McClelland Christmas Cheer 2013

I purchased this tobacco when it came out two years ago. I was just dipping my toes in Virginias at the time, and hadn't even been smoking a year yet. The first time I tried a bowl of it I quit half-way through--too subtle for me back then. I've had it aging in my cellar ever since, and tried a bowl in a fresh cob today. Age (both for me and the tobacco) have worked wonders. The smoke was long-lasting, with pleasing plumes of smoke. The typical raisin-hay qualities of the Virgina leaf as aged wonderfully, and packed a decent punch of Vitamin N. I look forward to sampling this tobacco as the years go on.

A much anticipated kick off to the holiday season. Purchased two tins of this and glad I did. Cracked the first one at a year old this month. Nicely aged in the short span of time. A consistent high quality product from year to year. Buy a few tins and put them away. This stuff ages fantastic.

Right now I finished a bowl of Christmas Cheer 2013. Very smooth and easy on the tongue, for a pure Virginia. Some of the pep has left but the taste continues to show signs of complexity, without the harshness. One of those fantastic pleasures that reminds me of why I smoke a pipe. It has not lost flavor, nor aroma from tin or Mason jar. It is a tobacco that lets the smoker sit back and say WOW, it is worth the time put in. A lot of depth that only with a sophisticated tobacco sense will be enjoyed by the smoker. It willl not have the ride that fresh tobacco has, but for that you can open a new can of Virginia tobacco. There are times for the peaks of flavor and times for the meditation of smoking an aged blend.

Christmas cheer from 2013 is another great blend from McClelland. It arrives as a rough cut flake that easliy breaks but doesn’t crumble. I wish like everyone else they were still blending but it is what it is. I find that if you get yourself a large enough chamber pipe that you’re otherwise pleased with, you can load this fine blend directly from the tin into the pipe and smoke away. Assuming you know how to pack a pipe and you’re willing to tamp a bit. I smoked two full bowls last night at pipe club over the course of 2 1/2 hours and paired it with a good German beer and I gotta say I really enjoyed it. The Virginia’s in this tobacco are in my opinion Perfectly aged and prepared. It’s a medium bodied tobacco with a little bit of sweetness and the perfect nicotine hint. I taste some almond and a little bit of buttery taste, along with an excellent smokiness. It also pairs well with a Cabernet which I’m finding out right now as I smoke it.. The tin and room note are so nice as well. This year‘s addition was quite a bit different from the 2007 I’ve enjoyed before.

Tin note: Very dark brown and light speckled broken flakes, with an aroma of baked deep fruity muffins, sweet earth, and even ripe fruit that is fermenting and ready to turn. Bottom of tin stamped “7 2013,” moisture level of the broken flake is slightly cool to the touch.

Bowl note: Several flakes were rubbed out aggressively and packed into the Bertram Washington DC 30 Lovat Pot. Lightly tamping throughout the session reveals a slow burning blend with two follow-up lights later. First third exhibited deep dried slightly sweet fruit, pepper, earth, and a slight unknown spice; The pepper later transferred to the background as we transitioned to the Second Third; At this point, a medium aroma of sweet smoky grilled fatty meat emerged, mild spices, and a floral aroma was competing on the finish which I couldn’t identify. Possibly the citrus of the 2009 Orange Virginias? This continued through the second third which eventually became a deep, smooth, creamy, and comfortable smoke. Body mild to medium in the beginning and same for the Nic, transitioning to more of a solid medium body with the Nic at medium to a notch above medium. As I was approaching and entering the last third, the body was ramping up and the Nic was starting to creep up a notch too. Maybe it was the temperature this afternoon, and I decided to put my pipe down and not push it. A Canada Dry BOLD Ginger Ale and Snickers Bar does wonders not to turn a person into Betty White.

With that in mind, this is a great blend for morning or maybe following a good dinner in the evening time. Highly recommended and if you have a tin, pop it open and enjoy that sucker, because I really do think you’re missing out on a good tasting Virginia. 2009 Orange Virginias used in a 2013 blend, so we now have 12 years of age sitting in the tin. Of interest, the inside walls of the tin appear to be coated with a special (spray?) in what I think Mike had performed to protect the contents from air leakage, etc. Well, there you go…

When you open the tin, the tobacco smells really alright, it will remind you of ketchup / bbq, however, smoking this is completely different... this thing burns wayyyy too hot in the bowl! although i dont get much hot smoke in the mouth, it really irritates my nose big time, but nothing compares to how hot thing this burns in the bowl , now, im sure i zipped this "very" lightly, no big draws no nothing, but just after a few puffs the bowl starts to burn hot, i have never experience this with any tobacco in my corn cob. i rested the pipe just after a few buff, repeat, again, burns hot. i consider myself to be really tolerable to heat, but even so, i cant hold the pipe.

I really wanted to be fair before i write this review, therefore, to be fair i tried smoking other similar tobacco in the same pipe to see if its the pipes problem, but everything was alright, so after a few days later, i decided to give it one more try... this time, even worst,...i dont even want to try this in my briar pipe... after just 1/3 of the bowl, i was done with it. im not sure if theres something wrong with my can of tobacco, or my pipe or any reasons, but im not impressed with it. how can someone enjoy a tobacco if they cant even hold the pipe in their hand... ?