McClelland No. 2015 Virginia Perique Flake

(3.44)
This tobacco is made from rich, orange and red Virginias to which enough St. James perique has been added to create a refreshing smoke.

Details

Brand McClelland
Blended By McClelland Tobacco Company
Manufactured By McClelland Tobacco Company
Blend Type Virginia/Perique
Contents Perique, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Broken Flake
Packaging Bulk
Country United States
Production No longer in production

Profile

Strength
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.44 / 4
101

47

21

2

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 171 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 08, 2006 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Tolerable
I have been waiting to review this tobacco until I had smoked enough of it to be sure. I have smoked 2 pounds of this stuff now and I have been debating as to give 3 or 4 stars. As you can see, I decided to give it 4.

First the cut, the cut is not particularly useful and i actually more of a knock against this tobacco. The flakes are interspersed with ribbons of tobacco in a very incosistent mixture that makes me wonder to rub or not to rub, that is the question. aye, there's the rub. Okay so despite thr bibon character of this blend, it is important to rub the few flakes there are to maintain a consitent and even burn. So it really should just come ready-rubbed in my opinion.

Secondy the pack. I use the frank method with this blend fully rubbed and get a real nice pack with a little resistance very consitently.

The light, easy enough. Maybe you'll use two matches instead of the usual one, but it asctually lights pretty easily.

Behaviour. this is why I recommend thei baccy so much. This is the bets behaved virginia/perique blend I ahve come across to date. It smokes dry and cool. You can puff pretty hard without worrying about bite. it lights without bite. it relights without bite. It is the best behaved mcClelland blend there is.

Flavour: this is where I was debating as to three or four stars. The flavour to this virginia blend ins incredibly delightful. Just a hint of spiciness from the perique and a load of tangy sweet virginia. Lots of subtleties as well which keeps this blend interesting, bowl after bowl, pound after pound. BUT, it is a light tasting smoke. The flavour is great and complexe and all those great things, but I'd like to have more of it. Still, the light flavour means you can smoke it all day and exhaust your pallet. Plus the is enough complexity to keep it interesting all day.

to sum up, this is an exquisite blend that, regardless of price, demands to be sampled. It is a mcC bulk and so it is very cost efficient. It is great and well behaved blend that is a little on the light side. Nevertheless, go buy this stuff by the pound. After smoking 2 pounds, I have cellared 5 more, and have another pound out for smoking right now. It's that good.
30 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 25, 2005 Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant
Okay, here is a Virginia/Perique blend I actually enjoy (from time to time.) Unlike many blends of this genre, Bulk 2015 is not wimpy in the Virginia department with an overwhelming amount of Perique. The balance weighs on the side of the quality Virginia leaf and for the life of me, I cannot figure out why McClelland's does not tin this one.

The flake breaks up easily and is easily loaded. The burn is even and the flavor varies just enough to be interesting as the leaf is consumed. There is an ever so slight tendency for this one to bite if puffed on with reckless abandon.

Virginia/Perique addicts will buy this stuff by the ton.
27 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 07, 2013 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
The dominant red along with bright orange Virginias offer mildly tart and tangy dark fruit sweet with a little bread, some citrus, earth, and a touch of tart lemon and grass. There's a minor rough edge to the Virginias, though it's not distracting. The "vinegar" smell hardly translates into the smoke itself, and vanishes fairly quickly. The perique is plum, raisiny, figgy and peppery in a support role. The strength and nic-hit are a couple of steps past the center of mild to medium, and the taste is medium. Won't bite or get harsh. It's a broken flake that still needs some rubbing out, and a light dry time. It burns slow, not so evenly, cool and clean with a well balanced, consistent tangy sweet and spicy flavor to the finish. Leaves some moisture in the bowl and you have stir up the last quarter of the pipe if you don't dry it a little. I suggest a light dry time. Has a very pleasant, lightly lingering after taste and decent room note. Not quite an all day smoke. Three and a half stars.

-JimInks
23 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 01, 2008 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
This, along with Escudo, is the main VaPer in my rotation. McClelland has scored BIG with this blend. Reminds me of my former standby, Ashton Old London Pebblecut, which was made by McClelland and of which I unfortunately am down to two tins. On the off chance that McClelland stops producing this, I have 3 pounds in my cellar. Now THAT is commitment! With a little paranoia thrown in for good measure.

I'm not the kind of smoker that tastes figs or prunes or anything but tobacco unless the manufacturer adds casings of figs or prunes, etc. The virginia flavor is sweet and complex, and the addition of perique marries well to the virginias. As others have mentioned, it should be smoked slowly or it will bite (true of most virginias). The flavor not only holds throughout the bowl but improves as it is smoked. It will require a few relights if not properly dried out. I bring 4 ounces from my cellar at a time and place in my airtight tobacco jar. I then bring out a days supply the evening before for drying and by the next morning, it's in perfect smoking condition. Can be smoked without drying, however, just have the Corona Old Boy on standby.

Smoked in everything from an Ashton Pebblegrain ODA sized pipe to a middle of the road meerschaum to a cheap clay, this blend never fails to deliver. Very highly recommended if you enjoy VaPers.
21 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 23, 2005 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Tolerable
This is my everyday tobacco. I buy it in 5 pound bulk and age it in Mason jars for at least six months. I also recommend that you let it dry a little before smoking. I fill about a 3 day ration of tobacco in a pouch and it keeps the moisture level just right. This is an inexpensive, but high quality tobacco, that is perfect for your finest briar pipes. To fully appreciate this blend, smoke slowly. I hope this helps you enjoy 2015 as much as I do.

Update (01/23/05): I recently re-read my review and realized that I didn't explain why I love 2015 so much. It's been my "go to" tobacco for over 5 years. The two factors that matter to me most are flavor and the way the tobacco burns. I love the citrus tang and the juxtaposed sweetness. It's just perfect for me. I find the perique just highlights these flavors, rather than contributing too much of its own flavor. The balance is perfect. When I'm on-the-go, it's a great companion; it doesn't demand much attention and still yields a pleasant taste and aroma. When I'm feeling contemplative, it can be very complex. The flavors range from citrus to chocolate. It burns slow and steady whether I'm concentrating on some other activity or concentrating on smoking.

I probably smoke 15-20 other blends that I like very much, ranging from GLP and GH to Rattray and Wessex, but I smoke more 2015 than all the other blends combined. I have quite a bit in my cellar and I plan to add more every year. As the years go by, this will be a treasure to me.

Update (03/28/10) I'm never buying 2015 again!! That's it! I'm done! Why? Because I have 40 lbs. in Mason jars already! lol Technically I haven't bought any 2015 since December 2005. I just opened my oldest jar from 2001 and it's amazing. ANY and ALL complaints I've heard from the naysayers about 2015 are gone. All that remains is an exquisite Virginia/perique that lacks the rough edges that some may have liked about fresh 2015, but the smoothness, the twang, the sweet and sour flavors are more focused and more enjoyable than ever.

My youngest 5 pound lot turns 5 years old in December, 2010. My investment in 2015 totals $800 between 2001 and 2005, plus the Mason jars, a little paraffin and about a dozen evenings' time. At that time I could buy 5 lb. bags for $100. The best price I can find today is $225.
14 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 28, 2004 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Appearance: Mostly medium red, orange and brown, with traces of dark and light leaf. Small flakes of moderate thickness, mostly broken (common to most bulk blends).

Aroma: Sweet yeasty aroma of matured Virginia, trace of vinegar t let you know it?s a McClelland blend.

Packing: In larger pipes, folding the larger pieces into a roll works fine. For smaller pipes, I need to rub the flakes out. Fairly typical flake in this regard.

Lighting: Takes a charring light well. A few puffs, some tamping and a relight has it going at a good pace.

Initial flavor: Lots of taste right from the start. All the elements I expect in a McC Va. are there. Good mixture of high and low notes, and a little extra tingle from the Perique. Good layering of tastes at the top of the bowl.

Mid-bowl: Continues to delight the palate with a range of flavors, The Perique is definitely there, but in a subtle way. Stays cool at the right pace, stays lit well, and smokes dry.

Finish: A bit more Perique presence at the end, but not objectionable. Clean gray ash, no soggy mess.

Summary: A real delight, comparable to many tinned blends at much higher prices. I should cellar a pound or two for a year (or more) to see how well it ages. I suspect it will be extraordinary.
14 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 17, 2008 Medium to Strong Medium to Strong Full Pleasant to Tolerable
So my experience with Bulk # 2015 Virginia Flake was one worth noting. I had been reading up on a lot of the Virginia/Perique tobaccos but was not quite sure if I was up to that level yet and or if I had the smokers palate to appreciate what these had to offer. I decided to purchase some of the bulk about a month ago from my local B&M and kept it stored away for a bit until I decided to try it. I figured it couldn't go bad with age so why not?

Last night I pulled out the bag and the trusty meerschaum and decided to wing it as far as packing flake tobacco into my pipe. I decided to take some of the unrubbed flakes and lay them on the bottom of the pipe. Then I rubbed some out and put them on top in order to help get it lit. Doing this kind of created a chamber under the rubbed out tobacco. I only packed enough for a half bowl. Upon the charring light, the taste was VERY strong, and I actually coughed a few times from a bit that escaped into my lungs. I was unsure at this point if I had jumped into this too quickly. The loose tobacco on top expanded and puffed up like I had never seen before. Perhaps it wasn't packed tight enough but it expanded quite a bit which made me glad I only packed the half bowl. I'll remember for next time to go a little below the rim if I am going to pack fully.

After I let the char mellow and cool, I lit the tobacco again (I'm only using matches, for what it's worth). This time the smoke was noticeably sweeter, but I still coughed a little and tried to mellow my puffing to light this. My mouth burned a bit but a sip or two of water and I was fine. I tamped a little to keep the tobacco at bay, and got it to where it was smoking comfortably.

Upon first impressions, the most obvious thing I noticed was the sweetness of this smoke. It reminded me of an English or Oriental in the smoothness and cool aspects but it was MUCH sweeter. The leaf had no trouble staying lit and smoked cool the entire time. I had it go out once on me but the re-light was no problem at all. After I mellowed it out again, it was back to the sweet cool smoke again. There was a slight spicy note mixed in which I assumed was the Perique, and it added just enough character to keep the sweet VA's from being overwhelming. The room note was not as bad as I expected it was going to be. Some said it was a nasty cigarette odor, but I noticed none of that. When my girlfriend came home (about 20 minutes after I finished the bowl) she said the smell was noticeable but not bad at all.

One other thing I noticed was that this burned rather quickly. Maybe 20 minutes or so, but for the size of the bowl I packed that may not have been unusual. The great thing about the flake tobacco is that there are so many ways I can experiment with smoking it, each experience could be different. I am stopping at my local B&M today and maybe buying them out of this stuff. Definitely a great tobacco to pick up and keep on hand, and definitely one to keep cellared.
12 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 09, 2016 Medium Very Mild Medium to Full Pleasant
McClelland - No. 2015 Virginia Perique Flake.

This is a FABULOUS smoke.

At first, I felt puzzled, even though I was expecting a broken flake, the pouch contained mostly whole flakes, and they're some of the thickest I've come across. I view this as a positive though as I enjoy preparing flake tobacco. But, due to the hefty construction, they'll demand a tough rubbing hand if your inclined to load that way!

As I said, the smoke's fabulous, easily this is one of the best quality VaPer's I've piped. The Virginia tastes mature and refined, with only a little sharpness at first, but a big honey sweetness. This couples up with the figgy Perique amazingly; it just gives a superbly high-end flavour. After the first quarter, the smoke takes on more of a lemon/citrus quality, this is closer to the traditional VaPer taste now. The burn from this is also top quality, I hardly need my lighter once the burn's initiated.

To me, the nicotine's medium, maybe medium to strong at a push, and the room-note's quite nice.

This is, without a doubt, worth four stars:

Highly recommended.

After sleeping on it, I've decided this isn't just one of the best VaPer's, it is THE best I've ever had!
Pipe Used: Peder Jeppesen
PurchasedFrom: Smoking Pipes.com
Age When Smoked: New
10 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 11, 2014 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Unnoticeable
What a wonderful high quality VA/Perique blend. After going through some of Cornell & Diehls VA Per blends that contain some spicy Turkish additive, I began to look for just a straight VA and Perique blend. I first saw this in the PipesandCigars catalog then I sought out reviews.. (Good) Check. Low and behold it was on sale. (Check) I purchased 5 ounces to begin with. A beautiful tobacco in presentation, color and quality. Impressive. It's on the moist side and rubs out easliy and packs great. The flavor reminds me a bit of the Christmas blend.. in the sense it's something that you can smoke now.. and it's good, but aging will truly send it to another level of goodness.

I agree with PipeStud, that the flavor is more on the VA side but the Perique reveled itself near the middle and gained ground towards the end of the bowl. I do recommend this blend and I will be purchasing more while it's on sale to cellar for the future. VA Per pipers should have this in their bacca arsenal. Smoke it up!

UPDATE: 5/19/15. This tobacco got even better with age. I put some away in a heavy Jar as promised and it's been fermenting to the point when I open the top a nice sharp fermenting smell of aged VA hits my nose and gets my mouth to watering. I can't believe how good this tobacco is and only gets better with age. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for aged Va lovers and Perique lovers.
Pipe Used: Selected Grain Billard
PurchasedFrom: PipesandCigars.com
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 08, 2014 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
I have smoked probably 4 oz. of this before, but it seems I have never written a review. I acquired a couple of ounces of (aged) 2015 in a trade and went to update the review - oops.

The blend is a very good mix of dark Virginias and perique. The Virginia is heavy and sweet - just a little tart. It is not a perique powerhouse, and it adds a pleasant spicy plum that becomes a little more dominant for me as I smoke through the bowl. I have had this with 20% added perique, and I think I prefer it "as is." As delivered, it is a good combo that plays to the strengths of quality red Virginia and perique as a condiment.

I like this a lot. There is a slightly raw quality to it for me although it is never harsh. I know I am smoking tobacco. This is the same way that 5100 presents - a little unprocessed maybe. This is a plus for me in that I _LIKE_ smoking tobacco, and topping tastes good initially and then often gets old. Aged is smoother, but I like it both ways.

FWIW, I half-heartedly rub out the broken flakes and pack it fairly tight in a Kirsten tapered bowl for the best smoke. It seems to favor a wide bowl or the taper.
9 people found this review helpful.
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