McClelland Celebrated Sovereign

A pretty nice English tobacco. My gold standard English is Dunhill My Number 965. Also, up there, are Perfection and Frog Morton Across the Pond. 4 stars in my view. This one is right up there. I'm trying to figure out, as I smoke a few bowls, if it's a 3 or a 4. It's pleasing me in the same way the others do, so I'll give it a 4. A good, robust English. I'm partial to many McClelland blends. Include this one.

One might say smokey, spicy, and with a gentle sweetness, but such a description would not begin to capture the nuances of this elegant tobacco. To be sipped and savored.

I never smoked the Ashton version but this is a great Latakia blend in the English fashion. The tin note is sweet, smokey Latakia and spicy orientals. The cavendish is noticeable in the tin note and is rather nice in how it softens the aroma. I very nice allusion to what you are in store for in the smoke.

I dry all McClelland tobacco's for at least 5 minutes, this one based on the 2 tins I have smoked is no different and requires minimal dry time. This is a great blend. All of the tobacco's are present and identifiable in the smoke and it creates a nuanced experience. This is one I like to enjoy watching a movie or sitting and relaxing. Taking the time to focus on the flavors is well worth the effort with this blend. Sweet, smokey Syrian Latakia is evident throughout the smoke. the Orientals are spicy and woody and I found them to become more prominent as the smoke continues. The woody spiciness at times comes to the front with the Latakia and cavendish fading a bit but never gone. The tobaccos compliment each other really well and support one another as one takes the front and others stay to the back. The cavendish in this seems to be the conductor of the symphony. It softens bolsters the Latakia, Turkish and even the stoved Virginias with the sweetness. Seems to make the smoke feel fuller in the mouth and round out the flavors of each. This burns very well and leaves a nice grey ash in the bowl. I really love this one and have several tins. Since the Syrian Latakia is a thing of the past this is one I will only enjoy on occasions from here on out.

I was hoping this blend would come back and it did! Thank goodness. This smells delightful in the tin. Not heavy on the Latakia but strikes a very good balance. I do wonder though if this is the old recipe before McC started making this for Ashton as I remember Ashtons a bit more fragrant and more perfumy while smoking than this re-issued version. Be that as it may this blend is smokey, with a slight sweetness from the Cavendish and Red Virginia. Smooth and non biting. I would dry this out a bit as it is a tad moist upon opening the tin. Its a little hard to start due to the moisture. I tend to categorize this blend in the "crossover" Englishes along with Old Dog and the Frog Morton series with addition of Cavendish. This also reminds me of Spillman's Mixture in flavor, but fuller and without the bite.