McClelland Wilderness

In a newly opened tin, Wilderness looks and smells at first like a spot-on, “deluxe” light/medium English (not a Balkan), with nice, plump, variegated ribbons and an excellent balance of perfume-y Latakia and mild Orientals just over a well-chosen assortment of smooth VAs. However, keeping after the scent, I began to suspect that much of what smells so “good” at first is “enhancements” rather than tobacco, per se (not that I care, if I like the results). As usual, I started out by smoking a bowlful of this blend pulled straight out of a new tin and stuffed into a good briar, and then I went on to try everything I could think of to make it better. Wilderness is typical of the McC blends I’ve tried in that it takes both patience and perseverance to light it and keep it burning through an entire bowlful. That accomplished, the best of this blend for me is at first match, when it smells and tastes like the initial tin note, sans accumulated, combusted additives. After the char, re-light follows re-light, and/or there is lots of stoking and fussing with it. There is ample, fragrant smoke when W is fully lit, and the tastes remain well balanced, of a piece, with the Lat slightly on top, then the Orientals, followed by the VAs, and it stays rather mild for most of a bowl. Basically, there is more (and less) going on here than tobacco. Though I continue to enjoy the tobacco-ish tastes, an “oily”, “chemical” taste increases and ultimately coats my mouth, taking more and more away from the best of W until about the 7/8 mark, when – oddly – the oiliness abates, or it is finally overtaken by something other than propylene glycol. By this time the tobacco tastes have morphed somewhat, and the lot is a little more “bracing” and very slightly bitter, though not in a bad way. The Lat, Orientals and VAs are all still “there” in good proportions; that never really changes, and I like that part of W. Strength is mild to medium; tastes are the same. Room note is pleasant. Aftertaste is a mixed bag, best and worst of the smoke that fades away fairly quickly.

Propylene glycol is not just a common humectant, it is the MSG of pipe tobacco, and McC is known to use more of the stuff than a cheap Chinese restaurant. So, is this my biggest problem with Wilderness? I dunno. Let me just say, “it’s not the Wilderness; it’s me”, since I can’t think of a pipe tobacco I’ve enjoyed more and less at the same time, apart from maybe Irish Flake, and in that case the cognitive dissonance I experienced had similar causes, but I was more impressed with the positives, overall. Anyway, I sort of hate to do it, but if I stick to my usual TR rating system (explained in my profile), then I have to say, I can see where others might enjoy this, but I’m done with it; ie., a tepid 2 stars from me. I’ll probably bring what’s left of my tin back to my tobacconist for use as a sampler, to serve as a free/fair warning to others. From now on, the only way I’m trying another McClelland tobacco is if it’s free. Since I paid for this one, and I smoked it in good faith, I’m speaking my piece.