McClelland Royal Cajun Ebony

This is the sweetest of the cajun black series, but it still retains a bit of spiciness and a nice complexity. This blend is very dark, but it lights well and smokes cool and dry. I found this tobacco supplied a nice flavor of raisins with just a hint of cinnamon and pepper. I didn't like it quite as much as the Dark blend in the same series, but I did find it to be very enjoyable. Much like the other two, this blend was also smooth on the palate. I would recommend this one for those looking to try the series who don't like their tobacco to be very spicy. If you do, the Dark blend is for you.

Sinister Topiary's earlier review of this tobacco and where it sits in relation to the two other RC offerings is bang on the money.

While it might be natural to think of a tobacco marked 'ebony' as being richer or fuller, this is decidedly not the case here. The designation seems to indicate that the blend is almost entirely heavily stoved tobacco plus the fire cured 'pseudo' perique. The result is a tobacco that is very sweet with an abundance of fruity flavours, particularly dried fruits. Savoury, peppery notes are not absent by any stretch, but this is a much less complex blend than either the Dark or the Special.

Still, this is a glorious tobacco and well worth it on its own merits. Could well be a 4 star rating from me, but I have kept that for Dark in order to indicate that baccy's 'preferred' status for me.

Burns well, and slowly, is bite free, and like Special, I would suggest this is a pragmatic alternative to stoved tobaccos like Dark Star that can be difficult to manage, or even the very best British ropes.

With this blend, the processing is key. It's difficult, if not impossible, to tease out any particular Virginia or Kentucky tastes, and I'm simply not up for that kind of teasing.

The first opening of the tine gives you the (by now) familiar smell of a good, dark ketchup, with the second note being a smoking aroma - this is, no doubt, where the barbeque flavoring that some have noted comes in.

There's no barbeque taste when you light up, however. The taste is smoky and complex, very mild and velvety on the tongue. There's not too much moisture, it packs nicely for such a course cut, burns cleanly throughout the whole bowl, and leaves a very nice aftertaste.

I'll make this short and sweet - for a little something out of the ordinary and a nice velvet touch on the tongue this is a one-of-a-kind experience not to be missed.

This blend did exibit something special. It is a multi-dimensional smoke, somewhat milder and different from most blends containing standard perique. It contains the newest blending component, which would make me want to purchase it. It packs easy, smokes cool and leaves a bit of dottle in the heel of the pipe. Worth trying and certainly a premium tobacco.

This tobacco is definitely dark, I would say black with occasional shades of dark brown. It really smells smokey upon opening, with sweetness at the same time, but the smokey is predominant. I like the smell of it, it's different, quite unique, can't compare it to Latakia at all. The tobacco itself is not very long, it kind of reminds me of Dark Fragrant, but flattended, if anybody can visualize that. The tobacco is really a small cut, but it makes sense like this because otherwise it would be too hard and long to smoke.

I believe this tobacco should be smoked in a small bowl, so I chose one of my Danish Sovereign and my Chacom Atlante. Don't pack it too tight because 3 weeks after opening, it still has a good rate of dampness, but not overwheming. It is a bit hard to light up but remains rather steady if you dedicate yourself to the smoking. I don't think anybody would want to smoke this tobacco outside, it might prove a tongue killer if it's just a bit windy.

As you keep smoking, it becomes stronger, the smokey side kicks in a bit more than the sweetness, which remain noticeable but discreet, in order to balance the smokey part. The bowl is dry after I'm finished.

I like this tobacco, it's different, rich but not overwhelming and it smokes surprisingly well when smoked with attention. I will not consider it a daily smoke, but a couple times a week is perfect for me.

IMHO this is McClelland's finest Virginia flake offering. A very heady and complex mixture for the experienced piper. It comes completely rubbed out,which makes for very easy packing and lighting.The flavor is equally sweet and sour. I enjoyed it greatly. I feel the best description of the tobacco and the experience would be the following: A much fuller,richer,and SWEETER STONEHAVEN. That pretty much says it all. I actually enjoyed this more than Stonehaven (Even though there is Perique present)3.5 of 4 stars.