McClelland - Personal Reserve: Dark Star pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 167 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >
Mateo Torgy	05/20/2013	Medium to Strong	Medium	Very Full	Strong
A1 steak sauce in smell and taste -- raisins and vinegar. A very unique Virginia flake that requires its own protocol for smoking. In substance and style, a one-of- a-kind, incomparable smoke. Blackstrap molasses with hints of sweet and sour sauce. Pretty badass though. Careful as she goes. If smoked carelessly, you could have a numb tongue the next day. Don't fight it. It will go out often. Don't force it. Once a week smoke that everyone needs. A true mistress.
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beardedhermit	11/30/2012	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Unnoticeable
Jeepers! y'all folk's inta somethin else here. oowee this here some sour tobaccer! Now I'll admit though (just fer y'all fancy fellers out there) that theirs an eency weency touch of sweetness that kinda likes ta flick ya in the ear ever now and then, but I'm a tinkerin this gonna be the last tin fer o'l Rusty Fender.
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II Stormy II	11/22/2012	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Unnoticeable
Great smoke! Dark and creamy. Wonderful sinus flavor with French inhale. I use cube cut gravity packed or vertical flakes. Mainstay in the rotation for me.
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Tony M	11/08/2012	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This was one of the first tins I picked up when I finally took the plunge and moved beyond bulk tobacco. The tin description really captivated me and, I must say, the tobacco really lived up to it. As has been noted, this tobacco is incredibly moist. I broke most of my current tin down into cubes when I opened it six months ago and it's still perfectly smokeable out of the tin (not even a glass jar). Cube cut, gravity packed, and lightly tamped makes this tobacco fairly manageable, but relights are still common. For my most recent bowl I took some of the larger flakes that remained, a bit of cubes, and gave it all a quick spin in a small blade coffee grinder. I stuck with a gravity pack, light tamp, and I think it smoked absolutely beautifully. I definitely got "ketchup" from the tin when I first opened it, and there's still a hint of that even today. Thankfully I don't get that in the flavor at all. It's as deep, rich, and sweet as I could possibly want it to be with a bit of nuance that I can't quite characterize. I tried Dark Navy Flake in the hope that it would be an acceptable bulk substitute, but there is a subtlety that the DNF just doesn't have. I don't reach for this smoke too terribly often, so it's a blend where I allow myself to splurge on the real deal.
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Wellpipe	11/05/2012	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
I've not tasted any Virginia that presents more depth and flavor than this blend. I am a fan of Esoterica Stonehaven and Samuel Gawith FVF and the first time I smoked Dark Star I could have sworn that it was a whelp to those two champions. Yes it is a bit of work to rub out and air before lighting, but properly prepared Dark Star is absolutely worth the effort. If there was a pipe tobacco blend that could usher in world peace this might be the one. I enjoyed briarroot's assessment below and agree with the sentiment: "...this is a great achievement in blending, fermenting, aging and stoving." Heavenly.
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samcoffeeman	10/27/2012	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Of the 3 Mc personal reserves I tried so far, this is the best. Reviewer before made a good comparison aND was right about the atomic fireball/cinnamon spicyness. Having read about the difficulty keeping lit, I rubbed it and basically did a gravity pack, maybe a light tamp. That helped, mine stayed lit pretty well. I did a full four charring lights. This tobacco is very compacted, and expands greatly when lit. This probably causes the lighting issues, as it will expand too much and keep oxygen from getting to the embers. I didn't get any bite from this. If you like spice, you will like this. Rating: enjoyable. Not sure if it is going to be in my rotation, got to try it a few more times and deserves some more chances.
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Juna Gu	10/16/2012	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
On my travels and having run out of Lakeland tins, I'd put down my pipe as there just didn't seem to be anything worth buying (tried Tinderbox blends but didn't feel like carrying on with that). Then one day stuck in Thousand Oaks and, hey ho, a cigar shop with a small selection of tobacco tins, mostly by McClelland. Somehow Dark Star was on my map, can't recall why, so I bought a tin. Lovely tin. Ketchup. Hmm. Oh my god, this is like that Soap thing isn't it. To my nose this smelt like fruit; plums, raisins. Or actually just really nice tobacco. Very nice smell. Dark, thin slices that don't break apart too easily. Difficult to keep lit, yes. Rubbing it out helps. Reasonable strength, little bite. Quite flavorsome and certainly dark and rich. If it was readily available would buy some more. I second briarroot's assessment.
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meerkat	08/08/2012	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
OK, maybe it's gentically determined. When it comes to McClellands some people pick up the acetic smell some don't. Some smell it but don't taste it others experience both. I can smell it and taste it. But that's fine because I enjoy it. There also seems to be some argument about wether it is a ketchup smell or dill pickle or this, that or the other. Well I think it depends on the specific blend. Christmas Cheer 2011 tasted and smelled like a particular brand of ketchup, to me. Dark Star, however, smells and tastes like worchestershire sauce. I like worchestershire sauce and I like Dark Star. Whilst I was expecting more strength from a tobacco like this, I was not disapointed. It might not be as full and robust as I wanted but it is very, very good.
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Pip	07/16/2012	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
Like others say. Good quality but hard to keep lit. Better have a lot of matches or a full lighter. Too much work for me. Not worth the effort.
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Ted Bratton	05/17/2012	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
The flavors I get from dark star are fairly similar to what I get from escudo but with less strength, nicotine, and perique-ness. That is, more prune-ish flavor than brighter virginia blends like old gowrie which give me brighter dried fruit flavor. It has a 'mature' taste and sensation that is distantly reminiscent of lakeland district tobacco. This stuff is fantastic, the only downside that I experienced was it being fairly fire resistant out of the tin. After some drying and breaking down it was a much better burner.
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Mr. Big	04/15/2012	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant
A naturally sweet mature Virginia . If you like McClelland Vinegar Virginia (MCCVV), as I do, this will be a winner. You will have some prep work as you need to rub this out real well and let it dry some prior to smoking and even with this ,this tobacco is hard to light and keep lit. Unfortunately , keeping this lit requires a faster puffing cadence than recommended as slow sipping brings out the best in this tobacco and also keeps bite to a minimum. Have the time to sit and savor this, as it is a long smoke. Not an on the go type of blend. This is the second tin of DS I've tried. The first tin I made the mistake of letting the whole tin dry before I rubbed out the "beef jerky" flakes, an impossible task. When I was done, I had every size from dust to 1/8"x 1" pieces and it seemed like my 100grs. was left with 10grams of tobacco by volume. My recommendation is to keep the flakes moist in the tin and rub out only what you need for a bowl, hit it 5 second in a microwave (or you get a damp dottle) and fill. The flavor of this tobacco reminds me of Rattrays "Dark Fragrant" , sweet with a bitter aftertaste. All in all, DS is a nice tasting blend that requires too much attention to smoke. I probably won't buy again for that reason. Got to love and agree with reviewer "DK 06/09/2009" Update 4/21/12 - I've been working on this same tin for about a month and it has really become something special. Smooth , flavorful, sweet and more complex that Rattrays " DF" and takes a match . The key is to rub the entire tin out while it's damp taking care to give an extra rub to those bigger pieces then let it breath and dry a little. Moved this to 4 stars.
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StylesSharpman	02/22/2012	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
Recommended
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palm springs piper	01/07/2012	Medium	Strong	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
My first McClelland, and if all of them are like this, my last. I was prepared for the ketchup odor, rubbed out the tin, and aired it out for a week. Still there. Lit it up and no ketchup, but sweet chow chow instead! Each time, over several weeks, the first half of the bowl tasted like green tomato relish. I can tell that there is a good, caramel-rich Virginia in there somewhere, but not enough to overcome the aftertaste of the piccalilly. Threw out half the tin. Kept the tin, though. Nice artwork.
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Northern Pipes	01/03/2012	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant
Yes, the tins ketchup smell does exist. No, it doesn't taste like ketchup. This is a fantastic tobacco for those like me venturing away from my beloved aromatics. I find the room note quite pleasant with a thick sweetness that I remember as a child. I like this tobacco fully rubbed out and into my pipe as soon as it can get it there. I didn't find any problems with lighting this, maybe one or two false lights. The smoke totally mellows after a good 15 minutes of smoking and settles into a warm rich smoke. The one drawback is that upon opening the tin,I was taken aback at how little 50 grams of this looks like. A bowl of this and a glass of Woodfords Reserve Bourbon and I'm nice and relaxed for the night. Now only if I could get my wife to let me smoke indoors.
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briarroot	10/14/2011	Mild	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
Ok so if you have tried this you may be aware of the McClelland tin smell, I won't debate it here, other than I personally love it. You may also be aware that it is hard to keep lit, is a pain in the ass to rub out, is to wet to smoke out of the tin and can bite you hard if your not careful. But wait...? I thought you gave it four stars? So first off let my start by letting you in on my ritual with this fine 'baccy. I pop open a 100g tin and then rub the whole thing out as fine as I can make it, takes about a half hour. After transforming the black and dark brown rubbery, leathery, jerky like flakes into something resembling crumbled up rubber I then let it sit out on a piece of wax paper for forty eight hours. I then pour back into the tin and let it sit a week to "rest". (all that work for a pipe? are you crazy?) Now that this stuff is at a smokable consistency, I gravity load a bowl and pack as one would normally, making a few slight adjustments for humidity, time of day, wind speed, ect... give it about four chars ( maybe more ) then its time to go to flavor country, and yes it's a big country. This is one of the sweetest, tastiest flakes ever produced. It coats the palate with a slight tingle and a delicious sweetness right off the first few puffs. Don't over do it or it will burn you. You have been warned! Then a myriad of delicate and subtle flavors come knocking at the door. Stewed stone fruits, plums, zesty citrus notes, some exotic spices, smoked wood, and a dense syrupy note. Then there is more, a thick creamy back drop develops as you puff your way down. things get a little more dense ( don't get carried away she's good to you now but she's gonna bite if you rush her). some warmth starts to really develop, not heat mind you, but warmth, a soothing chocolaty delicacy like a bowl of tiramisu with lemon zest, honey and some clove and nutmeg. this tobacco starts getting rich and dense on the palate. all the while remaining sweet and savory. As you go down things get ever richer to the point where a little bit of bitter hits you at the dottle then it's time to stop, and your left thinking "done so soon?" The reality is this is a long lasting smoke that you can get so absorbed in that you didn't even notice the hours going by. Not what I would call an all day smoke, though I have made it that at times, and too damn tasty to keep only for "special occasions. this is a great achievement in blending, fermenting, aging and stoving. I like the classy feel of the tin art work, gives me something nice to look at while contemplating, thought I don't like much to take away from my focus on the 'baccy at hand. weather you have been smoking a long time or are new to the hobby learning the ropes of this one is a true reward. for me this is what VA is all about. Fully rubbed out you can smoke it in any pipe shape so suite your self on that one. I personally favor a peterson 05 shape.
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TK Pipe	10/12/2011	Mild	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Dark Star … A McC blend that I always wanted to try, and finally got around to doing just that. My 100g tin contained dense almost black flakes, irregular in shape, with the typical McC tin aroma. I tried many of my normal flake preparations, but found this almost clay like flake, was at its best (IMO) when dried to the point where it rubbed out similar to a crumble cake, then loaded in the bowl using a gravity feed and soft tamp. Dried and fully rubbed out, this somewhat fire retardant flake now had an acceptable burn and to my delight became noticeably richer in flavor. I could have saved some time and tobacco, if I would have read this web-site before trying DS, and simply took the advice of others, but I was never much for reading directions. Anyway, I’m pleased to say, this stuff is a bite free, truly delicious and a very satisfying tobacco. IMO this extra preparation is no big deal, really not so different from many other flakes, simply dry, rub and smoke… 4 Stars
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Henry Mars	09/13/2011	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
This weed is not suitable for the novice because it requires a lot of preparation and attention in order to smoke it. The flakes are so pressed that folding them and stuffing them in your pipe will simply not work if you ever plan to actually light the stuff. I cut the flakes length wise with kitchen scissors then across so that I end up with little squares then rub some of them out completely. I load the pipe with the little squares then pack to top of the bowl with stuff I rubbed out. It also needs to be dried out for a while before you smoke it. Do not pack this stuff tightly. Like most flakes it needs to breath a lot. After all of that it will light well and stay with a few re-lights. For a Virginia tobacco this stuff has a fairly potent dose of "Vitamin N". It will benefit by the DGT. The tin that I am smoking was in my cellar since May 2008 The bowl stats out with a sweet citrus taste which then moves to the background as the smoke progresses. After the first quarter bowl it begins to develop a taste that reminds me of semi sweet chocolate over graham crackers. This intensifies as the smoke progresses. It doesn't get more complex just more intense ..every once in a while I kind of get the taste of toasted marshmallows. All in all a very enjoyable smoke but a lot of work to enjoy. DS will not make my normal rotation but I will keep a tin of this around for a change of pace.
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Puffingstuff	08/08/2011	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Opening this tobacco one would would wonder if it's really tobacco at all. It's so black and the flakes are thin. After the ketchup smell left, (leaving it open for a day). I took a few flakes and rubed them out completely. Ahhhh,so fine a smoke. A very excellent blend!
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Tim	05/26/2011	Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
As mentioned, this is the strongest of the ketchup blends. It comes in large broken flakes, and despite other people's success (which I would imagine involves a flame thrower) I found this form no more amenable to steady smoking then I would tree bark. If you can fold stuff and smoke this stuff, all the more power to you; I can't. Not that it's a bad tobacco, but I found that it needed to be ground and dried in order to be smoked. Once it's processed, however I found it to be a good stout Virgina with a great nose.
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Tom Servo	03/29/2011	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
The tin aroma is interesting. Most McClelland Virginia blends have that strange barbeque sauce tin aroma, but this nearly black sliced flake has the aroma of marinara sauce over hot whole wheat pasta. I know - sounds crazy to me too. I love a dense flake like this, although this one can be a pain to pack and light if you’re in a hurry. (Rub! Rub! Rub!) Beautiful aged Virginia - warm flavors of roasted grains, boiling oatmeal, pancake batter, fresh yeast rolls. Behind all this a mild, soft-spoken, almost shortbread-like sweetness. Smooth and cool. The room note is pleasant enough. Dark Star is a very nice Virginia flake, definitely worth a try. In my opinion, Dark Star isn’t as good as McClelland’s Blackwood Flake but it is still great. Try some for yourself, there’s a reason Virginia is “The King of Tobacco”, and any Virginia from McClelland‘s blending room is going to be more than interesting.
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 167 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >