Tobaccos McClelland - British Woods (Personal Reserve)

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3050)	2015-03-18		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

The Cyprian Latakia is the major player: sweet, smoky, musty, and woody, though it doesn't over power the other components. The matured Virginias offer tangy ripe dark fruit, lightly tart citrus, earth, wood, and a few grass and bread notes. It also has the "vinegar" hit one normally expects from McClelland, but that disappears fairly quickly. The Oriental/Turkish are campfire smoky, earthy, herbal, floral, woody, lightly sour, with some spice, though they don't show up in every puff. The strength is medium, while the taste is a step past that mark. The nic-hit is a slot behind the strength level. Won't bite even if you puff fast. You'll need to give this a little dry time. Burns cool, clean, smooth and a tad slow with a mostly consistent flavor to the finish. Requires some relights, and will leave a little moisture at the finish. Has a short lived, pleasant after taste and stronger room note. Not an all day smoke.

-JimInks

20 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2005-12-12		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Originally, I was not a fan of McClelland. Then again, I tried them about 25 years ago as a lad, too eager to try every sugarcoated aromatic out there. Since resuming piping, I find that McClelland is one great tobacco blender, and I am anxious to try more of them. I especially enjoy their Personal Reserve line. So far, BW might qualify for a desert island choice.

Like most of their blends, BW has that ketchupy, barbeque aroma in the tin, though not as pronounced as their mature Virginia series. BW is more along the lines of the Frog Morton series: relaxed, woodsy, mellow and campfirey. This is a spicier version of Across the Pond of that lineage.

This is the usual thickly cut, loosely packed mixture of dark stoved Virginias with Latakia making a subtle show in the background and tangy Macedonian tobaccos. If such a moniker exists, one might call this an American English. It?s subtly sweet and silky and leaves the room with a beautiful aroma. A friend commented that my living room smelled like a fireplace. Puffed slowly or aggressively, this is a chewy smoke. If there is a casing, it?s a very light top dressing that?s barely detectable outside of the tin aroma. This is a tobacco that I look forward to all day for that last evening smoke.

It?s amazing how each manufacturer has a signature that identifies them and yet, sets them apart from all their competitors: Wilke: molasses and baked spices; Dunhill: grass, peat and smoke; McClelland: barbeque and burnt ember. All of McClelland?s foundations are basically the same and yet subtly different. BW is a blend that I can smoke all day, and am bittersweet when the bowl and ultimately, the tin, come to an end. It always seems that there?s never enough tobacco in the tin. More and more, I am finding that this is replacing my usual default Dunhills. In an age of outsourcing and lower standards, McClelland remains true to form. Buy American? Yes, indeed!

Though not cheap, McClelland is a standard for quality in pipe tobaccos, and a brand that every loyal pipe smoker ought to sample at least once in life. I am sure that one or a few of them might become part of your standard repertory, as they will mine. Certainly, BW ranks right up there with the best of tobacciana.

Five of five stars ------------------- annual update 12/12/05

I bought a 100g tin of this magnificent tobacco last year & let it age in the tin. We're having an early winter & it's been very cold & dry. I promised to open this one around the holidays, and I'm so glad I did. BW emotes an almost nostalgic feel, like being home for the holidays with old friends & family. The ketchupy tin aroma has all but dissipated, leaving only a subtle mellowness. The leaf is satiny moist with just enough dryness to make it burn confidently but not like a fiery blast furnace. The aroma is smokey, with just the perfect amount of sun ripened oscuro-like spice. The taste is a delicious melange of exotic Macedonians & Orientals. BW is a meticulously blended chorus of celestial voices. While other blends I've revisted seem to go backward in quality, this actually got better. I will get another tin & age it for next season. BW is a richer, chewier Ashton Black Dog & a more muscular Frog Morton on the Town. The winner & still champion, & unless something grander comes along to sweep me off my feet, BW is probably my all time favorite. It doesn't get any better than this. Bravo!

Six of five stars

18 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2015-05-17		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

If you need a Latakia fix you've come to the right place. The Lat is silky smooth and creamy. 1st class stuff and it dominates this blend. Beside it (not behind) I get the Macedonian, but there's a problem. The notes of the two are very similar and the Macedonian just doesn't distinguish itself. The result is a little like a piano that plays only one and a half notes. Hard to make music with one of those. The Virginias do add a little sweetness, but little else. Overall it's not monochromatic, but it is close. If you're just looking for a nice smoky, creamy Lat fix, this will fill the bill. If you're looking for more, keep looking.

Mild to medium in body. Medium in flavor. Burns well.

Pipe Used: MM Country Gentleman, Diplomat Apple, Mark Twain

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Geronimo Von Klaus (76)	2014-09-03		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

This is McClelland at its underrated best.

Everyone knows McClelland for this matured VA's that pack most of their blends, that unmistakable ketchup/vinegary and sour matured goodness. That is their hallmark, but for this, they took that as the bedrock and added some wonderfully rich and sumptuous Latakia and Oriental to make the most satisfying English blend I know of. I'm serious, its that good.

A lot of English blends focus on the Latakia and have a huge dose of it, and add in some of the other ingredients almost as condiments, whereas British Woods gives the VA equal pegging, and as there are McClelland VA's in there, they pack a wallop and augment the Lat and the Orientals so well without being in there as "also-rans".

The result is such a rich a fragrant smoke. Its like Lancers Slices except with that Middle Eastern spice element thrown in, and all in such high quality and perfect cohesion that each puff gets better the whole way down.

Impossible to get it to bite, no dirty taste when pushed, no run-off in the bowl or stem, and unlike other English blends which can actually lose pop as they age when cellared, this gains a lot as the VA's continue to ferment and keep getting richer.

If someone held a gun to my head and asked me to choose between this or Black House, I would mutter "British Woods" under my breath. Black House opens to such wild and extravagant flavors that you just can't comprehend it, this opens quietly and builds and build to a wonderful finale.

Awesome. May it never go out of production.

Pipe Used: Peterson Killarney

Age When Smoked: 4 years

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sinister Topiary (84)	2009-01-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I first got into pipe smoking many years ago via nothing but bulk english blends and have only recently started to branch out into tins. I came across this one not too long ago, and it is a revelation. It has become my quintessential, supreme english blend. The search is over.

Like McClelland's Dark Star, this tobacco sometimes seems to me to transcend the sensual and approach the realm of high art. Incredibly smooth, silky, full, rich, subtle, even -- dare I say? -- close to perfection. It's everything I could hope for in a terrific, peaceful smoke.

Such a calmly joyous experience, like the fourth movement of Mahler's 4th. This blend is so good that I cannot consider British Woods an everyday go-to blend, but something to be relished when the mood is right, a Lagavulin rather than a Johnny Red.

Pipe smoking exists for blends like this.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2017-01-20		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Slightly Oriental forward, but the Latakia and matured Virginia leaf is not far behind. A superior blend that has been a huge McClelland's favorite for many decades. The way the leaf combines for such a rich presentation is due to a special process by the blender that marries all the components in their natural juices for many months before tinning. Just a remarkable blend.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2005-09-03		Medium to Strong	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

i was in a local tinderbox buying some tins of fmott.i was talking to the guy that worked there about how much i really enjoyed fmott.when he handed me the tins,i noticed that they were dated 2000.i was really happy to buy some 5yr old tins of fmott and made the comment to the guy that i could`nt believe how old the tins were.well he told me how alot of thier pipe smokers buy the tinderboxes bulk blends and don`t really buy alot of tins.

he asked me if i had ever smoked british woods? i told him i had`nt,and he told me he had some tins that were 7yrs old sitting on the shelf.well...i told him i`d have to try it some time,and i took my fmott and left.i got home, and alittle later i started thinking about giving british woods a try.so,i got on line and read the reviews on it,and they all seemed pretty good.well,i went back the next day and bought a can to try.i got home with my new tobacco,sat down,opened the tin,and packed my pipe.all i can say is...wow! i liked this tobacco from the first puff.

it smoked cool,with no tounge burn,and the flavor was great.after a secound and third bowl,it was back to the tinderbox to buy some more tins.maybe i was spoiled by this tobacco,due to it`s age,but i really like it.i`m glad i gave this one a try.its a great addition to my heavier english blends,ashton old dog and nightcap.i like my tobacco alittle on the drier side,so i let the rest of the tin air dry for a bit.i will keep some of this toacco in the cellar.give it a try,i don`t think you`ll be disappointed.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tabaco (112)	2011-02-13		Mild	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

An Americanised English blend. Not overly complex, a Steady-Eddie type of blend. It's very consistent smoke from first light to bowl bottom. Cool burning and slow it lasts quite a long time, which I like. Nice mouth-feel and the Latakia is tempered down a bit, by some Propylene Glycol. Somewhat of an all day blend.

After tin opening, it needed to dry-out for about 72 hours, which helped immensely.

Would I buy it again? No, there are other ones in my view which offer more depth and complexity. All said quite good, not great.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	zulujerk (146)	2010-06-28		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

McClelland calls British Woods "full, rich and dark." What? While, admittedly, the contents are 90% darkened, broad cut leaf, I find this blend bland and weak, and I'm a bit curious how so many people can agree with the tin description. Maybe I've upped my nicotine consumption so much that I can't appreciate the subtlety, I don't know, but my opinion of British Woods closely mirrors my other experiences with McClelland English's, particularly from the the Frog Morton line. Where's the strength?

The ingredients are exceptional, but they are lost on me...I can't find myself able to pick out the Macedonian leaf or any other of the fine Orientals employed in various McClelland blends. That's not a knock on McClelland, but rather my own shoddy palate--no one should doubt the quality of any McClelland mixture. British Woods is unfortunately destined to the back of my smoking drawer, which is a shame because I spent nearly twenty dollars on this tin (my misguided attempt to support the local brick and mortar). I suppose if I were to change this blend up, I would go for a stronger Virginia component, though as is, far too light for my tastes.

Two of five.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Old Nate (17)	2016-04-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Much has already been said about this wonderful tobacco and by those who I would say are unmatched when it comes to reviewing blends. For me, writing reviews is cathartic. It reaffirms my love or disdain for said product. And British Woods I love! Upon cracking the tin your senses are greeted with beautiful, spicy, smokey latakia and just underneath that an exotic spice from the orientals, and of course the ever present McClelland Virginia tang.

As an early pipe smoker, I classified this as an English blend, but after a little experience and familiarization with the pipe I would throw this in the Oriental/Balkan category. The ribbon is a very mottled cut which is a little harder to work than some other blenders shag/ribbon cuts, but that's okay. This stuff is worth it! The charring light delivers a nice peat smoked flavor, reminiscent of a first sip of good whiskey. Once you light it for good the latakia gives way to the Virginia's and the blend settles down and delivers a relaxing interplay of sweet and smoke. At approximately one third of the bowl the sweetness takes over with a nice sour note mingled in and bringing with it slight smokiness from the latakia. At this point, British Woods truly is a joy to sip. So easy to savor and you don't have to pull hard for flavor, each sip delivers the tangy sweet, smokey, sour richness promised on the tin label. Very good indeed!

Pipe Used: Many

Age When Smoked: fresh and aged 3 years

Purchased From: B & M

Similar Blends: Mississippi River.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ddmholst (23)	2014-07-09		Mild	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Looking through the cellar tonight I came across this tin of BW with seven years of age on it. Well I have never smoked this before so the age may slant my review some.

Upon opening the tin I got a pleasent whiff of orientals, probably latakia mostly. I did not get any of the mcclelland ketchup smell. It was maybe a tad moist for smoking but I said what the hell and went for it. It took to the match nicely. I only had to relight a couple of times. Initially I was greeted with a thick cloud of deliciously smooth latakia flavour. This to me is the smoothest latakia mxture I have smoked to date. It's very delicious and produces thick smoke with a very pleasent mouth feel. I do have to be honest and say that this smoke doesn't change all that much from initial light to dottle. I also will say that there is no nicotine to be found for me.

So do I like it? Yes will I buy more? Maybe. I would like to try this without age for a comparisions but that would probably be the only reason to buy more. Although it is very smooth there just isn't enough strength for me. I like my english smokes to kick me in the balls a bit.

If you were perhaps new to english blends or don't require much punch than this could be "the" blend for you.

Pipe Used: La rocca and Stanwell

Age When Smoked: 7.5 years

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-11-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This one seems to have a lot of reviewing activity recently. Must be the season (autumn).

This is for those that like a little bit of oriental with their latakia. This is a heavily pungent full English mixture that smells sweet in the tin and tastes both sweet and smoky in the bowl. A mostly all black tobacco with a few strands of chocolate brown matured virginia, said virginia doesn't seem to play a role I can discern in this one unless it's simply to tone it down a hair. The taste of BW is robust, yet sweet and mellow. Latakia predominates, with the various orientals peeking through the haze from time to time - a refined and occasionally elegant flavor. Somehow this doesn't beat the smoker about the head with latakia, however, and I'm not sure how they did that (perhaps the inclusion of matured red VA).

If you love latakia but prefer not to be overwhelmed by it, give this one a try.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2003-11-11		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

British Woods is a pleasantly cultivated English-Oriental tobacco blend. A truly woodsy, cool weathered, medium mixture companion.

The tin aroma is wonderful, and only improves with age. A slightly choclately sweet, earthy/smoky aroma characterizes this refined blend. British Woods is composed of Virginia, Oriental, Latakia, and Macedonian tobaccos. This mixture of tobaccos yields a dark color of lavender/brown interspersed with small cuts of orange. A very slight topping is added if any.

This blend has a slightly rough ribbon cut and requires no rubbing. Packing of this blend is accomplished without any inconveniences. The initial moisture is on the high end but an hour or two of drying will place this tobacco within the ideal moisture level. Removing the excess moisture of this blend is essential for an optimal smoke.

Lighting occurs fairly easily and the burning is consistent and quite complete. A lovely full white and very much tangible smoke is produced by this blend. Being a more full Latakia blend, the room note of this tobacco is certainly not an aromatic, as one would expect, yet it is by no means offensive.

A very harmonious English taste dominates this tobacco. In no manner does it ever seem harsh. Although being comprised of a great deal of Latakia tobacco, British Woods is never over bearing, but rather has a well-proportioned smoothness. About half way through the smoke, a slightly spicy, medium strength taste announces itself. Hardly any tongue bite occurs during the smoking of this blend.

British Woods? silky smooth balance of sweetness, spice, and smokiness is worth great praise. This tobacco blend is certainly an autumn day?s true counterpart. British Woods would probably benefit greatly from some aging. Recommended highly.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jacinto Cupboard (209)	2016-07-07		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A Latakia forward English supported by some sweet Virginias and the barest presence of fragrant, sour Orientals. There is enough Lat here for it to be into Lat bomb territory, but this far from monochramatic, having a great depth of flavour and a full cross palate flavour.

It is smoky, earthy, with pepper notes and an ever present sweet champagne like sparkle.

This is a classic. Too rich I think for everyday, but for those special moments.

Pipe Used: Lepeltier

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	idbowman (26)	2014-08-22		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I am, at present, a big fan of all things Latakia. On one hand, that might skew my opinions unfairly in favor of Latakia-forward blends; on the other, it might also give me a fair basis for comparison when I break them down. Maybe it's entirely irrelevant, but at least it's out there.

That said, I find this to be a fantastic blend. The tin aroma is leathery and smoky as one would expect from a Latakia/Oriental, with just a hint of the familiar ketchup/barbeque twang that we typically get from the fine folks at McClelland. The cut is a chunky, uneven ribbon that is a combination of quite black and rather dark brown leaf, and the moisture fresh from the tin seems maybe just a bit high.

With the moisture in mind, I was skeptical as to lighting the bowl and keeping it lit. I think the uneven consistency of the cut and the moisture may have contributed to a bit of difficulty getting it fired up, but after only a few extra matches it was off an running. Bowl after bowl has been the same, although once the puffing gets started I haven't noticed that BW has required any more (or fewer) relights or maintenance than any other ribbon cut blend.

As to the smoke - absolutely fantastic. The smoke is heavy in the mouth, but in a silky, creamy sort of way. Plenty of body, but very, very smooth. The tin description of "slow-burning and cool-smoking" is an absolute bullseye. Bowl after bowl I've managed to puff away without having to consciously concern myself with pace or the temperature of the smoke. It routinely takes me considerably more time to smoke a bowlful of BM that it does other ribbon-cut Latakia blends (in the same pipe), which is generally a good thing.

The taste itself is excellent, though not surprising. This is a Latakia-forward blend at first puff, and that never really changes. Some blends are enjoyable because of the ways they change throughout the bowl as different aspects move forward then step back. Others are enjoyable because they deliver the same, consistently delicious taste throughout the smoke and from bowl to bowl. BM, in my opinion, is among the latter. It is, simply put, exactly what I would expect a Latakia blend to be. Smoky, leathery, with a certain amount of creamy sweetness. Any additional Orientals are somewhat recognizable, but are certainly dominated by the Latakia, and if they are intended to lend any nuance to the overall experience, they fall short. Personally, I can't pick up any VA in the taste, so I'm assuming it's included to help with the base and body of the blend (not a bad thing).

I think that those who are looking for pronounced Latakia, a cool smoke, and a great overall smoke are going to be inclined to love this blend. On the other hand, anyone reading looking at the Oriental and VA on the label hoping that this would be a blend that complex and evolves throughout the bowl will likely be left wanting.

Age When Smoked: 3 years

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	FP Stew (25)	2014-04-18		Very Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

This is a very good straightforward English Blend with great mellowness and nice flavor. I found that, from charring light to finish, it was cool, smooth and easy to smoke with absolutely No Bite even when pushed. Upon opening the tin it seemed a bit moist so I let the tin stand open for about 4 hours before I gave it a try.

British Woods would be a really good all-day smoke or one to turn to when you need to focus on other things and still enjoy a nice balanced English Blend. Personally, I tend to like the more complex blends that have variations coming and going as I work my way through the bowl. That being said I must give this blend 3 out of 4. If smoothness and coolness is what you are looking for … you will find it here and you will call it a 4.

Happy Smoke Trails! FP Stew

Pipe Used: Cob

Age When Smoked: Last Year's Tin (2013)

Purchased From: Ebay

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pipenewbie (5)	2004-10-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This Christmas I gave myself the present of purchasing tobaccos that I have had my eye on for some time: Country Doctor, Rennaissance, and British Woods (which is the blend I am reviewing here).

There are absolutely no tobacconists within 200 miles from me so the internet, and this website in particular, have been a tremendous aid to my learning experience. Alas there is still no good substitute for a knowledgable tobacconist. Therefore, being new to the gentle art of pipe smoking, please forgive my extremely inexperienced descriptors and haphazard approach to reviewing.

My first attempt with British Woods was not very satisfactory, and I attribute it to poor packing and power puffing. This really made for a hot and wet smoke. No fun.

My second attempt was 100% better. I took a helping of tobacco out of the tin to let it dry out some. It is -15 F outside and the air in the house is dryer than a bone. It took no time at all to reduce the moisture content in the tobacco. This greatly aided in an easier time packing and lighting. Because the tobacco held the fire better, I could also relax and not puff like a hyperventilating dragon, and all stayed dry to the bottom of the bowl.

British Woods starts off mild, but that's OK. If I wanted an eye opener I would do like my grandmother used to do and knock back a jigger of Jim Beam (purely for medicinal purposes). The first third of the bowl reminds me of incense that is used in church. It is very faint and subtle and definitely present, but never becomes overbearing. It immediatley put me in relaxation mode.

After the first third of the bowl and approaching the halfway mark, there is a noticable taste and aroma of fresh sawdust. This is not a negative. It reminded me of when my Dad used to get fresh lumber for home projects and after all morning of cutting the wood the air was permeated with an earthy and sweet aroma.

During the last half to third of the bowl the taste became increasingly spicey, but not zesty. Think of sweet curry as opposed to hot curry. The crescendo of spice continued all the way to the bottom of the bowl. I wonder if a churchwarden would enhance the taste even more? (I don't know, but if any of you do please let me know.)

Everything about this tobacco was warm and comforting. Very relaxing. While it is not an aromatic, my wife didn't object to it in the house. I can easily see this tobacco enhancing a beautiful autumn day spent outside.

Some smokes stick to your clothes and skin and make you smell like a stale grandpa, but the lingering odor of British Woods on my person is a very pleasant reminder of a good time spent enjoying a simple pleasure.

UPDATE 10/31/04. As I gain experience in this art of pipesmoking, I notice my perceptions are gradually changing. I stopped smoking British Woods at the begining of spring (I ran out plus it seemed it tasted better in colder weather). Now that I have begun smoking it again this fall I notice British Woods is not as full as I remember. It is still very good and of very high quality. It will always have a place in my cabinet, but it seems a bit milder. In some ways this is good (I will smoke more of it!). Medium is a good descriptor.

The nicotine kick is definitely small (markedly less than Old Gowrie). This, for me, can easily make it an all day smoke.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Beer (345)	2004-09-01		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Typical McClelland from the smell onwards, not very far from the Frog Mortons or Bombay Court. No cavendish, so less aromatic, but not as tasty and smoky as some more classic EMs. Ashton Old Dog is much better.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mofrackey (6)	2017-06-08		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Wow! This tobacco is a wonderful treat! I'm surprised you don't hear about this blend alot. From toasting light to grey/white ash this tobacco gives you a wonderful creamy woodsy tone, little bit spicy on the first quarter mixed with the creamy woodsy tone. Last 3/4 is less spicy. I decided to try this because I'm on a mcclellan kick atm. I'm big into Frog Morton series and I picked up a few other blends that I had never heard of. This is a tobacco that can be enjoyed all day. Weather you are new to engl blends or an English pro. This will definitely be in my rotation often.

Pipe Used: Viking Classic Apple

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Cup O Joe's

Similar Blends: Frog Morton on the town.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	crapgame1967 (61)	2017-01-15		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This is from my tobacco log that I started in 1985 when I first started pipe smoking and I wanted to keep a history of what I liked and disliked..This if from 2001 when I decided to start expanding my horizons and try things new and not just stay with aromatics and Frog Morton. I have found that feelings on this tobacco have not changed and maybe I have become more fond of this blend.

This was another gift from Dick my tobacconist and I must say it is a keeper! At first I was going to dump out my pipe after I lit it because of that damn ketchup thing I tasted. Fortunately I was driving and couldn't empty my pipe right away and boy am I glad I didn't! The condiment taste soon left and smokey goodness came to the rescue! It was not a harsh smoke but a smokiness one would find on the first cool day and the neighbor just started a fire in the fireplace. This was the first time I knowingly smoked a non aromatic blend with Virginia tobacco and enjoyed it. I have been very put off from smoking a straight VA flake and the what I consider the terrible mouth burn and ketchup taste that I stayed away from any tobacco with VA except for Frog Morton. This is a great tobacco and one I plan on buying once this gifted tin is gone!

Pipe Used: Brebbia Gala 986

Age When Smoked: new from tin

Purchased From: local tobacconist

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	under the arbor (13)	2011-11-30		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Well this stuff didn't waste any time in bumping Westminster off the shelf! By the way Westminster grabbed hold of my GLP Blackpoint on the way down! This is (to my taste) a great mid-day blend and better suited to a larger bowl which in this hovel happens to be my top of the (house-hold)line Poul Winslow Crown 300. Truth be told I'm still not getting this famous "ketchup" out of the tin, and while on the subject; the "tin" part of the equation is this blends weakest part. In all other aspects McLBW is a keeper. PS: My better half (much, much better) walked in mid-pipe and announced that the room smelled like it had it's own fireplace in it! (no small accomplishment for an English blend).

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HCraven (11)	2011-04-15		Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable

I came back to this blend after several years of not having smoked it, and my tin has a few years age on it, so bear that in mind. My recollection is that it was one of the blends that really turned me on to English-style blends in general, but I have smoked a lot more Rattray, Sam Gawith and Dunhill since then.

It has a pleasant tin odor, though it didn't let me forget that it was from McClelland (ahh, that old funky ketchup/BBQ sauce smell still lingers), and was almost disturbingly moist after a few years unattended in the cellar. As I made my way through the bowl, it brought me back to days of pipe smoking gone by, which is to say that I had to relight more than I have in recent memory.

While this is a good stab at an English, there is an underlying sweetness and vinegary tang that I am now unaccustomed to in such a blend. It was actually a little cloying by the time I got to the last third of the bowl, and the whole experience left me desperately craving a nice, dry, burley-based Camel when finished, owing both to the lingering tang and the relative lack of nicotine. I don't get a lot of complexity from this tobacco, either. Maybe it lacks Orientals, or maybe the sweet Virginia component just tramples them underfoot.

Perhaps this blend has served it's purpose for me, as a signpost on the road to English/Balkan bliss. I can't say it's a bad tobacco, because it isn't, and I can appreciate it for what it is, but my tastes have changed such that I prefer something dryer these days. Maybe it would be helped by a nice strong cup of black coffee on the side. I may give it another spin, but I won't be going out of my way to buy any more.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2010-03-21		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

I was really looking forward to trying this blend that enjoys so many positive reviews. The description fits the bill as to what I am looking for in an English. This is a quality tobacco, but not for me. The first word that comes to mind is "flat."I found the flavors to be very mundane. The tobacco is slightly sweet, but in a world loaded with English blends, it falls far short of others. I was waiting for the flavors to develop thoughout the several bowls that I smoked and it just didn't happen.I am now using BW to mix with other tobaccos as I find that it mixes well in creating my own blends. Two stars because the fine folks at McClelland don't skimp on good leaf, but only one star for my personal taste.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	wdsmith (11)	2009-12-03		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Very Mild	Tolerable

Having smoked everything from "Old Dublin", Dunhill "London Mix", "Skiff" and my absolute favorite "H.H. Vintage Syrian" I thought that I would give an American blender a shot...

Upon opening the tin I was greeted by the McClelland ketchup/barbeque sauce aroma that I've oft read about but after a moment or two it did seem to calm down... Nice cut, packs easily but...this one just didn't do it for me and it could possibly be that I just received a bad batch, not sure.

The depth is lacking and it seems to be monochromatic. The smoke is quite heavy and rich; nice room note for an "english" blend but the taste is flat. I've smoked the blend in several pipes (Savinelli squat, BC and Charatan dublins, Sasieni bull dog and a very large meer)with much the same result; though the squat seemed to bring more of the flavor.

I will let it age a bit and see what happens.

Recommended as a entry level "English" but not for someone looking for a full-bodied smoke.

2 out of 4 stars.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RCUSElder (244)	2005-04-13		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Revised 04-13-2005

This is by far MC's best English style blend, but my taste buds have wandered toward other blends in this genre of late. This blend is a bit moist upon opening the tin which has the typical "catsup" odor that is unique to this blending house, but lights fairly easily. The problem I have with this blend is that it tends to burn a bit hot when fresh. Two years of aging seems the proper age in order to enjoy this blend. I think that this is too much to ask of the consumer IMO. Other than that, you can not go wrong with this deliciously complex blend.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CapnStuby (33)	2003-09-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

For those who find my reviews pedantic and uninformative, I'll just summarize my opinion at the beginning: BUY YE THIS TOBACCO AND YE SHALL SEE THYSELF IN PLEASURABLE SMOKING FOR ALL ETERNITY.

Now, onto the review:

Pipe: Brookfield quarter-bent 9mm filter, Apple-shaped bowl.

Weather-A fine sunny day. Avg. temp 73F. Pleasant humidity. Slight breeze.

Modifications- Denicool crystals in lower third of bowl, 9mm Bari Katalyzator filters as needed.

Packaging- 50g tin, Personal Reserve on label.

Initial Impressions- A dark blend of black and dark tan tobaccos. Moisture level is good for a McClelland. Tin aroma is potent and slightly acrid, with a woodsy, earthen scent underlying the overall smell. Packs well and is springy and fresh.

Lighting- Lights immediately with no initial hits of acrid odor. No tamp needed. Only a couple of relights needed and those are optional. The tobacco burns well and cleanly.

Smoking (First Third)- The taste is almost completely different from the tin aroma. The smoke is rich, full and creamy. There are woodsy aromas and smooth highlights of good tobacco flavor. No tongue bite. Lends well to medium puffing pace. The Virginias come up with a caramelly sweetness, but it's subtle, and not overpowering.

Smoking (Second Third)- The taste seems to mature and increase in volume, with a spicier forefront and an almost bitter chocolate hint overlaying a solid palette of warm tobacco flavor. This is a cool blend, but the "taste" is a warmer taste (as opposed to a menthol) and the smoothness never lets up. This part of the smoke is so rich and satisfying, I want to chew the smoke. Fortunately, the label is a bit misleading and this does NOT have the donkey kick of a strong, packed English blend. It's more of a medium to slightly full strength and doesn't seem to pack a giant nicotine wallop.

Smoking (Last Third)-Denicool crystals simply absorb nicotine, but I'm sure there are people out there that would smoke them if they could figure out a way to do it...

Aftereffects- The room note was wonderful throughout and continued to be so, even as the breeze blew the scents around and mixed with the cooling Fall air. No moisture present at bowl bottom. Crystals were dark brown color. No pipe fouling. Ash was clean, dry and grayish-black. No foul mouth taste present. No numb tongue, either.

Overall Recommendation: For the aromatic afficionado, this is a MUST BUY. For the English smoker, this is a MUST BUY. For the Virginia nut, this is a MUST BUY. This is a good tobacco to break in a pipe with and a wonderful tobacco to smoke on cool Fall nights. It's probably too strong in taste to be an all-day smoke, but I'd definitely recommend it as a nightcap or as a third companion on a walk in the autumn leaves with someone that you love. This is a classy tobacco; it's the witty Englishman with the smoking jacket and a roaring fire on a wintry day, not a 300-lb. bruiser spoiling for a fight.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2014-07-01		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Smooth & Mild. A very nice early morning, or "mindless" activity smoke that can't bite. Just enough sweetness and smokiness to make it interesting and without any hot spice. It comes a little damper than I like and I also like to give it an additional rub, I find this gives a more consistent burn without relights. I also find myself reaching for this at anytime that I'm in that , " I don't know what I want" mood. Not a smoke you have to concentrate on, but also not boring. I find it to be similar in boldness and strength to S.G.'s Squadron Leader, but more McClellend like, maybe a little Frog Mortonish.

I was torn between all the 4 star reviews and reviewer," zulujerk (134) 2010-06-28", at 2 star, as I felt this blend was a little light on flavor. I think I have many other blends to buy before this again, but there is nothing wrong with this one, 2 1/2 Star

Pipe Used: cob

Age When Smoked: one month open

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Martini (17)	2014-01-01		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Flavour quite weak even though at the opening of the tin is a bit artificial Burning too fast and not very easily Latakia is overwhelming and it is quite monotone. Quite bitter No much complexity and richness. Little body

Pipe Used: Caminetto Pot, Bauer, Ser Jacopo

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Dubini Lugano

Similar Blends: Nothing to cope with the old Balkan Sobranie or Sullivans.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	nitramretep (8)	2013-01-05		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant

This was a sweet surprise! Very mild yet a warm note to this blend. The blend is a perfect combination of Virginia, Macedonian & Orinetal tobaccos. It seems McClelland is becoming my number one brand of pipe tobacco. This blend is a mild all day smoker with just enough taste and virtually no bite. The aroma is pleasing and not overwhelming. But since I have restricted myself to evening smokes I will have to wait all day to enjoy this fine blend.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Peppino (74)	2010-08-09		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Aged 11 yrs and it still one of the great MC blends markings(370699) this still has the great flavor as I remember. Reminds me of FM but more sweetness and latakia near the bottom of the bowl, This seems to be the virginia coming through. I took a 6 yr break from my pipes and finally went back to them. Thats why all these blends have been aged for so long. I must say it's great to be back!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	russ (27)	2010-06-04		Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I am one who loves latakia in tobacco, but at times desire a tobacco without the latakia. When I opened the tin I knew imemediately I was in for a treat. When I packed my bowl with this tobacco, and lit up I received One of the greatest smokes I have ever experienced. Although when I stuck my nose into the tin the latakia seemed to be very prominent When lit there is much more going on here. Along with the smokey latakia there is a spicey yet mild background. Then I also detected the macedonian floating around too. I currently have this in my full rotation of tobaccos. For me this tobacco literally takes me to another place. I more than love this stuff, and will keep it handy. I really enjoy this with a morning cup of coffe. I smoke this on a regular basis since finding it. I also will note that as many state about that so-called ketchup aroma with these tobaccos--I really didn't find it with the "British Woods". For me this is a top of the list of must smokes for a true pleasure. I rate this at the top of many tobaccos I have smoked. I cannot say enough about it---I really love this stuff, and plan on keeping it at the top of my rotation for now. A truly great blend tht for me trips my trigger.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ELF (40)	2010-02-23		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

5 WORDS:...Large Pipe,Smoke it Slow...6.5/10 :^}

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	catdaddy (18)	2008-12-11		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This blend has a wonderful woodsy flavor with enough strength to make it interesting. Looking for that one special blend for an evening front porch smoke?

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CPT/VSG (72)	2008-04-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

BW seems to be to be the best balanced of the McClelland Latakia blends as the the Macedonians come through nicely. (Being of Macdonian heritage, McClelland got my attention by just mentioning Macedonian on the tin!) I'm not a big fan of the Frog Morton series as being too much of a one note theme but BW satisfies with reasonable complexity. My wife consistently rates BW as the best room note to her...so that's another plus. A solid English that I'll always keep around.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2008-04-21		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

I cannot believe that I have not reviewed this yet. It is probably because I spend too much time actually smoking British Woods blend. It is always aging in my collection. It is in my top five medium English blends category.

There is simply no downside to this tobacco once it has been aged for a year or so and the moisture is reduced for my tastes. It is quintessential medium English in strength and taste, being as substantial and smooth as velvet on polished brass. The flavor is round, supple, complex and clean. Your pipe bowl smells good after the end of a smoke and your taste buds are ready for another bowl immediately following.

British Woods is not very sweet (despite a touch of casing), more rich like dark chocolate and earthy. It does not contain the high-end flavors of bright tobacco. The Orientals are flush with flavor, yet without the sharper notes of other venerable and favorite medium English blends, such as Squadron Leader or London Mixture. It is as sophisticated like Renaissance, but BW is soft at the points where Renaissance would be tangy (the little bit of Syrian Latakia is Pease's offering makes Renaissance nearly a full English for pungency alone). Renaissance has veins of flavor working harmoniously, while BW is round in tension like a droplet of dew.

Where there is something a bit muted about Royal Vintage Latakia #2 and the Frog series (both blended by McC), BW sings just below breaking glass and deeply enough to rumble the rafters. It is restrained and refined, with moments of glory, like the best of Old England herself at times.

Whether you like McClelland's style or not, they are a unique blending house, with few peers and exceeded by none.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DoctorThoss (146)	2008-03-03		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a fine "crossover" English blend, meaning that it has both a decent hit of latakia as well as the kind of mild sweetness I associate with quality aromatics. The base tobaccos seem to be typical McClellands fare: high quality, sweet, and tangy. The latakia and orientals seem to be in equal proportions, and they combine to provide a very nice incense/pine needle quality (but without much of the campfire flavor I enjoy in latakia mixtures). It's considerably more complex than most other McClelland latakia mixtures (excluding Wilderness and Legends), but still a far cry from the many GL Pease blends available in this range. It's unusually sweet for an English blend, enough in fact for me to wonder if it's been flavored somewhere along the line. In that respect, it is similar to the Frog Morton series. In fact, this blend evokes the Frog series in many ways, only it's a bit stronger. Burning qualities are typical for a McClelland blend -- it takes a few lights to get it going and then burns smoothly to the bottom of the bowl.

Other than the Frogs, the most natural comparison is to Boswell's Northwoods. While the flavor profiles are remarkably similar, British Woods is positively anemic compared to Northwoods. Northwoods is a "full" mixture with a noticeable amount of nicotine and a heavy flavor profile, while British Woods is on the lighter side of medium. I prefer stout blends, so British Woods seems a bit lacking to my tastes. Nonetheless, British Woods is very nice blend that may just hit the spot for those who prefer to avoid "latakia bombs" or are new to the world of English tobaccos.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Fumatore (49)	2007-07-05		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

If this is English tobacco I guess it would be located in the Channel just off the coast. To me this tastes like Frog Morton with just a little sweetened black Cavendish tossed in the pot. Don?t think it is a bad blend, even with the Froggy curse, just nothing I prefer to smoke. 2.5 stars.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Darth 69 (117)	2005-01-10		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I think I got a really bad quality tin. I have noticed that McClelland has some inconsistant quality issues fom tin to tin time to time. The tobacco was overly moist and had an alcoholic tin aroma as if it had been cased in vodka. There seemed to be almost entirely dark stoved leaf with just a smidgen of lighter. In the smoke I was not sure if there was any Latikia at all or oriental. All there seemed to be was dark stoved leaf with almost nothing else. This has got to have been a mistake.

- Cautiously not recomended, may work up enough nerve to try it again

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tantric (321)	2020-10-18		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Strong

I've always had issues with McClelland, especially their vinegar/ketchup Virginias. I like their aromatics (like smoking a Krispy Kreme, some one once said when he smelled my Best of Show), but hadn't come round to trying their English/Oriental offerings.

Someone was kind enough to send me some British Woods. Beautifully tinned and lovely presentation! The mixture is visually very attractive. Then again I don't know what type of Latakia they use (I couldn't even taste the Macedonian leave), but to me is very different from the ones I'm used to (i.e., from Pease to Peterson/Dunhill to Hearth&Home).

Like in Seattle Evening, the Latakia here has kind of a funky taste, at times sour, very pungent, but always bland in strength and, if I may say so, rather dull. Perhaps I was expecting too much form all the hype surrounding this tobacco, but it just didn't deliver.

Pipe Used: Dunhill Shell

Age When Smoked: N/A

Purchased From: N/A

Similar Blends: Seattle Evening..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pip (80)	2020-03-12		Medium	Medium	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I forgot how much I miss McCelland. It’s been a number of years since I had one of their blends. But I do still have few in the cellar that I’ve been saving. With what’s going on in the world today between the markets and the corona virus you’d think the world is coming to an end. So, it’s a perfect excuse to break out something from the secret stash before it’s too late!!!

This tin is vintage 2006 so it had a lot of time to mellow out. The tin tone is very rich and pleasant and not as big or sharp on the nostrils as other English blends. Maybe all the age mellowed it out and it is without the classic McCelland vinegar top notes. The smoky fragrant latakia leads the way followed by lightly floral undertones from the Orientals and I’m also getting a slight spiciness and a touch of Virginia’s sweetness.

The moisture level is perfect, and no drying time is needed at all. The smoke itself is very rich smooth and creamy with no harsh notes or the slightest chance a bite. It never gets hot. I get a consistent soft sweet and smoky flavor with slight sweet and sour notes in between. This is one to savor and enjoy.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	svanni (1)	2019-02-24		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I love this stuff !!! Scored 8 x 100g tins at an estate liquidation, all dated 1999. When my stash runs out, what are my options for substitution ? I guess this is less of a review, and more a question for the board. Thanks in advance.

Age When Smoked: 20 yrs

Purchased From: Private seller

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2013-01-05		Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Pungent aroma in the can, reminded me of smokeless tobacco with a raisin quality. A bit on the dry side but it shined on taste once lit. Smooth with no tongue bite.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2011-07-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Just got this in! Wow, while opening the beautiful tin I found marvelously blended ribbon cut VAs with great amount of Black Latakia Leaf. Smell out of tin is fantastic. Pure campfire delight with a sweet touch of VAs. Lighting needed 3 or 4 strokes , but then it burnt down like a charm. Tasty and aromatic latakia and orientals melt together with a nice VA sweetness . Gets spicier along the bottom of the bowl. No tongue bite. Awesome blend. McCleland rules.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2010-08-01		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

The tin note of this is just wonderful. I could just sniff the tin and get the same sort of reaction as to smelling bacon cooked outdoors. Which is to say, mouth watering.

More latakia flavoring than the FrogMortons, although I love plain old FrogMorton.

Yes, McC can do latakia mixtures well.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2010-07-25		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Smooth, dark mixture.

It brings a different kind of taste for an English mixture.

I am not sure that I would smoke it regularly but it still proved interesting.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2010-03-19		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This is my morning pipe tobacco, smoked with a cup of coffee after breakfast; really good when swallowed and puffed through the nose. Kind of like eating a dark chocolate.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipe4ever (204)	2010-03-11		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

This is an excellent English blend, very well blended with Latakia and oriental tobacco, small size bowl and very slow puffung works best for this blend.

try BW if you like high quality English blends.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	MaSuAnime (3)	2010-03-09		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This blend is dark, rich, and creamy. The smokey flavor has a subtle sweetness that works so beautifully together. This was my first foray into English blends, and definitely won't be my last. I like this blend so much I shelled out about a hundred bucks on different english and balkan blends. All of them are wonderful, but she will always be my first. 9.75 out of 10.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2010-02-23		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

this is a long burning tobacco! i usually smoke kinda quickly so i was surprised at how long this burned but i am glad it burned that long it is a very good blend

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sasquatch (90)	2009-11-07		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is delicious. Smells a bit sharp in the tin (surprise surprise), but in the pipe this is wonderful medium english. Smooth, sweet, robust... just a lovely blend. I could forget a lot of other classics for this tin.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Thorre (27)	2009-10-28		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Full	Strong

As far as English blends go, this for me is tip top. I tried this several years ago when I was just a young Latakia junkie. I liked it then. Now after going through the other blend types, such as Burleys, Virginias, VaPers,and Aros. I have now tried this anew. Silky smooth, spicy Orientals, cool smoking English pleasure. I give this the highest mark.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-07-02		Medium	Very Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

English blends are my favorite and British Woods consistently delivers the goods. It is one that I won't be without.

Opening the tin and a deep sniff lets you know that each bowl will bring a depth of flavor that meets the expectations of an English-type blend. Moisture is spot-on for me...and it just looks right.

I enjoy it most in the Autumn and find it fits well when a bowl is called upon when driving between woodcock and ruffed grouse coverts.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-06-30		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

The tin aroma of this mixture of short-cut, medium ribbon reeks of a torte-like richness; the pungency of ample latakia and turkish leaf overlying the sweet and fetid reek of highly fermented virginia.

The main focus of the flavor is a duet between latakia and dark-stoved VAs with balance and interest provided by fine turkish leaf and red VAs. The penetrating distinctiveness of the richly fermented, dark-stoved VA provides backbone and prevents stolidity.

British Woods is a rich and opulent delight which did well in a chamber of any gauge.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-06-27		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

It is said that this is Barry Levin's masterpiece. I agree. It is the smoothest English Mixture that I know. Sweet and mellow tasting Virginia based Latakia Oriental Mixture. The taste of sweet Macedonian leaf delivered in a release of full rich flavor.

Is this the best English Mixture? As in all of the Arts, there is no "best" tobacco. This is,in my opinion,close. It is at the front of my Golden Circle.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-06-02		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

An enjoyable english/oriental blend...i.e. more oriental than a real english blend. Dark rich fragrant tobac on opening and also very very wet. had to dry for 36 hrs. Reminded me of Frog Morton Across the Pond. Both excellant smokes. Definately worthy of your briar.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-02-18		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Out of the tin (stamped 2006, popped 2009) British Woods looks like strong, villainous stuff: some of the darkest leaves I've seen in a ribbon cut. But appearances can be deceiving. In fact it is the smoothest English I've ever tasted, indeed one of the smoothest blends of any kind. The Cyprian latakia is not the heavy sort one finds in, say, Pelican, Margate, or 965, but the middleweight of Butera's Latakia #2 (also blended by McClelland) and Pease's Maltese Falcon. As others have noted there is a distinct sweetness to this blend; Maltese Falcon comes again to mind, and I wonder if there mightn't be a bit of casing. Butera's Latakia #2 is the other comparison, and in this case British Woods is a bit sweeter and downplays the Orientals. While it lacks some of the complexity of the really great blends -- "one dimensional" is a term that's been used -- this blend is delightful on its own merits: wonderful on a cold morning with coffee. It's not big and heavy but it's not trying to be. Lovely.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-01-30		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I've been smoking this stuff for a few years now and, I just looked at my profile and realized that I had not yet reviewed this blend. BW is a good blend. I like the fullness that it presents to the palate. It smokes very cool as well. Like other mcclelland blends that fall into the the english genre, I detect their characteristic sweetness that occompanies the smokey essence of the latakia. I find it very american, and very similar in composition to 5125 or coyote. They both have that sweet thing going on. Its almost like theres some sort of cavendish in the background. This blend does not possess the twangy spiciness that orientals add to other blends but, it is still good in its own right. I think the sweet factor keep this blend pretty monochromatic but, imo that what makes it an all day smoke. BW is an americanized british blend of full body little spice and absolutely buries its lacking cousin, frog morton. Yeah, I said it...the frog is weak and lacking compared to the alternatives. I much prefer other full strength blends such as 965, commonwealth, penzance. But when I'm feeling like I want something from a different world, but within the same category I still reach for BW. Good stuff.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-01-23		Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

I love Orientals, and it is always with great sadness that I find within a week of opening a tin containing said loveliness that their flavor expires, no matter how well I store them in a glass jar.

The first week of smoking BW is full of Oriental herbiness -- in this case, a strong oleandar / rosemary flavor. At first I thought it was a casing, but when it disappeared within a week, I knew, with sadness, it was a particularly curious Oriental.

There's good nicotine strength here. It won't wallop you, but you'll be quite satisfied. The cut is McClelland's thick ribbon style. Gravity pack this, or you won't be able to burn to the bottom of your pipe.

It's good stuff. The price is good value. But Westminster is better. I will enjoy finishing the tin, but I doubt I will buy this again.

A solid three star blend.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-01-05		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A very good offering from McClelland. Tin aroma is very nice with hints of spice, leather, and campfire. The smoking experience was very favorable and I remember getting a little soapiness. Otherwise, it was a very cool smoke and produced a very pleasant campfire-ish room note.

A good "English" intro.

Enjoy!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2008-11-20		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

This is good stuff...not the ultimate smoke, but definitely worth keeping around. A little too heavy on the Latakia for me...my wife thought I'd fired up the woodstove! My tin (dated 371206)contained far too many stems compared to what I'm used to seeing. Overall, an enjoyable smoke that I'll continue to revisit 2 or 3 times a week.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2008-11-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Update: I've been smoking from a tin that's been aging in my cellar for four years. The sweetness of the Virginia tobaccos is much more prominent than when the tobac is younger.

Still four stars with the aged stuff being more suited to those who prefer a sweeter smoke.

+++ Original review, 05/22/2005 +++

Some of the other reviewers have used the adjective "silky" in their review of this blend, and I can't think of a better one. British Woods has to be the smoothest tobacco I've ever smoked.

The tin describes the flavor as "full," but when I think of full, I think of Balkans like C&D's Star of the East. This one falls into the medium catagory with Dunhill's London Mixture and Lane's Crown Achievement.

It is very rich and flavorful, and definitely not one of those "me too" English blends. It's in a class all its own. The stars of the show here are the well-balanced Orientals, with the Virginias being barely noticed.

The room note is very nice as well. This one may be ideal for those that want to enjoy an English tobacco without being run out of the room.

British Woods won't replace my beloved London Mixture, but it will always have a place in my rotation.

Highly recommended for the English lover.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2008-09-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This review is based on old tins of Barry Levin British Woods that have been resting quietly in their bail top jars. The McClelland version may be different and your mileage may vary.

Veddy British. Perfect moisture. Some fermented aromas of big red wines present. Like Claret. Some vintage port-like sweetness, balanced with some nice tannins that are almost "rusty" in character. Very nice indeed. Leathery aromas in the jar.

Some "leaf lock" after their long rest, so fluffing was needed. A wee bit of air helped the moisture. Loads well with a light hand. Takes the match like a champ. Burns to a pristine gray ash with some dottle...no big deal.

Full, Rich and Dark sums it up nicely and accurately. Cold weather. Fireplace. Miles Davis Kind of Blue. Islay malt with a wee bit o' water, no ice. An old Bogey film noir.

Life is good.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lochinvar (78)	2008-09-02		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Ahh Barry Levin, without you, where would we have been. One of the few good English Blends McClelland produces, this is no heavyweight. The taste is good and satisfying, and reminds me of walking in the woods on a fall day. It has a kind of burning honeyed muskiness underlying the smoky acidity of the latakia and Macedonian tobaccos. The overall smoke, though, is fairly light and light on the nicotine. A great all dayer, a good second stage for the English novice.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2007-08-24		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Well, well.

Something was missing from that one, a blend that wants to be sort of a balkan mixture rather than an english, but somehow, it missed the spot.

Not a bad tobacco, quality wise, quite the contrary, no ketchup smell, a rather dark bakkie, long broken flake.

I don't know, but it seems like the different bakkies weren't melting in together on the good note, I guess...

I might try it again, but I wouldn't bet on it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BostonPipe (84)	2007-07-25		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Many of the reviewers have noted that upon opening, the blend was quite moist-I am no exception. After a couple of wet bowls, I let it air out a bit before embarking on it again. There are no nuances as one smokes down the length of the bowl. Pretty much what you taste in the beginning, is what you taste at the end. I find it to be a "nice smoke," smooth and gentle. Maybe a little too gentle, (my everyday is Kendal's Dark Shag). Due to the inclusion of Stoved Virginia, this blend to me is sort of, a "beginners english blend." Mind you, I am not stating that as a put-down of either the blend, or those that enjoy stoved virginia. It is just that for myself, this blend is o.k., nothing I would look forward to "kicking-back" and experiencing. I good smoke for puttering around the workshop or yard.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	AL (26)	2007-02-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

On a few occaisions I have recommeded this blend as a first try for an English. This is a well balanced English without a Latakia smack you in the face left hook. The tin aroma to me is musty, moisture content a little too high so a little dry time is needed. But, too dry and British woods looses character. British Woods is fairly easy to load up. Light, tamp and re-light, and away you go. Personally I do not find the taste of any topping. This blend has a sweetness to it along with the woodsy nature of the Latakia, very nice.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2007-01-15		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I can't add much to what's already been said but this tobacco is an excellent English style blend. It's unique in that there is a little sweetness in it, but the latakia (is it Syrian?) is greatly present and has an incense like aroma when burning. I dry this and all tobacco quite a bit and it smokes cooler that way. It does require a few relights but so do most blends. I'm almost finished with a 100g tin which is from 2006. I have two more tins which are several years old which may be better yet. Although I'm not really sure they would smoke any cooler that this recent tin. Don't be put off by the slight sweetness as it helps to give this blend it's unique character and separates it from traditional English blends, which are all made in Germany and Denmark these days!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ranger (79)	2006-07-12		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Maybe I'm partial to slightly sweet latakia blends, but I really liked this tobacco. It smells great, lights and burns well, and the taste is rich latakia, yet with sweet undertones. I could smoke this all day, anytime of the year.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spike (296)	2006-06-10		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Another tobacco I hoard. It is a bit expensive and almost as pleasing as G.L. Pease Blackpoint. Wish I had a cellar full of either. Highly recommended for fans of English-type blends.08/06/2004

06/09/2006. Not one I smoke any longer. A little too "Frog Morton-ish" for my tastebuds these days.

An excellent blend to get to know English-type mixtures without the too-heavy Latakia of most.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2006-06-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

For this review, my sample was aged a little over 1.5 years ? it seems that is about as long as I can bear to wait these days. To the touch, it was just a little wet for my tastes, so I let it dry before my first try.

A nice balance between the tobaccos - I don't particularly like a heavy?handed use of spicy tobaccos, and BW maintains a good balance throughout the smoke; a rounded balance without any sharp edges. Even though I categorize BW as medium English, it does have a lot of flavor which intensifies towards the bottom of the bowl.

This is a wonderful all-day smoke. It demands little, yet provides a very good tobacco experience. It is not overpowering. It has no great nicotine hit (But I do consider Night Cap to be just above the line separating the strong from the weak). It doesn?t bite; simply easy going and flavorful. The latakia is present, but nothing that overpowers ? my favorite McClelland blend.

Sometimes I want/need to be pounded, and in times of such need I reach for G&H Kendal's Dark Shag. Other times, something more subtle is in order and that's the time for BW.

Before the tin was ½ empty, I ordered more from the folks at Stafford & Jones Tobacconist, Richardson, TX. (That and another tin of Squadron Leader!)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2006-04-22		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Of the many McClelland latakia-focused blends, British Woods is at the top; this blend may be the most robust and well-balanced among the lot, though it is still characteristically a bit weak and a bit too sweet. And among those blends, though, this is the one I am most likely to keep in rotation.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2006-04-06		Medium	None Detected	Full	Strong

This tobacco is a good example of the latakia-heavy British style blends that seem to have found favor with a cadre of pipe smokers. I am NOT one of them. The bowl is totally overpowering. The experience reminds me of trying to start a campfire with lung power and damp wood. Smoke and more smoke, light-headedness, and the overwhelming taste of half-burned wood and soot in the mouth. Then a headache afterwards. Way too much Latakia. A little of that stuff goes a long way. "Penzance" gets it right, this blend does not. Aftertastes include old sock, damp basement, and dead things rotting under moss in the woods. Bleh. Give me more virginy and less Syria.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2006-04-03		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Every time my dear friend comes over and says try this I always end up pilfering a few bowls for later consumption. This is in my opinion McC's 2nd best blend. The best being the discontinued "OLD DOG". This is truly a wonderful and rich crossover English blend( I consider all McC blends to be crossover when they contain Latakia).It is Zesty and sweet all at once. If FMOT is a high school diploma,tis is your Phd. Read Embee's review for all my sentiments.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2006-02-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Another terrific smoke ! Highly Recommended if one likes English - Balkan blends. It is refined, complex and very delicious. Others have described the nature of this blend quite well. I find it to be very similar, in fact, near identical to Odessey. The Latakia is perfect and hums cooly in the background and the Orientals and Stoved Virginia balance is so complex one could lose themselves in the enjoyment.

Cheers, VC

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2006-01-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I find myself becoming more and more of a McClelland fan. And British Woods only reinforces this.

This is a full, rich mixture that's well-balanced and utterly satisfying. The Macedonian leaf adds a great dimension.

BW smokes easy, and cool. A wonderful evening relaxation smoke.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2005-10-02		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant

This is a good one! British Woods has the customary McClelland tin aroma of vinegar and spices, likened to ketchup, Heinz 57 sauce or salad dressing by some; I don't find it unpleasant, though it has little relationship to the flavor or aroma of the tobacco when smoked. A pipeful of British Woods is silky smooth from start to finish, rich and creamy with a unique flavor and aroma. Its fragrance has been said to resemble incense, which is not inaccurate; it puts me in mind somewhat of autumn leaves and distant fireplace smoke too. The smoke is luxuriously dense, almost chewable. It stays lit quite well, and doesn't bite. British Woods is an ideal, relaxing late-evening smoke, one to be slowly savored, perfect for the day's last pipe.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2005-03-09		Very Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

McClelland's British Woods (odd analogy though it may seem) is like the London Eye (or any American Ferris wheel). It looks like a grand time from the walk, but once you are on the thing it is just a giant wheel going slowly 'round and 'round. There is a moment, though, just before the ride is over, when you say to yourself: "This isn't so bad mate, it is relaxing, and crickey--look at the view!" Of the three tobaccos that I keep regularly and smoke, two are McClelland-made. You can understand my disappointment that this stuff was not more like, well, a rollercoaster. Usually I can tell if I like a tobacco from the first bowl. British Woods took me until the fourth bowl to conclude that it is not so bad. It smells good in the tin and it looks great too (bold and black with dashes of sunlight), but the taste falls flat and any nuance in the taste was found in the last quarter of the bowl only. I may try this again over the summer, but right now it leaves me chillier than a Devon moor in winter.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ilDominante (11)	2005-01-04		Medium	Medium to Strong	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This blend was a true discovery. I am acquainted with the other McClelland blends and I must say this one is one of the best. The leaves are a bit hard to pack but that makes for a loghter smoke than your Frog morton for instance. The oriental leaves, especially latakia, are the predominant flavors you will enjoy throughout. The Virginia is hardly noticeble but that is hardly a flaw. This tobacco smokes mildly throughout and there is no risk of a burned tongue. The blue smoke has a full and earthy aroma; definitively one of the best tobaccos to make smoke rings in a peaceful afternoon of smoking. Surprisingly, even at mid-bowl this tobacco does not smoke wet and preserves its light but full characteristic. A more specific description of the composition of the blend on the tin would have been helpful. I'd love to know if there is any perique or Basma in here. It is however definitively a good candidate for a full all-day smoke, although perhaps a bit too flavorful for beginners.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2004-11-17		Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Ahhhh British Woods! My go to blend! It should be called "Old Reliable" It's A very tasty smoke that I find extremely well rounded. This is one I take with me no matter where I go. I always keep at least 6 tins aging in the cellar. You can't be disappointed with this fantastic blend!!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2004-11-07		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

McC's British Woods and Bufflehead's "Barrow's Goldeneye" remind me of each other even though they are different tastes. Both are tasty, both need to be smoked with some care to avoid bite and burning problems, both are Fun smokes for the times when the "something else" one wants needs to be well-bodied and tasty. British Woods isn't as well-behaved as B's Goldeneye but it's still a nice "occassional" tobacco that any English/Oriental fan ought to try. I agree with those that dispute the labels "dark" or "heavy" for British Woods. "Fuller", yes, "richer", yes, but not "dark or "heavy". A single tin lasts me a long time but I never seem to be without one because once in a while, British Woods simply hits the spot with style. Can easily give it three stars.

Tiger

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2004-08-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This is a well made, high quality, tasty, boring English.

Good, but not a bell-ringer. A very cool and sweet smoke.

I'm glad I tried it, but I'd rather have something else.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2003-10-08		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

McClellands loves their "woods": Blackwoods, British Woods, St. James Woods, and Virginia Woods (but no Tiger Woods). WIth the possible exception of St. James Woods, British Woods is clearly the best of the lot.

Out of the tin, the stuff is almost watery, no surprise here. Some serious drying is needed. The smell, with just a hint of McC, is very rich, leathery and dark- in other words delicious.

I would classify this as a medium English. Not killer latakia, but definitely there. A good dose of orientals, which makes this blend special for me.

I find that BW starts out kind of thin, almost anemic. This may be due to the moisture issue, though I promise, Dad, I did give it a good drying period. If I just had the first half over several bowls full, I would give this a "not my style" rating.

Ah, but the second half! The flavors all come on strong, with a good dark English taste. The latakia and orientals balance oh so well. This all builds to a wonderful climax... and then the bowl is done, making me want to have another.

A solid English entry from McClellands.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2003-02-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

It took me awhile to get used to the difficult packing, strong tin aroma, and all the relights, but once I mastered it, this has become my favorite smoke for special occassions.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2003-02-06		Medium	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant

My favorite McClelland tobac. This is a Latakia silky soft english. The smoke is spicey and you can almost chew the blue swirls of smoke. Delicious, robust, and highly enjoyable. But wait I've found that this tobacco can be "kicked up a notch". After you have smoked about half of the can add some Edgeworth Ready Rubbed to it,(about two tablespoon fulls).Put the lid on the can and mix it up good. Now take some light rum,(tablespoon full) add it to the tobacco and mix well. Let it stand a few days and then let it dry a bit. Then you can thank me because you'll be smoking one of the best English spice tobaccos you'll ever put in a bowl of a pipe.Honestly it really is GOOD. Dang did I ever get off the subject here.Anyway this tobacco "by itself" is a true winner. No bite,no cloying in the bowl, and as always like most english tobaccos it goes exceptionaly well with Scotch Whisky.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Blackhorse (96)	2002-11-18		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable

Forgiveness is devine. Well, you see, I've got this Peterson 4th of July 2000 Dublin...and she's picky. Really picky! I introduced her to a number of other English and American English blends and she just couldn't be pleased. They were apparently so brash that she couldn't stand them without getting angry and hot under the collar. The fine old families like the Dunhill's didn't suit her. My American buddies - those Froggy favorites were quickly spurned. The mysterious Balkans didn't excite or intrigue her. What was I to do? On a chance outing (as these things often turn out) to the river with my dog I dug into the bottom of my smoking carry bag and discovered some two year old British Woods. It was love at first sight. Our American-English hero tamed the hot headed Irish beauty in their first encounter. They developed an exclusive relationship and are now happily married. The groom is perhaps the most forgiving gentleman I have ever met. Picky about neither pack nor puff he burns smoothly and cool in nearly all bowls but seems to favor his little Dublin beauty the most...giving up a delightful side smoke and lovely flavor. While perhaps not "the grail", this is truely an all day blend with excellent balance and a very acceptible mellow sweetness...and above all that packing and burning forgiveness that makes it an easy and welcome companion. In a word...devine!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2002-03-25		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

British Woods is a wonderful, fully flavored English blend that I heartily recommend. While described as a heavy blend, I concur with other reviewers that this does not accurately describe the blend, if it is to be viewed solely on the Latakia content.

I am reviewing a can that aged for over seven years prior to opening. I have not smoked a newer tin, but plan on getting more.

Immediately upon opening, the tobacco has the characteristic McClelland scent, which dissipates after being open for a few weeks. The tobacco itself is very dark, with a sprinkling of lighter colored leaves. The size of the tobacco is rather large, which forced me to work at the packing density a bit in order to get a good smoke to the bottom of the bowl. The effort is well worth it. My aged can showed a high level of crystal formation on the leaves. As usual, I let this sit for about a week after opening before smoking.

The initial taste is smoky and sweet, which settles into a dark, full flavor at the lower end of the spectrum, which may be what the tin notes refer to as heavy. The taste is consistent through the bottom two-thirds of the bowl, deepening a bit, and complex enough so as not to become boring. Occasionally increasing the smoking speed will bring the very pleasant sweet notes to the forefront quickly, adding an element of playfulness to the bowl.

Once I got past the packing issue by packing the bottom of the bowl a bit tighter than usual, this smokes cleanly to the bottom of the bowl and leaves you wishing it wasn?t over.

Highly recommended. 3/2002.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2002-02-10		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

I guess I made the wonderful transition to English tobaccos relatively quickly. I was first introduced to the McClelland line with Frog Morton which is still one of my everyday tobaccos. Although I frequently enjoy contemplating at the end of the day with the truer, heavier "My Mixture 965"'s and "Nightcap"s of the world, I feel McClelland's "British Woods" is a true sleeper out there. I find that it is perfectly balanced, reasonably complex, flavorful "English-aromatic" that fills the air with a sweeter, woodsier aroma than that of more potent, Latakia-laden Englishes. There is never any problem with keeping the pipe lit, no tongue-bite, it smokes quite cool, and no extra care needs to be taken to successfully pack your bowl. Simply put, it is one of my favorites.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2001-03-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

A extremely well balanced english blend from McClelland. The prose on the tin is quite misleading, I don't find this to be a "dark" or "heavy" blend at all, on the contrary it is a wonderful medium blend with a fairly bright, almost fruity taste and cleanly smoky aroma. It is fairly sweet blend (nearly as sweet as FrogMorton IMO), but the orientals help prevent it from cloying while the virginias cut the bitterness of the orientals. The Latakia is surprisingly moderate, but plays nicely around the edges of the mouth and adds more spice than smoke to the taste.

1 person found this review helpful.