McClelland - Bulk No.2015 Virginia Perique Flake pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
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blowing smoke	09/26/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Hey! The good ole vaper! Tangy, spicy, a bit of sweetness. Watch out, smoke this one slow or you will be chomped! Not just bit. All virginies should be smoked slow. Like slow cooked barbecue which this smells like out of the bag-tin-whatever packaging. Let it sit and dry out a bit, rub it out, fill your pipe and you have an awesome smoke that will last you over an hour, even in a medium sized bowl. I'm not kidding about smoking this slooowwww. Don't have a puffing fit. This is a tobacco to relax with on a summer afternoon/evening. Watch the sunset, drink some single malt maybe a mint julep and puff along. It is delicious and for some reason makes me think of hot southern evenings, which we have in Wisconsin in August and September, though few realize it.
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maynard	09/17/2008	Medium	Mild	Very Full	Pleasant
I smoke Churchwarden pipes, I have to say this is a great smoke, seems like the Perique is more noticable toward the bottom, very good smoke.
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Benjamin Button	09/17/2008	Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
So my experience with Bulk # 2015 Virginia Flake was one worth noting. I had been reading up on a lot of the Virginia/Perique tobaccos but was not quite sure if I was up to that level yet and or if I had the smokers palate to appreciate what these had to offer. I decided to purchase some of the bulk about a month ago from my local B&M and kept it stored away for a bit until I decided to try it. I figured it couldn't go bad with age so why not? Last night I pulled out the bag and the trusty meerschaum and decided to wing it as far as packing flake tobacco into my pipe. I decided to take some of the unrubbed flakes and lay them on the bottom of the pipe. Then I rubbed some out and put them on top in order to help get it lit. Doing this kind of created a chamber under the rubbed out tobacco. I only packed enough for a half bowl. Upon the charring light, the taste was VERY strong, and I actually coughed a few times from a bit that escaped into my lungs. I was unsure at this point if I had jumped into this too quickly. The loose tobacco on top expanded and puffed up like I had never seen before. Perhaps it wasn't packed tight enough but it expanded quite a bit which made me glad I only packed the half bowl. I'll remember for next time to go a little below the rim if I am going to pack fully. After I let the char mellow and cool, I lit the tobacco again (I'm only using matches, for what it's worth). This time the smoke was noticeably sweeter, but I still coughed a little and tried to mellow my puffing to light this. My mouth burned a bit but a sip or two of water and I was fine. I tamped a little to keep the tobacco at bay, and got it to where it was smoking comfortably. Upon first impressions, the most obvious thing I noticed was the sweetness of this smoke. It reminded me of an English or Oriental in the smoothness and cool aspects but it was MUCH sweeter. The leaf had no trouble staying lit and smoked cool the entire time. I had it go out once on me but the re-light was no problem at all. After I mellowed it out again, it was back to the sweet cool smoke again. There was a slight spicy note mixed in which I assumed was the Perique, and it added just enough character to keep the sweet VA's from being overwhelming. The room note was not as bad as I expected it was going to be. Some said it was a nasty cigarette odor, but I noticed none of that. When my girlfriend came home (about 20 minutes after I finished the bowl) she said the smell was noticeable but not bad at all. One other thing I noticed was that this burned rather quickly. Maybe 20 minutes or so, but for the size of the bowl I packed that may not have been unusual. The great thing about the flake tobacco is that there are so many ways I can experiment with smoking it, each experience could be different. I am stopping at my local B&M today and maybe buying them out of this stuff. Definitely a great tobacco to pick up and keep on hand, and definitely one to keep cellared.
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Pipe4ever	08/29/2008	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable
Simply I don?t like the 2015, it did not work with me, I find this Virginia/per tasteless, bland and spicy, doesn?t burn well and doesn?t get dry even when left in my car 1 week in summer time, under the sun, it will remain wet ! I can?t recommend it to anyone.
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BriarChef	07/16/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
It's all been covered well here, but I'll add my nickel's worth anyway. Pouch Aroma: Wosbald hit it spot on. Sweet, tangy, fermented. Kind of like driving through Fresno at the height of raisin season. Flavor: Zydeco Stomp. Perfect balance, not as refined as some but has a certain bad girl charm. Properly aired out, it is bite free. Not dried out, you may suffer from sauna mouth syndrome. Room Note: Who cares?
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Past Master	06/14/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I just bought this yesterday evening in west Austin, Texas, where the local tobacconist marketed it under the name "Acadian Legend." I'm always careful to ask what they are "really" selling me, but I could tell by the look of the flake in the jar that it was going to be pretty good, and I was right. I smoked some last night and again today. Not surprisingly, the reviews to date bear out my experience. An overwhelming forty-nine out of 85 reviews (that's 58%) give this blend a 4-star rating! An additional twenty-nine reviews (34%) give it a 3-star rating. That means that 92% of the reviews to date give this 3 or 4 stars. So what's the complaint from the seven other reviews? Let's have a look. First off, one reviewer said that he was giving it "three stars," but then gave it two stars, apparently by accident. Another reviewer had virtually nothing bad to say about this blend, but gave it only two stars anyway. That's okay. Everybody's got an opinion. That leaves only five negative reviews out of eighty-five. Two complained that it was too moist, and that a "moistening agent" kept it that way. (The sample I bought yesterday was a bit too dry for me, but it came back very well over night.) One complained that it didn't "rub out well." Another complained that it was "too bland." And an admitted "novice" pipe-smoker said that it gave him tongue-bite. There you have it. By correcting the accidental 2-star rating to a 3-star, the overall score on this blend to date is 297 total stars which, divided by 85 reviews, gives an average of 3.49 stars. One of the top-rated blends!
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Packer	06/06/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
This is my latest stop on my trip down the Viginia super hi-way. I have sampled at least 30 Va. blends over the past 6 months. Most of them I have like, or loved. This one is in the love category. Whats not to love? Lots of sweet red Va., with just the right amount of Perique, and at a bulk price. IMHO this ranks up there with most of the high priced tin competetors. As with most blends, I find that drying benifits this high quality tobacco. Once dryed out I gave it a good rub. This yielded an easy load, light, and burn. The flavor is of sweet, natural Va. tobacco that I have come to love. The Perique seems only to be in a supporting role. With the quality, and price 2015 is becoming an all day smoke for me. All things considered I rate this one at * * * *
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Stacey	05/29/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
Update 5/29/08 I'm going to waffle again here and put this back to 4 stars. It is that good most of the time and only once did I get a 3 star batch. Original Review Follows I opened it and did smell that ketchup smell, but who cares. Lit it up and at first this didn't burn well for me, I almost despaired because I could tell there was some taste here. I let it dry a bit, even though it didn't seem wet to me and packed it less tightly and voila an awesome smoke! This is truly great stuff and has currently taken over the top spot in my rotation. I get consistently good taste out of this one. If you like Virginia tobacco go out and get some!
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Lord Byron	05/20/2008	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I generally enjoy most all things red Virginia and this, with the addition of perique, is no exception. 2015 is a good mainstream smoke that with aging is really quite good. I for one do not care for the aroma of most McClelland blends in the bag however I have learned to appreciate what that aroma translates into once a match is introduced. It is almost hard to believe that a vaper such as this would produce a smooth creamy smoke but when sipped appropriately that is exactly what you have. I have in the past bought this in bulk as many others have and let it age with excellent results. There are nuances with this blend that you get only after it begins to breakdown in a confined space. It will make you look at your pipe and wonder what you really put in it. It?s a rewarding experience. Honestly, if I could afford to smoke St James Woods on a regular basis I would choose it over 2015 but 6 to 8 months of aging with 2015 seems like a much better investment. And the benefit is not too far off from the tin if you are patient. This is a good quality smoke that ages well and is very satisfying. I am giving it 3 stars only because it is what it was meant to be; average tobacco with good aging potential.
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Glorfindel	05/19/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
This is a 4 star VA-Per with no bite. It has rich, tangy classic VA taste with that hint of creaminess while the Perique balances perfectly providing that full tobacco taste and depth. Wonderful aroma from the bag, and a little moist, but it burns clean and fresh tasting with little residual moisture. I don't dry mine very much and sometimes not at all. A very tasty smoke that burns well and lasts a long time. The price is great, coming in bulk, and the quality uncompromising. This is in short - a top notch tobacco. I consider this an "all day smoke" which would appeal to aromatic and non-aromatic fans alike. This is also a way to enjoy Perique without that chracteristic bitey-harshness that the Louisiana Leaf is known to impart. McClelland, you've hit a home run with 2015. Wow!!!!!! What a winner. 4 Stars ()-()-()-()
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Slow Triathlete	04/08/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Originally this blend was a pain in the butt because it came extremely wet and no matter how much I rubbed it out it never seemed to dry out. Finally, I put my sample on a cutting board and minced it as I do garlic. It finally broke up small enough that it was able to dry out. I did smoke a bowl before it was dried out enough. I was extremely disappointed because I had to relight so many times that I couldn?t take notes well enough to give a proper review. After chopping this blend into oblivion I was able to smoke it almost to the bottom of the bowl. Even though this blend is pretty good for a bulk blend, I feel that the amount of prep work just isn?t worth it to me. However, if you are very patient with this then you will be rewarded with a fine bulk blend. The different Virginias taste very good against the amount of Perique that is in this blend. Taste-wise this was a very good blend but like I said earlier the amount of work to get it there just isn?t for me.
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MikeA	03/09/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
update 3/08 It has about 5 years age on it now. The moisture level is just about perfect. It's taste is a little cleaner now from when it had 6 months of age on it. 2015 has smoothed out quite abit and burns cool. The sweetness of the Va's and Perique taste has amplified through the years. This DGT's like few other blends I've smoked. There is no bite whatsoever. This now tops St. James Woods, Escado, Solani 633 and Reiner's Light Golden Flake in my top 5 Va/Pa blends. 9/04 original review One of my favorite Virginia/Perique blends. Brown broken flakes with that infamous McClelland vinegary smell, although when smoking, it has a BBQ like smell. It needs drying out before smoking. 2015 ages wonderfully tastes sweet and peppery, but burns cool. Very reasonable price purchased 5lbs for aging. A must try for those how enjoy V/P mixtures.
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NapaWineLover	01/13/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
Many reviewers have nailed this blend very well. Whenever I have been disappointed with this, it's because I should have been reaching for a different Blend, not the fault of 2015. Sometimes I get the greatest pleasure out this blend when I smoke it in pipes that are generally dedicated to English and Balkans. I find it helps sweeten the cakes of those pipes and transforms any taste picked up during that smoke into a very light and passing condiment, since its no sissy itself. The margin of Perique used here is just right; enough to assert its presence, but never enough to steal the show. I have aged it, and I say, to me it becomes creamier. Now I've also bought this from local tobacconists and I will state for the record that man-handled versions of this tobacco (by that I mean continuously re-moistened because they don't turn over enough of it straight / or they have become apathetic to pipers and cater to the cigar buyer) will NOT do it justice. If it's at all possible - get a supply from a bulk source that keeps their bulk humidified in the right manner and you will be experiencing what McClelland originally intended. This is way better than many tinned - high priced - and fancily packaged alleged pedigree blends. Cheers, VC
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Dave	01/12/2008	Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
This blend has been compared to Peretti's London Flake and indeed it is very similar in looks, tin aroma and, until recently with me, the flavor. 2015 is more of a broken flake. I find it to be milder, less harsh with richer notes toward the middle and bottom of the bowl and a little drier. The descriptions of both tobaccos on this site indicate that both are made of Orange and Red Virginias with a little Perique. However, Peretti's web site currently lists the ingredients of London Flake as Orange and Lemon Virginia with Perique, so I don't know if they have changed the blend, but I have noticed as of late that it has had a more sour taste to it, thus I have become more attracted to this stuff. I find it is a good all day blend what with the milder characteristics. Much less irritation but the flavor has not been compromised. As other reviewers have noted, if the VA/P blends seem too harsh for some, they should give this a try. I have not been disappointed. The price is reasonable too, relatively speaking.
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wosbald	10/28/2007	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong
This broken flake has a sweet and tart pouch aroma. The virginias are of solid quality: tasty, though a bit diffuse, lacking the clarity found in McC's tinned blends. The perique is noticable, though not dominant. This is a simple and pleasing bulk blend from the ever-reliable McClelland house. For those who are so inclined, this ages nicely. Chamber Gauge: Narrow
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fatherDougal	09/12/2007	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
In the never-ending search for a great VA flake, I was thrilled to get a few onces of the bulk 2015. Although this VA lacks the rich choco-aroma of the great Marlin Flake, it does have a very peppery nose to float along with the sweet Virginia. It does take 1/3 of a bowl to flame up and engage the crusty unrubbables, but then you are rewarded with mild, copious smoke that could fill an afternoon, indoors or out. And the price per ounce makes this a 3 star standby.
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ThChrMn	09/02/2007	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
I cannot seem to get 2015 to rub out well. The little chunks of bark just get smaller. The salsa tang is ok every now and then but I'm still searching for the right combination of aging, pipe and consistency that many seem to find with this weed. I think I?ll try some of the suggested alternatives in this thread.
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Nick O'Teen	07/27/2007	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is one peach of a bulk Va/Per, with better flavor than many of the more expensive tinned blends. The perique is added at a perfect level to keep the smoke interesting yet allowing the virginias to remain as the main focus. Naturally sweet, mildly spicy, it burns cool for me with no bite. Due to its price and quality, 2015 would make a perfect all day smoke for the Va/Per lover. If you like this type of tobacco, it's a must try. I rank this just a slight notch below my favorites of the genre. * * * 1/2
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Xeneize	07/15/2007	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong
One of the blends I never get tired of smoking. Virginias might be second in quality to Old Gowrie's, but they're well above their price and the added Perique make them really enjoyable. When I'm not sure which Virginia/VaPer I will enjoy at a given time, I can safely grab 2015 knowing that I'll get what I want.
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Arzmordus	06/23/2007	Medium to Strong	None detected	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
Just ordered two oz. of this stuff from smokingpipes.com to give it whirl. I'm a pretty novice smoker but this stuff just wasn't for me. Gave it a great big whiff when I first opened it and it smelled very nice, like fresh hay. Unfortunately that was the best part of my experience with it. It was pretty moist when i got it, so I set aside two bowls worth to dry for the afternoon. That night and went to light it up and was very disappointed. Gave me pretty bad tongue bite trying to get it going.(Note: This could have been from my inexperience with pipe tobacco but I have managed to light up with other pipe tobaccos and receive no tongue bite so who knows.) The tobacco was strong, almost like smoking a cigar, but I found the taste to be very bland. halfway through the bowl I started to detect a hint of spiciness but other than that nothing. I guess I just don't enjoy Virginias very much. I'm more of a Latakia and Oriental guy. If you enjoy Virginias this may be the tobacco for you, all these reviewers can't be wrong. However, if your on the fence about purchasing this stuff and aren't that big a fan of the Virginias I wouldn't recommend this to you.
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