McClelland - Matured Virginias: Navy Cavendish pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
< PREVIOUS Showing reviews 41 through 48 of 48 reviews of this tobacco
Danno	09/21/2003	Medium to Strong	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
A fellow piper recommended I try this McClelland concoction whilst I was perusing my local tobacconist's wares. Anyone having viewed any of my previous reviews would have picked up on my reticience to smoke flakes not containing latakia, as I seem to have a rather tender mouth. However, I have been experimenting with some flake virginias from time to time, so I thought why not a cavendish? The tabak tumbles out of the can in a haphazard broken flake. A slight rum flavor is detectable via olfactory sense; I was not blasted with "atomic ketchup", as others may have been. Flakes are greasy to the touch, so I find it is best not to rub out too fully, lest your mouth become a bbq pit. Flavor is straightforward-smoky, with hints of rum emerging ever so often. I kept my puffing cadence to a bare minimum and was rewarded with a gentle but full smoke. Navy Cavendish is not usual fare for moi, mais c'nest pas terrible, and I will finish my tin.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
WxGuy	09/18/2003	Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
This is not one of those "to die for" tobaccos, IMO. However, it is a nice change of pace. It does have the distinct McClelland odor on opening the tin, and was a little on the moist side. My first few tastings left me feeling disappointed. I put some in a plastic film cannister and promptly lost it for a couple of months. Upon recovery yesterday, I found that it had dried considerably (though not died up) and was much less ductile, crumbling on folding into the pipe. This was a considerably different experience. It smoked cooler and very much more tasty. I usually do not like flake tobacco this dry, (I am not all that big on flake tobaccos in general) but for Navy Cavendish this seemed to be just the ticket. Being a good scientist, I had to go back to the tin, which was still more or less at its initial moisture content to see if my initial impressions held true (replication). Yup. When moist, this stuff is BLAH. Bottom line, this is smokable (and the rum flavor is BTW more apparent) given a good bit of drying. Now I am wondering how the leathery Dark Star (good right out of the tin) would taste given the same gentle and slow drying treatment...
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
flint	09/03/2003	Medium	Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Tolerable to Strong
I have never met a flake I didn't like until now. It looks the part in the tin but aroma and tastes are just not there. Very flat and boring not at all like McClellands other fine products. There are just too many flakes that are much more enjoyable and complex than this one. Just my thoughts maybe it will do something for you.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Neatpipes	06/20/2003	Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant
I received this tin several months ago from a friend and I promtly opened it: at the moment I didn't like the smell, just a bit acid. I agree with a previous reviews about a smell of ketchup... Havin' kept the tin with its plug for 4 months before I decide to smoke it. Few days ago I took the tin, wondering if it was still wet ok... and it was! The tin is perfect! I crushed a few flakes and filled an unsmoked Castello Sea Rock lovat with a Pot bowl. It was easy to keep lit. A very nice aroma in the room (no wife sorry:-) ).The initial smoke was appreciable, not able to taste the rum very much. Found a light touch of sweetness, and that is good. After 1/2 of the smoke it started to become a little strong for my taste. First I smoke a full bowl, not liking the final taste... then decide to stop at 2/3. A pleasant smoke! It is not an all day tobacco, but I will keep it in my mind for occasion.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
lvnvbiker	06/17/2003	Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant
Upon popping open the tin I was met with the smell of ketchup not a suprise considering the brand.. The flakes are dark and too wet to rub out so I just crushed a few in and let rip... The flavor is a bit on the acrid side at first but does have a sweet undertone to it. Once lit this one does have a full tabacco flavor and the wife says it smells pretty good. Can't really taste the rum, but then my mouth has been off before. Over all not a bad smoke but it is a gurgle fest no matter how slow I smoke it.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
NEWMAN	06/24/2002	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant
Another nicely prepared flake from McClelland that has a more pleasant tin and room aroma than some of their other 'vinegar' blends. Easy to keep lit and a cool smoker when not rubbed out. However, I didn't taste the rum and found the initial 1/3 of the smoke rather rough. Overall, this rather uninteresting cavendish blend is no match for McClelland's true flakes in either bulk or the Personal Reserve series that I've reviewed and found more complex and enjoyable.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Mike Castello	02/26/2002	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant
This is a very fine navy cavendish. The mature Virginia, pressed into cakes, and soaked in dark Jamaican rum provides the smoker with pleasant surprises. Upon opening the tin the aroma is very appealing and inviting. The tobacco rubs out easily and packs very nicely. It lights easily. The first puffs bring a bit of a bite. This tobacco needs to be smoked slowly and gently. Role the taste in the mouth, sit back, and relax. Very shortly the bite disappears giving way to a luxurious mellow rum flavoring. The taste is well rounded and complex. The deep richness of the rum is not overly present, but there to smooth out the Virginia's top. The acidic sweetness of the Virginia is rounded out so that the full taste is balanced. Not an all day smoke for my taste, but a tobacco to return to often non the less. This cavendish is strongly recommended to smokers who prefer navy cuts and recommended to those who enjoy Virginias and other non aromatic tobaccos.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
roonwit	12/03/2001	Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant
This blend has turned into one of my favorites. The tin aroma is delighfully complex. There is a note of sourness, not unlike acetic acid, along with the rich smell of the cavendish itself. The tobacco is anything but sour though. It comes in broken flake form and requires some rubbing before it is ready to go. Packing was no problem. Light up went fine. Despite being very moist, it almost never needs a relight---maybe just one for the bottom third of the bowl. The ash was nice and powdery all the way to the end. "Festina lente" on the smoke ("hasten slowly"). This mixture can turn nasty if you smoke it too quickly. I should know. It has a yummy flavor. There is some sweetness present, but it doesn't cloy. If you like Virginias but haven't tried a Navy blend lately, you are in for a real treat. It certainly isn't an all day smoke, but keep some on your shelf. Once a day will offer you some real enjoyment.
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