McClelland Smyrna No.1
(3.32)
Back when Istanbul was Constantinople, Izmir tobacco was Smyrna. "A rose by any other name..." These tiny, top-grade tobacco leaves from mountainous Western Turkey across from the Island of Khlos have long been prized as the most aromatic of all Orientals. They grown dense and extremely fragrant in this dry country moistened by Mediterranean Sea breezes.
Look for a whole Smyrna leaf on top of the tobacco when you open the tin. Notice the tiny hole where it was string up by hand to air cure in a time-honored , labor-intensive process. There is no Latakia in this blend. Smyrna is the defining ingredient in this sophisticated Oriental tobacco. Our intention here is to spotlight the character of this extraordinary, delicate leaf.
Details
| Brand | McClelland |
| Series | Grand Orientals |
| Blended By | McClelland Tobacco Company |
| Manufactured By | McClelland Tobacco Company |
| Blend Type | Oriental |
| Contents | Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin, 100 grams tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.32 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 23, 2018 | Extremely Mild | Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
I really appreciate educational value behind the Grand Orientals product line. After smoking a tin of Smyrna N1 I must have acquired a clearer concept of what tobacco was like "back when Istanbul was Constantinople" as the tin label claims. (And although the Tobacco Plant was discovered by Christopher Columbus some fourty years after the unfortunate city of Constantinople had been turned into Istanbul by the mahometan invaders, well, McClellands aren't historians, they are tobacco blenders).
The Smyrna Tobaccos in this blend have a distinct flavour, which I think I could now easily recognize in other mixtures if they contain that variety of Oriental. I can't say however I like that flavour. Perhaps I'm just not into Orientals. And the main drawback for me is almost non-existent level of Nicotine, which I think is against the very purpose of tobacco smoking.
I liked the small cute whole leaf packed in the tin. I shredded it with scissors and added to the mixture. Nice touch.
Somewhat Recommended because of the educational value.
The Smyrna Tobaccos in this blend have a distinct flavour, which I think I could now easily recognize in other mixtures if they contain that variety of Oriental. I can't say however I like that flavour. Perhaps I'm just not into Orientals. And the main drawback for me is almost non-existent level of Nicotine, which I think is against the very purpose of tobacco smoking.
I liked the small cute whole leaf packed in the tin. I shredded it with scissors and added to the mixture. Nice touch.
Somewhat Recommended because of the educational value.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 19, 2008 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
Short review this time.
When compared to GL Peases's Embarcadero, which is also a Virginia/Izmir blend, this blend fails miserably.
The Izmir/Smyrna is extrmely muted in this blend and doesn't come to the forefront the whole time. It's there sporatically but not enough for my tastes.
Do yourself a favor and get the Embarcadero instead. It is usually cheaper and burns a lot better.
When compared to GL Peases's Embarcadero, which is also a Virginia/Izmir blend, this blend fails miserably.
The Izmir/Smyrna is extrmely muted in this blend and doesn't come to the forefront the whole time. It's there sporatically but not enough for my tastes.
Do yourself a favor and get the Embarcadero instead. It is usually cheaper and burns a lot better.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 05, 2010 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
I support the idea of the Grand Orientals series so that we can get an idea of what individual leaves taste like. This is the only one I've had and I'm reviewing it from memory, but with a full tin under my belt I felt like I could say some nice things about it.
The presentation is impeccable with the two leaves atop the ribbon. Such a nice touch. I found this stuff a bit hard to keep to lit, but then I smoked my tin pretty fresh and didn't let it dry out at all. It left my pipes a bit moist in the bottom, which was no big deal, but worth noting.
The flavor itself was really ... rich and exotic, I guess. It wasn't a very deep blend in my experience, but while it was a bit one-dimensional it was a good dimension.
In short, I bought this mainly out of academic interest in the Smyrna leaf but ended up enjoying the smoke itself well enough to consider buying another tin eventually. Worth a try if you're interested in orientals at all.
The presentation is impeccable with the two leaves atop the ribbon. Such a nice touch. I found this stuff a bit hard to keep to lit, but then I smoked my tin pretty fresh and didn't let it dry out at all. It left my pipes a bit moist in the bottom, which was no big deal, but worth noting.
The flavor itself was really ... rich and exotic, I guess. It wasn't a very deep blend in my experience, but while it was a bit one-dimensional it was a good dimension.
In short, I bought this mainly out of academic interest in the Smyrna leaf but ended up enjoying the smoke itself well enough to consider buying another tin eventually. Worth a try if you're interested in orientals at all.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 24, 2008 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Very Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
A rich, creamy, fragrant blend. Somewhat sweet, peppery and herbal with incense-like (bordering on soapy) notes. The taste resembles raw vanilla (maybe it has a deertongue top dressing which gives it that peppery edge.) Very exotic -- makes you wonder if there's non-tobacco herb leaves in it. It packs and burns well without bite; burns evenly, effortlessly, and dry to the bottom of the bowl leaving white ash.
To date I've tried Smyrna #1 and Classic Samsun from McClelland's Grand Orientals series, and I liked the Samsun much more. If memory serves, I think John Cotton's was a better Smyrna blend.
I don't wish to discourage anyone from trying a tin of this merely because I'm not keen on it. If for no other reason, do it for the experience -- which is the real benefit of having McClelland produce an entire series of orientals.
To date I've tried Smyrna #1 and Classic Samsun from McClelland's Grand Orientals series, and I liked the Samsun much more. If memory serves, I think John Cotton's was a better Smyrna blend.
I don't wish to discourage anyone from trying a tin of this merely because I'm not keen on it. If for no other reason, do it for the experience -- which is the real benefit of having McClelland produce an entire series of orientals.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 28, 2011 | Mild | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I heard good things about this blend, but for me it came as somewhat of a disappointment after my love affair with Katerini Classic. I found the flavor to be sweet, almost too sweet and very one dimensional. I liked the blend at first, but became bored with it quickly. The tin note and room note were very similar to Katerini, however the smoke just didn't stand out IMO. Packs well, burns well, sweet and mild, you may enjoy it coming from aromatics, it burns much better than the traditional American aro.
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