McClelland Blue Mountain/Balkan Blue

Never tried the original as I was a poor university student. BUT this is delicious. One of the finest tobaccos in 50 years of pipe smoking. I can now die and go the Heaven, satisfied and content.

Blue Mountain is excellent stuff.

I am not old enough to have smoked 759, so my review is based solely on this blend. Count me among those bored to tears with reviewers going on and on about "the old balkan sobranie." It's like people saying, "Sure, Domingo is good, but you should have seen Caruso back in 1919." I can't, so just let me enjoy Domingo.

I was fortunate to attend the 2011 Chicago Pipe Show and held with the majority that this was the best. (Sorry, Russ!) The blend is thick, smooth, and consistent. I've just finished my first tin and used small, large, briars, and meers and found it respond perfectly in all of them. I suggest rubbing out the top third of the bowl for easier lighting, and you should expect multiple relights on this one. It burns down to about 10% dottle without going harsh or getting hot. I am prone to bite (see my review of Carter Hall), and this has none. It can cake things up, so watch that. The aftertaste is marvelous.

All that being said, this proves to be one dimensional. I tasted no real development through the bowl. Hence, I doubt this will change with aging. But, heck, it doesn't need to. The room note, which I almost never can tell, is obvious on this. This would make Pepe Le Pew blush. I hope to smoke it around my ex- wife one day.

All-in-all, highly recommended. Blue Mountain is a must-have for my cellar.

759 was king of tobacco's during it's time. The blend MC used was aged for many years, as we know things will change. 759 was lighter in color, more yenidje and latakia as I remember. It failed the huff test, this may not be exactly like what I remember but it is great in it's own way. It's not far from the original but is not the same. That said, BM is a fine smoke that does remind me of 759 at the 3/4 bowl. A good re-light with a full flavor I will be getting more of this as I think it will age well. I just wish I had the foresight to age 759. But I took it for granted that it would always be avaliable. I won't do that again. I do wish the ash was lighter like Three Oak's.

I love latakia. I also love sweet tobacco like red virginias. In Blue Mountain I find the best of two worlds. While smoking about the first half of the bowl, I'm aware of the latakia but it's not overwhelming. From there on, the latakia takes a step backwards and the sweet, sweet taste steps forward. This sweetness is almost sugarlike and I enjoy it even more than the taste of virginias. The tobacco burns slowly, should be sipped very gently and can be smoked right down to the last crumb. No dottle remains, only white ash which can actually just be shaken out. If you do not have this one in your collection, you are really missing out on a great experience.

This mixture is originated as an attempt to try to 'reconstruct' the Holy Grail of many pipe smokers - the legendary Balkan Sobranie. That tobacco is reminiscent of the BS but not entirely successful. But regardless of this tobacco is a premium, full, rounded taste, which I will certainly buy the first opportunity. Once again - excellent tobacco, despite failing to achieve the 'Holy Grail'! Recommendation for all fans of English blends: purchase!

Tin note of campfire smoke, sweet spices and sour herbal. Tobacco is a Ribbon cut of black and dark brown with a little brown. Moisture content is great. No drying/prep needed. Burns slow with a few extra relights. The strength is mild to medium and nic is mild. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium and mostly consistent, with complex notes of tart smoky dark fruit, spices, musty sour vegetation, floral, sweet herbal hay, earthy, toast, savory, leathery, wood, slight spicy incense, tangy orange peel, mild sugar, a zesty lemon grass background note, and a peppery retro. Latakia is leading with Oriental/Turkish and Virginia supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

When I opened the tin I found a very dark ribbon mixture little bit humid. Tin aroma was very pleasant, sweet and fermented, smoky exotic woods.

Once lit you get the flavors of the oriental tobaccos, exotic woods, incense. Sweetness, vinegar, earthy and dried fruits flavors from the Virginias, and finally the latakia gives some smoky sweetness. All together combined into a thick velvety flavorful smoke very consistent through all the bowl. Best part of the smoking experience comes near the bottom of the bowl. If you puff very slowly you get more Virginia goodness if no more latakia/orientals in the front. Needs 1 – 2 relight no tongue bite. Excellent tobacco, I’ll miss McClelland.

There are 4 great Balkan's that I have experienced: Germaine's Balkan Sobranie, H&H WhiteKnight and BlackHouse blends and my all time favorite, Balkan by Brebbia. All of these have subtleties that separate them by flavor, but they are all in the World Class category for me. I have never had the original BS, but these are top rate balkan blends, even if the original BS is the grand daddy of the genre. The tin note is Latakia, this may be the only McClelland blend where I can't pick up their signature Virginia smell in the tin. upon deep breaths I get the orientals and I know the VA's are there, but no ketchup in this one (and I love McClelland Virgiana's, for the record). The smoke has the signature maltyness that to me defines Balkans. It is sweet and smoky and a smoke I want to chew on. I get the Virginia's on the finish and the after taste and the orientals give the mouth and nose feel a little woody, spicyness. I absolutely love this stuff. The flavor stays consistent throughout the bowl and burns to a gray ash. Fantastic stuff and should age well.

This is what I would call a high-quality blend. To the enjoyer of Balkans, I would recommend giving this a try. When I first lit the bowl I could taste the undeniable high-quality Oriental and as I made it through the bowl the Latakia showed up at just the right time. The Oriental was present but not overpowering and the fashionably late entrance of Latakia made this a memorable smoke. An interesting experience for any tester who enjoys Oriental and Latakia.