On opening the tin, the aroma reminds me of mincemeat in the jar. Christmas spices such as nutmeg, cloves (light) and candied oranges. Good moisture, it rub out fairly easy, and packs well.

Initial lighting is nothing more than a plain old Va. Throughout the smoke it was monotone, and unexciting. Mild, and mild mannered, it never thought about biting. I have several more tins of this sealed, so I will take this tin, jar it up, and sample every so often to see how it is coming along. For something with so much hype involved, this surely fell flat.

There is no accounting for taste I suppose, but I have to say that I think many are missing how special this year's CC really is. Perhaps it is because the expectations did not align with the special elements of this very fine tobacco. If you were expecting a heavy taste, I can tell you that it is definitely lighter than previous year CC's. But to say that it has fewer dimensions seems a bit like saying a single malt is not as complex as a blended scotch. The flavor is not heavy, but the multiple facets are there, and frankly IMO this is one of the better CC years. There is a quality to the smoke, a subtle flavor that teases the palette. Like the best wines, there is no heavy taste to this, but the elements that are there are not jumping up for all to immediately see. They need coaxed and for the sensitive taster, the reward is worth the attentive exploration.

This tobacco has subtle flavors of fig, citrus, and apricot, all originating from the tobacco, not the result of any topping I imagine each year's crop may recieve a different amount of casing depending on the type of yield, and if that is true, McClelland certainly recognized that this crop likely required less than the previous years. Perhaps that is why some have complained about a lack of flavor. But if one seeks to uncover the aroma and flavor of tobacco, in place of casing (all tobacco recieves casing of some amount), then 2011 CC should delight. Hints of vanilla, touches of cranberry, with very subtle hints of black cherry and pine nuts are there for your discovery ... if you have the time .... they've got the tobacco (to coin an old phrase).

Note: I have a second tin that I'm letting age a number of years (hopefully). Perhaps then I'll have better luck keeping it lit.

Addendum - MY! What do you know, just after submitting this review I relit a bowl from earlier, and WOW! This stuff is a prime candidate for DGT. Really superb stuff now! Bumped to three stars from two.

It is mellow and naturally sweet with an organic spicy taste to it. I am a virginia tobacco lover and this is a good one for me.

Giving it three stars because Dunhill Flake is still better.

Looking foward to enjoying this outside in the Summer!!

Not sure why this is marketed as "Christmas Cheer", as there was nothing about it which seemed particularly Christmassy to me except, perhaps, the light hint of sweet spice. I think that this would be better suited to summer smoking, which is probably when I will finish the tin I have.

As good a straight VA as you will find. I prefer Dunhill flake, in this genre, as it has slightly more backbone but there is nothing at all wrong with this. In fact, it exudes quality with evey puff.

On a side note, I really like these American style cans. They seem to keep the opened tobacco fresher for longer than the European style tins. If, like me, you do not reside in the land of the free, you may want to check out 4noggins.com for low prices and hassle free international shipping.

***UPDATE***

It's 6 months since I first smoked this tobacco and it has developed really well in this time. The Steak Sauce taste has mellowed and integrated into the main flavour. It now seems a somehow more robust experience with a full, tangy, sweet & velvety smoke.

Still not sure why this is marketed as a Christmas tobacco, it really shines in the warmer weather.

This is my first foray into the McClelland specialty blends and I really like this one. It provides a cool lightly sweet smoke with some of that wonderful holiday flavor I was looking for.

I have heard that McClelland tobaccos smell ketchuppy in the tin and that is the case here. This does not carry over to the smoke however.

After rubbing out enough to fill a bowl I let it sit for about 15 minutes before packing it. The tobacco puffed nicely on the false light and after a light tamp I was in business.

If you are looking for that holiday Virginia this may be the one for you.

With that being said, I have on occasion liked a lighter style very much. I tend to smoke them in the morning with tea. This is one that I would really have liked had it had more flavor and a hair more strength. There are pleasant flavors here. Some of the best actually that I have tasted in a Virginia. The problem is that I feel like a deaf person at a whispering contest. The volume is just not there. You must attain an almost singularly meditative state to ride the flavor. The waves are so shallow.

I will jar the remaining ounce and set it in the back of the cellar. Hopefully in 5 years or so, I will come back to it and enjoy it with age. If not, it will be a gift to someone else. Regifting is a glorious thing!

I give it 2 Stars for my own tastes. I give it 3 Stars for those that really get into this light style of tobacco.

As a personal sidenote, I have to disclose that McClelland is not one of my favorite houses because of this very experience. If they could just up the strength and flavor of some of their offerings I would follow them with enthusiasm.

Cheers!

Update, 2 October 2012: the vinegar/ketchup flavor is gone after some more time to mature, but this weed will never cut it. It is bland and boring. It should have been used as a base for a great McClelland blend, but it is not worth smoking on its own. Life is too short to wait on a tobacco to improve with age. There is simply not enough here to work with... Downgraded to one star.

I'm one of the group of people who actually enjoys the "ketchup" flavor present in a lot of McClelland blends. This tobacco, however, does not have any of that flavor. If it does, it's too subtle for me to pick up. Instead, you get a wonderfully pure Virginia flavor: grassy, a bit earthy, and a slight suggestion of citrus when "snorking" the smoke. The flavor is fairly consistent throughout the bowl and is very satisfying.

CC 2011 may not be overly complex in its composition, but it is well worth purchasing as much as you can afford. It's great now, so I can only imagine how good it will be in years to come as it ages.

Updated 11/12/11-I'm on my second tin of this fine blend and I've run into a disappointment, the small flavor nuances have quickly faded in the tin. I do not pick up the orange peel and the clove is barely noticeable. This is still an excellent Virginia ,but I have to remove a star because it no longer stands out as something special. I still believe this will age wonderful as a straight Virginia.