McClelland Blackwoods Flake

I like McClelland virginia blends. To me, like the American people themselves, they embody the spirit of the New World: honest, unpretentious, a bit rough around the edges but naturally sweet and complex in a minimally processed way. Sometimes I'm in the mood for this, sometimes I'm not, but I know from the get-go that I can take it or leave it.

This is a rough cut, broken flake virginia. It is very wet right out of the tin, so I let it air out overnight. I like the ketchup aroma, but if it's hanging around, it means the tobak is still too wet and will bite like a rattlesnake.

I stuff the flakes into my pipe pretty much as they are, roughing them up a little bit but not really rubbing them out. BWF is easy to overpack, especially when it's new, and it will bite and burn hot if this is the case. Like Dark Star and others, it can be a hassle to keep lit.

I detect notes of grass, clover, heather, and, at times, something else like autumn leaves. One reviewer described this experience as the "colours" coming out. I agree--it's almost synesthetic, and quite wonderful. Too bad it doesn't always happen.

It can be tricky to get in the zone with BWF, and when it doesn't occur, one can be left with a scorched tongue and a clogged, but not sated, palette. Two things bear repeating: air out the tin, and dry out the "pinch" a little bit (not too much) immediately prior to smoking. I try do this with any virginia flake, but especially with McClelland blends.

I don't know why some reviewers of BWF have indicated the presence a "mild" or "medium" flavouring. While almost all pipe blends are cased with something, BWF is about as natural as it gets. Perhaps they've mistaken the ketchup smell of the fermenting sugars for a topping, or maybe they have yet to get the hang of the rating system. There is a lot of subjective grey area when rating a blend's other attributes, but IMO a strong flavouring is either there or it isn't.

This is one of the finest red/dark VA blends that I have ever smoked! When you pop the tin on this one, you'll be in for a bit of a shock though: the signature red VA "ketchup" aroma is different. It has a sweet and almost spicy note to it reminiscent of brown sugar. It is a partially rubbed flake that is almost to the point of being too moist, but it took a light well right out of the can with little to no drying time. The vinegar aroma dissipates as the tobacco flavor blooms into a full flavored smoke. The dark Va's really change the profile and add a great fruity flavor. You'll also taste wood smoke and a grassy sweetness that showcases the wonderful leaf used in this blend. I would gladly smoke this any time of year. Nic hit is decent for a VA blend. I will be keeping some of this in the cellar to see how it is whenever it ages a bit more (the cans I have are about 2 years old at the moment). This is great for a change of pace for the regular VA smoker and a great way to get started in red/dark Va's.

My brother recommended that I pick up a can of this in my next tobacco order, and I'm grateful that he did. It's a perfect example of a straight Virginia blend, and the flake cut makes for a different experience than you're typical tobacco.

I'm currently enjoying a bowl before bed, and rubbed out the flake into an even, light texture. While we're currently on the brink of spring, the flavor reminds me of a backyard campfire, with hints of roasted marshmallow sweetness. There is not much complexity to the flavor, but does give a pleasurable experience that I'll be looking to enjoy a lot in the future.

McClelland's offerings seem almost all the same to me. With few variations. Always the ketchup, vinegar and barbecue sauce overwhelming tobacco taste. I taste something peppery in that one too. Not for me. 1.5 star.

This high quality leaf is my everyday Va when I'm not looking for an extraordinary experience (DS). It rubs out & lights very easily, after airing, and develops from a light sweetness to a full bodied, woody, incense-like aroma later. No bite at all (at least for me) and does not require a Zen-like concentration (plagiarized phrase) to be enjoyed. Always ends too soon, leaving a clean pipe & refreshed palate.

This is a winner from McClelland. You can expect a refined cool, sweet, smoke that is both well balanced and warm, and that needed little to no drying time. One thing that sticks out to me is it's actually a beautiful looking blend. This is a great blend that will only get better with age. You can't go wrong with this one. Well refined and pleasant smoke. Sit back and enjoy this easy going high quality blend.

This 100g tin is from 2005, purchased in 2006, and finally opened in July of 2013. As a longtime fan of Virginias the large number of four star reviews here really got this smoker excited about trying this one. And tried I have, in a variety of pipes, at different moisture levels, partially and fully rubbed out or as it arrived in the tin, packed with varying techniques in greater and lesser densities, lying down, standing up, sitting, with and without beverages, for breakfast, lunch, dinner, while fasting... In short, convinced I was going to love Blackwoods Flake, I have never applied so much effort to exploring a tobacco, in trying to eke out whatever qualities it might have to offer. It has been six months now. The remainder of the tin is fully rubbed out and had a moisture of about 13-14% as I loaded the last pipe, a level I have found to be optimal for so many Va's, including many that I enjoy from McClelland, and, still, I'm stumped. Eight years of age on a highly touted Virginia! How promising! And yet I could not get this one to yield its secrets. It is hard to believe that this is the same tobacco that everyone has been talking about. If there were not so many positive reviews from so many esteemed reviewers I would be tempted to come to the conclusion that there are no extracts to be extracted, but as it stands I will open a tin of more recent production soon to give it another go.

Is it to be recommended? Sure. With so many enjoying BF so much, maybe this is the one for you. Hope so! Perhaps this was just a poor batch. Will update/upgrade if I have better luck next time.

How can a tobacco that smells so awful in the tin taste so good? When I ordered this tobacco, I purchased it mainly because I love Virginias (Gawith Full Virginia Flake being one of my favorites), and it had so many good reviews. I read that it smells like ketchup, but figured that to be a slight exaggeration. Well it's no exaggeration people... It does smell exactly like ketchup and vinegar. Putrid!

After rubbing it out, I let it dry a bit and took another whiff... It was glorious, with no more ketchup aroma. Just a really sweet straight forward quality tobacco aroma. None of the ketchup or vinegar translated into the smoke either thank goodness!

Very mellow smoke, pretty straightforward with not too much going on in the way of multiple flavors. I'm not getting all of those different flavors some reviewers have mentioned, but that's not a bad thing for me. The flavor it does have is absolutely spectacular sweet Virginia tobacco. It seems to burn fairly cool, no tongue bite, with moderate nicotine. It pairs up perfectly with a cup of Earl Grey, and is quite the relaxing smoke to be sure. I can definitely see this pairing up nicely with a sweeter, not so peaty single malt scotch such as a Speyside. I believe I shall try that this evening!

It's a really solid example of a high quality blended Virginia that could easily be an all day smoke for yours truly... I think I'll alternate between Blackwoods and Full Virginia Flake in my rotation when I get the hankering for a nice Virginia.

UPDATE: I let this one sit in the tin for a couple of weeks, it dried out nicely, and most of that ketchup smell is gone. The smoke itself has become glorious. I arrived home from work, poured a small glass of Highland Single Malt Scotch (I ran out of any Speysides) and sipped both the pipe and the scotch sparingly. What a truly fantastic, sweet, pure Virginia, smooooooth smoke. I seem to be feeling a bit of a nicotine kick, but not in a bad way at all, and it could be my imbibing increasing the feel of it. I also am smoking it in a small bowl Bjarne Neilsen mini churchwarden which has thus far lasted over 45 minutes in a single bowl. If it isn't heating up this pipe, I can't imagine it heating up any other unless you attach it to a vacuum cleaner. I believe this is on par, if not better than my favorite Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake...Sorry for getting long winded, but this is just a magical truly impressive smoke to me. If you like Viriginias, I have no doubt you will be truly impressed with this offering!

I smoked several bowls of this flake after opening the tin and I enjoyed it but didn't see what all the hype was about. Well I just happened to stoke up a bowl this evening and I don't know what magic occurred but OH MY GOD THIS IS DELICIOUS! Must of needed some drying out or something but what a change.It just goes to show that one shouldn't be too hasty in judging a blend until you have spent some time with it and give it a chance to shine and shine it does. This is now the best straight Virginia that I have had!! Goes right to the head of the class!!Well gotta go order some more!!