McClelland Black Shag
(2.55)
Sherlock Holmes kept it in the toe of a Persian slipper nailed to the mantelpiece. It was dry and strong. Kept at what we today have deduced to be proper smoking moisture and smoked gently, this excellent stoved shag will provide hours of smoking pleasure. Examine the ash carefully. A shag cut black Virginia tobacco, making it very easy to pack a pipe and burn evenly.
Notes: The first in the 221b Series is Black Shag, introduced at the 1997 Sherlock Holmes meeting of the Richmond Conclave of Pipe Smokers.
Details
| Brand | McClelland |
| Series | 221b Series |
| Blended By | McClelland Tobacco Company |
| Manufactured By | McClelland Tobacco Company |
| Blend Type | Straight Virginia |
| Contents | Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Shag |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
2.55 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 16 of 16 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 03, 2005 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Unnoticeable |
This stuff was awful! No particular flavor either from agents or tobacco it was just plain flat, harsh and nasty tasting. Sort of like smoking dryer lint soaked in gasoline. Very finely cut and extremely fast burning, it provides maximum tongue bite for the masochist in a hurry. Halfway through the bowl I decisively knocked out my pipe and threw the tin into the trash. I'm sure somebody else out there will love it, but this one was definitely not for me. Top
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 17, 2005 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is monochromatic, flat, and will melt the tounge. There is some latakia flavor in it and that is its only positive quality.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 15, 2004 | Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I did not like this even when tried several times in several differant pipes. I find this to be rather harsh and bitey even when smoked slow. I could not see myself smoking anymore of this with all of the good virginia blends on the market. Mcclelland has several very good virginia blends in my opinion and this is not one of them.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 16, 2003 | Mild | Extremely Mild | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Tolerable |
Well, I guess that with over 100 blends in McClelland's repertoire, there are bound to be some I do not like at all and Black Shag is one of those. My tin was quite dry on arrival, a somewhat welcome change for a McClelland offering. Problem was, the tobacco tasted and burned dry. I don't know- probably the shag cut does not go well with my puffing style. I tried smoking real slow, but never really got much more than a hot musty flavor- kind of reminded me of that smell you get when you first turn on the heat after the furnace has been dormant for several months. I did not get bitten by this blend, but I can imagine it could raise blisters on a devil's butt if misused.
I cellared my tin for about six months, with a bit of rehydration. End result- dusty furnace. I can't say that it tasted "extremely mild" but I sure could agree with "flat".I hope I can find someone that appreciates this tobacco and I'll give them what remains. I have had enough for this lifetime.
I cellared my tin for about six months, with a bit of rehydration. End result- dusty furnace. I can't say that it tasted "extremely mild" but I sure could agree with "flat".I hope I can find someone that appreciates this tobacco and I'll give them what remains. I have had enough for this lifetime.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 28, 2001 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Tolerable |
Let me start by saying that while a fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous sleuth, I am not an obsessed fan. Thus I was not terribly biased when tasting McClelland's Black Shag. With so many other wonderful tobaccos I can't see ever purchasing a tin of this. It seemed very one dimensional and that single dimension wasn't much to keep me interested. I much prefer Rattray's Black Virgina which is similar but burns much cooler and has a distinct sweet/tangyness which I found much more intriguing. I guess if your love for Holmes and Watson is so great that smoking the namesake is important, then go for it cause quite frankly it's the most interesting thing about this tobacco. It's ironic that the good folks at McClelland blend some of my favorite virginia & VA/Perique tobaccos (Dark Star, St James Woods)..what can I say, this isn't one of them.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 25, 2001 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
This is a pleasant black mix of ribbon tobaccos that's not so powerfully overwhelmed by that ominous
ketchup smell in the tin. Still, the threat of tongue-frying lurks always at the edges of the experience... like finding Joe Pesci under your
kitchen cabinets, you never know when it's going to punch you somewhere painful. It has a lot more flavor than most of the other
McClelland's blends I've tried, and you can actually taste real tobacco over the heat. When smoked VERY slowly and VERY carefully, it's
a decent experience and a nicely flavorful smoke though not particularly outstanding.
ketchup smell in the tin. Still, the threat of tongue-frying lurks always at the edges of the experience... like finding Joe Pesci under your
kitchen cabinets, you never know when it's going to punch you somewhere painful. It has a lot more flavor than most of the other
McClelland's blends I've tried, and you can actually taste real tobacco over the heat. When smoked VERY slowly and VERY carefully, it's
a decent experience and a nicely flavorful smoke though not particularly outstanding.
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