McClelland No. 925 Nine 2 Five

(3.33)
An extraordinary medium English Mixture, full flavored, cool smoking for daytime smoking pleasure.
Notes: This is a match for the discontinued Dunhill blend #965.

Details

Brand McClelland
Blended By McClelland Tobacco Company
Manufactured By McClelland Tobacco Company
Blend Type Scottish
Contents Cavendish, Latakia, Oriental/Turkish
Flavoring
Cut Ribbon
Packaging Bulk
Country United States
Production No longer in production

Profile

Strength
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.33 / 4
8

8

2

0

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 18 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 29, 2014 Medium None Detected Medium Very Pleasant
Blind test blend #3. This one I guessed correctly, but more by accident than through knowledge. Nice looking dark brown to black blend with a bag aroma of latakia and orientals. Nice zippy, spicy aroma and it had a touch of that McClellands preparation essence so I was thinking McClellands all the way.

But what's this? It tastes quite a bit like Dunhill 965! As I was smoking it, I was imagining what the outcome might be like if McClellands took their stellar batch of virginias and followed the recipe for 965. The two didn't taste identical, and if this was supposed to be an identical match, it doesn't quite pass. But if the intent was to create something reminiscent or sympathetic to 965, it passes in spades! It lacked the Dunhill initial bang of flavor but from there it was close, but again with the McClellands touch. I haven't decided if this will be a suitable substitute because I've smoked so much of the Dunhill that my expectations are kind of set. But it is a worthy effort and stands on its own very well. If you enjoy both Dunhill 965 and the standard-setting virginias of McClellands, this is definitely something you're going to want to sample.
Pipe Used: Meerschaum
Age When Smoked: New
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 16, 2010 Medium None Detected Medium Very Pleasant
An outstanding compilation and better than the Orlik #965 by a country mile (IMO). Depth of flavor, strength and well selected prime Latakia and Orientals combine to make Nine 2 Five sing.

Take the old Balkan Sobranie and toss in a good measure of unsweetened Black Cavedish and you have Nine 2 Five. Well done, McClelland's!
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 16, 2015 Medium None Detected Medium Tolerable
This is decent, but I think the Cavendish is a bit over applied here. It does make this ultra-smooth, but it also makes it just a bit bland. The Orientals come through nicely. The Latakia is muted by the Cav and only the smokiness comes through. An OK blend, but could have been better. I see where some see this as sweet, I see it as lacking that very thing.

Medium in body and flavor. Very, very smooth. Burns well.

EDIT: I'm starting to get the impression that a mistake has been made here. I'm thinking from reading some of these reviews that this is supposed to have Virginia Cavendish in it and that would make sense. Mine clearly has unsweetened Black Cav in it which is why it's bland and lacking sweetness. I think this may be a quality control issue.
Pipe Used: MM Country Gentleman, MM Mark Twain
PurchasedFrom: smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: fresh bulk
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 15, 2014 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
I bought this blend and afterwards I remember reading that this was similar to Dunhill's 965, (a long story but I never liked D's 965). I had very low hopes for this blend . Upon lighting up , I was thrilled, this is great and a bulk offering to boot . I immediately ordered more , then I thought, "maybe D's 965 is better than I thought", so I ordered some D's965 bulk. Well, here is what I found ; they are similar, but I like the McC 9 to 5 better , however the D's 965 is better than my initial review ( I'll be revising). Anyway, the McC 9 to 5 is smooth , interesting and has a nice Oriental background along with the ample Latakia. I would put the flavor closer to McC Aston Revival Old Dog. Sorry if I confused anyone as my review reads like a math quiz !
Pipe Used: cob
Age When Smoked: 1 month
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 10, 2012 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
McClelland's has hit another one out of the park here. This tastes like the Dunhill 965 of yesteryear! This smells like the old Dunhill. This is better than the one that is being produced for dunhill now. Like others, one thing I did notice about this blend is that it needs time by itself. Open the bag, get some air in it, close it and put it away for about a month. It really does seem to get better. I suspect the different tobaccos just need time to marry with each other. Smooth, warm,nutty, smells like a new leather jacket. The taste lingers just like the old Dunhill and makes single malt scotch taste even better! McClelland keeps on doing it right!
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 22, 2017 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Very Pleasant
McClelland - No. 925 Nine 2 Five.

On the negative side the mix includes a few twigs, on the positive side it's neither too wet nor dry! The rest of it looks like a basic coarse cut blend.

In the smoke the Latakia has a slight edge over the other tobaccos', without it being a Lat-Bomb: a touch of sharpness but not a ton of smokiness. Second to this is the Oriental, although it gives notable flavour it doesn't become overly sour. The Cavendish lightens the flavour, somewhat, but doesn't have that gluey, heavy, Cavendish effect. The burn from 925 is good, even if it's a little quick, and the temperature of the smoke's just below medium. My tongue gets no grief from 925, making it a probable good blend for all day smoking.

I find the nicotine more than medium, and the room-note, although quite heavy, I find very nice.

Nine to Five's a good blend, but just lacking something for full marks.

Recommended
Pipe Used: Peterson
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: One month
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 24, 2016 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Tolerable
I just finished up a bag of this that I bought in 2012; shortly before Orlik released 965 in bulk. I liked Dunhill 965 and when times were tight, I was looking for a cheaper alternative and bought this based on the reviews.

I really did not find this to be too similar to the dunhill product so my review should not be taken as a recommendation to replace 965 in one's cellar. It really is just to state that this is a great tasting lat blend. In fact, I would recommend this over 5110 for someone looking for a McClelland bulk lat blend.

The latakia in this is there, but far from overwhelming. There is a nice spicy touch that drifts in and out and the blend also has a nice touch of sweetness. Overall, I would say that this is sweeter than 965. I am not sure if this is due to McClelland Virginias in the blend, which always carry a lot of sweetness or if the Cavendish used is sweetened. I know that 965 uses unsweetened Cavendish and perhaps this could explain the difference.

I really did enjoy it, but I don't think I would say four stars worth. I still would rather smoke 965 than this. Perhaps, this is due to a common McClelland knock, primarily the fact that their blends are so low in nicotine.

All in all though this is a fine smoke made with quality product and a good choice in a bulk lat blend.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 04, 2013 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
Good all day smoke. Good clean flavor, the Latikia and orentals remind me of a lighter version of nightcap, although much sweeter. Nicotine is medium, good clean burn, and it can be creamy and smooth if sipped at a medium pace. Mclellands has done a fine job with this, great blend.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 30, 2010 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable
No previously reviewed blend has given me so much trouble coming up with suitable commentary. As a Dunhill MM 965 smoker of some-28+ years and one not able to even enjoy the Orlik version now, I was extremely intrigued by as company of McClelland's reputation boldly stating they had a match. Nothing less, a match is claimed.

When 9-2-5 was first listed here as a new blend I first became aware of its existence. My B&M being a huge McClelland house I emailed them asking if they intended to stock it. The immediate reply was in the affirmative. A week later I received email notification that it had arrived. I forthwith powered down my PC and headed out the door to buy a sample. I was greeted at El Fumador with a full jar of this bulk blend, a jar which readily admitted my probiscus for my first whiff. Yes, it was faintly like MM 965. I was encouraged and purchased a 4 ounce "sample", immediately loading a large billiard with the tobacco right then and there, the tobacco being pack ready for moisture. It had NONE of the McClelland signature and infamous "capsupization" topping - a big plus for me. At first light I was struck with a blend that was far sweeter than MM965 (which I attribute to McClelland's Cyprian Latakia which always seems sweeter than I like) and far, far saltier. The famous MM965 "creaminess" was lacking. However I reserved my judgment.

For the next week I smoked at least one bowl a day for this sample. Always the same experience greeted me - too sweet, too salty, no mellow, creamy body. This was MCCLELLAND - I did not expect a turkey. Something was amiss for sure. As I proceeded through this first week I found that a about 1/2 bowl one became aware that the was is no nicotine lightweight (which is fine), but at 2/3 bowl I was digging it out of my pipe as it began to turn harsh on me. Not good. I took the remainder of my sample and put it into a small mason jar, put that in my cabinet and forgot about it. Three weeks ago I loaded a bowl form the jar noting a distinct MM965 jar note which was not so evident before. The sweetness was somewhat abated as was the saltiness and I could smoke the entire load through the dottle without a building harshness. Last week I opened the jar and found... a very MM 965 aroma. ??? Hmmmmm...I spent the entire week smoking this exclusively. It now seems very Dunhill-like. Sweetness toned down, saltiest gone, still not as mellow, but, hey, one can't have everything in life. In short this CAN be a 965-Match...if allowed to dry some. This is the only conclusion I can come to.

Had I rated this the first week it would barely have merited a 2 star rating. Now, however, I look forward to smoking this and I give it a solid 3 star rating. This is high on my scale as a 4 means I will definitely repurchase. It might go 4 - time will tell.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
ATW
Dec 04, 2015 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
Man this stuff is a treat! Sweet but not sticky sweet, smoky, leathery and so damn smooth! The only McClelland English blend I've had that has complexity to it. My favorite blend so far. The flavor is always changing down the bowl. If this is a reincarnation of 965 before Orlik then man, Murrays and the original must have been orgasmic! I'll be getting a lot more of this!
2 people found this review helpful.
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