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 21 - 27 of 27 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 21, 2019 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Bloody fantastic smoke!! It's been a long while since I became so excited after cracking a tin.
A very distinctive smoke for a number of reasons. First, it does not taste like a McClelland, it does not have the distinctive vinegary tin note, nor does it have the aroma of other blends in the Grand Oriental series. Yenidge Higlander seems to me to not have any added aroma at all!! And why do so, when you have top leaf naturaly fragrant Yenidge in generous amounts! Then it's one of the few blends I've tasted where Latakia -although discernible- is only a condiment. Here Latakia complements the Orientals and not the other way round, as is most often the case. Third, Yenidge Highlander is the blend I've tasted, apart from pure Oriental leafs, that showcases the archetypal Oriental leaf taste more than any other! Even the other tobaccos from McClelland's Oriental series taste more like McClelland than Oriental, delectable though they are.
From the first whiff, the thing that comes through is the natural fragrant, sour, loamy taste of the Yenidge. Then a fine chocolaty smokiness from the Latakia adds the deep notes while Virginias lift the smoke whith their hay-like aromas. There are also woodsy notes presumably enhanced by the Maryland. And the smoke is so smooth, so tasty with no bite and can produce plumes of smoke if you like it to. Impressive spectrum of aromas from deep to high.
My tin is from 2014 and the tin note is woodsy and has a wine-like character. The cut is the McClelland ribbond with a few pieces of broken flakes here and there and the moisture is optimal for loading straightaway, even a little dry. Room note is quite strong for smoking among non-smokers.
According to a little research I made, Yenidje Highlander, alongside White Knight, C&D's Odessa, Balkan Sasieni, G.L. Pease's Meridian and Danish Pipe Shop's Hvid Balkan, among others probably are blends which try to emulate the White Balkan Sobranie of old. If it were indeed similar to Yenidge Highlander, I then come to understand the rave. It is really an exceptional tobacco!
A very distinctive smoke for a number of reasons. First, it does not taste like a McClelland, it does not have the distinctive vinegary tin note, nor does it have the aroma of other blends in the Grand Oriental series. Yenidge Higlander seems to me to not have any added aroma at all!! And why do so, when you have top leaf naturaly fragrant Yenidge in generous amounts! Then it's one of the few blends I've tasted where Latakia -although discernible- is only a condiment. Here Latakia complements the Orientals and not the other way round, as is most often the case. Third, Yenidge Highlander is the blend I've tasted, apart from pure Oriental leafs, that showcases the archetypal Oriental leaf taste more than any other! Even the other tobaccos from McClelland's Oriental series taste more like McClelland than Oriental, delectable though they are.
From the first whiff, the thing that comes through is the natural fragrant, sour, loamy taste of the Yenidge. Then a fine chocolaty smokiness from the Latakia adds the deep notes while Virginias lift the smoke whith their hay-like aromas. There are also woodsy notes presumably enhanced by the Maryland. And the smoke is so smooth, so tasty with no bite and can produce plumes of smoke if you like it to. Impressive spectrum of aromas from deep to high.
My tin is from 2014 and the tin note is woodsy and has a wine-like character. The cut is the McClelland ribbond with a few pieces of broken flakes here and there and the moisture is optimal for loading straightaway, even a little dry. Room note is quite strong for smoking among non-smokers.
According to a little research I made, Yenidje Highlander, alongside White Knight, C&D's Odessa, Balkan Sasieni, G.L. Pease's Meridian and Danish Pipe Shop's Hvid Balkan, among others probably are blends which try to emulate the White Balkan Sobranie of old. If it were indeed similar to Yenidge Highlander, I then come to understand the rave. It is really an exceptional tobacco!
Age When Smoked:
Around five years old.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 27, 2010 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Zulujerk nailed it, 100% I like this blend dried just a tad, and smoked in a .750" (19mm) bore. Smoked slowly, it's completely enjoyable, and rich. The Syrian is so smooth, and the Yenidje adds buttery smooth spice, as well, the VA is sweet, but never overpowers. This is just delicious!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 19, 2008 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
A great blend. Initially when opening the tin, had the typical aoma of McClelland catsup (I disagree witht he review that this is not a distinct McClelland smell...not that I don't l ike it...it is distinct and for lack of a better descriptive aroma, I think catsup) The taste after the light was magnificant. The Yenidje tobacco is very unique and blended with the latakia, it gives off a beautiful room aroma. The latakia is not prnounced and I wonder what a bit more latakia would do for the blend. The Yenidje makes the smoke very smooth but spicy. Could the cooling be the Maryland or is it this oriental. Would like to try the other Grand Orientals to sample the combinations with Yenidje. Burns well and leaves a light ash. This blend is unique and when a change is needed but do not want to compromise the spice or the bit of latakia smoke, this is a great one.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 20, 2007 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
The tin aroma of this mixture of fine-cut ribbon and small, flakey chunks is dominated by musky yenidje with both latakia types chiming in distinctly though not overwhelmingly. The typical McClelland virginia aroma is present, though not dominant.
The flavor is centered on the richness of the yenidje. The use of both cyprian and syrian latakia only augments this blend. The mellow maryland leaf slightly cuts the impact of the bolder matured red virginia. The use of dark-stoved VA and latakia is restrained.
One of the finest of blends, Yenidje Highlander is remarkably delicious and nuanced, a light to medium english with memorable turkish character. It goes well in a chamber of any gauge.
The flavor is centered on the richness of the yenidje. The use of both cyprian and syrian latakia only augments this blend. The mellow maryland leaf slightly cuts the impact of the bolder matured red virginia. The use of dark-stoved VA and latakia is restrained.
One of the finest of blends, Yenidje Highlander is remarkably delicious and nuanced, a light to medium english with memorable turkish character. It goes well in a chamber of any gauge.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 18, 2007 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Very Pleasant |
Though new, this blend belongs to the past: the leafs and the taste remind me of old Balkan, with a marvellous smoky flavour and deep oriental penetration. The cut is fine, so I expected a pretty fast burning: not at all, it burns slowly and dry, completely biteless. There are few words to describe the deepness and interplay between latakia and yenidje here, just perfect, Balkan at its best. The only little annoying thing is that I had to relight more than usual but, as the previous reviewer, I'm experiencing a definitely wet weather here, and that counts. For sure I will stock some tins in my cellar, I've very curious about how will this blend refine with some age. At McClelland they proved again that they're among the best blenders in the world.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 08, 2007 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
A great offering from McClelland and so totaly unlike their other Orientals, and by that I mean the insipid Green Line and Not the personnal reserve that was created by Barry Levin and stolen by McC. This is a blend of a bygone era. Wonderfull, campire smoky with a great edgy acidity from the yenidje, balanced by the sweet virginia component. The syrian really shines and masks the inherent problems with cyprian Latakia.Really loverly. This is a smooth blend, to me good any time of the day, but especially after dinner. Reminds me of the old Cotton and Rattrays offerings. There may be no finer line today than this new oriental line. Huzzzahhh!!!!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 28, 2008 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is it, the tobacco of my dreams. The balance of tobaccos is impeccable. The tin note has the slight vinegar smell that McClelland is known for (I have finally gotten use to this) and small amounts of latakia. The blend has nice colors of med. brown and some dark latakia. There is also some red as well. The taste is beyond anything I expected, slightly sweet, and smoky and the Orientals are delicate and well wonderful. It stays lit well and never gets too hot. The tobacco burns cool, and tastes great. All I can say is this is one grand tobacco. I can not wait to try the rest of the series.
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