McClelland A.M. Pipe

Although I have not sampled the latest incarnation of EMP, I can say that McClelland's Bulk AM Pipe is very reminiscent of the EMP I used to enjoy. One of EMP's hallmarks, in my opinion, was a dry earthiness that AM Pipe does not have. Instead, McClelland's offering tends to be a bit sweeter and, dare I say it, smoother.

Then again, I have tried enough facsimile tobaccos, blended in order to replace the great master blends of yesteryear, usually with disappointing results. I think I approached AM Pipe with more of an open mind and with no hopes that it would be an exact duplicate of the EMP I used to count as a favourite. I recommend AM Pipe to anyone who enjoys the milder English mixtures. It stands quite well on its own merits.

A nice English smoke that is mild and made from quality leaf. One of McClelland's better blends in my opinion. Is it the same as Dunhill EMP? No, but then again it's not supposed to be.

I will confess that I am a HUGE EMP fan, so my review of this blend may be a bit biased. I think on its own merits AMP is a good blend, however it is not EMP! The cut is wrong and its moisture content is a bit high. It does not have the same earthy quality and certainly has double the Latakia. The blend seems to have a bit less strength as well. I will probably cellar a pound or so of this blend to see if it gets better with age, however at this time I see no reason to add it to my rotation.

I've not smoked EMP so I am not able to provide any comparison, but on it's own AMP is really good. I am a big fan of McClelland blends, ketchup smell (which this one does not have) and all, so this may be biased. This blend ranks high on my charts. It packs well, smokes cool, and is just the flavor that I like - a little sweet, a little nutty, and finishes off a little spicy. For me most blends that I have smoked with Latakia and Va's in them have a somewhat caramel/vanilla flavor when they are mixed together. This tobacco has that same taste to me, and I like it a lot. It's flavors are really drawn out nicely with a cup of coffee. I smoke this blend all day and enjoy every pipe full. I receive complements all the time about how good this smells, so one thumbs up for smoking around the crowd factor.

Good evening Gentalmen,you will find this to be a very good smoke.Very tasty and pleasant,does not bite.It is not as good as dunhill standard mix medium,but it does come close and i will say it is a viable replacement for a tobacco that is not around any more.So my opinion is give it a try.It does burn well and taste is even from top to bottom,of course the first few puffs are the very best but rest of the bowl will not dissapoint.As far as being overly sweet I don't think so of course my main smoke is virgian tobacco so I may not detect that.I only smoke english once or twice a week it makes my sinus hurt. But this my change that yes tis that good. Well good day gents.

On its own merits, this blend is...OK. Nothing special. But as a replacement for EMP, it falls well short. The dominant characteristic for me has been sweetness in the 3 or 4 bowls I've tried, and that's not at all what I'm looking for in a morning smoke. It makes the mouthfeel heavier, and less inviting at that time of day. EMP has a light earthy-nutty character that is either missing altogether, or masked by the sweetness here.

Not only did I find the Dunhill EMP knockoff very similar to EMP, I found it to actually be far better in every respect. Better taste, better burn, better everything. EMP smokers should find themselves quite satisfied with this replacement.

I only smoked a couple of bowls of this, so I won't write an in- depth review at this time. I bought this since it was billed as a replacement for Dunhill's EMP. I can say there is a resemblance, but it seems slightly sweeter and less earthy in flavor (which is something I liked most in EMP). Even though it's not an exact replica of the EMP, I feel this is a high quality natural english blend, delivering plenty of taste and aroma that justify its higher price (compared to other bulk tobaccos).

McClelland had a way of blending different leaves in a way that allowed them to create a harmonious profile but also allow each flavor to come through (complexity) as the bowl smokes down. This is another great example. Tin note is sweet, slightly sour and with a hint of smoke. The flavor is Oriental/Turkish forward and the base of VA's is the backbone and sometimes the lead. It has a buttery/creamy flavor that is present throughout the smoke. Hints of dry woody Orientals and tangy Red Virginia also poke in and out. Gets richer in the bottom third. Great smoke.