McClelland Yenidje Highlander
(3.30)
Highlander is the one blend so far in the Grand Orientals Series using Latakia. It is a classic mixture of the finest mountain grown Yenidje with both Cyprian and Syrian Latakia and just enough Matured Red Virginia and mellow Maryland. This is a smooth cool-smoking oriental mixture of outstanding character. Our inspiration was a vintage tin of the old Balkan Sobranie.
Notes: From McClelland: Oriental tobacco cultivation began in the 1600s around the villages of Yenidje and Kirdzhali after Venetian and Genoese traders introduced tobacco smoking to the area in the 1500s. The classic Basma seed introduced there over 300 years ago is believed by some to derive from an ancient Venezuelan variety of Nicotiana Tabacum named Barinas. The very finest Xanthi still comes from the original Yenidje (Genesaia) area of Western Thrace just north of the modern town of Xanthi. It is the Xanthi-Yaka-Basma and the Xanthi-Djebel-Basma that comprise the legendary Yenidje leaf which is thin, full-bodied, flexible, with fine veins. Full of oils, the best leaves are quite small, yellow to brown in color, with a pleasant, delicate aroma and sweet, mild, fresh flavor.
Details
| Brand | McClelland |
| Series | Grand Orientals |
| Blended By | McClelland Tobacco Company |
| Manufactured By | McClelland Tobacco Company |
| Blend Type | Oriental |
| Contents | Latakia, Maryland, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Coarse Cut |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin, 100 grams tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.30 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 17 of 17 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 07, 2018 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Tin note is mostly McClelland Virginia and Latakia. The Syrian Latakia's wine like scent seems to mute the normally ketchup like smell of the McClelland VA's. I had bought all of the GO series tobacco's to broaden my experience with Oriental leaf and become more in tune with their flavors and this paid off. If any of you are like me and tend to go more to VA's and Burley's in the warmer months but still crave some Latakia every once in awhile this is a great one to smoke in warmer weather. The flavor is very nuanced and layered with the VA's and Orientals being most prominent. The Orientals are spicy, dry and woody. There is a peculiar flavor, somewhere between seltzer water and tonic water that is as much mouth feel as it is a favor. I like it. The VA's are sweet and have a bready and even buttery flavor (may be the interplay of the Orientals and VA's). The lightly applied Latakia's are smokey and sweet and dance in and out during the smoke. This is a great smoke when you are in the mood for nuance and a hint of latakia and of course a spice filled smoke.
Pipe Used:
Briar's
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 28, 2011 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This was an enjoyable blend, although I only had a small sample, so I would like to smoke through a whole tin of it sometime. I heard such raves about this blend that when I first got my sample I dreamt of my previous experience with Katerini Classic from the same series. When I tried it, I can't say I was entirely disappointed, but it was not what I was expecting. It was good but for me the latakia was not strong enough and the orientals didn't shine like I wanted them to. It's a good smoke, and I want to try a bigger sample, but my initial bout with it didn't drive it up to my favorites list along with it's cousin Katerini.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 11, 2010 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
I bought this and the Yenica Agonya to try near the same timeframe, and initially I liked the Yenice much better. I let this one sit for a while and came back to it because the Yenice was getting low. I think some time on the shelf helped this blend get itself together. I think it came out nice and mellow, and I can say that the non oriental componenets have not overpowered the Yenidje. I think I will get this not as often as the Agonya or other Orientals, but it might grow more on me still.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 19, 2008 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
A subtle and soft blend, as one would expect. Burns well out of the tin with about fifteen minutes of dry-time. It starts off very subtle indeed ? too much so for an English smoker like me ? but soon I started to notice a gentle cocoa-like finish to each puff. Could this be the latakia? The flavor gradually lifts off as you go down the bowl. The Orientals deepen in complexity, giving slight acid tang to balance the cocoa/latakia, while the Virginias keep it naturally sweet. All in all it?s very nice and well balanced, a true connoisseur?s tobacco. I would call it a Balkan?s lighter cousin, the way that some big red wines (say Burgundy) have whites produced from the same grape. (That?s pretentious, I know, but it?s true!). I tend to prefer more body to my smoke so I give it three stars, but that?s not meant to slight its quality. Good stuff!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 04, 2008 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
I received a sample of this from a friend. I've smoked a few bowls of it now and I really like it. No cover-up tastes, just good tobacco flavors. It lights easily, burns fairly cool, and requires few relights. Leaves a nice grey/black ash all the way to the bottom of the bowl. It does end in a slight "ashy" taste, and that's why only 3 stars. I'll be getting more of this.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 29, 2008 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
For starters I didn't detect any of the ketchup/vinegar smell in the blend, not that that puts me off anyway. This is a very nice blend, occasionally the virginia dominates and that is unfortunate. I like this company's virginia, it just seems a tad out of place here. This blend really shines when you get that incense-like whiff, that I'm assuming is the Yenidje. I love Syrian and this doesn't seem to have much of that or else the Cyprian is interfering with it. All in all, when the bowl doesn't contain too much virginia, this hits its stride and is pretty good!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 28, 2011 | Medium | None Detected | Mild | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This isn't a bad Latakia blend. One gets an idea of the interplay between Yenidje & Latakia. Fairly interesting smoke but not one I intend on purchasing again. It was...not all that enjoyable for me. Maybe I'm just looking for too much Sobranie flavor in these Latakia concoctions. Most leave me...dissapointed due to little more than a dominating Latakia presence.
I think more Oriental, less Maryland and more Virginia might fix this blend. Therefore, IMHO, Yenidje Highlander merits two stars. Sampled in a size two Stanwell.
I think more Oriental, less Maryland and more Virginia might fix this blend. Therefore, IMHO, Yenidje Highlander merits two stars. Sampled in a size two Stanwell.
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