McClelland Blackwoods Flake
(3.50)
The characteristic, natural sweetness of mellow, red Virginias mingles inextricably with the richness and inherently spicy aroma of black stoved Virginias in this doubly aged red and black all-Virginia cake mixture. An artistic achievement in tobaccos for the pipe, this beautiful mottled flake is incomparable in smoothness, balance and refinement.
Notes: From McClelland: Occasionally we meet someone whose familiarity with a variety of tobaccos, sensitive palate, and desire for "that special tobacco" provide an inspiration for us. In seeking to satisfy a taste other than our own, we pleasantly surprise ourselves with beautiful results. This is what the Personal Reserve Series is all about. We developed this concept early on as a way to enhance our creative spirit. We are proud to offer these fine pipe tobacco blends, and hope you will enjoy them.
Details
| Brand | McClelland |
| Series | Personal Reserve |
| Blended By | McClelland Tobacco Company |
| Manufactured By | McClelland Tobacco Company |
| Blend Type | Straight Virginia |
| Contents | Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin, 100 grams tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
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
|
3.50 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 61 - 70 of 233 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 18, 2011 | Mild | None Detected | Mild | Pleasant |
A nice flake, presents some dark brown reds along side tawny strands mixed with some really dark flecks. Simple to rub out, nice long strands with some coarse little bits here and there, some finer shag like bits. I personally like to rub out the entire tin and let dry for a day or so as it tends to smoke a bit wet out of the tin.
packs very easy, I find that if it is still too moist one can pack it too tightly. Since I rub this out fully I typically use the frank method. A lot easier than Dark Star to light up and keep going. A bowl starts off bright and sweet for me. I like its zesty top note. Gives the tongue a bit of a zing that can be mistaken for bite. Yes it is a VA and will bite if pushed to hard. Mid bowl the flavor deepens and sweetens, giving a bit of a peppery character, stays very mellow in flavor from mid bowl on. A great mellow sweetness I associate with nearly all the fine McClleland VA blends, something slightly nutty in there as well.
I like to smoke this in a larger rather than smaller bowl for the factor that it seems to open up more on the palate.
I would love to taste this after a long period of aging, would probably mellow it out enough for me to give it one more star, the oldest tin I have smoked is a 2009 in 2011. My theory is that after the five year mark it is probably a four star smoke. Would love to see what ten years does to this.
packs very easy, I find that if it is still too moist one can pack it too tightly. Since I rub this out fully I typically use the frank method. A lot easier than Dark Star to light up and keep going. A bowl starts off bright and sweet for me. I like its zesty top note. Gives the tongue a bit of a zing that can be mistaken for bite. Yes it is a VA and will bite if pushed to hard. Mid bowl the flavor deepens and sweetens, giving a bit of a peppery character, stays very mellow in flavor from mid bowl on. A great mellow sweetness I associate with nearly all the fine McClleland VA blends, something slightly nutty in there as well.
I like to smoke this in a larger rather than smaller bowl for the factor that it seems to open up more on the palate.
I would love to taste this after a long period of aging, would probably mellow it out enough for me to give it one more star, the oldest tin I have smoked is a 2009 in 2011. My theory is that after the five year mark it is probably a four star smoke. Would love to see what ten years does to this.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 27, 2010 | Medium | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
You may enjoy this for what it is - a smooth sweet medium red combined with a spicy stronger black stoved virginia. And spicy it is, way to much for me. After a few puffs all I taste and feel is pepper, and derive no further pleasure from the smoke. Tried different pipes, drying etc., same problem. Must be a chemistry thing. I personally prefer a hint of latakia for my spice with a mellower softer smoke with more sweetness and less pronounced tobacco aftertaste (SL). Another fine McClelland product, just not on my restock list.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 27, 2010 | Medium to Strong | Extremely Mild | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
A nice blend, still a little too much vinegar for me, but way better than Dark Star, and way more user friendly too.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 25, 2009 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
One tin is not enough blend...
When open the tin most famous ketchup waiting for you...It needs to be dry and blend by fingers, then its ready...
Easy to pack and lit...No bite, sweet,smooth and tangy...
This is very good stuff and a must try for Va lovers. Keep several tins of this stuff...
When open the tin most famous ketchup waiting for you...It needs to be dry and blend by fingers, then its ready...
Easy to pack and lit...No bite, sweet,smooth and tangy...
This is very good stuff and a must try for Va lovers. Keep several tins of this stuff...
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 23, 2009 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
A very nice Virginia that requires proper preparation in order to enjoy its excellent flavor. I've smoked this blend in different pipes and with various way of preparation. The one I found that yields the best flavor is what follows. If you have a 50 gr tin and are planning on smoking it in its entirety, completely rub out the flake and spread it out on plate and let it dry for about 48 hours (more or less depending on humidity). I would recommend smoking this and all Virginia blends in pipes dedicated to Virginia blends. After proper drying, return it to its tin or tobacco jar.
This is a blend that requires attention. It can burn hot if packed too tightly or when puffing too much. It needs to be packed between "somewhat loosely" and "less firm". It should be sipped instead of puffed on as it will bite your tongue. I wouldn't smoke it outdoors. The tobacco has an excellent spicy, complex and woody flavor, especially the last half of the bowl. It's great any time of the day and is enjoyed with a heavy coffee in the morning or a Merlot in the evening. I don't find it having a full flavor. It's light, complex and a contemplative blend.
Each "sip" of the tobacco can be a delightful experience: sweet, spicy, woodsy, then nothing, then creamy and the tastes loops around again and again for a truly enjoyable experience. But once again, be careful as it can produce tongue bite. I found that I can't smoke more than three consecutive bowls of this blend in a row as it does make my tongue rather sensitive. I require to rest my mouth for several hours before dipping into this blend again. It is a 4-star blend, but because of all the preparation and attention in smoking it demands I give it 3 stars.
This is a blend that requires attention. It can burn hot if packed too tightly or when puffing too much. It needs to be packed between "somewhat loosely" and "less firm". It should be sipped instead of puffed on as it will bite your tongue. I wouldn't smoke it outdoors. The tobacco has an excellent spicy, complex and woody flavor, especially the last half of the bowl. It's great any time of the day and is enjoyed with a heavy coffee in the morning or a Merlot in the evening. I don't find it having a full flavor. It's light, complex and a contemplative blend.
Each "sip" of the tobacco can be a delightful experience: sweet, spicy, woodsy, then nothing, then creamy and the tastes loops around again and again for a truly enjoyable experience. But once again, be careful as it can produce tongue bite. I found that I can't smoke more than three consecutive bowls of this blend in a row as it does make my tongue rather sensitive. I require to rest my mouth for several hours before dipping into this blend again. It is a 4-star blend, but because of all the preparation and attention in smoking it demands I give it 3 stars.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 13, 2009 | Medium | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Mmmm, that McClelland smell! Looks good in the tin and tastes great in the bowl. Easy to break down, a little hard to keep it burning, but well worth the trouble. A good straight-forward VA.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 12, 2009 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Although I have smoked a pipe intermittently over the years, I am certainly no expert in describing tobacco blends...so here goes. Overall, I found this to be a very satisfying smoke. A subtle experience of unadulterated tobacco at its best. I found this to be a very cool smoke as well with virtually no bite...always a plus in my book. I had a few more relights than usual...but otherwise a great smoke!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 11, 2009 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
With a subtle and mellow sweetness that carries a pleasant complexity, it has become a favorite of mine for those times when a straight virginia is in order.
Moister content is high, but once in bloom it rewards the smoker with a delightful relaxing treat. Blackwoods Flake also works well using the delayed satisfaction technique. So if unsure as to whether or not one can finish a bowl, not to worry, it can be relit later.
It needs to be smoked slowly and deliberately to recieve the whole experience this flake offers.
Moister content is high, but once in bloom it rewards the smoker with a delightful relaxing treat. Blackwoods Flake also works well using the delayed satisfaction technique. So if unsure as to whether or not one can finish a bowl, not to worry, it can be relit later.
It needs to be smoked slowly and deliberately to recieve the whole experience this flake offers.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 29, 2008 | Mild | Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I opened this tin a couple of weeks ago and first impressions were that the ketchup/vinegar smell was there but not nearly as strong as the 2015 I've been smoking of late. I also thought I could detect another scent so this may have some other casing too. It's moderately easy to light and keep lit, needing only a couple of re-lights to finish. This one has taste and is smoother than 2015, probably due to the "double aging" on the tin. I find the taste to be pretty consistent as I only occasionally find myself unable to taste it, still I find myself wishing the taste was a little stronger. Something about this smoke conjures up images of old codgers lighting up in the 50's, to my mind. Bottom line is that this is a very nice smoke, I'm just not sure I prefer it so much to 2015 that I'd go out of my way to buy it.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 20, 2008 | Overwhelming | None Detected | Medium | Strong |
I have not been a pipe smoker until recently and have been fortunate enough to find this website. I normally smoke cigars, of which I enjoy the full-flavor full strength variety, usually Hondurans. Of the pipe tobaccos that I have tried over the last few months this is by far my least favorite.
Based on reviews I've read and high ratings I decided to give Blackwoods Flake a go...much to my disappointment. Upon arrival of my tin I opened it and was not surprised to find the ketchup smell that is so described in many of these reviews. I rubbed out the flake and let it dry for about thirty minutes at which point I thought the ketchup smell would dissipate, however, the tangy malodorous spirit remained. I thought that maybe this unpleasantness would not be present once the pipe was loaded and lit...again I was wrong.
After several relights the tobacco finally stayed smouldering-long enough for me to be introduced to and immediately deported from flavor country. If I wanted this sort of taste in my pipe tobacco I could have dipped a Marlboro cigarette into a cup of ketchup, lit up, and saved about ten bucks. After the deportation from flavor country, I was immediately checked into the infirmary where I was administered anti-emetics and oxygen at 7 liters/minute. When the sickness went away, about eight hours later, I was discharged and could not smoke a pipe for about a week following this incident.
While I appreciate the reviews and individual opinions I've read regarding Blackwoods Flake it is NOT the tobacco for me. In fact, my experience was so bad that I may not ever return to McClelland tobaccos. The ketchup smell alone would send me back to the infirmary.
Based on reviews I've read and high ratings I decided to give Blackwoods Flake a go...much to my disappointment. Upon arrival of my tin I opened it and was not surprised to find the ketchup smell that is so described in many of these reviews. I rubbed out the flake and let it dry for about thirty minutes at which point I thought the ketchup smell would dissipate, however, the tangy malodorous spirit remained. I thought that maybe this unpleasantness would not be present once the pipe was loaded and lit...again I was wrong.
After several relights the tobacco finally stayed smouldering-long enough for me to be introduced to and immediately deported from flavor country. If I wanted this sort of taste in my pipe tobacco I could have dipped a Marlboro cigarette into a cup of ketchup, lit up, and saved about ten bucks. After the deportation from flavor country, I was immediately checked into the infirmary where I was administered anti-emetics and oxygen at 7 liters/minute. When the sickness went away, about eight hours later, I was discharged and could not smoke a pipe for about a week following this incident.
While I appreciate the reviews and individual opinions I've read regarding Blackwoods Flake it is NOT the tobacco for me. In fact, my experience was so bad that I may not ever return to McClelland tobaccos. The ketchup smell alone would send me back to the infirmary.
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