woodsy smell and taste to it to me. Kind of interesting tin aroma. Not offensive but not the typical mclelland aroma for va's. Just Interesting. Will keep you wondering what it smells like for a long time. I find this blend is one of the few that tastes close to the way it smells. As far as taste this is not your ordinary va. I find it good to mix things up but not a daily smoke. Smooth and nutty. Not bitey at all. Not that flavorful either but a good solid smoke. I find the tin aroma and taste nothing like #27 as others mentioned. Much more mellow and unpronounced in both smell and taste. Good, interesting and worth the money. Will smoke it once and a while. Just not as much as the others I smoke everyday in this series. I like the 27 and 22 the most. update: I am finding myself coming back to this blend more and more often. It is very good and smooth. A little hard to get lit but worth the effort. Fast becoming a regular for me.
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Johnny River	09/30/2007	Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant
I recently purchased a 100 gram can of McClelland's Virginia #24 from jrcigars.com along with several other tobaccos. This has a similar aroma to McClelland's Virginia #27 when you open the can (a wonderful tobacco that has a hint of an All Spice like smell). The flake breaks up nicely and the tobacco burns smooth. This stuff has a beautiful color (reddish-brown with a bit of white). I guess if I knew more about tobacco I could identify the white - I guess that's the Drama? I like this stuff but I must say that even though I Highly Recommend it, I like the #27 a bit more. This seems to have a drier taste in the mouth. I will continue to sample this an update my review as the tobacco "breaths".
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Tobacco Saves Lives	09/28/2007	Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
McClelland takes their art seriously. You can pick any tin and you will be satisfied. So many to try! This is another fine blend, I can only say, grab any tin and then refine the blends to better suit your individual taste.
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NapaWineLover	05/12/2007	Medium	None detected	Medium	Very Pleasant
This is a most remarkable blend. Other reviewers have noted the initial qualities most adequately. While I have smoked this in various degrees of maturity, the tin I am smoking for this review has 7 years age. Some sugar crystals are noticeable on the flakes, yet they are still slightly pliable. I was most surprised that this particular tin has smoked delightfully without any drying whatsoever. Not my usual experience. I'm smoking it in a Savinelli - Bing's Favorite - which is long stemmed, long shanked - slight bent billiard with a medium bowl. The pipe has been dedicated to this blend. My personal observation; one must dedicate a pipe to this blend or similar blends to really enjoy it. To the best of my senses, there is no topping at all. This particular smoke is very nuanced and I reserve the time to sit and enjoy it without distraction. The subtle amount of Drama in the blend provides an occasional incense-like waft every so often through this very nutty-woodsy smoke. This is a very satisfying tobacco with a nice nicotine level. Unlike so many other VAs, this never gets hum-drum. It always leaves me wanting more when I am finished with a bowl. There is no signal in flavor to detect the bottom of the bowl - it smokes wonderfully from char light to final ash. This is a smoke of choice before a meal - since it leaves the taste buds stimulated. It is NOT my choice just after a meal, for I feel it requires a fresh palate to enjoy the complexities of this fine blend, My pipe-packing method of choice is to lightly rub and then gently screw the wad into the pipe. My tastes run the spectrum of unflavored blends including many VA/Oriental, Latakia-heavy Oriental blends and very lightly cased Cavendish cut VA blends. However this unflavored VA flake is in a class by itself and is a regular treat and deserves it's own pipe. Cheers, VC
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Buster Bluth	04/14/2007	Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This McClelland blend typifies what I love about this hobby. By 'hobby', I mean that us pipe smokers are on the quest for that magic experience that takes us to the next level. Cigarette and Cigar smokers aren't after that grail, IMHO. The 'high' or the 'status' dominate. As an ex' cigarette smoker, I smoked to cope. Cigar guys say..."This is a good smoke at $17 a stick". Well, pipes aren't about need or price, its about the personal experience that matters. So where does #24 take you? To an ethereal place if you can do the pre-flight chscklist. First off, way too wet outta the can. I let a pinch of flakes dry on a paper plate 48hrs before light-up. Currently, I'm popping cans 2 and 4 yrs old. A previous reviewer mentioned a size 4 pipe. This is the best size for this weed. Smoke this stuff fast and you lose and get burnt!!! Do a subtle breath smoke, and you'll be rewarded. The flavor will awe you, and the nicotene will floor you. Don't rush this tobacco. Waste your matches, it's a small price to pay. Unlike Mc's Dark Star, this stuff is worth the time.
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AL	02/24/2007	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant
McClelland #24 is my current favorite in Virginias. I have two pipes that have had nothing but #24. One of the pipes is an average sized group 4 and the other is a much larger, heavy walled system pipe. Both pipes do a good job with #24 although I do prefer the larger for the longer smoke. Opening the tin you will find a gorgeous leaf, chestnut brown as noted, there will be about one inch flakes and some that are falling apart. Older tins will generally have some sugar crystals. You can find some light, almost white, strands mixed in the flake, which I?m guessing, is the Drama. Is this technically an Oriental blend? I find the tin aroma to be a little vegetal, citrus, and sweet. I keep two tins going one with the larger pieces and one with near dust for the top of the bowl for easy lighting. In the larger pipe I stuff in #24 in whole flake and then top off with the fine-rubbed. In the smaller pipe I rub out the flake and top off with the fine stuff. This tobacco comes moist and needs aired out. I dry it to near crunchy. If I get any bite from this tobacco it is when I am lighting up or if the tobacco is too moist. With the fine tobacco on the top of the bowl this is an easy lightup. The taste, well it is sweet and woody to me, with an occasional tart note, I get more taste sensation from #24 than any other tobacco I smoke. Frequently I let this go out during a smoke; the smell of the burned tobacco is of a rich charred wood, like a campfire that?s gone out, the room note is pleasant. The last quarter of the smoke is excellent. For a Virginia, surprisingly, this makes a little more smoke than most. As with any pipe tobacco, slow smoking produces the best character of the tobacco. The nicotine hit to me stays steady throughout the smoke and does not become too powerful at the end. This burns down to a powdery gray ash. If you enjoy Virginias, I recommend a try of #24. I would recommend this for a first try Virginia. For a first timer with flakes, this would be an easy one to cope with.
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Pipestud	12/24/2006	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
Oh yes, another fine Virginia tobacco blend from McClellands! More forgiving than Dark Star and even #27, this tobacco surely will win over even the most "dainty tongued" pipesters who shy away from Virginia blends due to the heat. It is also (nicotine wise) a headier brew than #27, and I do appreciate that drug. McClelland's #24 is, simply stated, regal in flavor and behavior. It rubs out and stays lit easily. Puff slowly in order to savor the varying waves of Virginia flavor. Hey McClelland's, you done good with this one!
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Maimonides	10/26/2006	Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Another quality VA from McClelland. Almost too many to try. I cannot recognize 'Drama' Overall it was sweet, flavorfull, smoky, grasslike, ashy aftertaste, with steak sauce spice much less than Dark Star, yet similar and transient. You Cannot Go Wrong With McClelland!!! I use CUPOJOES.com Its half as much as the local shop. -sorry pipeshop! BETTER PICK: MCCLELLAND CHRISTMAS CHEER 05' OR 06
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Satc001	07/31/2006	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
I opened the tin of No. 24 and took a sniff. I immediately detected the scent of fine matured Virginia. For those of you not used to the scent, do not let the pungent odor deter you, it is not even similar to its smoking qualities. I love the flakes, easy to rub out and easy to pack. I found that it took a couple more matches to get going well, but that was a minor inconvience. The first puff provided me with what I suspected: smooth, mellow VA flavor. Not tangy or sour but sweet. As I was enjoying an incredible VA experience I began to notice the Drama, which added a nice smokiness and spice to the flavor. If puffed slowly, this tobacco has no bite. The entire experience was a treat. To top it off, it has a great aroma that is friendly to the smoker and to friends.
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D'Jullius	05/26/2006	Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant
I ve been having great luck with McClelland lately. The can says robust, I would say a nice Virginia with greater flavors. A good buy.
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tonyg	05/26/2006	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable
This is a fine blend from a fine blender. It's flavor is somewhat similar to McClellands 2015. I cannot recommend it however because 1. It bites, even with careful smoking and 2. While it is reasonably priced, it is twice the price of 2015, which after some ageing will produce an outstanding blend.
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OPCguy	02/21/2006	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Virginia No.24 huh so this is why people enjoy Virginia's. No.24 was really a pleasant surprise for me for I wasn't expecting to enjoy it very much...but did...a lot. I'm thinking what made this a good experience was that No.24 was richer and fuller than I expect this type of VA to be. This will easly replace my tin of Mac Barens Virginia Flake...hands down! McCelland sure creates some yummy stuff. I will be keeping this in supply. Goes well after a bowl of Frog Morton or On The Town,
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RPearson	02/01/2006	Mild	Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant
1 February 2006 Well, firstly I'm a new pipe smoker. Have only been at it a few months and have been thoroughly enjoying it. I'm a big fan (as are many if not most fledgling pipesmokers) of mild aromatics. Anyway, I decided to take a foray into a non-aromatic and thought a Virginia would be nice. So yesterday I went out and purchased McClelland's Virginia No. 24 for my first try. Bought a new pipe as well. I was truly, truly put off (NOTE: this is all subjective. Many people love this tobacco and love Virginias. Tastes vary. I recognize my experience is unique and in no way is my review meant to put down any of my fellow briarfolk who love this or any other Virginias). Here are the details: TIN AROMA: This was the first thing that put me off, and to me tin aroma is really important. It's just how I am. If I can't get beyond it, I'm not going to like it. Although I had read about the typical "ketchupy" tin aroma of McClelland tobaccos, I was really unprepared for the pungency. It smelled of an unfinished glass of really cheap red wine that had been left to sit for a week, whereby all the flavorful characteristics had evaporated and all that was left was the odor of vinegarized fermented grape. APPEARANCE: The thick flakes actually looked rather nice, slightly difficult to rub but not too bad. LIGHTING: Took forever to light. I killed several matches. Maybe it was my packing. FLAVOR: This is the second thing that put me off. Firstly, the flavor was very mild, smooth and buttery, and it exhibited characteristics of grass and hay. But then the flavor quickly became unpleasurable to me. Not bad, just unpleasurable. I totally did not care for the aftertaste it left me. BITE: No noticeable tongue bite. ROOM NOTE: This is the third thing that put me off. The room note was mild. Imagine the smell of a freshly mowed lawn. We all love it. Now imagine setting fire to that freshly mowed lawn. That's what the aroma was like to me. Totally didn't care for it. And after all was done and smoked, the aroma lingered and lingered and lingered. It was annoying. In fact, I recall sensing the slightest reminiscense of cat urine. Overall, I recognize that my new pipe palate may not be ready for non-aromatics. Perhaps one day down the road when I feel I am ready, I will try again. Until then, my Virginia No. 24 will be put away unattended and ignored.
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DUPE.629	01/18/2006	Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant
November-2003.Virginia No 24. One very enjoyable tobacco for many reason's,such as,easy lighting,only requiring a couple of tamp's.Plus,superb delicious virginia flavour with something extra,that I can't quiet pin down,maybe it's the Drama? Wonderful and consistant all the way to the bottom of the bowl,it didn't bite,but pack's a superb punch in a most suttle and gentle way.Leaves a very nice white clean ash and nothing goopy,or annoying.I smoked and enjoyed back to back bowl's all day long,without boredom or problem's.Taste is great without being overly done in anyway. ******************************************** Update January 2006.After returning for another visit to this wonderful blend,I've raised it's level from three,to four stars. Now,Very Highly Recommended!
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anixi	12/08/2005	Medium	Medium	Very Full	Pleasant
Pipe: Savinelli 677 Red Rustic conditions: cold, around 45F This is about the fullest and richest VA I've had. Very wonderful almost creamy flavor. Love it. Con: bites like a son-of-a-gun to get it going. Relights are ok but that first light after false is a killer. Worth it, as you can see my rating. I'll try to take it easy, but, that warm, sweet "nectar" taste is very tempting!
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Cactus John	11/28/2005	Medium	Extremely Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is a very nice tobacco. Very full bodied and flavorful tobacco without being overwhelming. This is a sit and smoke kind of tobacco a little to complex to be doing to much. If you want a real treat drink some hot chocolate with a shot of Myers's dark rum in it. The flavors of the dark rum and chocolate match the flavors of the tobacco perfectly.
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lustra	08/14/2005	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
Virginia 24 is currently one of my two staple flakes. Unfortunately for me, the 100-gram tin I am smoking dates to 2000, so I don't think I will be able to repeat this smoking experience anytime soon. My well-aged sample is remarkably smooth and creamy with a light sweetness and the wonderful smokiness of the Drama coming and going. I have smoked this blend in small briars (with bore sizes of 3/4" or smaller), larger briars (with bore sizes of up to 7/8"), meerschaums of several sizes, and a clay. The blend smokes well in every pipe I've tried, but goes best for me in a smaller-bored briar. For some reason, it smokes insanely well in a bent Stanwell I picked up for about $20. So well, in fact, that if I could get more of this tobacco aged this long, I'd dedicate the Stanwell to this one blend. Anyway, I agree with RCUSElder and others--if you can find this tobacco with some age on it, pick it up. I know I will be adding some to my cellar so that a few years from now I can smoke some more of this stuff. I have no experience with unaged Virginia 24. But I will be trying some soon.
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ajaj	08/12/2005	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
"Typical" Mc initial flavor with the pleasant virginia sweetness and tang. But, there's something extra; a yes, the gentle hint smokiness from the drama. Nice! The drama intensifies gradually through the bowl but does not overpower the experience. I give it three stars only because I get an enjoyable smoke about 75% of the time. Something odd happens every now and then in that the smoke is ashy and somewhat bitter, but I think it's me (body chemistry) and not the tobacco.
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RCUSElder	07/16/2005	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This review based on a tin from 99' Appearance and Tin Aroma: Nice 1" squares of flake that are mostly dark brown. Due to the age, there are alot sugar crystals on the flakes. The familiar MC tang is subdued and that is typical of aged tins. The aroma reminds one of red VA and hay, delicious! Packing and Lighting: I had a lot of fun while reviewing this blend and settled on rolling a "burrito" of flakes lengthwise and stuffing it in my pipes. The age also made lighting relatively easy, 3-4 lights. Initial Flavor: yumm! Red Va is prominent with the matured and golden leaves as support. Mid-Bowl: This is delightful mid-strength VA with a nice roundness and sweetness. The turkish really adds a nice flavor. Bottom of Bowl: This is over too quickly. There is a slight increase in strength, DGT works awesome with this blend. This is definitely an all-day blend. Overall: If you are looking for a tasty all day VA blend, age a few tins and enjoy. This blend has grown on me lately and I have upgraded from 3 stars to 4. A delicious VA with turkish added! Yummmmm!
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DUPE.1512	06/25/2005	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
A full flavor dark Virginia flake. Easy to rub out. Nice smoke.
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Aris	06/21/2005	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant
Sorry for not placing a review!I will as soon my parcell comes! Dear RCUSEIder:Drama is a Greek state(and Town),at THRAKI,very famous for their Domestic-Oriental tobaccos.Drama and Xanthi prodouces exetional Tobaccos!(Like BASMA)
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Spike	06/20/2005	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
A very full dark Virginia partly broken flake. A bit moist fresh from the can. Crumbles fairly easily. The vinegar smell was quite subdued for a fresh tinned McClelland. About one-half star below Best Brown Flake. Should improve nicely with age.
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Montague	11/17/2004	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
McClelland?s Virginia No.24 is a full Virginia flake pipe tobacco spiced sparingly with Drama leaf. The tin aroma is sharp in a fermented/acidic acid manner. This aroma remains with the tobacco as it diminishes little over time. Virginia No.24 is composed of aged Virginias and a slight amount of Drama, a Macedonian condimental tobacco leaf. The color of Virginia No.24 is of varying shades of chestnut brown with occasional stripes of yellow/orange running through the flakes. The appearance of the flakes is very much like that of tree bark. Sugar crystals were present in healthy amounts, adding a sparkle to the flakes. The cut of Virgina No.24 is a thick, stout, square flake cut measuring about 1? x 1.25?. The flakes themselves are a bit stubborn to rub out, especially to a finer constancy. The blend also resists packing somewhat. Virginia No.24 burns best when some of the initial moisture is removed. The optimum moisture level seems to be when the flakes become slightly brittle. Virginia No.24 lights superbly after proper tamping and has the wonderful tendency to burn clean to the walls of the pipe bowl. Although being a thick flake, Virgina No.24 can be smoked to the bottom of the bowl while requiring only one or two lights to do so. The room note is light and somewhat nondescript. The blend has a pleasant, tangy nose off of the bowl. The flavor of Virginia No.24 is initially tangy and slightly sweet with a decent amount of sharp spiciness that is no doubt due to the added Drama leaf. Midway through the burn, the flakes? take on a pleasant creamy dimension while the initial spiciness subsides somewhat. The overall flavor becomes more balanced as the burn proceeds. The bite can be substantial if this blend is smoked rapidly. Full, steady draws are required to avoid the bite. The bite of Virginia No.24 tends to diminish as the smoke progresses. The smoke given off by the burning of this blend is medium/full and seems to take on a blue/gray tint. McClelland?s Virginia No.24 is a fantastic Virginia flake variation that only becomes a better smoke with age.
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Beer	09/10/2004	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
Typical McClelland flake! The difference here lies in the presence of some oriental leaf, which makes the sweetness of the virginias less evident and adds some pungency. The thick flakes are difficult to fully rub out, so this is a perfect blend for smoking outside. My tin was 3 and a half years old, and the flakes were covered with sugar crystals: this may have helped in creating a very nice, complex smoke. It certainly is a flake which requires your attention and which after a while can actually grow on you. A bit bitey, though, but nothing that a seasoned Virginia smoker won't be able to handle!
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Black Dog	06/19/2003	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I should preface this review by saying that the tin of VA 24 I am reviewing has some age on it, at least 3 years. This is really wonderful tobacco. I have smoked it in several pipes, all of which smoked it well. It is broken flake, dark in color, and I let the tobacco dry well. I rub it out roughly before packing my pipe. The flavor is exquisite, sweet but not cloying, with a spicy undertone. Something of a sweet and sour flavor. It can bite your tongue, but with a modicum of care you will smoke a full pipe without indicent. The tobacco burns well from start to end, with the normal number of relights required for a "go slow" VA. I love this stuff. Highest recommendation.
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NEWMAN	03/10/2002	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
This was my first experience with Drama, a Turkish tobacco which proved enjoyable. The tin aroma is pretty typical of the McClelland 'vinegar' although not as intense as others. Nicely formed chestnut colored flakes that are easy to pack without rubbing them out and result in a cool, rich smoke. Although tasty thruout, this blend is spicier, even @ a slow burn, than I prefer for an all day smoke. However, after meals or for a change, it's a mellow smoke.
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Noorrmm	04/17/2001	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
The tin aroma is typical McClelland, slightly vinegary and fermented. The small flakes are mostly red with a trace of yellow leaf, and rub out easily. The flakes are slightly thicker than the offerings of S. Gawith, and so I finf them the resulting rubout to be a bit coarser. The result is a tobacco that burns slowly, and often requires a relight. The flavor is zesty with a trace of spiciness (probably the Drama), and is best at a slow burn. It burns quite cool, but if puffed agressively loses some of the flavor nuances. It lights easily, starting out with a medium intensity of flavor, develops a more pronounced richness in the middle of the bowl, and ends just a bit tingly on the palate. I find that it needs to be dried a bit before it smokes properly, this seems to be a McClelland trait. It leaves a clean, white ash.
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Sceny	03/26/2001	Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable
The odor from this can is a bit different than that of No. 22; I would define it as being from a RED vinegar. (See my comments on VA No. 22 as to this odor in general.) It comes in medium-sized, reddish flakes with veins of lighter color running through them. Somewhat on the moist side, they rub out easily into strands that pack well. This tobacco burns similarly to VA No. 22 - lights easily when rubbed out, but needs an above average number of relights. As with No. 22, I generally smoke this in my large Savinelli estate billiard; going back to a partially finished bowl later on doesn't seem to hurt the flavor. While SLIGHTLY less tongue-biting than No. 22, this blend still required a very slow and careful smoker, with some time on his or her hands. The first third of the bowl is sweet, but slightly richer and more complex than VA No. 22. Getting into the second third, the taste becomes even richer, but with a bit less sweetness. Again, as with No. 22, the most flavorful part of the bowl is in the last third. The tendency to bite and smoke wet at the bottom is still there; I would recommend drying the tin for a couple weeks or so. Overall, I enjoy this more than VA No. 22: it has a bit less bite and a slightly richer, more mature flavor. The only Virginia I'd reach for before this would be McClelland's Dark Star.
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Colonel Panic	03/11/2001	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Pouch Aroma: If this isn't a McClelland's 2000 series, I'll eat a meerschaum. It's got that lovely fermented, acidic smell (some folks describe it as 'smelling like ketchup') and it makes my mouth water. It seems to be a Virginia flake with little or no perique judging from the smell. Appearance: Thick broken flakes made up of tobaccos that vary from yellow to dark brown. It looks like #2015 but is just a tad lighter, although my supply of #2015 is at least 3 years old and has sugar crystals on it, so it may just be the age difference. Packing and Lighting: I rubbed this up just a little and put it into a Savinelli Punto Oro, shape 316 (1/8 bent, short flared dublin) which smokes great with flake tobaccos. The pre-lighting taste is a little more subtle than #2015 - sweet and musty, but not in a sugary way like sample 'A'. This is classic matured virginia sweetness... The first puff tastes quite sweet and sharp, but again lacking in that signature perique 'bite' when blown out of my nose. Tasty and mellow, and each following puff gets more mellow and flavorful and is developing the usual McC's taste. Exposition: I have gotten in the habit of letting flake tobacco go out and rest for 10 minutes or so after I get a good burn going. This seems to accent the fuller flavors and tone down some of the sweetness. The re-light is heavy and spicy, as expected, and the smoke feels cool on my tongue. The smoke itself is on the thin side, but is a lovely blue-grey. There is quite a bit of sharpness here; I'm assuming it's from the lighter virginias. Overall, a very savory smoke which I'm enjoying immensely. The Story: Once I got going fully the sweetness is subdued to the point where it's a subtle counterpoint to the sharp woodsy taste of the heavier virginias. The room aroma is leathery and spicy, and I'm tasting something suspiciously oriental that I can't quite place. I don't think this is #2015; rather, it's something similar that I've never tried before. It's too light and brassy and is missing the tang I'm used to. It's a nice change though, and I'd definately keep some around if I'm right. If I'm wrong and it IS what I think it is, I can see exactly what aging has done to my favorite tobacco. Denoument: Here at the end of the bowl, re-lights have come a /little/ more frequently, but I have a tendency to let it go out, so most of the time it's my fault. These last few puffs are quite heavy and creamy-tasting, while the sweetness is coming back out for a peek. A nice finish to a pleasant bowl of tobacco... Pros: This is rich, creamy-tasting, and yet has a pleasant sharpness under it. The sweetness of the virginias never quite goes away, but the character changes in unpredictable ways throughout the bowl. It was a fun smoke, and very relaxing. There is a spicy-sweet aroma left in the room and a definate 'tobacco' taste lingers on my tongue. This would be a great reading tobacco, or one to smoke unrubbed in a large pipe while taking a walk. Cons: Some folks may find this to be a biting tobacco, as it must be puffed very patiently to allow the flavors to outweigh the sharpness. The flavor also intensifies quite a lot toward the bottom which may put some folks off if they're used to a milder smoke. *note: I smoked this later also - but in my straight Hardcastle bulldog. This pipe is also very kind to VA flakes, and in this case it brought to the fore a nice Oriental aroma that calls to mind McClelland's #2025 with its sweet, earthy Turkish undertone. Good stuff, whatever you smoke it in!