McClelland Katerini Classic

Katerini Classic presents as mostly medium brown ribbon with a smattering of darker shades. Tin notes are dominated by a sweet herbal tang with a distinct backdrop of cumin and floral notes, some medium chocolate and a subtle dried apricot & fig component. As with any good Oriental, Katerini arrives at optimal moisture content and is ready to smoke right out of the tin. However, I would recommend exploring this complex tin note for a bit as the tobacco breathes. This is a truly fascinating tin note that deserves your attention: stir it, sniff it, stir it again, smell it some more. There are many layers to be uncovered here in what to my nose is among the most complex of tin notes.

Katerini takes a match well, and the charring light brings herbal and spice flavors that are somewhat akin to those of Drama Reserve, though less intense, dryer and less tangy. There is a distinct cumin note always in the background - so I understand the blender's analogy to light curry in the description. This is an extremely forgiving blend that smokes very dry and very cool. The complete absence of heat or tongue bite and the intriguing flavors at first tricked me into puffing away, but I slowed down a bit to really think through the complexity of delicate flavors here. It's also easy to mischaracterize this as a "light" or "mild" blend. In reality, Katerini is a flavor bomb - though one of extreme subtlety.

Flavors are consistent throughout the bowl, with a hint of sweetness that raises its head every so often. The mouthfeel is thin for a McClelland Oriental/Virginia, but the complexity of flavors here allows Katerini to more than hold her own. It could simply be that the Virginia component has been toned down here to allow the more delicate Samsun/Katerini flavors to shine. This is a blend for those times when I want to sit back and really think about what I'm smoking- to just become immersed in the tobacco. That said, this is definitely not one I can smoke after indulging in a deep, rich VaPer - the strength, boldness and assertion of flavor just isn't there. This is a "time and place" tobacco.

Katerini lacks the fuller mouth feel and richness of other blends in this line, but should be on any Oriental enthusiasts to-try list as a delicate expression of the tobacco blender's art.

Update 2020: I had stockpiled a few McCelland Orientals, but this was not one of them. What a mistake. And a great loss to the tobacco enthusiast’s world.

McClelland is often, deservedly so, for their Virginia mastery and it is a shame that they were not as highly praised for their Oriental tobacco’s. L.J. Peretti and McClelland are the two best in this genre. This is another masterpiece lost to time and modern farming and world demand for refined tobacco. The tin note is a base of McClelland VA with spice and vegetation. The spice is light and similar to dried basil or very old dried mint. The tobacco smokes dry and cool and has a dry mouth feel, think a cup of strong tea and the tannic feeling on the tongue.

The Virginia’s provide a strong base for the flavor but they are not overly sweet. There is a musty, earthy, barnyard like flavor that underpins this blend. This is also very woody, the Orientals have that balsa wood with subtle spices. I can see why they use curry but more in feel than in flavor, but that dry spicy flavor on the tongue. The flavors are light but this is quite a complex blend. The finish is long and it is light and almost floral, but not really flavor that lasts for several minutes. This tobacco can be sipped or pushed and it provides a different flavor profile based on approach if pushed it can get ashy at the 3/4 mark. Highly recommended for Oriental lovers if you come across it in the aftermarket.

Here lies an opportunity to taste an aged unobtrusive, and genuinely charismatic oriental that should -or at least could-provide something for all toby lovers.

I mean it's not too strong, it's got a natural sweetness -due to that wonderful oriental Katerin leaf, it's got strong Va undertones-this is McClelland after all, and if you order now (Jan 17) via Pipes &Cigars you'll likely get a tin aged 9 years!!! My tin was 2007, and man does time help Virginias!!

The interaction b/t those aged Virginias and that curry like orientals reminds me of Maltese Falcon from GL Pease, yet with a sweeter structure. No bite whatsoever, no matter if you chug it like a locomotive pulling 1000 tons up a 25 degree incline.

I'm going through the Oriental Series to better my understanding of that oft overlooked tobacco class, but this could truly be an all day smoke for me. Burned through this tin with singular attention -which means 4 stars for me.

Please consider the Grand Orientals for your palates education - you won't be disappointed.

As a Virginia lover, I absolutely adore the Grand Orientals. After all, they are really just a good mellow McClelland Virginia with just enough of the Oriental to give an appreciation of the showcased varietal.

This blend is not one of my favorites, or should I say not one of my regulars? I have other blends that fill this niche, so I don't go out of my way for Katerini Classic. But if I run across a tin at Ye Ole Brick & Mortar, I will gladly purchase it to support my local tobacconist and revisit this special blend from time to time.

The tin aroma is dominated by the McClelland "Heinz 57" aroma, but there is none of that in the smoke. It is a typical McClelland ribbon cut. I came to this blend after it had four years of age in the tin. I dry it on a plate for about 30 min prior to loading a large bent billiard.

At first, I detect nothing but the classic McClelland aged Virginia. Then, as the first quarter of the bowl progresses, the Katerini becomes more and more pronounced. It is a sort of spicy floral perfume, tasted more on the palate than the tongue. I find it less subtle than Classic Samsun, and overall a more pleasing smoke than its cousin. The medium nicotine content is just perfect. I can huff and puff on my big billiard without it biting. No need to baby it.

Perfectly done, accomplishing the mission of the Grand Orientals series, this will no doubt become a favorite of many pipe smokers, novice and veteran alike. Four stars, easy.

Has the typical McC tin note of fermented Virginias. Some spice in there as well.

Takes a light easily and burns without fuss. This is a mild, gently sweet, not at all cloying, fragrant smoke. Silky smooth. I enjoy this immensely and it is possibly my favourite of the Grand Orientals series.

This I can honestly say is the only oriental based blend with no latakia to ever capture my attention and keep it for an entire tin! When I cracked this tin I was hoping for something new and interesting, and the aroma that wafted forth was no disappointment. It was a new sweet, sort of figgish smell that I had never experienced before. Up to this point I was mostly an English man, having moved away from aromatics, and this tin gave me something entirely new. This blend has a succulent sweetness to it, a beautiful taste, a bit one dimensional, but at the same time I loved every sip. It is a gentle blend, a true connoisseur's choice I think. It packs very nicely, and at least for me, it smoked straight through to fine ash. It is perfect for the smoker who is over aromatics but wants something smooth and gentle with a nice sweet flavor and no bite, I could smoke this one over and over again!

Wonderful, smooth, and lots of mmmmmm moments! To my great surprise, the tin description is spot on... I am normally a lover of bold VaPer blends but this one is a sublime keeper, a fantastic change of pace, and will immediately enter my rotation.

Mine was tinned in 2007 and I suspect that a little age works miracles for this blend.