McClelland 2008 Holiday Spirit
(2.96)
This mild, smooth blend of burley, Virginia and cavendish tobaccos is flavored with dark rum, pecan and cocoa. It brings a warm glow to the coldest winter day. The aroma of a favorite holiday confection wafts from the bowl bringing pipe smoking contentment.
Details
| Brand | McClelland |
| Blended By | McClelland Tobacco Company |
| Manufactured By | McClelland Tobacco Company |
| Blend Type | Aromatic |
| Contents | Black Cavendish, Burley, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Cocoa / Chocolate, Pecan, Rum |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Mild
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Medium
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Very Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
2.96 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 19, 2015 | Mild | Mild to Medium | Mild | Very Pleasant |
The Virginia is slightly grassy, and there's a minor nuttiness from the burley. The black cavendish adds a very mild vanilla note and there's a touch of honey from the gold cavendish. The toppings are not strong, and the rum loses a little of its impact after the half way point. The pecan is more noticeable then, being a little less obvious in the first half of the smoke. The cocoa notes are also very mild. The tobaccos and toppings complimentary meld fairly well together, and as pleasant as it is to smoke - decent burn rate, little moisture in the bowl and no dottle, silky smooth with no bite or harshness - it lacks depth of flavor to be any more than a work about all day mixture. If you like mild aromatics, this may suit you, but if you want a deeper tasting one, it may not satisfy you. Has little nicotine. Two and a half stars.
Apparently, this blend is the same every year, so my reviews for the other versions are the same as this one. I can't tell any differences.
-JimInks
Apparently, this blend is the same every year, so my reviews for the other versions are the same as this one. I can't tell any differences.
-JimInks
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 05, 2009 | Very Mild | Medium to Strong | Full | Very Pleasant |
A tad past Christmas...lol...nonetheless...a standing ovation for McClelland Holiday Spirit 2008. The tin aroma is exquisite...the smoke is mild pecan with an essence of cocoa...as professed by the manufacturer. Little-to-no rum flavour...which is just fine. This blend is on par or superior to those of Pipeworks & Wilke...well done!
No false promises by McClelland here. If you want to dabble in the occasional aromatic...or more so, if you are a regular aromatic connoisseur...try this, there will be no disappointment. Flavourful, cool...no moisture or dottle...smokes to a fine white ash.
I hope that Holiday Spirit 2008 has an agreeable shelf life in my weed-cellar...because forgoing this before its availability passes me by would be a grave disappointment.
A companion infusion: a cappuccino with just a tad of Tia Maria...drop in a bean to crunch when the libation is done.
UPDATE 05/01/10 I found that this does not cellar well...losing most of its flavor. If you have it...smoke it.
No false promises by McClelland here. If you want to dabble in the occasional aromatic...or more so, if you are a regular aromatic connoisseur...try this, there will be no disappointment. Flavourful, cool...no moisture or dottle...smokes to a fine white ash.
I hope that Holiday Spirit 2008 has an agreeable shelf life in my weed-cellar...because forgoing this before its availability passes me by would be a grave disappointment.
A companion infusion: a cappuccino with just a tad of Tia Maria...drop in a bean to crunch when the libation is done.
UPDATE 05/01/10 I found that this does not cellar well...losing most of its flavor. If you have it...smoke it.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 08, 2018 | Mild | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
Well, no ketchup. That's a good thing in this case. The tin smells of chemicals. It smokes like a fancy drugstore blend, but without bite. I was taken aback by the large shards of leaf....but marched forward. I get a bit of spice, maybe cinnamon, but the rum and cocoa are absent. Did 9-10 years of age not do this a favor? Nothing wrong with this tin of tobacco, but I personally may be beyond it. It could benefit from an hour or two of open drying, but smokes clean and cool.....a testament to the quality of the base leaf. Burley is the fore note, cavendish, and then any va. I'd probably enjoy it more if the Va came to the fore.....
Pipe Used:
1950s Grabow
Age When Smoked:
10 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 20, 2009 | Extremely Mild | Very Mild | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Very Pleasant |
I don't have much to say about this blend. It didn't strike me as spectacular or even just mildly enjoyable. It is a very so-so blend.
The fragrance from opening the tin is rich with coco and vanilla. The room note is pleasant as well, as indicated by my wife and kids. But the taste comes off flat.
There is no taste to speak of. I can sort of assume that the sensitivity on my tongue has been worn off. So someone with a more discerning palate may taste the nuances of this blend. I couldn't.
The only reason I would smoke this is to provide pleasure to others with the pleasant room note. I would not make this my daily or occasional go to blend.
K
The fragrance from opening the tin is rich with coco and vanilla. The room note is pleasant as well, as indicated by my wife and kids. But the taste comes off flat.
There is no taste to speak of. I can sort of assume that the sensitivity on my tongue has been worn off. So someone with a more discerning palate may taste the nuances of this blend. I couldn't.
The only reason I would smoke this is to provide pleasure to others with the pleasant room note. I would not make this my daily or occasional go to blend.
K
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 06, 2011 | Mild | Strong | Mild to Medium | Very Strong |
Mine was the 2011 version, but I think the recipe is the same from year to year.
Tastes and smells like burnt pecan pie. Did they case it with Karo syrup?
My wife hated the smell of this one.
Only for the diehard aromatic lovers.
Tastes and smells like burnt pecan pie. Did they case it with Karo syrup?
My wife hated the smell of this one.
Only for the diehard aromatic lovers.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 07, 2008 | Mild | Strong | Very Mild | Very Pleasant |
I judge all respective tobaccos on their individual merits. I never compare English blends to Aromatic Blends or Virginia Flakes to Burley Flakes. So with that in mind, take this review for what it is worth. This is a rather bland and disappointing blend. EXACT DESCRIPTION: A mixture consisting of both Best of Show & Tastemaster in one tin. That is it. VERY McClelland aromatic flavor- which means not easily defined. It is sweet and harmless. I would skip it. For true aromatics go to Pipeworks at Wilke.
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