McClelland Classic Samsun

Tin note has a faint vinegary smell, but generally I find it quite similar to other tobaccos in the Grand Orientals line. I also detect something like vanilla custard pudding for babies note in all the tobaccos in the series I’ve tasted which makes me think of a very mild flavoring.

It comes in coarse cut ribbons of perfect moisture, it packs and lights easily and stays lit.

It is a very mellow smoke with a delicate nutty (nutmeg/muscat) and a faint vanilla-like aroma which is either completely natural or mildly enhanced by some topping. In any case it feels like a very mellow natural-tasting tobacco. Absolutely no harshness and no tongue bite here. Nicotine level is lowish as well and this might deter some from using this as an all day tobacco or exactly the opposite depending on one’s need and tolerance of nicotine. For myself I use this tobacco as a delicacy just once in a while savouring it’s subtle nuances.

I stress the fact that it is a very delicately aromatic tobacco. So much so, that if you do not know what to expect the subtleties of the Samsun leaf might be lost on you. Not that it would be an unpleasant smoke, on the contrary, it would be an enjoyable mild and mellow pure-tobacco tasting smoke with a very pleasant aromatic nutty sweetness. But, what I am trying to say is that if you are trying to figure out what the Oriental leafs taste like, it’s not the best place to start. Even within the McClellands Grand Orientals line, the two other tobaccos I’ve tasted (Smyrna and Yenidje Supreme), I think are more ‘robust’ and therefore better starting points. (By the way, one of the best Oriental blends available in my opinion is 4noggins’ El Rincon de la Pipa showcasing the Izmir leaf.)

I think I prefer Classic Samsun less than the other two Grand Orientals I’ ve already had, but I did not taste them together, so I can draw no definite conclusion.

Update: I mentioned above that it stays lit, however there were a few chunks of broken flakes which were really hard and very dry with no elasticity at all. I do not know if they were meant to be this way or otherwise it was the result of considerable ageing but I found they did not help the burn of the tobacco so I picked these pieces, I ground them to almost powder and mixed them with the rest which I let get some air and jarred it again. I found it not only smokes better but is also more flavorful after this 'treatment'.

Unfortunately, the orientals come off as too subtle and diluted. You would get more oriental "punch" from one of McClellands virgina-oriental flakes. Upon opening the tin there is a slight acetic tang characteristic of McClelland of coarse with elements of brown sugar-like sweetness and lesser chocolate. Smoking wise, it has a round character, very mild with a slight sweetness and more so monochromatic. One of the blending components I think is green river black cavendish which I find as a detraction. That sort of cavendish to me has a marshmallow-like taste that surely doesn't compliment premium leaf. I wish the samsun leaf had a better platform to present itself.

Strange blend indeed.You can fell the typical Mc Clelland Va,not very much,the Samsun leaf,with a touch of fine Havanna cigar and last but not least a background of burley or something like.The sum of all these is a soft but not sweet intriguing smoke.Worth to try but I prefer other Grand Orientals like Yenidje,Drama and Agonya.Beware if you are a declared enemy of Burley,because the presence in this blend ,IMHO,is obvious.

This is a 2-year tin that I open, and the oriental/Turkish is the main role of this blend as McC described. I assume there should be some buley to provide the body. Exotic, smoky with slightly sourness is the flavor, but lack complexity. I think it would blend well with some VA or Vaper, even with a pinch of latakia. I only smoke this maybe once a month for pace change.

I turned to this blend in order to explore the world of orientals as an interesting component of some tasty blends, to broaden my knowledge of condiments, to satisfy my curiosity after reading Dutch Pipe Smoker's excellent rundown of Turkish varietals, and to find a new blend. Kudos to McClelland for developing this line so targeted to the hobbyist piper.

The tin note is fragrant ketchup, strong and peculiar, but not unpleasant. There are also some herbal and spice components. The Samsun is presented in coarse blackened pieces, similar in appearance to Perique, with red and trace bright Virginias. The smoke is nice, creamy and soft, with good volume and burning characteristics. This is probably the best burning tobacco I've come across straight out of the tin.

While the prior areas set the stage, a blend like this is all about the taste. The dominant taste is tamarind- think Worcestshire sauce. Other components include brown butter and burnt sugar, and maybe other spice like mace. There is a trace smokiness. Moving towards the end of the bowl there is increased nuttiness, distinctly like pecans. It also tends towards bitterness at the end.

Overall, according to the rating category of this site it's a 3, a recommended blend, one that I feel people should try. As for my personal taste/satisfaction rating it is closer to a 2 or 2.5 and I am unlikely to buy it again, although I look forward to others in the Grand Orientals series. While the taste of the leaf is remarkable, it's just not my cup of tea as a regular smoke. That said I have a better appreciation of this as a condiment. I also feel like I need some acid or citrus to cut the fatty smoke and strong spice, like a bright leaf. I like it a little better in my clay as its more neutral and more subdued like the tastiest Camel that could be imagined.

Tin note: Dried figs, light coffee and nutty toasted grains with notable spicy exotic notes underneath...a fresh smelling mixture; moist but not "wet", although I elected to dry it for 15 minutes before smoking.

Appearance: Thick ribbons of richly colored leaves....some dark, some medium brown...some reddish, all of them fresh and moist.

Ease of smoking: Lights moderately easily and burns evenly....which is good because this blend is so subtle that one truly NEEDS to smoke it quite gently. It will give off a nice quantity of white smoke and will smolder down to a soft whist ash when smoked properly.

Taste: Draw on it slowly and gently and it will reward with many subtleties, including fragrant incense, surprising floral notes and zesty spices coming to the forefront. Heavy-drawing / over-puffing can often result in a bit of a muddled and one dimensional taste however....complete with a tangy burning sensation on your throat and the roof of your mouth.

The bottom line: This blend can be a bit challenging, with a "hit or miss" quality from bowl to bowl and even pipe to pipe (Note: Go with a larger size with at least a 9/64" draft hole, IMO). For a lover of oriental or Balkan blends, the chance to taste an individual leaf is sort of a "must do", and in that sense, I recommend that you try this and all the other Grand Oriental offerings from McClelland.

Scoring: As a previous reviewer wrote: "In the right pipe, smoked carefully, it can deliver an outstanding oriental tobacco smoking experience." I agree, and when one does get that "magical bowl", it is very special indeed....but the flip side of this must also be considered when scoring....and any blend which is this finicky is tough to rate higher than 3 stars, IMHO.

A coarse cut mix of mostly dark brown and black tobacco with the occasional light leaf. The tin aroma is Christmas Pudding, dried fruits and spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, mace.

A little moist straight out of the tin, once underway, burns without attention.

This is a sweet, gentle and subtle tobacco that dances on the tongue and is very pleasing to the nose. There is some pepper, and an almost floral musk note, as the bowl progresses.

Can be hit or miss for me, but mostly hit. In the right pipe, smoked carefully, it can deliver an outstanding oriental tobacco smoking experience. I find it works better in larger bowls. Rich, dense, flavorful smoke. Burns cool and stays lit for me, and I'm certainly no pro in that department. I still have a few tins of the others in the GO series I haven't tried yet, but so far Classic Samsun stands out as one of the better ones. 3.5/4.0

EDIT: Changing the room note from Strong to Pleasant. When you come back into a room where this is being smoked, the aroma is amazing! Rich, fragrant orientals and warm, toasty virginias. It's a gorgeous smell.

Was hoping for something more, a pleasant and very mild blend with nothing much standing out as far as flavor goes. This would be a good blend for a new smoker to break into Orientals, just not my cup of tea.