McClelland No. 2010 Classic Virginia

I like just about every VA from McClellnd, and this is no exception. The pouch aroma is that sour Mc Va, which I absolutely love. Of all the bulk offerings from McClelland, this is by far the easiest to rub out. Also packs well, without a lot of springiness some can have. Lights fairly well, can use a few minutes dry time after it is rubbed out. Has a very bright flavor, and a pleasant toast-like room note.

This stuff still wouldn't bite even if you lit it on your tongue. Very mild mannered, I'd even recommend for a newer Va flake smoker. A very predictable blend, and one I will keep stocked in my cellar

My enjoyment of this blend was not unexpected, as I typically appreciate anything touch by McClelland. That said, the comparisons to McClelland VA No. 22 caused a bit of hesitancy as it's my least favorite of their VA's.

I had a 1/2 pound of this sealed in 2oz tins by the Bufflehead shop in 2004, and am now working through my second tin. Visual: A dark brown flake, with some yellow and gold streaks throughout. My tin contained mainly broken flake, no full "sheets". I also noted a few substantial stem sections. Unusual for McClelland...

Texture: Less moist upon opening than what I often experience with this company. Probably as it was a tinned bulk blend.

Pack/Pipe: I smoke this fully rubbed out and paper dryed. Gravity fed with a half-hearted Frank Method bunch pressed on top into a number of my VA pipes. (Peterson Billiard, Moretti freehand & others, all having a typically narrow tobacco chamber). No problems smoking this to bottom of the bowl with no to minimal relights and two pipe cleaners to catch moisture.

Lighting/Burn: Two matches to char, one to light. Burns slowly to bottom and leaves a white/grey ash with a few bits of charred tobacco. Really generates some heat in the bowl. Not a problem, just noted.

1st 3rd: The citrus component of this tobacco is just spectacular! Sharpening the taste buds and ecouraging frequent puffs. I tamp this a bit more often than others to keep up the consistent burn.

2nd 3rd: Smoke becomes a little cooler here but maintains citrusy zest. No real depth, and none expected. Needed a pipe cleaner to catch heel moisture. More tart than sweet for sure.

Final 3rd: Loses just a bit of tang here. No pronounced ashiness, and still producing a bit of moisture in the heel.

Notes: Glad that this has not lost it's pronounced tang with 7 years in the tin. Like all McClelland flakes, fantastic quality. If you enjoy the citrus element of Lemon & Orange Virginia varietals - this will deliver by the ton.

Stogie rating of: 7 Heavenly Hoyos

This is a very good straight virginia broken flake tobacco. It is comprised of moist dense chunks of brown flake and requires some amount of rubbing out and possibly some subsequent drying to prepare it for smoking.

The flavor characteristics tend towards the citrusy and fruit like tastes often found in virginia tobaccos, although I did not find it overly tangy. This blend seemes less sweet than many other virginias although it does have a small amount of sweetness present. Overall the flavor is right in line with what I like from a straight virginia. This blend doesn't seem nearly as bitey as other virginia tobaccos that I have tried, but it provides a good solid flavor nevertheless. It's tasty enough to keep you reaching for more and mild enough that you can keep doing so.

This, along with 2035, are my favorite bulk McClellands that I have tried so far. I prefer 2010 over 2015 personally because I think that 2010 is a bit more flavorfull (although somewhat more bitey also). All in all, 2010 is a highly enjoyable virginia flake and the bulk pricing is just icing on the cake.

I filled up a couple small jars to cellar and intend on getting more of this excellent tobacco. If you're trying out virginia tobaccos then get some of this to try for sure.

UPDATE 1: I just cracked open one of the small jars and am enjoying the first bowl from it. It was aged about 6 months and it is very tasty.

One could say there was fruity topping in it. No. I have sample at least five years old. Sweetness was like cherry vanilla and honey compote. Broken flakes was too dry to smoke, but still usable.

Smoke was sweet peppery and fruity. Don't need relights. This VA has most pleasant room note from neutral tobaccos I have tried. One of the best VA out there.

This is not your regular virginia blend. After a few bowls, I am still trying to get my head around it. For starters, it is rich and dark, but not quite full-bodied. It has a slight tang to it, but it is not overtly sweet or zesty. Then, there is this mellow component going on in the background that comes and goes so difficult to describe. I cannot detect any perique, and yet it is somewhat peppery and full of flavour. Also, it is reminiscent of some oriental tobaccos. Call me "crazy" if you like. Having said that, I think these flakes will probably benefit from some cellaring time. I am not quite sure this particular tobacco would be my cup of tea, but I am finding the smoking experience so amazingly complex and entertaining that it's gonna get a gold sticker.

Edit 03 March 2018: After smoking 2oz of this tobacco I'd like to add the following: it is now that I begin to realize these are probably one of the best flake virginia tobaccos I have ever smoked in my whole entire life. Because the sui generis nature of it, I've never had anything quite like it, it has taken me for some time to realize this. Alas, McClelland is closing down, so in a manner of speaking, I feel sorry I've come across such good quality tobacco, for you can never miss something you never had.

It's perfect for autopilot, smokes easy and doesn't suffer if you forget about it for a while. Just a simple straight Virginia for everyday puffing, what could be better?

ORIGINAL REVIEW 6-16-2015

A very solid Virginia offering from the Virginia masters. I was given a generous sample of 2010 from a forum friend and immediately knew I would be reordering.

The Virginias are a bit rawer and less refined than the flagship tinned Virginias offered by McClelland, but still carry that taste that is unique to McClelland Va.'s. Call it ketchup or whatever you want; I like it. I found this to be a little lighter in that essence than those blends. I also found 2010 to be a little earthier. My sample consisted of about five bowls and I really enjoyed all of them.

Whether it be Blackwoods, Christmas Cheer or 27, I find it difficult to point too much difference between the varying McClelland straight Virginias. I find 2010 to differ more drastically from these and in a good way. I plan getting a pound of this to cellar as I bet that with some age, this will be out of this world.

UPDATE 1/22/2019

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder and I just experienced this. I just finished up a two ounce bulk sample of this I jarred shortly after I reviewed this about three years ago. I used the jar as my truck blend, so it lasted a while.

Popping this was the first McClelland Virginia that I have opened since they stopped production. At opening I was immediately me with that familiar smell that I come to expect and it excited my senses with what was to come. At light up, the sweetness of the Red Virginias was like heaven. That first bowl was one of those transformative type of smokes that just seems to elevate you in ways in which you wish would last forever.

Now, I will say that it did present the common characteristics of a McClelland broken flake Virginia such as being a bear to rub out, properly pack and light up. But for this smoke those things never crossed my mind. The thought that kept going through my mind was that it is a damn shame that the next generation of smokers will not have the opportunity to buy as much of this as they want. Another thought also went through my mind, "how in the hell did I just give this three stars?" This is heavenly. Manna. Fruit of the gods.

To bring myself in proper focus, a hole in my regular rotation opened up for a Straight Virginia and I had to check myself. So I decided to pop a tin of Christmas Cheer 2017. On my first bowl of that, I had my answer. This is why I gave 2010 three stars. Both, in a world that truly lacks of good Red Virginias to smoke, are incredible, but in the world of McClelland, the 2010 is still an inferior budget friendly alternative.

So the three star rating does remain, but if you have not tried a McClelland Virginia, then this is a four star blend for you. Not worth selling your kidney over, but if you are at some B&M that still has some 2010 in a jar, by all means, buy it. Even the 2010 bulk Virginia is a better Red Virginia than any other that is available today.

A nice straight-forward VA. The broken flake is easy to deal with and burns nicely. No complexity. If that's what you are looking for, this deserves a chance. It's not for me, however.

Nice light smoke with a decent amount of flavor. No casing detected and the vinegary smell is mild and doesn't transfer into the smoke. Zesty, tangy yet smooth and slightly sweet, to be enjoyed slowly as it tends to bite with fast puffing.

Virginia lover