McClelland - Matured Virginias: No.27 pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
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mo	02/23/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
I recently recieved a 4 year old tin from a good friend in the states. When cracking open the tin the smell that came from it was delightful. I have to say that the smell of McClellald tobaccos really annoys me, in this case it had settled down significantly and was most pleasant. I find the taste to be very subtle. I honestly did not appreciate this tobacco until I sat quietly in my garage one night with a beautiful Design Berlin staight grain billiard, filled to the brim with this tobacco. The experience was wonderful. Slighly sweet, little savoury, nice volume of smoke, this is certainly not tiring as some blends can be and developes very discretely. I only gave this blend 3 stars for 1 reason and that is that 4 year old tins are not freely available.
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bent-1	01/09/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
2004 Vintage: Ready to go right out of the tin. A bowl with a 3/4" - 13/16" ID works well. The red VA dominates and the orange VA provides a nice spice to the semi sweet taste. Minimal relights were necessary. Not pipe picky, does well in most of my VA pipes. Same consistent flavor throughout the entire bowl.
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wosbald	12/18/2007	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
The tin aroma of these finely cut flake is typical McClelland VA: sweet, deep, fermenty, and composty. This has a classic flavor of richly sweet McClelland matured VAs. No. 27 excellent and companionable blend, this works best in narrow gauge chambers.
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SMOKETSES	12/04/2007	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Red orange tobacco with a very nice honey ? not excessively - sweet flavor. Tobacco is generally dry, but keeps enough of humidity in order to keep him perfect for smoking, right after opening the box. It burned clean and cool, till the lowest part of the bowl, leaving only a clear white ash. It has, in my opinion, the smallest ?ketchuppy? flavor from all the other McClelland which I have tasted. Nice tobacco for all day. Another tobacco which I would like to keep in a box, in my cellar, and smoke it after 1-2 years
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Johnny River	09/30/2007	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
Upon opening the McClelland Virginia #27 100 gram can I was greeted with the sweet smell of aged tobacco. The reddish-brown shag cut cake had a rich All spice/Turkish Bayleaf aroma. For my tastes it had a perfect moisture content. This tobacco will burn cool if you take the time, and you should, so that you enjoy all the flavor of this excellent smoke. It was clean burning and left little ash. For those of you who like Virginia tobacco you won't be disappointed and those who aren't really into Virginians should take a chance on this one - you too won't be disappointed, if fact you might be converted. I really like this stuff!
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NapaWineLover	07/31/2007	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
This is a blend that leans toward the brights without any bites. Of course - one must remember they are smoking a VA and adjust accordingly - and this is a superior blend. The latest tin is from 1999 and it the additional age compared to a more recent tin - was quite evident. However - we're talking about great and greater ... not night and day. I found myself rubbing out the newer versions completely, while with the aged tin I began by folding (or slightly clumping) flakes. In all cases - one char light - a tamp - and the next light carries the entire bowl. It is a wonderful trip and the zone is expanded from nearly beginning to end. A wonderful nutty VA with an underscore of subtle tang and reserved sweetness throughout the bowl. I can easily travel for a few days with only this as company and have no regrets - bowl after bowl. Cheers, VC
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Wolfpaw	05/28/2007	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
McClelland has a well-deserved reputation for its high-quality Virginia tobaccos, and No. 27 is a fine example. The flavor is good, solid, red Virginia-- not too sweet, slightly peppery; it's definitely tobacco you're tasting. Room note is pure tobacco too; though it's not overly strong, this one has earned objections from the tobacco- intolerant (i.e., "That stuff stinks!"). I don't find it all that objectionable myself, so I've split the difference and rated it "tolerable." The tin aroma is another story; V-27 is by far the most "ketchuppy" smelling of all the McClelland tobaccos I've tried. It's also the only McClelland tobacco which has a ketchuppy taste, but that fortunately only lasts for the first few puffs-- the Virginia tobacco taste quickly muscles the ketchup aside. I'd advise anyone trying V-27 for the first time to try to ignore those early impressions of vinegar and tomatoes and patiently await the real flavor and aroma to come through (it doesn't take long). Once that happens, the flavor is consistent all the way to the finish. Virginia No. 27 is middle-of-the-road in strength. The shag-cut flakes dry out very quickly and are easy to handle and load. It takes light with no trouble and rarely requires a relight. V-27 may nip a bit; if you forget to take it slow and easy, it will remind you.
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Pipestud	12/02/2006	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Very Pleasant
Updated review: 12/06...I recently cracked open a 22 year old tin of this delightful Virginia/Oriental broken flake. I cannot remember a time I had more fun smoking a tobacco. The tin top was actually puffed a bit and let out a gentle whooosh when the seal broke. The broken flake was extremely dark and the smell told me the leaf was richly fermented. The tobacco was almost totally dry, but retained just enough dampness to make it perfect for smoking. It burned clean and cool right down to the bottom of the bowl leaving nothing but ash. Just past mid bowl on my second smoke, I hit an otherworldly zone that I'll remember forever. This old 100 gram tin will not last long.
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VAman	04/18/2006	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
this is a superb tobacco! i recomend this for anyone who loves a spicy VA. it can bite, but just puff long and slow fron the half way point in the bowl and you will be fine. packs well and is a little hard to keep lit at first.
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dprovons	01/09/2006	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
I have read many times of McClelland's signature 'ketchup' smell of their virginias. I have smoked several McClelland virginias and noticed a slight vinegar-like sour/sweet smell, but this is the first one that knocked me down with what is undeniably 'ketchup' smelling. I mean, you can't miss it... If you can get past that, though, this is a very good tobacco. I just finished a bowl of this excellent broken flake virginia and am just so impressed with it! Unlike others here, I think I prefer not rubbing this out at all (I have tried it both ways several times). Maybe it burns slower that way...I'm not sure. Probably, I just don't like having to do anything extra to smoke something. I agree with others that is comes a little moist out of the tin, so I open it and let it sit a day or so with the lid off. Over the next couple weeks, it just gets better and better. I have only smoked unaged tins of this, but I can tell it will age wonderfully. This tobacco has one drawback: it takes a healthy discipline of will to get the most out it. Why? Because it's so freakin' delicious, it makes you want to slurp it up (instead of sipping it slowly and civilly). If you slurp, you will torch your tongue. If you sip, you will get a wonderful raisin-sweet smoke that gets fuller and more complex as you move down the bowl (like all great virginias). As far as being an "indoor smoke" and having a "light subtle aroma", my wife did not agree on either point. I still enjoy it--even though banished to the garage or outside with it. A very solid recommendation for all experienced lovers of virginias.
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GeoLogger	12/19/2005	Mild	None detected	Medium	Unnoticeable
This is my favourite of the McClellands numbered tins. I guess it is an all-day smoke because I smoke it all day a lot of the time. Skipping past "room note" (tobacco) and "tin aroma" (McClellands Va) to taste... This stuff tastes like tobacco -good light Virginia tobacco. I like that... heck, if I wanted fruit I would go for a jug of OJ. What makes it my very favourite though? I can't pin it down quite. I usually think I like a little Turkish and this has none of that (unless I mix a little in and I sometimes do just that). I like to think I like a little latakia - again none here. It is simply the case that I think this is a wonderful tobacco. It is a great cut. I rub out the whole tin in advance so mine is always ready, to me a strong plus. It is easy on the tongue if you are inclined to Va, it is easy on the palate, and it is easy to smoke. I guess I just like it.
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Ian Weeks	10/28/2005	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Whooooaaaa Mamma! VA Number 27 is VA Number 25's hotter cousin. There is a noticeable difference between these two blends. For one there is the matter of cut: #25 is a Ribbon cut and #27 is a ready rubbed Flake. But beyond that- the real nuts and bolts: VA Number 27 has a brighter taste; it has body and great flavor, particularly towards the last third of the bowl, but there lacks the depth and dark sweetness of VA Number 25 that I believe comes from the dark stoved component that permeates the blend. I call this blend the "hotter" cousin not because she's easy on the eyes, but sharper on the tongue- I'm a careful smoker with regards to thermodynamics, but this blend, even a 5 year old tin can bite. Still I'll take her out on walks with me out in the still air with hopes that she will reveal new secrets so that I can tell them to you! Highly recommended to the intrepid explorer!
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Beer	09/02/2004	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable
Wow, what a fruity and sour smell in the tin! Not as delicious as Dunhill Navy Rolls (which has Perique, too, for a wonderful olfactory experience), but close... Two colleagues of mine always stop at my desk when I have it to take a deep sniff from the tin! In taste it reminds of Hal O' The Wynd (with which it shares the reddish brown broken flake appearance), but compared to the Rattray classic it's less moist, less bitey, and slightly lighter in body and nicotine. It's a good old classic virginia: sweet, fruity, with some sour notes but always very well balanced. Sure, Blackwoods Flake is even better, but this tobacco is still highly recommended.
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Darwin	06/10/2004	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
06/10/04 McClelland #27 is one of the great Virginia flakes out there. It's a broken flake of light and dark brown Virginias. The tin aroma is, of course, the vinegar aroma that you will either love or hate. This is a pure VA tobacco with no topping or casing. The flakes come a little moist for me so I air the tin until it's to my liking. A slow and steady draw will yield a sweet natural VA flavor, but if you puff too hard, you'll burn your tongue due to the high sugar content of the leaf. It doesn't have as much of the "citrusy" tang as say 2010, 2015, or #22, but the flavor is more rounded and sweeter, typical of a red Virginia. In fact, it's the sweetest natural tobacco that I smoke. While not terribly complex, the flavor is excellent all the way to the bottom of the bowl. It also ages well. The tin I'm currently enjoying is 2 years old and I have many more tins in the cellar. Moreover, you have to try DGT with this blend; it will knock your socks off. McClelland #27 is most similar to Wessex Brigade, in my opinion. They are both sweet and tasty VAs that taste as good or better (yes, definitely better) at the bottom of the bowl, as they do when you first light them. 08/30/09 Recently opened a tin from 2001 (8 year aged) and let it air for about a month. The broken flakes have darkened compared to the 2 year-old tin in my earlier review. The taste is full and rich, with excellent high notes. Boy, what a treat for a McClelland Virginia lover like me. A spectacular smoke in every way. I have quite a few more tins from 2001. I'll open another in a few years and gloat, I mean report back.
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provguy	04/01/2004	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
Mcllelland virginia flakes are of excellent leaf quality. I cannot get away from the vinegary, aroma and flavor to the tobaccos. #27 is definitely smooth and rich. However I cannot, even though I have tried to really like these flakes, I cannot really enjoy them as much as some other virginia flakes. Maybe I am allergic to something they use. The only flake I really enjoy is Dark Star and it is very good. I will leave #27 for some others to enjoy.
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flint	05/21/2003	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
What can I say that hasn't already been said by my esteemed comrades. #27 does have a toasty subdued sweetness not at all like a tangy citrusy virginia. It's a respectable weed that will no doubt get better with age. I have 3 tins hiding in my closet as we speak. Happy puffing.
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lustra	04/22/2003	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
Virginia 27 is a fragrant, well-made tobacco that burns very well and, for me anyway, smokes cool with very little tongue bite. I have recently smoked a 100-gram tin in a wide variety of pipes and regret that I can't rate this tobacco any better than average. Why? First of all, it seems to lose flavor once the tin has been opened. (To be fair, this is a problem for a number of Virginias). Second, I just can't maintain interest in this tobacco for more than a single, short smoke. If I smoke it often during the day, or in a large bowl, I always wind up just putting the pipe down and walking away. In a word, for any sort of extended smoking, this tobacco is simply dull. As an occasional smoke, it's OK, but I doubt I will buy any more. Much better, in my book are tobaccos like Old Gowrie, or even Astley's 109, which, although mild, have enough dynamic range to keep me interested. I even prefer 5100 with some age to this stuff. For comparison's sake, my tin was two years old. I have no doubt that well-aged tins are great, but I'll be aging other tobaccos that I like better.
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Pounder 5000	04/11/2003	Medium	None detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Upon opening the tin you're met with the typical ketchup smell that is legendary among McClelland tobaccos. I never seem to get used to it, so I just avoid sniffing the can. I find if you rub some of this out in the palm of your hand and then smell, you get a much more representative smell of the actual tobacco that you are getting ready to smoke. Other than that this is a very delicious tobacco. I really like the flavor of the first third of the bowl. A rich sweet taste emerges right from the beginning. The second third of the bowl is more of the same, although a somewhat strong vinegary taste starts to come through. This only lasts a short while however before you're right back to the great taste you began with. The only problem is it tastes too good. I start puffing too hard and burn the hell out of my tongue! I have found that DGT'ing the second half of the bowl however seems to greatly decrease tongue bite, and highly increase the sweetness of this blend. In fact it may DGT better than any other blend than I have ever smoked. This blend rubs out easily and packs well. It is a little to moist right out of the tin however, so you may need to let it dry out for awhile or be ready for a more relights than usual. The tin I smoked was very young, and I can't wait to see what a few tins of this aged awhile will be like. This may also help cut down on the tongue bite. If I could remedy this problem this could very well become an all day smoke for me. Until then it is a sometime smoke in the evening when I want something sweet before I go to bed. I find it best to smoke while reading Garrison Keillor(sp?). Ah, now that's better!
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BriarLaw	03/17/2003	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I like to smoke a VA tobacco as a change of pace from my usual English/Latakia blends. So perhaps I am not the best judge insofar as I am not a purist. With that said I think No. 27 is excellent. A natuarally sweet/spicy flavor that continues throughout the bowl. Not too much bite for a VA, although with all VAs, you have to watch it. The aroma is certainly nicer than Latakia (for those around you). Sort of reminds me of a bakery. Relatively easy to rub-out and pack, and burns reasonably well (all flakes are a bit tough). Not sure I agree that this is an "all day smoke" as advertised on the tin, however, unless your tongue resembles your dog's raw hide chew or you are a veteran VA smoker. All in all a nice VA which, along with Rattray's Old Gowrie, are some of the best pure VAs out there.
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NEWMAN	02/03/2003	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
Yet another McClelland blend that greets you with a vinegar aroma upon tin opening. Nicely prepared reddish to brownish flakes are partially rubbed out and I smoked them as received. Easy to light and keep lit. However, contrary to the tin claims, this is not an all day or indoor smoke for me. Although I had much better success with large bowled pipes, @ the pace that I sometimes smoke @ work, by the end of the day, my tongue was scorched. I've experienced similar results with other red VA flakes. You must smoke them slowly to allow the natural sweetness to develop and save your tongue. McClelland blends in general are not my wife's favorite aromas and #27 is near the bottom of her list. Within McClelland's portfolio, I'd pick Blackwoods or bulk 2015 flakes far before this blend.
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