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 51 - 54 of 54 Reviews
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| 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.
| 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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