McClelland Christmas Cheer 2008
(3.12)
Handblended, premium pressed Virginia flake tobaccos. A fine vintage, naturally sweet, in limited quantity.
Details
| Brand | McClelland |
| Blended By | McClelland Tobacco Company |
| Manufactured By | McClelland Tobacco Company |
| Blend Type | Straight Virginia |
| Contents | Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 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
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.12 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 13 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 22, 2015 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
Nice looking reddish brown broken flakes that as usual came overly moist. I've always gotten the best results from a flake that is very dry and this one was no exception. The usual tangy pungent tin aroma one expects from McClellands and that usually delivers a superior smoke. Based on 2 oz.
Trying not to compare the subsequent years CC's to the classic '05 version, this one falls short anyway. Like the '07, it's very balanced between the usual red and orange-red VA attributes. It tasted a bit like the '07 as well but was a bit mellower and less tangy. As with all the CC's I've tried, a natural tasting smoke with no frilly flavors added - naturally sweet but leaned more toward the tanginess or red VA's. Red VA's have a different kind of sweetness for me than lemons... sort of a light apple butter sweetness as compared to a more sugary sweetness in lemon VA's. This orange-red VA was somewhere between but retained a nice sense of tang. Not a barn burner like the '05 and '06, but a very nice smoke indeed. Properly dried out, it burned very well, leaving only a fine grey ash. Probably a 3.5 star blend but to me does not deserve a 4th star.
Trying not to compare the subsequent years CC's to the classic '05 version, this one falls short anyway. Like the '07, it's very balanced between the usual red and orange-red VA attributes. It tasted a bit like the '07 as well but was a bit mellower and less tangy. As with all the CC's I've tried, a natural tasting smoke with no frilly flavors added - naturally sweet but leaned more toward the tanginess or red VA's. Red VA's have a different kind of sweetness for me than lemons... sort of a light apple butter sweetness as compared to a more sugary sweetness in lemon VA's. This orange-red VA was somewhere between but retained a nice sense of tang. Not a barn burner like the '05 and '06, but a very nice smoke indeed. Properly dried out, it burned very well, leaving only a fine grey ash. Probably a 3.5 star blend but to me does not deserve a 4th star.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 26, 2013 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is the first and only vintage of Christmas Cheer that I have tried and it’s a good one indeed. I have to hand it to McClelland, they have a very unique way with straight Virginia. This version of Christmas Cheer is no different. The tin note is sweet and spicy and the aroma rings of their hallmark deep-fermented, high sugar Virginia.
When smoked it has a wonderful warm tone, it’s fairly sweet and some complexities develop with flavorful hints of holiday spices. From charring light to finish this is a fairly uncomplicated smoke. It’s smooth & mild, yet full of flavor and quite enjoyable. This mixture would be an excellent candidate for any piper looking to segue into the world of VA Flakes for the first time.
Altogether I prefer the flavor, complexities and the slightly warmer tone of Blackwoods Flake, but this is still a top notch McClelland offering. Judging from this 5 year old version, I imagine that Christmas Cheer, regardless of vintage, ages quite nicely.
When smoked it has a wonderful warm tone, it’s fairly sweet and some complexities develop with flavorful hints of holiday spices. From charring light to finish this is a fairly uncomplicated smoke. It’s smooth & mild, yet full of flavor and quite enjoyable. This mixture would be an excellent candidate for any piper looking to segue into the world of VA Flakes for the first time.
Altogether I prefer the flavor, complexities and the slightly warmer tone of Blackwoods Flake, but this is still a top notch McClelland offering. Judging from this 5 year old version, I imagine that Christmas Cheer, regardless of vintage, ages quite nicely.
Pipe Used:
Jesse Jones Billiard
Age When Smoked:
5
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 28, 2011 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
My first venture into the Christmas Cheer series, I was not disappointed! my tin was dating from Oct 09.
As usual, the vinaigar/ketchup tin aroma does not transfer in the smoking.
Beautiful, very dark brown broken flakes were very easy to break up despite the farly high level of humidity. 1 hr on a sheet of paper solved the problem.
Lighting up brought not much at first. Pure VAs like this require some patience before the flavor start unveiling. Usually, flavors start displaying around 1/4 of the bowl. It then brought forward intense notes of leather, cinnamon, nutmeg and baked bread. Past 1/3 of the bowl, earthly and leathery notes appeared, combining harmoniously with the rest until the end.
This tobacco is rich but never overwhelming. The Vitamine N is moderate.
I will rebuy anytime the Christmas Cheer series!
As usual, the vinaigar/ketchup tin aroma does not transfer in the smoking.
Beautiful, very dark brown broken flakes were very easy to break up despite the farly high level of humidity. 1 hr on a sheet of paper solved the problem.
Lighting up brought not much at first. Pure VAs like this require some patience before the flavor start unveiling. Usually, flavors start displaying around 1/4 of the bowl. It then brought forward intense notes of leather, cinnamon, nutmeg and baked bread. Past 1/3 of the bowl, earthly and leathery notes appeared, combining harmoniously with the rest until the end.
This tobacco is rich but never overwhelming. The Vitamine N is moderate.
I will rebuy anytime the Christmas Cheer series!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 13, 2010 | Very Mild | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
I agree with quantumboy 100%, I think with time," and it has already been to bed for 8+years" this will only get better, smoked a 100g can, and put 2 100g tins to bed, Its Virginia man, sweet, sweet Virginia.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 16, 2009 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is the only Christmas Cheer I've tried. It's very good stuff, good enough to justify my buying several tins when I first tried it. It just does not dazzle me with complexity or richness so I can't give up that fourth star. Certainly recommended, but by a guy who prefers English or Balkan blends (I do, however, love Blackwoods Flake, FVF and Union Square).
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 27, 2009 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
As N7COF stated below me, he gave the blend to a fellow pipe smoker...I was that pipe smoker LOL. Thanks sir for the blend. I tried a bowl of it...not bad...but not good either. The catsup smell is a real put off for me as well. This won't be smoked anytime soon. Not to look a gift horse in the mouth my friend.
10/26/2009: After letting this blend age for about 9 months, it is a great tobacco. Yes, the smell is still rather catsup or vinegar...but when it burns it is all the better. I stand corrected.
10/26/2009: After letting this blend age for about 9 months, it is a great tobacco. Yes, the smell is still rather catsup or vinegar...but when it burns it is all the better. I stand corrected.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 22, 2009 | Medium | Mild | Very Full | Pleasant |
Yum Yum Yum on Christmas day on Christmas day in the morning.Gentelman this is top shelf.If you like virginian tobacco this a good year.It has been aged eight yrs already before you even get it,so realy all ya need to do is smoke it.A very smooth and great tasting blend.Not realy sure how to describe it.Ill say this its worth the money.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 20, 2009 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
A nice VA flake. Similar to the Christmas 2007 but I gave the 2007 a higher mark...not sure why and I don't have a 2007 to compare to. Typical McClelland ketchup scent when opeing the tin. Beutiful cut flakes that as a result of the sweet VA would age well. Moist and could use a bit of drying out before smoking but never seem to wait long enough. This is my current VA on rotation since I usually have one VA, one Aromatic and a few latakia blends always open. If I buy another tim, will store it and smoke in a few years. Nice for a break for a latakia smoker. If I was a hard core VA smoker, would rate it higher.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 14, 2009 | Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is a typical McClelland Virginia with ketchup aroma; this is a fruity and naturally sweet tobacco, tasty and deep, easy to smoke directly from the tin and will get much better after few years, overall good investment and great stuff.
Buy some now, enjoy them later!
Buy some now, enjoy them later!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 26, 2008 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Having read that the tobacco's for this were chosen in 2000, an eight year old flake sounded like a dream come true.
Sadly I was a little dissapointed, this tobacco wasn't as rich and tasty as I had beleived it might be, that being said, this is a tobacco that I beleive will age beautifully in two or three years, thus my purchase of three tins, one for now and two more for two or three years time.
Having got past the ketchup smell, I found this to be a mild almost monochromatic mild smoke of a good quality virginia, no huge burst of taste or flavour. I was unable to distinguish anything special at all, but for some reason, I have this unshakable (suspicion if you like) belief that in a year or two, or maybe even three, this will be a tobacco I will regret not having bought by the pound.
Sadly I was a little dissapointed, this tobacco wasn't as rich and tasty as I had beleived it might be, that being said, this is a tobacco that I beleive will age beautifully in two or three years, thus my purchase of three tins, one for now and two more for two or three years time.
Having got past the ketchup smell, I found this to be a mild almost monochromatic mild smoke of a good quality virginia, no huge burst of taste or flavour. I was unable to distinguish anything special at all, but for some reason, I have this unshakable (suspicion if you like) belief that in a year or two, or maybe even three, this will be a tobacco I will regret not having bought by the pound.
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