McClelland 40th Anniversary

(3.72)
McClelland's 40th Anniversary offering is dedicated to Virginias, and of course those with a love for Virginia leaf as well. The tobacco itself is a red Virginia flake, promising a rich, mellow, sweet smoking experience, and something that will age superbly.
Notes: Superb North Carolina red Virginia worthy of a very special occasion.

Details

Brand McClelland
Series Limited Edition
Blended By McClelland Tobacco Company
Manufactured By McClelland Tobacco Company
Blend Type Straight Virginia
Contents Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Flake
Packaging 100 grams tin
Country United States
Production No longer in production

Profile

Strength
Mild to Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.72 / 4
28

6

2

0

Reviews

Please login to post a review.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 36 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 22, 2017 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Very Pleasant
The tangy, ripe dark fruity, earthy, woody red Virginia takes a lead over the lighter, orange Virginia, and also sports a little sugar. The orange Virginia provides a bit of citrus, light grassiness, and a couple pinches of spice and a bare hint of floralness. The proportions of the Virginias vary from flake to flake, so there is a small inconsistency in how you will perceive the inherent flavors of the tobaccos. Having written that, it should be noted that they meld fairly well, and you’ll observe every nuance in every puff to one degree or another. There is a very slight hint of “vinegar” from the tobaccos that barely make their way into the experience, and very quickly disappears. Although this manufacture isn’t as deep in flavor as some other McClelland Virginia offerings, there’s a couple subtleties present that some of them lack. The nic-hit is just past the mild mark. The strength level is a couple steps shy of the center of mild to medium, while the taste almost reaches that threshold. No chance of bite or harshness exists here. The product is a little moist, but it needs no dry time. Burns cool, clean and a little slow as flakes tend to do, but they are easily broken apart to suit your packing preference. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires some relights. Has a pleasant, lightly lingering after taste. Can easily be an all day smoke. Has great age potential. Three and a half stars out of four.

-JimInks
38 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 22, 2017 Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant
I simply cannot believe that Mike and Mary made a blend this good . Even by their very high standards this is exceptional . This is a complex Virginia that delivers simply the smoothest smoke that I have ever had .As the smoke progresses it goes from Virginia highlights to a deep and mellow flow with earthy overtones . Although it was freshly tinned this tobacco smoked like a xmas cheer that had a chance to ferment for a few years . I will wait a few months for the tobacco in my unopened cans to ferment a while and it will be even better . I cannot imagine where they got this Virginia but it might not have been on Earth . The tobacco is cut in little squares and rectangles and real easy to prepare for the pipe . The moisture level is perfect . A bunch of us opened this tin in Chicago this year . We had been smoking Four Square Red in a cutter top can . It was great . The Mc Clelland stood up to it very nicely . In my 55 years of smoking I guess that I have smoked it all . Nothing beat this .
30 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 12, 2017 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
Mild to medium body Virginia Flake. Ready to be smoked from the tin, though air drying for a few minutes wouldn't hurt. Lights up easily and burns slowly and evenly to fine ligh gray ash. Tin aroma of dry fruit with a touch of citrus. Very mild and pleasant smock with not even a hint of tongue bite. Very pleasant natural sweetnes of Virginia, slightly tangy with touch of citrus and grassy overtones. Just enough spice to add complexity to the smoke. I am huge fan of Christmas Cheer and tried all of them for at least last 20 years, but this is even better. Probably the best Virginia Flake ever made!
14 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 16, 2017 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant
This is my favorite blend I've smoked so far. I'd had my share of vapers before this, but never a straight Virginia and though I like my Vapers, this is just something special. There is jus something savory about it. It's not peppery like a vaper, but it has this tang of spiciness that is amazing. From the first puff to the last. It's a really flavorful fully tasteful Virginia. After enjoying it so much I picked up some 5100 red cake, hoping it would be a close enough flavor that I could not have to worry about the "limited edition" tag this has, and be able to enjoy that taste in bulk forever, but it just wasn't happening. I enjoy 5100 red cake, but the label on this isn't lying. It's a whole lot richer than the red cake. 1/2 a bowl in on the red cake, I taste a hint of similarity, but while red cake is kind of airy, this is rich flavor all the way. I really hope they find a way to keep this stuff around a while longer than "limited edition" would indicate. No tongue bite, just great taste.
Pipe Used: cobs and briars.
PurchasedFrom: Tobacco Junction
Age When Smoked: New
11 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 19, 2017 Mild to Medium Very Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
...a very nice offering from McClelland...after several bowls, it has quickly become a favorite...More to follow after a few more bowls...I don't get any of the ketchup or vinegar smell or taste and this could be an all day smoke for many...

More to come...
Pipe Used: group 3-5size
PurchasedFrom: smokinpipes.com
Age When Smoked: fresh
8 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 08, 2017 Mild None Detected Mild Pleasant
Typical McClelland broken flakes with much less of the signature fermented Virginia aroma than most of their VA's. Purported to be a straight red, this also has streaks of light color I associate with lemon Virginia. Indeed, there was a definite citrus aroma among the normal red's deeper scent.

I've been working on this tin for a month and it finally dried on its own to the proper level. I've never smoked a Virginia tobacco that was this characterless right out of the tin. This needs drying time to get at those flavors the extra water hides. Dried out, this produced a nice mix of red's usual tang and punch with lemon's citrus and light sweetness. Not nearly as deep as a Christmas Cheer offering, this one does share with the CC's - and indeed, with all McClellands blends - a seamless top to bottom consistency of flavor. There were more differences within a single bowl than that of one bowl to the next. The flavor reminded me of various Christmas Cheers but this didn't have the depth nor the complexity, not to mention a lack of CC's vigor and boisterousness. This one was pretty subdued in comparison, and needs aging as much as it needs drying, as it tasted like a youngish strain of Virginia. Not that it was bad... in fact, it was very good. I'd say 3.5 stars but not a great 4 star blend - yet. However, I have a feeling it will become one in 5-10 years, so I'm keeping the rest of my stash to age.
7 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 21, 2017 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
Wonderful and it should only get better with age. 40th Ann. reminds me of the level of leaf that McClellands uses for Christmas Cheer, but this has more heft and less tang. If you enjoy Virginias at all, you will love this.
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: Fresh
7 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 18, 2018 Mild None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant
Review if from a fresh tin. I do see some real promise in aging as with all McClelland Virginia's.

The tin note is heaven, I am a fan of the signature McC process and aroma, and the flakes are beautiful broken flakes that look like beef jerky.

This is one of the more "interesting" VA's from McC for me. It is much more subtle in flavor than most of their VA blends. That subdued flavor and easy going nature is one of the thing that I really enjoy (I have smoked about 10 bowls of this in cobs, clay, briar and a meer). I prefer VA's in a meer, cob and newly discovered clay. Those pipes seem closer to neutral and allow you to really enjoy the straight VA's. This tobacco has sweetness, spice, dark fruit and bready flavors. All are subtle and at times one of those flavors takes over and then is taken over by another. The aftertaste is one of the best I have encountered. I would call the "base flavor" that of baked bread, lightly toasted. Spiciness is best experienced on retrohale. Not a perique like tingle but a peppery spice nonetheless. The sweetness from all McClelland blends, and this is no different, is all from the tobacco and not from a flavoring, which for me is a major difference from just about all other VA's (I am convinced almost all others are cased or treated with sugar or some sweet base that enhance sweetness). The sweetness is not like candy, it is subtle and delicious. I have a few tins so I can experience this as it ages. I can see this just getting better and better. This is a 3.5 for me right now but I can see this being a 5 star blend in a few years.
Pipe Used: Briar's, meerschaum and cobs
6 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 11, 2017 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
Exactly what it says on the label. These broken flakes burn slowly with beautiful, and mellow yet rich Va flavour. Aside from the signature acetic McC note, this really is in the tradition of British flakes of years gone by.

It's not complex, but nor is it linear. There is plenty of flavour, and it is all ripe Virginia.

The flakes are thick and rubbery and they will not rub out completely by hand. Go with the flow and stuff and go. As others have noted, absolutely bite free and mellow till the last ash. Lasts an age in the bowl. Good for anytime, but well worth making this a 'down time' smoke.

As a final note, I found it did far better in briar than cob or clay, which is always a surprise to me when a tobacco does that.
Pipe Used: BC Old Root Bulldog
6 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 24, 2017 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
Yes, this really is a great tobacco. It has the same DNA as the Christmas Cheers offerings which are my favorites. Less ketchup smell than the CCs but as with them that note soon disappears and does not come through in the smoke. A little less tangy than the Christmas Cheers also. Seems to be pressed fairly hard so took a little more rubbing out than normal for this cut of tobacco. Perfect moisture straight out of the tin. Cellar some for sure, this will be a classic.
Pipe Used: Ferndown
PurchasedFrom: Smoking Pipes
Age When Smoked: Fresh
6 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.

target="_blank"