McClelland Tawny Flake
(3.04)
Little, elegant flue-cured Virginia flakes, redolent with sun-dappled sweetness, and pleasantly tangy. This skillfully blended tobacco, mellowed with Blakeney's exclusive toasting process, fills the pipe with pleasure.
Notes: McClelland introduced their Blakeney's Best line at the 21st CORPS (Conclave of Richmond Pipe Smokers) Pipe Show in Richmond, Virginia. The 50g tin was released to the public in late 2005.
Details
| Brand | McClelland |
| Series | Blakeney's Best |
| Blended By | McClelland |
| Manufactured By | McClelland |
| Blend Type | Straight Virginia |
| Contents | Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50g 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
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.04 / 4
|
Reviews
Please login to post a review.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25, 2013 | Mild | None Detected | Mild | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I recently purchased a tin of this from a B&M that is a little out of my way. The tin is from 2006 so is about 7 years old. Tawny flake is a straight Virginia flake tobacco. It is from McClelland's Blakeney's line, which goes through a toasting process that supposedly removes the "bite" factor from the Virginia tobacco.
Upon opening the tin, the usual McClelland ketchup/vinegar aroma is notable but muted compared to other McClelland Virginias such as Blackwoods flake. I rubbed out the whole tin, as is my practice with McClelland Virignia flakes. My experience is that the longer the rubbed out tobacco sits in the tin, the better it tastes. This review is from my first 3 bowls of this tobacco, so it may get better with time. The tobacco seems to be a bit drier than other Va flakes I have opened, not sure if that is usual for this blend or the 7 years of age.
The predominant flavors in this tobacco are the grassy/hay variety. This is a very mild tobacco compared to other McClellands I have enjoyed, and this one not as much. It does as promised, in that there is little bite and very easy to smoke. This is good if you are a hard smoker, although it won't teach you to slow down which is important to truly enjoy the pipe. I just felt this was a bland, unexciting tobacco. I prefer something with a bit more intrigue. Also, the virginia sweetness I love seems to be mostly absent here. It is as if they took one of their better tobaccos and watered it down. Less flavor, less nic, less tongue bite. This is a good entry tobacco to flake or as a crossover for a converted cigarette smoker.
Upon opening the tin, the usual McClelland ketchup/vinegar aroma is notable but muted compared to other McClelland Virginias such as Blackwoods flake. I rubbed out the whole tin, as is my practice with McClelland Virignia flakes. My experience is that the longer the rubbed out tobacco sits in the tin, the better it tastes. This review is from my first 3 bowls of this tobacco, so it may get better with time. The tobacco seems to be a bit drier than other Va flakes I have opened, not sure if that is usual for this blend or the 7 years of age.
The predominant flavors in this tobacco are the grassy/hay variety. This is a very mild tobacco compared to other McClellands I have enjoyed, and this one not as much. It does as promised, in that there is little bite and very easy to smoke. This is good if you are a hard smoker, although it won't teach you to slow down which is important to truly enjoy the pipe. I just felt this was a bland, unexciting tobacco. I prefer something with a bit more intrigue. Also, the virginia sweetness I love seems to be mostly absent here. It is as if they took one of their better tobaccos and watered it down. Less flavor, less nic, less tongue bite. This is a good entry tobacco to flake or as a crossover for a converted cigarette smoker.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 10, 2017 | Mild | None Detected | Mild | Pleasant |
This is a serviceable tobacco but McClelland makes far better flakes. Not terrible but I would recommend Blackwoods or Christmas Cheer over this.
I would actually prefer a fresh tin of Blackwoods to this tin that has aged 12 years. That's saying something...
I would actually prefer a fresh tin of Blackwoods to this tin that has aged 12 years. That's saying something...
Pipe Used:
Cob
Age When Smoked:
12 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 01, 2005 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is a nice looking tobacco, a mixture of mostly dark browns shaped like flattened Fritos. Needed a little drying out before packing, and the tobacco rubs into rough textured pieces for filling the bowl. The taste is OK, I was not overwhelmed, and as this costs a little more than say Blackwoods Flake or #22, not worth it. Just didn't do much for me, although it wasn't awful or anything like that. Marlin Flake, Blackwoods, or Full Virginia anytime.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 29, 2005 | Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
Appearance and Tin Aroma: Little 1x1 flakes, mostly brown in color. Smells like a lightly stoved VA.The MC typical ketchup aroma is very subdued, almost non-existent.
Packing and Lighting: I prefered to rub the flakes out gently and gravity feed into the pipe with only the lightest tamping before lighting. 2-4 re-lights max.
Initial Flavor: light to medium VA, nothing extraordinary.
Mid-Bowl: Tastes burnt! stoving done too quickly? Not much flavor for the amount of puffing I am doing.
Bottom of Bowl: Doesn't build much strength, ash is grey and dry. Still tastes burnt!
Overall: This is a beginners VA and not a great one at that. It is very difficult to get tongue-bite with this blend though. Some like the "toastiness" of the blend, but to me it tastes burnt! I much rather recommend "Brown Clunee" for a beginners VA. This blend just did not do much for me.
Packing and Lighting: I prefered to rub the flakes out gently and gravity feed into the pipe with only the lightest tamping before lighting. 2-4 re-lights max.
Initial Flavor: light to medium VA, nothing extraordinary.
Mid-Bowl: Tastes burnt! stoving done too quickly? Not much flavor for the amount of puffing I am doing.
Bottom of Bowl: Doesn't build much strength, ash is grey and dry. Still tastes burnt!
Overall: This is a beginners VA and not a great one at that. It is very difficult to get tongue-bite with this blend though. Some like the "toastiness" of the blend, but to me it tastes burnt! I much rather recommend "Brown Clunee" for a beginners VA. This blend just did not do much for me.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 24, 2005 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Very Mild | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I really, really wanted to love this tobacco. Alas, this is just too mild of a taste to really do anything for me. This blend is a far cry from the deep dark VA blends from McC Tobacco, and although I loved the scent of the smoke, the taste itself was just not there. I'm not so sure that the stoving process that this tobacco had undergone was not lost on me. It may have removed one of my favorite elements that makes McC's Virgina blends special to me.
Once again, I will hold this tobacco and try it again in various pipes, etc., but as it stands, this is a very neutral blend in my book.
Once again, I will hold this tobacco and try it again in various pipes, etc., but as it stands, this is a very neutral blend in my book.
target="_blank"
