Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Clan Aromatic (Original)

The Clan Original (or aromatic), the famous Clan, a tobacco hated by many but loved by its fans. A tobacco in which the history merges with myth. A tobacco considered difficult to smoke, painted as the nightmare of the beginners. For me, today, this isn't the real situation. The blend is complex there are many varieties of different tobaccos from all over the world. The cut is intersting becouse is a shag cut, very short and easy to pack. The umidity is right for load it just after the opening. Clan offers a smooth and fresh smoke, if we consider that is a flavoured tobacco, imprinted on the sweetness. The added flavours are difficult to analyze, there is an alcholic note and something like red fruit, but recognizing them all is a challenge. So I can say that Clan is an easy tobacco, doesn't warm up and bite the tongue also if stressed. In conclusion it isn't so impossible for beginners. I don't like flavoured tobacco, but I want to be objective: Clan is an average enjoyable tobacco and not a loved/hated tobacco.

During a trip to Italy the other year I managed to leave the tin of tobacco I had brought with me behind at a café in Rome. In dire need of more tobacco, I found a so-called tobacconist near where we were staying. Clan was the only pipe tobacco she carried. Having never heard of it before, I decided to give it a try, unwisely not going online first to look for reviews.

I'd consider this tobacco unsmokeable. The room note is tolerable enough, even pleasant, indeed that might be the only area in which this tobacco can be recommended. It smells well enough in the pouch. It doesn't taste much of anything, it burns so good you could use it as tinder, and if you aren't careful the tongue bite is out of this world.

I stuck with cigarettes and cigars for the rest of the trip.

Hmm, this is interesting. I didn't expect Clan to cause such a division within pipe smokers as personally I don't think it's really *that* spectacular either way. Clan will, however, always have a special place in my thoughts and in my pipe, as it's either the second or possibly even first pipe tobacco that I smoked, and the only one of the widely available ones I remember from my younger days to be still around.

The pouch note is very satisfying, with an undertone of dark fudge laced with whisky, old leather and dark wood; unfortunately, as this is an aromatic, it doesn't really transform into taste in equal measure, which always remains just a tad bit artificial. Consistency is that of very fine shag, almost like rolling tobacco, and one needs to smoke this a bit carefully as it burns very easy and fast - in fact, "violently" is a word that springs to mind - leaving clean white-grey ashes. For these reasons, if there was ever cause to recommend a pipe tobacco for cigarette rolling for lack of proper rolling tobacco, I would say Clan. The tongue bite is also considerable in this. That said, the taste is not at all disagreeable if smoked carefully, and the dominating fudge-like character (which I think might be the cause for the "Scottish" connection) and room note conjure up an image of taking a comfortable seat in front of a fireplace on a cold winter's evening, with a large mug of steaming cocoa and a good pipe filled with Clan.

As said, I will totally unashamedly enjoy Clan occasionally still, like a pouch a year or so, and it would actually be my second favourite supermarket brand, if Amphora Red is not available.

A 3-star that would probably be a 2 if I smoked Clan for the first time today.

Oh dear, i'm suprised to see Clan being reviewed so badly. It's not one of my absolute favourite blends, but i do like to sit down with a bowl of it every now and then.

Like many have said, this tobacco comes in a very fine loose cut. Fine enough that some consider it a shag cut (Like cigarette rolling tobacco). Because of this, Clan burns quite quickly, and potentially quite hot. This means that on the one hand, you have to be somewhat wary of tongue bite and flavour loss, but on the other hand, it does make Clan a good blend to pick when you want more of a quick, light smoke. Even taking it slow, a decently sized bowl of this stuff won't last as long as...... well, any other loose cut i know, let alone as long as flakes, rope cuts etc.

I never had much of a problem regarding the moisture in the tin, but to be fair, i tend to prefer my leaf a little on the dry side.

As for the flavour, i could never pin it down with this blend. Other reviewers have done a better job than i could on this one, but in short, i find the flavour to be quite pleasant and mellow, tobacco-y but with a pleasant sweetness from the topping rounding it off. I do not get any soapyness, which i've seen some people complain of.

Strength in flavour is fairly mild, and the nicotine hit is barely present at all. It's quite a light, mild smoke overall.

It does lose a bit of flavour towards the last third of the bowl, and to get the most out of the first two thirds, you'll want to ease up on the cadence.

Unsuprisingly with the cut, it takes a light very, very easily, will need few relights and burns to the finest of ashes. It CAN leave some shreds of leaf stuck to the side of your bowl though, so do be sure to clean your pipe well after a bowl of Clan.

Overall, Clan isn't the very best tobacco out there, but i do think it's a bit underrated.

Clan original as it is now known, is probably one of the most infamous tobaccos out there, horror stories abound, it's horrific reputation reaches the acreage pipe smoker long before the pouch lands in his hands.

I have ventured yet again into the world of clan now I have a good number of piping years under my belt, this was the final do or die attempt and what do I think?

Actually pretty good, OK, brace yourself for this, I've actually really enjoyed my renewed foray into it. So from the first time I tried it I find the tobacco quality has improved a lot, it no longer looks like a bag of floor sweeping, also they have got rid of the awful pouch that you would find the likes of drum in (which I think was the biggest contributor of it being as dry as sticks).

So opening the pouch it is pretty much a densely compressed block but teasing it apart isn't an issue, the famous aroma has been toned back a tad to allow a more natural. Tobacco scent to emanate, I Deffinitely get whisky, some smokeyness, cocoa and freshly mowed grass.

Packing the long stranded ribbons is no chore, remember you want this packed a little tighter than normal but not too tight to restrict airflow. It takes the flame easily and I settled back to enjoy, for he type a cut, quite a long pleasant smoke. The moisture is spot on, it needs no drying, and it smokes quite easily, if packed too loosely it will burn too easily hence the bite.

Granted my bowl did get warm when I got a bit carried away but keeping the cadence of your draws in check will alleviate this. During the smoke I picked up on the aromas above and there is a definite presence of latakia In this.

Hardly had to relight, and I found the experience really pleasant. I am really enjoying this revisit and yeah I think I want to keep this one around to be honest.

Room note I found pleasant, it has quite a unique one at thay, other half wasn't really fussed but it shouldn't raise to many eyebrows. Strength isn't going to knock you on your butt I would say mild to almost medium.

4 stars from me.

A friend of mine smoked this stuff for 40+ years and swore by it. Well I swore at it! I really don't know what to say about this blend. It's not as un pleasant as some would have you believe but it's just too expensive for what you get. The pouch note is quite delicious. That's where it ends. It tastes like pine needles and napalm! Boy this stuff burns fast and hot. It matters not how you pack it, it will burn like nothing on earth. I didn't experience too much bite when sipped.It leaves a nice smell in the room but so does air freshner for a quid! I can't say what tobacco's are being used here, I just can't detect any particular tobacco type but I suspect there is a lot of cheap Burley here topped with chemical warfare. I can't recommend this blend when for the same money, or less, you can buy some really lovely tobacco. Stick to St Bruno or Condor for OTC blends or give up smoking if you can only buy this. Shame, if it had quality tobacco's with that lovely pouch note it could be a winner.

Scandinavian Tobacco Group - Clan.

Ok, so I reviewed this a few years ago, was fairly brutal, and when I read it back I thought I sounded like the proverbial tobacco snob. So, I deleted my former review, opened a fresh pouch up, and thought I'd be as impartial as is humanly possible.

To begin on a good note the blend has an appealing appearance: snippets of all shades of weed, and to be fair the moisture's good. The pouch note was made a little tricky to identify by the smell of plastic/chemicals from the seal glue, but forgetting those there isn't anything particularly preeminent about the note.

The smoke isn't as bad as I remembered it to be, as an otc blend it isn't in the league of St. Bruno or Condor, they get four stars but I wouldn't rate Clan with only one star. The added flavourings are very mild, the main tastes are the tobaccos: I get a very toasty note from the Burley/Kentucky. This seems to me the stronger of the leaves, the rest make a cornucopia of flavours: I guess that's the polite way of saying it tastes a bit messy! As subjective as it is, the tongue bite deters me somewhat: it's ok for the first quarter, but does begin to give me grief after that. The burn from Clan is reasonably good, but it tends to be a touch quick.

The room-note from Clan is its best feature, and the nicotine's below medium. This isn't THAT bad, nothing spectacular, but not the worst:

Two and a half stars.

I tried this before reading the reviews and I was thinking to myself, I bet this is a beloved old European OTC blend. I found it had an unusual but pleasant taste and was quite satisfying.

Then I read the reviews! Boy to folks have this stuff. I must be in the minority. I am used to that as I am smarter and better looking than most people. Ha ha. I think it's a 2.5 start blend but am giving it three just to bump up its total score. Such haters.

Well, I've read the reviews, which reflect entirely that one man's meat is another man's poison. I've not smoked Clan before, so this is based on about five bowls.

Yes, it can bite. It can really bite, but only if you suck on your pipe like a McDonald's milkshake. A gentle sipping releases far more than most have revealed in other reviews. There's a big vanilla hit, and the stuff does smell like Bird's Custard Powder in the bag, however, a little TLC coaxes a nice, buttery flavour, if a little thin, from the easily packed tobacco. This is a one light bowl. I don't even bother with a charring light, but slightly under fill the bowl , spark up and puff down to a wonderful fine white ash. I use an air-pocket method of packing, which definitely helps.

Overall, this doesn't scare me, it's inoffensive, and it's easy to get hold of. Somewhat recommended with a caution about over-drawing, unless pain is your friend.