McClelland Classic Samsun

This blend hits the spot! I smoked this blend after a few years of aging and I had no problem with tongue bite at all as others have posted! Aside from ph I have wide open draw and find that tighter draws give me tongue bit on a regular basis. This bend has a unique taste that rocks the senses! It's very clean and refreshing yet has enough body and taste to satisfy. The T-leaf takes over on this one and is made more complex by the Virginias. The room note is pleasantly wonderful and the taste is a nice tempo change. It burned clean all the way down and left a nice ash. It was never harsh, even at the bottom of the bowl. And it fished just as it had started, A winner!

I thought the flavor was bland initially, but it grew on me and now is a very clean tobacco flavor without many additives.

I'm all about variety, I'm all about quality and my palate is wider than many. Tobacco moisture, tongue bite, mood, smoking circumstances and other controllable variables won't be covered. This review is based on multiple bowls over time.

This is a wonderful blend that I can't imagine anyone not enjoying. It's light, mild, smokes easily and tastes great. Sweet and savory, complex but subtle

This an excellent tobacco.

I've always favored orientals and was delighted to find McClelland devoting a specialty niche for them. After a while, I tire of latakia permutations and perique disagrees with me.

As a favorite go-to smoke, I've always kept at least two tins of Frog Morton Across the Pond handy. Classic Samsun and its partner Yenice Agonya surpass it in every way but price. I mention FMAtP not that they are directly comparable, but fans of that version of Frog would enjoy this tobacco as well.

The room note is beloved by a (female) cigarette-smoking companion who eagerly shares my pipe when I light this up. As with many other subtle tobaccos, I enjoy it most in a plain clay pipe (though they are not as comfortable in my mouth). Because of the subtlety of tastes and mildness, I'd advise against it for those who cannot get enough latakia and perique. This has an entirely different appeal.

This blend has immediately smokable, unlike most Pease blends, in my experience. Yet it does age well, especially for an oriental and even keeps fresh in an open tin, a fact I appreciate because I smoke relatively infrequently these days. I'm just now finishing a tin I opened almost two years ago and am looking forward to reordering more of this and others in the series. My only regret is that this delightful mixture is still unavailable in bulk.

This mixture deserves my highest regards.

Update 5/13: I opened my third, maybe fourth tin. Although just acquired, it dates from 2007. I was never able to summon the willpower to cellar this blend; I'm fortunate aged tins are still available. Six years after tinning, the tobacco has no bite (can't recall it ever did), the sweetness is neutral to slight, the aroma of the smoke is heavenly with a touch of cedar. Unlike others in the series, I cannot stop until the last of it is burned in a medium bowl, though the first 2/3 are the best. The components are perfect in proportion, perfect for my smoking habits and nicotine requirements and I continue to enjoy this thoroughly. I look forward to ravaging this tin, enjoying every puff.

This was my first McClelland blend and I sure got lucky. I've got about five other tins open and usually never smoke two bowls in a row of the same blend, but when I opened Classic Samsun the rotation came to a screaching halt until the tin was empty.

My favorite feature is the fantastic turkish aroma. The nicotine levels do seem very low, but I don't mind.

I like this blend so much that I wish my tobaconist wasn't an hour away so that I could get more this afternoon.

Wow. What a wonderful smoke. Easy to light, stays lit very well and the smoke is rich and full. Very mild, if you're looking for a jolt, not here friend, but the smoke is so good you could cut it and eat it. Think veal vs heavy beef - veal is much lighter than heavy aged beef but it's pretty tasty. My favorite of all the Grand Orientals and of any Oriental in my supply. I suppose I will be shopping for a good supply of this stuff - it's the top of my list.

I've been trying these Grand Orientals and this one has still stayed at the top of the list. As the name implies, this is really a classic, mellow smoke that has become one of my go-to tobaccos. She likes to be smoked slow and has the potential to bite if you are a huffer, but seriously all you have to do is relax and enjoy the subtle flavors as you let it caress your tongue. It's actually better when you crack the tin open, put the top on and just let it sit for a week or two to get just a tiny bit drier. Truly a tobacco that you can enjoy at any time of the day.

Delicious orientals dominate the added Virginias making this an ideal a.m. tobac or any time during the day. The sweetness and earth notes continue throughout the bowl. I like my tobac bordering on crispy so a 10 minute drying was required. I have found in my 45 years of pipe smoking people smoke their tobac too wet causing instant tongue bite. This is a result of the moisture producing HOT STEAM which in turn burns the buds right off your tongue. I will definately add this tobac to my rotation.A sure winner!!!

This is a great tobacco. The taste is nice and sweet and kept my interest throughout the entire bowl. Something about the sweetness seems vaguely dried-fruity to my tongue, in a very subtle way.

Highly recommended.