McClelland - Grand Orientals: Yenidje Highlander pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 36 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >
tacoeatingzebra	02/03/2013	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant
I have been smoking a 2007 tin of this superb blend a lot over the past couple of weeks. I'm near the end of a bowl in a Peterson B5 Donegal Rocky p-lip that is dedicated to lighter Latakia blends like GLP Piccadilly. But I digress... The yenidje is sublime, lending an herbal, vaguely floral note. The Virginias are sweet and give a solid foundation to the more exotic varietals from the former Ottoman Empire. I get that meat & potatoes flavor of burley here & there, and I assume that emanates from the Maryland tobaccos. The Cyprian gives a little body, but that Syrian is so intriguing. I'm familiar with it through MacBaren's HH Vintage Syrian, FMAtP. It's a big treat. Much more complex and definitely spicer and less smoky than the Cyprus leaf. This is good stuff and have a few more sealed tins from the early days of the blend, along with Black Sea Sokhoum--my other favorite in this series. I give it a 3.95 out of four because I occasionally get the McClelland ketchup thing. It's nice to exhale via the nose to experience a little more completely.
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Demetri	10/10/2012	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
There is really very little I can add to all the superlatives used below to describe this blend. It is all that is praised of it. I was particularly impressed at the melding of the two Latakias along with what I imagine is the Xanthi. My tin quickly disappeared. I remember smoking Balkan Sobranie back in 1969 but not enough to imprint my memory. But in any case, with that inspirational pedigree this is most worthy.
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Mr. Big	10/05/2012	Mild	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
Wonderful stuff, great balance between the latakia, Orientals and Virginias. Has that typical McC sweet and sour that I love. A little light on "N", but very smooth and no real hot spice. You can smoke this as fast as you want without tongue bite and without turning bitter ,but its' also great at a sip . Give the tin a week to breath. Oh , I do find it goes out at a sip very easy, but it is smooth and not ashy on the relites. I have to agree with almost everything said by reviewer, Michael 03/14/2012
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Tumbaki	03/17/2012	Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild	Pleasant
I love it. I would order more, save my cellar is full to the rafters. Moisture perfect upon opening the can. No need for drying out. Burns sweet and cool. No bite. Lots of creamy white smoke. Burns to a white ash to the bottom of the bowl. Second relight seldom necessry. My hat off to the folks at Mclelland for this superior blend. Try itt, you won't de dissatisfied.
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Michael	03/14/2012	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Over the years, my taste in tobacco has changed, and I now enjoy more subtlety and depth of flavor over brute force in an English/Balkan blend. Gone are the days when nothing but a Peasean full frontal assault of aggressive Latakia, Virginia and Orientals would do. Instead, I now prefer blends like Yenidje Highlander, where the panoply of flavors are understated and restrained, but no less impressive and satisfying. YH is a delicious, mellow and refined blend for lovers of Oriental-forward, lighter English/Balkans. It's a true medium smoke, both in strength (yes, there's nicotine in this one, folks) and taste. I enjoy these types of mixtures most, but I find that many of the good ones tend to blend together in their relative sameness. Not so YH. This is the first time that I've experienced Xanthi in the recipe, and I have never tasted anything quite like it. It has the familiar, incense-like quality of its cousins, but delivers a much smoother, softer, less intense flavor that is surprisingly sweet and satisfying with a lingering aftertaste that is light and absolutely pleasant. The Latakias are condimental -- they balance everything perfectly with a light, smoky coolness, while the Virginas provide a solid base. I enjoy red VA most, and it melds perfectly with this Oriental variety. This is a genius blend. Give it a try, but judge it for what it is. More and more, I am appreciating the McClelland Englishes, such as YH and Legends, for their finesse and balance.
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Cochon74	11/04/2011	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
This is only my second McClelland blend... and I have to say it's a little underwhelming for my tastes. Maybe I am not familiar enough with Yenidje to understand it's characteristics, but if my palate does not lie, I'm not entirely impressed with this king of Orientals. I have hopes, especially as it was a 4 year old tin... thinking it should have maybe developed nicely. The Good: It is a completely unoffensive smoke. I can happily puff on this in any of my latakia-dedicated pipes and not dislike it. It lit and burned nicely, did not bite horribly and gave great volumes of creamy smoke and balanced flavor. Almost too balanced. The Bad: I wanted more... more latakia, Cyprian... Syrian... or anything. I also wanted more Yenidje. I detected a familiar dryness and sharp, clean flavor... but nothing of the swirling, dancing, exotic Oriental flavors I love in Esoterica's Margate or GLP's Charing Cross. And it lacks the balance, yet distinct flavorfulness of Gawith's Squadron Leader or Skiff Mixture. This would be an excellent "gateway" tobacco for those who have never had a proper English or Balkan Blend... but for me, I found it somehow lacking in ALL departments. It didn't satisfy my Oriental itch, OR offer me a mild, sweet alternative to bolder, more distinct blends. I love 3 Oaks Syrian and am curious to try other MC blends... my next foray into them will be Wildnerness... and I've heard good things about Blue Mountain. So I'm not giving up on McClelland (especially as a Kansas City native who supports local business!)... but I won't be returning to this blend any time soon. It is clearly quality leaf and thoughtfully blended... just not to my tastes. Two solid stars.
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RCUSElder	05/07/2011	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong
This pays homage to the Sobrranie of old. It is a very flavorful blend. A true Balkan in every sense of the word. The Xanthi is strong in this blend and I love its bitter mid-range flavor notes. Unfortunately this one stinks really bad to non-smokers, so be warned. I have gone through several tins of this blend and am currently out, time to re-stock! Definitely one of my favorites...
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JohnnyMcPiperson	01/28/2011	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This was an enjoyable blend, although I only had a small sample, so I would like to smoke through a whole tin of it sometime. I heard such raves about this blend that when I first got my sample I dreamt of my previous experience with Katerini Classic from the same series. When I tried it, I can't say I was entirely disappointed, but it was not what I was expecting. It was good but for me the latakia was not strong enough and the orientals didn't shine like I wanted them to. It's a good smoke, and I want to try a bigger sample, but my initial bout with it didn't drive it up to my favorites list along with it's cousin Katerini.
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Unsal	10/10/2010	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
An excellent tobacco. Highly Recommended.
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don1688	04/26/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
Wow this stuff is wonderful. I bought a few of each in this series and let them age for over 2 years. This one I bought one. As DK below stated, I was woried the Latakia would over power the oriental. Man, was I wrong. The flavor is amazing. I'd have to put this one up with 3 Oaks Syrian. Not because they are so similar, but because they are both top English blends. To those who have a hard time picking out the individual weeds in an English blend, this can be your education. The Latakia, both Cyprian and Syrian balance the Va's- which add that typical Va sweetness, and the wonderful oriental spice. I believe using both Latakia types is great, as GLP proved with Renaisance and Ravens Wing. The Cyprian gives us the smokey leather, while the Syrian give the wonderful spice quality. I can't believe I waited so long, but I will stock up! The age probably married the leaves together and the Va leaves are coated in wonderful crystals. Try it, it is sublime.
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bent-1	03/27/2010	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Zulujerk nailed it, 100% I like this blend dried just a tad, and smoked in a .750" (19mm) bore. Smoked slowly, it's completely enjoyable, and rich. The Syrian is so smooth, and the Yenidje adds buttery smooth spice, as well, the VA is sweet, but never overpowers. This is just delicious!
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DK	03/17/2010	Mild	None detected	Mild	Pleasant
This is the last of the Grand Oriental series - so far. I saved this one for last because I was afraid the addition of latakia would overwhelm the subtleties of the oriental tobacco. I was wrong. Getting this out of the way first, I preferred the GO Yenidje without latakia but this one was a fine smoke. The latakia was expertly applied so as not to be overbearing. In fact, the latakia is mostly in the bouquet, with just enough flavor so you know it's there. I find this to be a nice, mild and spicy blend that doesn't knock you about the head with either flavor or nicotine. There is the virginia sweetness at the match that gradually gives up some ground to the oriental spice and the latakia just sort of hangs around to provide some further depth. I recommend you try this one with latakia and the Yenidje Supreme without latakia. The differences are subtle but significant. Both are worth a try.
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Briar Mike	01/11/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
I bought this and the Yenica Agonya to try near the same timeframe, and initially I liked the Yenice much better. I let this one sit for a while and came back to it because the Yenice was getting low. I think some time on the shelf helped this blend get itself together. I think it came out nice and mellow, and I can say that the non oriental componenets have not overpowered the Yenidje. I think I will get this not as often as the Agonya or other Orientals, but it might grow more on me still.
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Kleophrades	12/19/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
A subtle and soft blend, as one would expect. Burns well out of the tin with about fifteen minutes of dry-time. It starts off very subtle indeed ? too much so for an English smoker like me ? but soon I started to notice a gentle cocoa-like finish to each puff. Could this be the latakia? The flavor gradually lifts off as you go down the bowl. The Orientals deepen in complexity, giving slight acid tang to balance the cocoa/latakia, while the Virginias keep it naturally sweet. All in all it?s very nice and well balanced, a true connoisseur?s tobacco. I would call it a Balkan?s lighter cousin, the way that some big red wines (say Burgundy) have whites produced from the same grape. (That?s pretentious, I know, but it?s true!). I tend to prefer more body to my smoke so I give it three stars, but that?s not meant to slight its quality. Good stuff!
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Xeneize	11/12/2008	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I mostly enjoy the famous ketchup-smell from McClelland's tobaccos, particularly the one found in Virginias. The problem here is that this mixture's taste is pretty subtle, and the vinegar taste makes it difficult to savor the nice Orientals. The solution is patience: open the tin, close it, and let it rest for a month or so. Then take what you want to smoke, leave it over a piece of paper for a couple of hours, load your pipe, and smoke away. The ketchup taste will be greatly reduced and you will be able to enjoy one fine Oriental mixture. It didn't blow my mind up, but it was a nice experience.
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Xyzzy	09/15/2008	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable
There are many opinions of McClelland blends, and they often fall into one of the following categories: 1. McC tobaccos smell strongly of rancid ketchup. 2. Hint of tomato, nothing to worry about. 3. McC never smells like ketchup, reviewers #1+#2 are insane. Having contentedly smoked a few perfect cans of this (usually) fine blend, I discovered the secret of McC ketchup: poor quality control resulting in an inconsistent product. My first 3 tins were perfect. The yenidje seemed carried by the latakia, which was in turn supported by the virginias. The aroma from opening each can was a joy in itself. YH had earned a place on my jar-shelf near Abingdon and Charing Cross. I smoked (almost) the last of can #3, opened the jar reserved for YH and opened can #4. The forth can was a different creature. (it was purchased and opened during the same few months) The aroma of rancid ketchup flooded out. I pinched out enough for a small pipe, let it dry+air for about an hour, and smoked it. Still rancid. After 24hrs of airing out the tin, the ketchupy aroma and taste vanished. Sadly what was left had almost no flavor. 3 out of the ~20 tins of McC tobacco I've opened (several have been gifts to a cigar-smoking friend) have had this problem, not enough to even speculate about statistics (or develop a strategy to avoid the bad). I probably would've given this blend a "4 star" rating if not for the inconsistency. I dislike the idea of cellaring 10 tins of tomacco because they came from a bad lot. (If anyone's keeping track, here's my "bad count": 1/4 Yenidje Highlander, 1/1 Dominican Glory Maduro, 1/2 Rose of Latakia, several others without problem)
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BriarChef	09/09/2008	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
Final bowl of tin #2, aged one year. Having tried it in a variety of shapes, all briar, I get the best smokes out of tall, narrow bowls. I also learned to avoid pipes that have a lot of Balkan mileage on them, as the ghosts of Latakia in the wood interfere with the subtlety of this blend. It also benefits from concentration without interference from anything more intrusive than a good book or some classic jazz from the fifties. Overall this one is well balanced and the ingredients are in near perfect proportion. Occasionally the red virginias get a bit rowdy, but that settles down quickly. I really like the use of both Syrian and Cyprian Latakia, and enjoy the way these two bob and weave throughout the smoke. The Maryland is so light I think it must be there only to contribute to the cool burning qualities. In the taller bowls I get flavors of spices like cumin and cinnamon...some campfire/pine scents...green olives and anise. The final third of the bowl is where the virginias return emphatically, allowing the Latakia and other Orientals a well deserved rest. The end game is rich and creamy with light caramel notes and just the slightest hint of cocoa. A very nice blend for when you have the time for contemplation and focus. It didn't work quite so well while I watched the Titans beat the Jaguars. Timing is everything.
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zulujerk	08/30/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
I have a dreadful fear, that the day may come when the Grand Orientals have run their course, and I have yet to sample the greater majority. I absolutely love this blend. It's got an English kick like I've never tasted before, and the Syrian leaf is a beautiful accompaniment to an already well blended mixture. I remember my early pipe smoking days...just a couple of years ago...I bought the McClelland Super Balkan variety, and I just couldn't pick it apart from a regular Cyprian mix. I think the defining moment came when I smoked MacBaren's Syrian mixture and fell in love with the different properties from the Cyprian leaf. Now, Highlander has both, but I can easily detect the Syrian, and I cannot fathom a time in the future where the supply may run short and dry. I don't care what it takes, I want more Syrian Latakia in my blends. Bashar al-Assad is a jackass to be sure, I understand, but I am willing to overlook some serious flaws if I can keep smoking this masterful concoction. Ahhh..my dwindling tins! Four of Four.
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DSturg369	08/04/2008	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
I received a sample of this from a friend. I've smoked a few bowls of it now and I really like it. No cover-up tastes, just good tobacco flavors. It lights easily, burns fairly cool, and requires few relights. Leaves a nice grey/black ash all the way to the bottom of the bowl. It does end in a slight "ashy" taste, and that's why only 3 stars. I'll be getting more of this.
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Latakia	07/19/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
A great blend. Initially when opening the tin, had the typical aoma of McClelland catsup (I disagree witht he review that this is not a distinct McClelland smell...not that I don't l ike it...it is distinct and for lack of a better descriptive aroma, I think catsup) The taste after the light was magnificant. The Yenidje tobacco is very unique and blended with the latakia, it gives off a beautiful room aroma. The latakia is not prnounced and I wonder what a bit more latakia would do for the blend. The Yenidje makes the smoke very smooth but spicy. Could the cooling be the Maryland or is it this oriental. Would like to try the other Grand Orientals to sample the combinations with Yenidje. Burns well and leaves a light ash. This blend is unique and when a change is needed but do not want to compromise the spice or the bit of latakia smoke, this is a great one.
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 36 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >