Update: Better than before the,flavor is bold but not over the top. Burns to a perfect ash, smoking a bowl in a Upshall as I post:) 4-stars

There are no Latakias but it still remains a rich, dark mixture.

Based on this one bowl, I have no urge to run out and get more, and if I had more here I probably wouldn't gravitate towards it anyway, so it receives two stars.

(One star = would not smoke for free, Two stars = would willingly smoke, Three stars = if faced with a few different options, would probably choose, Four stars = actively seek out.)

I strongly urge others to ignore my review if you feel others are more compelling... after all, these notes are just from one bowl. If more of this comes around, I will update my review...

I still recommend that people try this, as there seems to be a lot of dissension in the ranks. For that reason, I give this 3 stars. For my own enjoyment, 2 stars.

Just opened a 4 year old tin. Age has been very kind to this tobacco! Very nice indeed.

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07/02/2004

So far this is the first English type blend that I have enjoyed enough to want to purchase another tin. Maybe time is changing what I like or maybe it is just a very good middle of the road English. I have dedicated a pipe for this blend alone. It, I imagine, is exactly what Waston would have smoked. Possibly even Holmes from time to time. It burns cool and clean with nice plumes of smoke. A nice light Earthy aroma. Something for outdoors, as if the wife would ever allow it indoors. It is easy to get caught up in daydreaming while smoking this blend. As much as I like this, it may slowly turn me over to an English lover. We will see. If you smoke aromatics and want a change of pace, I recommend this without reservation.

It is a lovely smoking tobacco. It appears a mottled black, brown and yellow in the can. The orientals give a slight resiny/grassy quality to the tin aromas mixed with the honeyed qualities of the Virginias. It packs like a dream and smokes cool, dry, and long.

I can't remember who it was, but some scribbler once described a woman like this: "She just missed being beautiful and in just missing was not even attractive." It's mean, but I find it curiously apt to describe hallowed and hollow Arcadia.

I recommend setting prejudices and unrealistic expectations aside -- after all, no blend made with current tobacco harvests can begin to duplicate a blend that existed 100 years ago, and which certainly changed over time as well (hence two quite different modern blends that claim to be based on Craven Mixture: "Arcadia" and Cornell & Diehl's "Yale Mixture") -- and simply enjoying this one.

If you've sampled any of the Frog Mortons or Butera's Royal Vintage: Latakia #2, you'll experience some familiar notes. But the Frogs (at least the ones I've tried) highlighted sweetness in their blends, and Arcadia is a generally dry smoke that only has an occasional touch of (natural, not added) sweetness. And, to my palate, the Butera Latakia #2 blend exudes wonderful aroma while failing to deliver flavor; Arcadia succeeds nicely in both areas.

So much has been written about this already, that I don't feel compelled to deliver a point-by-point appraisal. I'll just say that this is a fine, *very* well-balanced Oriental blend that's well worth exploring. It doesn't knock you out with Orientals -- this is no Presbyterian or Red Rapparee -- and it doesn't have as much of the exotic latakia component as Yenidje Highlander (though it wouldn't surprise me if there is Syrian latakia in Arcadia). It's just a very well-crafted medium-weight English. And while that might sound like dozens of other blends, I think McClelland's handling of the Virginias constitutes almost a brand identity (like the basic difference between Coke and Pepsi). . . and I think that sets Arcadia apart from much of the rest of the English pack.

FWIW: This sampling was based on a five-year-old tin, from 2003. If that one tin was any indication, Arcadia will age very well, at least for the short term.

Maybe that's more than you wanted to know, but it caught my fascination, and wanted to try this blend as a means of travelling back in time to accompany Dr. Watson to 221B Baker Street.

I found Arcadia to be just what it promised to be, an extremely mild but pleasant and agreeable smoke. Just like the sort of chap an eccentric like Holmes would want as a daily foil. Although not the most exciting of blends, its at least as interesting as Dr. Watson who, although not known for being the most flamboyant personality in Victorian London, was not without a few surprises of his own from time to time.

To date, the 62 previous reviewers have voted overwhelming in favor of Arcadia, 75% giving it 3 or 4 stars.

The bad news is, I already have a tin of this stuff and it says "Presbyterian Mixture" on it.

The good news is, this is cheaper than Prezzy and comes more dry.

There is nothing new under the sun, but if everything mimiced old favorites as well as this, we'd be better for it.

EDIT 040408

I find this less like Presbyterian now... perhaps some ghosts doing the talking. A very pleasant smoke, with some nice hints of something almost like a basma... Good work McClelland

Update: I have since tried Arcadia in a number of pipes and it also sings in a pecan pipe with a graphite bowl, and in a Tinsky Canadian. This tobacco is somewhat of an acquired taste, like scotch I suppose (which I learned to drink many years ago now). The more I smoke it the more I like it. The blenders have not only done their research on an interesting old tobacco blend, they have put their finest tobaccos in this one.