Tobaccos McClelland - No. 2015 Virginia Perique Flake

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-03-08		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.

29 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2005-06-25		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.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3046)	2013-03-07		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.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-12-01		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.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-01-23		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.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Noorrmm (192)	2004-03-28		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.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-09-17		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.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2081)	2016-07-09		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

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes.com

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmokeDawg (82)	2014-05-11		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

Purchased From: PipesandCigars.com

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fr_tom (393)	2014-04-08		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.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmokeQuest (20)	2016-02-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

When I first tried this tobacco, it was so harsh it made my whole mouth sore. I hated myself for purchasing 5 pounds before trying it first. Now 5+ years later, I opened up one of the jars which has 5+ years on it. It is without a doubt the best tobacco I have ever smoked, sweet, creamy and smooth. I hate myself for buying only 5 pound when I should have bought at least 50. Buy a truck load if you can, you won’t regret it.

Age When Smoked: 5+ years

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	J.G. (7)	2013-09-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

McClelland 2015 is a Virginia-Perique blend. It is not part of my regular rotation; but I have enjoyed it from time to time, as a change of pace, over the last year.

Basics: This a basic, somewhat simple smoke. The taste is sweet and modestly bright (but not very complex) with the Virginias, and there is a noteworthy amount of Perique for spiciness. There is no casing or topping. It is also a bulk tobacco. Tobacconists sometimes sell it under house labels. Online, it can be had at Smokingpipes.com for about $9 for two ounces or for about $52 for a pound. It comes in flakes, which can be rubbed out (which diminishes the flavor slightly) or which can be simply folded over and inserted into a pipe's bowl (which takes a little care to keep it burning). The strength is medium to strong, depending on whether you are used to smoking Perique. :-) Likewise is true for the nicotine.

Good: This is a good, basic Virginia-Perique blend. If you enjoy Virginia tobaccos, and if Perique is something that you do not usually smoke, this will be a nice treat or change of pace.

Bad: This is a good, basic Virginia-Perique blend. If you smoke a lot of Virginia-Perique blends, you might find it a tad unremarkable. Also, at $9 for two ounces, it is not inexpensive....but it is not pricey, either.

Conclusion: I give McClellend 2015 4 stars out of 4. It is good for what it is: a basic Virginia-Perique. It is worth trying, especially if you are curious about Virginia-Perique blends.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	North by North Best (5)	2015-05-24		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I just bought a few oz of this fantastic flake in bulk from 4noggins. It is a broken flake, but my bag also contained a few full rectangular flakes. The tin note has the typical McClelland ketchup/vinegar smell, but not to the same extent as their tinned blends. The moisture is just right, smokeable right out of the bag, albeit with a few re-lights, which is to be expected from a flake. The taste is superb... Deep, earthy and grassy, with bright peppery notes from the perique. This is a top notch vaper, which I will be adding to my rotation and cellaring for the future. If you enjoy vapers, do yourself a favor and give 2015 a try.

Pipe Used: Cobs

Age When Smoked: 2015

Purchased From: 4 Noggins

Similar Blends: Escudo.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bonneville (52)	2014-07-30		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant

What can I say about this that hasn't been said already? I LOVE this stuff. The Perique is perfectly balanced with the Virginias to deliver a nice sweet creamy smoke with a hint of some kind of rich spiciness. I would say this is the American version of Orlik Golden Sliced. The first quarter is nice but as you get down to mid bowl the flavor and sweetness really pick up. Highly enjoyable and highly recommended for Virginia lovers.

Pipe Used: 4th Generation

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: Beehive Cigars, Salt Lake CIty, UT

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Past Master (20)	2008-06-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I just bought this yesterday evening in west Austin, Texas, where the local tobacconist marketed it under the name "Acadian Legend." I'm always careful to ask what they are "really" selling me, but I could tell by the look of the flake in the jar that it was going to be pretty good, and I was right. I smoked some last night and again today.

Not surprisingly, the reviews to date bear out my experience. An overwhelming forty-nine out of 85 reviews (that's 58%) give this blend a 4-star rating! An additional twenty-nine reviews (34%) give it a 3-star rating. That means that 92% of the reviews to date give this 3 or 4 stars. So what's the complaint from the seven other reviews? Let's have a look.

First off, one reviewer said that he was giving it "three stars," but then gave it two stars, apparently by accident. Another reviewer had virtually nothing bad to say about this blend, but gave it only two stars anyway. That's okay. Everybody's got an opinion.

That leaves only five negative reviews out of eighty-five. Two complained that it was too moist, and that a "moistening agent" kept it that way. (The sample I bought yesterday was a bit too dry for me, but it came back very well over night.) One complained that it didn't "rub out well." Another complained that it was "too bland." And an admitted "novice" pipe-smoker said that it gave him tongue-bite.

There you have it. By correcting the accidental 2-star rating to a 3-star, the overall score on this blend to date is 297 total stars which, divided by 85 reviews, gives an average of 3.49 stars. One of the top-rated blends!

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ivanhoe (36)	2003-10-29		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

McClelland 2015 is turning into the tobacco I reach for most often. It has the fruity, citrus tang of a good Virginia. The perique is like adding a shot of Tabasco sauce to the smoke -- and I love Tabasco sauce. The tastes are both present from the start, and both of them continue through the entire smoke. There is some change, though; the perique fades a little and the Virginia gets stronger and less tangy toward the end of the bowl. It is pleasant at all stages. I recommend it. The key to enjoying this tobacco is to learn how to smoke flakes properly. It took me a long time to find a way that works. I tried drying it, rubbing it out to different degrees, packing it tighter or looser. None of these satisfied me, and often produced a hot, wet smoke. My pipe would gurgle, the taste of the Virginia tobaccos would disappear when the pipe got too hot, and I would get a burned tongue. Now, I take a big pinch of this straight from the bag and slide it into my pipe so that the chunks of flake are standing on end. I rub a little bit out and press it lightly into the top of the bowl for tinder, and then light it. The chunks of flake burn slowly and quite cool, rather like logs instead of a pile of dry grass. The smoke stays cool, my pipe stays dry, there is no tongue bite, and I am very happy. Also, a pipeful packed this way smokes for a long time -- I regularly get a normal-sized pipe of this to last from 75 to 90 minutes.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2017-05-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

A nice variety of fruity flavors with a light spice that gets just a little spicier as the bowl progresses. Has an underlying toasty note. Smokes cool and consistent. It's a little light on Perique for my taste, but I won't hold that against it. A great tasting smoke.

Medium in body and taste. No added flavoring. Burns very well.

Pipe Used: MM Little Devil Cutty, Little Devil Acorn, Marcus

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2011-08-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A very nice tobacco that needs some drying then it will sip like a dream. I don't know how McClelland does it, but I really like their Virginias. It's hard to describe but it's like "Sweet and Sour", tangy sweetness . The traditional McC Vinegar, gives their Virginias that distinct flavor that I find very tasty. Although, this bulk did not come with a strong McC Vinegar scent, it was still slightly there. Now on to the Perique, very interesting, like a concrete cellar block taste. I know, it doesn't sound good, but it really wasn't bad, a little "French "inhale and you got wet portland cement, interesting. I actually found myself searching for it as I went down the bowl. Just some slight whiffs now and then,watch the spice as you get to the end of the bowl, hot. I will cellar this to see if I can get rid of the bite ,if so, I will buy this again.

Updated 1/21/12 After about 6 months of age and this is still very spicy ( peppery ) ,however it explodes with flavor. I couldn't smoke this all day but a great treat once in a while. I also noticed that this was very hard to light, you need three to four chars before it will take. It also feels like it is going out, just go with it, smoke it at a smolder, don't try to push it or your tongue will suffer. Still 3 stars

Updated 2/17/12- " EUREKA", after 6 months of cellaring I found very little change in the bite I was experiencing from this very flavorful blend. I decided to try some home "stoving". Taking a mason jar, I set my convection oven to 190 degrees , placed the jar with the lid loosely on top and allowed 3 hours to cook. The result was special, 90% of the bite was gone ( Periques always have a little pepper ) and the flavor was not muted to any extent. I basically turned this into a 4 star blend from a 2 1/2.

This tobacco still has a small distraction, it is hard to get a even burn rate. The flake is hard to get uniform when you rub it out. Take a little extra time on those larger flakes and don't try to push it, just go with the burn it gives you. Try it in a smaller bowl as this is a long smoke

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	hilbertastronaut (7)	2017-10-26		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Review #6 Date: 25 Oct 2017

I have been smoking pipes for a few months, and cigars for a few years. I am an occasional (2-3 times a week, a bowl or two at a time) smoker.

I ordered this in bulk from Cup O' Joe's (cupojoes.com). It arrived today.

Cut: Somewhat broken flakes, with a lot of whole pieces. Chunks tend to stay together when rubbed. It seems like a good moisture level: not sticky, but not dried out.

Tin note: German pumpernickel (the real stuff, square and dark). I love that stuff so this was a good sign.

Preparation: Gently rubbed and stuffed into a straight billiard. That works well for the other flake (4th Generation 1931) I've smoked, but this one is a bit more substantial (not quite "rubbery," but not as crumbly) and could perhaps benefit from fold-and-stuff or cubing.

Lighting: Not hard to light, but went out a couple times. I could use more practice with flake, but even then, it wasn't so hard to relight. I got interrupted in the middle of the bowl for a half hour and had to set it down, but it didn't hurt the taste any. Relights returned after a few not-so-awfully-smoky puffs (more quickly than the 1931 mentioned above) to good taste. I didn't pack it quite right so I had some crunchy dottle at the bottom that just wouldn't stay lit, but a better pack should fix that next time.

Taste: Natural Virginia, plus a bit sour and yeasty, a tiny bit peppery, now and then a very tiny bit funky (in a good way -- like mushroom). I liked it better than the very first Virginia-Perique blend I tried, Comoy's Cask #7 (Single Coin Sliced). Cask #7 has more of a stewed fruit taste and is stronger nicotine-wise; No. 2015 is bready and mild. Aroma is sweet, especially sniffed from the bowl.

Room note: Baked bread.

I might go back and revise the rating once I've smoked more blends, but this is good stuff that I would gladly share with friends.

Pipe Used: Straight billiard

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Cup O' Joe's (cupojoes.com)

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Goose55 (33)	2017-06-13		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I have very much enjoyed McClelland's St. James Woods tinned Virginia Perique Flake, but this one seems to me to be just as stellar. And a bulk offering, no less. So, I'm letting my tins of St. James Woods, and Tudor Castle age in their cool dark place, and enjoying this. The room note is scrumptious and you'll have everyone following you around. The way one can tell this is choice leaf is in how it "sips." Truly sumptuous, delicious flavors may be extracted by tamping & keeping the ember cool & small.

Before McCl closed shop, on a whim I bought 4 more pounds of 2015 in Jan 2018 to add to what I had on hand, so I have quite a bit of it, along with a good cellar of many favorite tinned blends from them. In Jan 2018 it was not yet known, anywhere, that this would be the end of luscious McClelland tobaccos. RIP McClelland.

Pipe Used: Today, 10/9/18, in a bent Bekler Meer Poker

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Perique (163)	2016-11-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

2015 Virginia Flake with Perique presents as a loosely pressed, fairly springy, semi-broken flake of medium and light browns. Jar note is a delicious, tangy melange of fig, dates, raisins and a hint of barnyard smells: hay, molassed sweet feed. Moisture content is just right to smoke out of the bulk pouch, but the aged and mellowed product is even better. Either way, 2015 will deliver a pungent stewed fruit note on the charring light: plenty of plum, with date and fig. Further into the first third of the bowl there's a bit of pepper that compliments, rather than detracts from, the sweeter, tangier Virginias.

Overall this is a satisfying, plummy, mildly spicy and mellow VaPer that is consistent in flavor down to the bottom of the bowl: smooth, rich and biteless when sipped. Dry, slow, cool burn, but can burn a bit hot if pushed. Becomes a bit damp in the end, but no mess left in the pipe. A good bulk stock-up for VaPer lovers concerned about tobacco apocalypse. Solid three-star territory and the equal of several other tinned, more expensive McClelland VaPer blends.

*There's very little of that trademark McClelland Virginia note, often described as ketchup or BBQ, strong in vinegar. This mellow VaPer may well be appreciated by those who don't typically gravitate towards McClelland Virginia blends.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2016-09-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

After the needed dry time, 2015 smokes with a tangy sweetness that is a bit muted by an ample amount of Perique. During the first half of the bowl the Perique isn’t as forward as it is in the later stages. The red Virginia takes the lead and there is a mild spice note but I wouldn’t call it a spicy blend. The brighter Virginia’s take more of a back seat here. There is no bite and only a moderate amount of complexity and it isn’t as “rich” tasting as my preferred McClelland VaPer, St. James Woods. I tend to enjoy most of my tobaccos dry (not crispy) and even when 2015 is well dried, I am amazed by the slow burn rate of this blend. I prefer to smoke it in a group two or three size bowl with a little fully rubbed out on top. There is a little more Lady N in this blend than in other McClelland Virginia’s that I have smoked too. In smaller amounts, the price isn’t much cheaper than many tinned blends, but buying larger amounts really makes this broken flake an excellent value in terms of quality and price in comparison to many tinned blends on the market. Lovers of McClelland VaPers should make a space in the cellar of this one. While not a rotation maker for me, (although it is for my wife), I am going to cellar some just the same.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	MAPiper (10)	2015-10-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

First off I was surprised that McC's bulk is pretty much just as good as their tinned leaf. I smoke a ton of Saint James Woods but lately have found my taste for strong perique blends getting less and less. 2015 seems to be more of an all day blend as far as perique level goes. It has the red virginia flavor that I love with a little sweetness and complexity from the orange. Overall is fantastic quality and amazing flavor with a good and sensible amount of perique. Definitely top 5 smoke material here. As usual with McC there's no sauce, casing, frosting, etc. Just carefully crafted high quality tobacco. Oh and who cares about tin note. Smells like natural virginia tobacco.

Get a bunch of it, jar it up and let it age. I don't see how you can be disappointed.

Age When Smoked: new

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Liquid360 (10)	2015-10-03		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Unnoticeable

I'm not much of a reviewer, but when I try something at all remarkable, I like to note it. Based solely on the reviews here, I ordered a few pounds... how's that for confidence? Everyone mentions the ketchup aroma, or stench, depending on your opinion. Sure enough, it's ketchup! While I love ketchup, I am not a fan of tobacco smelling like ketchup. Eww. I ordered this in spite of, not because of, this characteristic. The flake is really nice! My order looked like a big, fat bag of tree bark. Moisture content was as I like it. Breaks apart nicely. I have a tough time trying to imagine what smoking ketchup would taste like. Others say the tin note carries over to taste, I didn't notice this, but ketchup is sweet and tangy. This is my first ever encounter with "tangy" in the tobacco world. It's very seriously sweet n tangy. It's a wonderful smoke! I was EXTREMELY relieved as I smoked my first bowl... as I gazed upon the few pounds I'd ordered. I'm very curious as to how this stuff ages and evolves. In closing, in dealing with this ketchup issue, if you are revolted by ketchup, it's likely best you stay away from this VaPer. If you like it or if you're curious or indifferent, you owe it to yourself to give this McClelland a go. It's a very tasty, sweet n tangy, and beautifully burning/tasting leaf.

Pipe Used: Dunhill Cumberland Billiard #5

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: P&C

Similar Blends: Not at all similar to other VaPers I've had. Unique in the genre.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cajomu (80)	2015-01-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

McClelland Bulk No.2015 Virginia Perique Flake is a delicious VaPer. The broken flakes are easy to pack and light and burn to a light gray ash. However, it benefits from a bit of drying out. Although a rather inexpensive bulk tobacco, IMO it is one of McClelland's best.

Taste is similar to other McClelland VaPers (yes, it has that ketchup aroma although this dissipates if cellared for a year or so) but better in a number of respects. It is sweet -- I like that -- with a modest Perique flavor (I really didn't detect much Perique spiciness). The taste upon lighting up is nutty but develops into a fairly complex blend of flavors (clove, almonds and vanilla) as one gets to the second half of the bowl. While some others say that it has some fruitiness, I don't detect this. Bite is minimal, even if puffed on hard but, as with all good pipe tobaccos, the flavor need slow smoking to fully develop. I've tried smoking it both rubbed out and in flake form and I strongly prefer the latter as it encourages slow smoking which is necessary to fully develop the flavors. No. 2015 greatly benefits from cellaring for a year or two.

I gave it four stars although I would probably have given it 3.5 if this were an option. Nevertheless, it is an excellent tobacco for the money and, if you like a sweet and really tasty VaPer, you won't be disappointed.

Pipe Used: Various briars

Age When Smoked: 2 years old

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Capt (339)	2011-08-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I was gifted exactly 2oz of this from a friend on a private cigar/pipe forum a few years back. According to my good friend who has been smoking and cellaring tobaccos since the early 80's, this one he had cellared since 1990!

Let me just say, this particular 2 oz sample only gets smoked on rare occasions that I KNOW I will not be interupted, bothered, or interferred with. The mellowness of this 21 year old tobacco is like nothing I have ever smoked in my life. The flakes are all broken into thin strips, but that just makes my job of loading easier.

Rich, mellow and a bit tangy, I savor every pipeful of this. I'm noy sure what a modern day 2015 tastes like, but I may have to cellar a few pounds and find out in another 21 years.

Update 2/2016 I still continue to smoke this quite often, and have several pounds in my cellar. Ages terrifically!

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-09-10		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

Update 9/9/04 ---- After letting this weed settle and age, I've found it to have most of the endearing characteristics that others describe. Sweet and full of tobacco flavor yet containing a sufficiently heady dose of Perique. It ranks up there with the C+D blends as far as VA/P excellence. It is not quite as smooth or subtle as St James Woods but hits the spot when you want something a little more "in your face". Perfect for the evening VA/P smoke. Rub it out well and smoke it slow. Gooood Smoooookin.... ---------------

I am taking into account two factors while writing this review: first,this is a bulk tobacco blend. Second, as with most McClelland's blends, I gather this improves greatly with age.

In packing: I found it burns equally well unrubbed or rubbed. The taste is much fuller when the flakes have been well rubbed out. This process, and the nice bar-b-cue smell that it emits is luxurious.

Unfortunately the smoke of my first several bowls of this tobacco have been lackluster. There is a strong VA "straight tobacco" taste - it is however very flat. The perique is noticeable right from the start and gives a rewarding hot pepper element. This infamous weed is the high point of the blend, and perhaps the entire point.

Even as far as bulk blends go - there are many others that deliver levels of sweetness and spice, a more refined stoking of flavors, and even more variety within each individual smoke. This stuff certainly isn't bad (and obviously high quality tobacco base)- and may be that blend that many others seek - but at least until I let the remainder of my bulk age a bit and give it another whirl I'll take Bayou Morning any minute of the day.

I don't smoke as much as many pipe smokers. Perhaps if I went through an ounce every week, I'd feel differently. But I see no reason not to purchase St James Woods if I wanted a richer, meatier, more pleasurable smoke. This stuff isn't that much cheaper.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-10-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I guess no matter how many tobaccos you have tried, there are still some you have not (pipestud is perhaps an exception). And there is always the chance that there is a good one out there that you have neglected.

I have only recently come to truly appreciate Va/P blends. I have tried several, and #2015 is one that I have overlooked until recently. Which means I have missed out on several years of pleasure. #2015 is such a treat! This blend surely deserves the 4-star rating it currently has in this venue.

There are several reasons to be enthusiastic about #2015. Firstly, McC does NOT scrimp on the perique. It is there at the get-go and builds in peppery strength. Second, there is not, at least in my initial 1/2 lb sample, that trademark vinegary McC odor. The bag aroma is intense yet delicious Va/P all the way. Third, it comes as a broken flake, which is essentially "ready to go" for my style of flake smoking. Forth, about 3 hours spread out on a cookie sheet was all it took to get the product to prime humidity for consumption, very unusual for a McC product. Fifth, there is abundant sweetness in the virginias, making for a great sweet/peppery combination. Finally it is SUCH a good deal in bulk, in contrast to other Va/Ps such as Haddo's that reach deep into the pockets.

I have not been this enthusiastic about a blend since I discovered Old Ironsides. I find myself going more and more to #2015 as a no-brainer. I have singed my tongue on this product a bunch in the last few weeks, but that is due my greediness, not the blend's bitey nature. I also tend to get a lightheaded nicotine buzz from this occasionally, again due to over-puffing. I will just have to keep practicing till I get it right. Sigh...

Any piper that likes strong tastes like perique owes it to himself or herself to give #2015 a serious try. Now I am wondering what other Va/Ps I have overlooked. What a great hobby pipe smoking is for the epicurean types!

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (401)	2021-03-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

Anytime I can score a sample of McClelland is always a good day. A good friend of mine gave me a nice size sample of this dated Nov 2017. This is a nice dark flake, slight McClelland Vinegar smell. I did my usual prep method of folding the flake(s) lengthwise, in half, twist and plug my Altinay Meerschaum Poker Pipe. This does take quite a few matches but provides me a nice long smoke due to the thickness of the flake rather than rubbing it out completely. McClelland always seems to use premium tobacco and this is no exception. They could probably have taken new Virginia and made it taste aged and refined. Not a very sweet smoke but very smooth, rich tasting with a hint of Perique. I always like any tobacco with St. James Perique in it and this is once again no exception. Lucky to have been able to have some of this extinct blend. On a side note, (inside joke) there were no birds singing on the porch while smoking this fine blend.

Pipe Used: Altinay Meerschaum Poker

Age When Smoked: 3 years and some change.

Purchased From: Gift

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	½ bowl (103)	2018-01-25		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Unnoticeable

Soft, bready Virginia taste -- as opposed to sharp, or piquant and "hot" tasting. Dark fruit character with a hint of spice, and enough sweetness to balance the presence of zesty sours that perk-up one's salivary glands. The smoke volume, body and mouth feel are just a touch below par, compared to a number of VaPers on the market with greater depth.

This would be a good choice for hobbyists who experiment with tweaking -- perhaps with Orientals or Burleys -- if for no other reason than to improve the body or provide a more robust experience.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	toddsmith7378 (41)	2017-11-29		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I love this tobacco. Very glad to find this in bulk. After finding and absolutely loving the 40th anniversary, I decided to see what all the hub bub was about McClelland Virginia's. They quickly became my favorite tobacco type.

I've really only had the Red Cake, 40th and this one. I love them all. I didn't think I'd be able to find something similar to the 40th in bulk, but this isn't too far off.

It's a bit more ketchup-y, and the perique adds a bit of kick, but it's closer to 40th than say red cake. I still love my red cake for morning lighter red virginia smoking, as this one is quite heavier and spicy. Moreso than the 40th.

40th is still hands down best, but I'm glad to have this in bulk to smoke as a nice more full variation. I won't miss 40th as much when its gone, having this one around.

I just found my favorite type of tobacco here and it surely is my taste, so to each his own, but McClelland red virginia's are really nice and all are preferred over every other tobacco I've tried.

It comes really damp, which I hope isn't to make it weigh more, but it probably does, so I'm hoping my bulk purchase goes a good ways, but with all that water in the tobacco, that remains to be seen. Takes some drying time and breaking to get it appropriate for smoking, but I don't care about that as much as the added weight the water might add. I wonder if buying less damp tobacco yields significantly more to smoke, but again, I just have to wait on that to discern. It is the dampest tobacco I've ever bought. That's the biggest knock.

Otherwise, it's a great addition and something I can see myself enjoying daily.

Pipe Used: Briar

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	arpie55 (77)	2017-08-04		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This is a good VA/Per, very sweet and burns great, several people around me commented on the aroma, a bit of tongue bite next day but I did smoke two bowls back to back, easy to rub out but I prefer balling and cramming for air pocket packing.

Update- The Virginia's in this blend are excellent, a little on the "bright" side. If rubbed out well (I use a tobacco grinder) it indeed has a more complete flavor profile and burns very easily throughout the entire bowl. Paced puffing is best to moderate burn temperature and to get the benefit of the flavorful Perique.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Virginia

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Cutter's Cigar

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	steppx (186)	2017-03-30		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

When I finally got around to getting some of this I was amazed it had taken me so long. Maybe its the perception of bulk tobacco not being of the same quality as the tinned blends from any given source. But in fact this is an outstanding smoke. The Virginias are not as heavily stoved as blackwoods or Dark Star (is anything?) and the perique is moderate, not in the realm of Beacon Extra, say. Still, its not exactly a weak smoke at all. The Perique is pronounced in fact. There is plenty of taste and the fact that the flakes are not quite as moist as some McClelland product makes for a less problematic preparation. The taste is not exactly complex but that doesnt mean its not very tasty, because it is. A wonderful all day smoke for those who want a bit more oomph in their tobacco. I intend to keep this one in the rotation henceforth. Great stuff.

Purchased From: 4noggins

Similar Blends: Beacon, and St James Flake..

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	anglocatholicpiper (34)	2016-08-07		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

A great Va/Per blend. I taste Red Virginias more than grassy light Virginias, but as I build my Va/Per collection in the cellar, this is one to keep around. Plus, I enjoyed purchasing this in bulk from SmokingPipes.

Pipe Used: Altinok Meer

Purchased From: smoking pipes

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	crazy owl (74)	2016-07-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Splendid in the blessed planet of Mc Clelland virginias.Yes,I must confess there are anothers spicier,deeper,more intense perhaps.But the softness and balance of 2015 is unbeatable.Matureness is optimal,the well known McC´s vinegar smell almost unnoticeable,good burning.Maybe a little more Perique?Maybe,but that wouldn´t be an all day smoke and this is the main point.Sure sometimes I preffer,let´s say,Bayou Slices,St.James Woods,Tudor Castle,Pebble Cut.But for the every day fighting this is the right option in VaPer.IMHO,of course.So though I must concede my favour to McC.there are too another quite decent VaPers out there,Cabbie´s Mixture of Samuel Gawith,for instance.Last but not least,it arrived to me with perfect moist for cellaring and just a few minutes of drying for smoking.

Pipe Used: meers & cobs

Age When Smoked: fresh from the bag

Purchased From: smokingpipes

Similar Blends: other VaPers from Mc Clelland.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Planet Scott (66)	2015-04-09		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

If you are a Va Per fan, you will enjoy this....Especially if you like a good dose of the perique. Not as enjoyable as the Gawith St James Flake, but still a solid Va Per. Needs some drying, but does burn well. Nice sweet Virgina with a solid dose of pepper. Not overpowering, but certainly distinct. Towards the top of my Va Per rotation.

Age When Smoked: Fresh to 2 months

Purchased From: P & C

Similar Blends: Sam Gawith Best Brown and St James..

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BTGreenwald (13)	2015-01-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

When this stuff first arrived a couple years back I just didn't get it. Hundreds of bowls between then and now and well.. I get it. It is delicious.. The Red VA's soften over time. Its a tad bit brighter (not sweeter) than St. James Woods and I like that.

Perhaps this is what the Red Cake would taste like if pressed together with a comparable proportion of Perique. Funny how when I first cracked the freezer-sealed bag, I really missed this one. I will be ordering lots more of this to cellar. Thank You yet again, McClelland

Pipe Used: Peterson Darwin System

Age When Smoked: 2 Years

Purchased From: SmokingPipes.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2014-05-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This a great bulk flake. It's zesty and with a good amount of perique flavor. It's a little green and needs some age but still very smooth. I prefer Saint James Woods because I prefer the red & black virginia base. I think red/black has more depth. 2015 is very good though and for bulk it's hard to go wrong. Try a little and then get more to jar up.

Age When Smoked: fresh from pouch

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Beacon & 1776.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	arfenhouse (6)	2013-12-21		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Smoking the last bowl of the 1 oz. that I ordered and decided to write a review. Out of all the VaPers I've tried so far (Anniversary Kake, Escudo) this has the most spicy flavor. I chose to rub it out and give it a good amount of drying time.

First third of the smoke starts off with a medium spiciness, some of the 'ketchup' flavor is still present, light grass, and a light sweetness. The second third is when things start ti get interesting and enjoyable. Earthy, raspberry, sweet ripe orange, and a light spice in the background. There's a bit of raisin/prune and toffee note if the tobacco is allowed to burn a little warmer. In the final third the flavors get a little stronger up until the bitterness starts to come in.

I enjoyed the sweet and musty room note. Burns well rubbed out with drying time.

Very enjoyable blend, will consider picking up a few oz. to age.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2013-03-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I was given a generous sample of this from a hunting buddy who purchased it in town. He was recently back into pipe smoking probably due to the enjoyment he could tell I was having. My first thought was it was a great Virginia flake with a nice VA sweetness typical to MCC Vas, ketchup and all.

I was surprised to find there was perique in the blend at all and I am not sure I even taste it. I actually enjoy this more than CC 2012, the only cc I have had the chance to taste. This blend is a nice one to work around the yard with.

The things I don't like about it and that hold it back from the 4 star range is the low nicotine content and how wet my pipe gets when smoking it. Although a pipe cleaner can clear this problem, it is something I don't really enjoy doing mid smoke and the gurgling is bad. I find that unusual with a VaPer and because of that, there are several I would reach for instead of this one.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Virginia lover (218)	2010-08-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Good Va/Per, tasty and never dull. The preservative smell is light which for me is a plus since a strong ketchup smell is the thing that turns me away from McClelland. It burns very slowly so one should smoke this with plenty of time to spare. Sweet plums and a peppery taste greet you during the entire smoking session, this is a hidden gem of a Va/Per flake.

Virginia lover

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-04-05		Medium	Extremely Mild	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

In my opinion, 2015 is the standard when it comes to VaPers. It should be in the top 5 tobaccos for a new smoker to try. I had the good fortune of trying it within the first few months of my pipe smoking adventure and it is still my #1 choice.

The taste and aroma is very "round" as another reviewer put it. It isn't subtle or refined, but very "solid". For me it has the right blend of Virginia sweetness and Perique spice.

A good all day smoke. It isn't complicated. If multitasking, I usually reach for 2015. It rarely bites, and I very consistently get a good smoke from it.

I don't typically have a "transcendent" smoke, though. This requires a complexity not found in 2015. A blend like Escudo, or Reiner or perhaps Dorchester would be a better choice if you are going to just smoke and meditate on the experience. However, for reading, typing, conversing, etc., 2015 is great! Highly recommended.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Glorfindel (86)	2008-05-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This is a 4 star VA-Per with no bite. It has rich, tangy classic VA taste with that hint of creaminess while the Perique balances perfectly providing that full tobacco taste and depth.

Wonderful aroma from the bag, and a little moist, but it burns clean and fresh tasting with little residual moisture. I don't dry mine very much and sometimes not at all. A very tasty smoke that burns well and lasts a long time.

The price is great, coming in bulk, and the quality uncompromising. This is in short - a top notch tobacco.

I consider this an "all day smoke" which would appeal to aromatic and non-aromatic fans alike.

This is also a way to enjoy Perique without that chracteristic bitey-harshness that the Louisiana Leaf is known to impart.

McClelland, you've hit a home run with 2015.

Wow!!!!!!

What a winner.

4 Stars ()-()-()-()

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-01-13		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Many reviewers have nailed this blend very well. Whenever I have been disappointed with this, it's because I should have been reaching for a different Blend, not the fault of 2015. Sometimes I get the greatest pleasure out this blend when I smoke it in pipes that are generally dedicated to English and Balkans. I find it helps sweeten the cakes of those pipes and transforms any taste picked up during that smoke into a very light and passing condiment, since its no sissy itself. The margin of Perique used here is just right; enough to assert its presence, but never enough to steal the show.

I have aged it, and I say, to me it becomes creamier. Now I've also bought this from local tobacconists and I will state for the record that man-handled versions of this tobacco (by that I mean continuously re-moistened because they don't turn over enough of it straight / or they have become apathetic to pipers and cater to the cigar buyer) will NOT do it justice. If it's at all possible - get a supply from a bulk source that keeps their bulk humidified in the right manner and you will be experiencing what McClelland originally intended. This is way better than many tinned - high priced - and fancily packaged alleged pedigree blends.

Cheers, VC

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-05-23		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

The best natural blend for my taste : a sweet and spicy taste and a very clean and even smoke. This has become my favorite tobacco.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spike (296)	2004-10-21		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Too stong for beginners and likely to bite the overactive. Very rewarding for those with a enough will power to go slow. Relatively complex for a Virginnia Blend. Probably too stinky for most group situations. Good outdoor smoke when relaxing.

10/20/2004: Just dipped in to my latest shipment of 2015. Just right moisture content. Flakes somewhat flexible, fold, roll a little and stuff it in the bowl...ahhhh! Good stuff! Later the S.O. says just the smell on my clothing made her lungs start closing down. This is the best tasting 2015 yet, just mind the non-smokers cause this stuff stinks!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	caddad (53)	2004-03-24		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

If you like perique this is a very fine blend. There are times that I really want to enjoy a good nose tickle from perique and this blend will do it. This and Barbary Coast have something very similar when smoked and I like both of them. You do have to rub this out so it's not my on the go all day smoke. This is my sitting in the easy chair or at the computer relaxing smoke. I can't imagine not having some on hand at all times.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-12-19		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

I don't have much to add, except to say that this is really a wonderful smoke. Full bodied, sweet, nutty, and spicy. Well behaved. I've tried more expensive tinned Virginia's but in my opinion this tobacco is right up there.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-03-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

ADDENDUM: I just received two more pounds of 2015. This batch seems a little darker than the one previous, the sour note a little more pronounced. I've also found shards of tobacco leaf stem or vein throughout the pound. All this being said, this is still my autodefault smoke. The tang? I'll take a mouthful of this tang any day. It is a delight to my palate as is no other tobacco I have smoked to date, with the exception of McClellands X-10, a bulk natural Burley that has a gorgeous natural, nutty taste. But that is quite a different tobacco.

This is my first experience with this fine tobacco. The tobacco itself is a lovely reddish brown. And in the pouch it smells to me like roasted grain, full, round, rich; bit of a sour note at the end though. I learned to rub it out well. (Later rubbed the whole bag in our large stainless steel bread dough bowl. Don't tell my wife!) Good moisture content, not wet, not sticky. I also learned to pack the bowl a little lighter than usual. It seems to take two matches to get it going well; not a problem. The effort is well recompensed. Once lit it is easy to keep going. The tobacco produces clouds of thick smoke. I love the stuff. I walk into the clouds of smoke I produce. It reminds me of the warm, inviting smoke of a cedar log fire. Very nice. I enjoy sipping on this during my 50 minute drive to work. It takes me all the way there. Light to the taste, with a salty prickling of the tongue. No tongue burn experienced though. The second half of the pipe and the taste becomes a little heavier and darker, with more sweetness detected. An altogether pleasant experience. A great bargain. Highly recommended.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-11-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

One of the finest Virginia/Perique tobaccos made, 2015 has been making friends for many years now. The Virginias are naturally swee-e-e-e--e-t, with a full range of flavors. A zesty, citrus-y top note tingles on the tongue, seamlessly transitioning into the mid-range. The mid-range exhibits an exceptional toasted-marshmallow & caramel creaminess and sweetness that is truly indescribable, which in turn transitions beautifully into the bass range. The bass range has light brown sugar tones which play off of the fermented, spicy Perique notes. And that's just the first third of the smoke!

The richness and sweetness grow slowly but steadily as the pipe burns down. This is the kind of pipe that you hate to put down, but if you do, DGT makes it even better upon relighting. I have smoked a bowl of this over a four-day period, and it never got nasty or ashy. With 2035/Dark Star, it is one of McClelland's enduring classics. MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pryhosm (248)	2020-03-07		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Another review of a defunct blend so I will keep it short. A travesty that this is gone. Another McC fantastic VA with just enough perique to make it one of the best in the genre. How I wish Mr. McNeil will publish a diary and pass his secret along on how to do whatever it is he did to the VA leaf. Jar note: McClelland all the way Flavor: Sweet but rich, toasty and bready, light pepper from the perique with some dark stewed fruit. The best first light and relight flavor I have ever experienced in a smoke. I am not sure why but I found the firs few puffs after the fire hits the leaf to be richer and fuller. Another amazing VA blend from McClelland to mourn the loss of.

Pipe Used: Briar's, meerschaum and cobs

Age When Smoked: 2 + years

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	hawky454 (107)	2019-02-09		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

This is one of the first VaPers that I’ve ever tried way back in early 2010. I didn’t know what quality meant back in those days and I had a really tough time pulling out any flavors in VA based blends so I wrote this one off for a long time. In 2016 I really started to enjoy VA’s so I decided to revisit this one and boy am I glad I did. This is an amazing VaPer with a VA base that only McClelland (rip) can produce. I get deep, rich bready, yeasty flavors from the VA and the Perique rounds it off with a deep plum flavor which is also slightly spicey. The nicotine is mild and the room note is superb. Unfortunately this is no longer available but I’ll rank it as essential regardless and if you’re lucky enough you might come by some at a local b&m.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Circle H Brothers (10)	2017-10-18		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

So I bought several ounces of McClellands 2015 over a year ago and my impressions have changed somewhat over the course of that time. I got this based on the fine reviews on TobaccoReviews.com when I first started my journey to discovering Va/Pers and I must say that I was slightly disappointed at first, but I chalk this up to my inexperience and naivete concerning the style.

The blend is a great value due to being available in bulk. The "flakes" come more as a broken flake with a lot of loose tobacco to boot, but I don't count this against it as I generally like to rub this blend out anyway. While I can certainly appreciate a pretty presentation, for me it is what is on the inside that counts. The color is a deep, dark reddish brown with flecks of lighter tobaccos peppering the flakes.

The tin/bag note is the typical McClelland vinegar, BBQ, Worchestshire sauce smell that is associated with their Virginia blends. Some will say ketchup, but to me it goes way beyond this. This will put some smokers off of the blend but it doesn't for me. I've smelled many Virginias that have a similar aroma and I just associate it with the curing and aging process that the leaf goes through. There is a dried fruit aroma as well a spicy characteristic which is imparted from the Perique as well. Not much of the sweet hay and citrus smell that the brighter Virginia blends seem to have. This is darker and headier in aroma.

The mechanics are good, maybe a relight or two, but I find that after a drying period, it lights and behaves beautifully. No real bite, but will turn harsh and ashy if you puff like a train.

The taste when new was lackluster for me. This is for several reasons. First, I didn't know what to expect from a Va/Per at the time. I was an English-only kind of guy, so I was expecting big, bold flavors and intensity, and that is not what this blend is all about. After becoming more accustomed to Va/Pers and their flavor profiles, I began to appreciate 2015 for what it is. A very nice, all day Va/Per with lots of upfront sweetness and enough Perique figgy spice to keep it interesting. This changes with age, but I'll get to that later.

The nicotine is noticable, but not overwhelming. It satisfies and I don't feel the need to smoke another bowl for several hours (if that). The mouthfeel (Strength/Body) is Medium when new, but that changes with age, and the Room Note is that of your typical Va/Per. Pleasant to most pipers and tolerable to nonsmokers.

So, what about aging this blend? Do yourself a favor and age it for at least a year or more, and this is why. The blend is good when new, but nothing spectacular. It will satisfy some Va/Per-heads, but I believe that most who look for complexity and nuance will notice a HUGE difference after at least 12 months in a jar. How does it differ from when new? Well, the first thing I noticed is the sweetness of the Virginias is much more pronounced and the complexity offered by the Perique comes through much clearer than when the blend is new.

But one of the things that I noticed even more so is the body of the actual smoke. It becomes creamy and dense and coats the palate and carries all of the flavors more fully than when it is new. This makes the blend much more satisfying as well as affordable. Instead of smoking two bowls to be satiated, I only need one and I'm good for the day. This is why I will always have this blend in my cellar and will include it in my rotation after it has aged properly. At the current prices, you could easily purchase a couple of pounds and put it away and only draw what you need for a week's worth.

I also find that this blend works best in pipes with tall, narrow bowls, but YMMV.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Autograph, Il Ceppo Egg

Age When Smoked: New to 1 Year, but best with age

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

Similar Blends: Gawith St James Flake.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Papas Fritas (5)	2017-10-08		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

No. 2015 Virginia Perique Flake is the third of about a dozen samples I picked up of McClelland’s, so far excellent bulk blends. I rub all of my flakes out completely and this one needed about a half an hour of dry time before I loaded up. It left my hands smelling like Catsup, made me want, you guessed it, french fries. I have smoked many other VaPer’s and this one is exactly what I have been looking for, bar none. It is medium in strength and flavor and I can smoke it all day long and never get bored with it. The Perique is at the perfect amount; you get the spicy richness that is balanced perfectly with the Virginia. It smokes cool and clean from the start to the bottom of the bowl, I just cannot find anything bad to say about this one, Four Stars.

Pipe Used: Ben Wade Bent Billiard, Mario Grandi Fatta

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Smokingpipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2016-01-22		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I finished the last bowl of a 2 oz. sample of McClelland 2015 watching the sun rise, it was pleasant enough. But weird. This blend is weird.

I'm not sure that my choice for Virginia accompaniment to a fairly substantial dose of Perique would be an almost straight red flake. The flavors I associate with good red VA are kind of delicate and muted, something you have to pay attention to ... but this blend has got all that Perique yelling "WOOO SPRING BREAK" and flashing people for beads while the red is trying to watch Masterpiece Theater.

Maybe it's McClelland trying to differentiate between their bulk and tin blends, but I don't know why 2015 is not blended for more balance. It's still smokeable, although it took me a good 6 months to get through 2 ounces. Just nothing to write home about. There are definitely blends that have more aggressive Perique, if that's what you're after, and there are blends that do a much better job of integrating the VA and the Per. And if I'm going to make my own blend, I'm going to want to add the blending Perique myself so ... I'm not sure where this one fits.

Two stars, smokeable but not special in any way.

Pipe Used: basket pipe

Age When Smoked: 0-6 months

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fmjiii (18)	2014-10-21		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Wonderful bulk flake tobacco. It’s easier to rub out and you actually get "ribbons" rather than little lumps/chunks.

The Virginias are sweet but not cloying, the perique is peppery and leathery and the two play together very nicely giving you a satisfying smoke throughout the whole bowl. The flavor is mouthwatering and is surprisingly consistent down to the heel of the pipe and when finished you're left with a very clean palate without a funky aftertaste.

Full flavor, pleasant/tolerable room note, and not heavy in strength which makes this a great all day smoke. I can smoke this stuff back to back all day and be very satisfied. It won't blow your socks off with complexity, but it is definitely not one dimensional. Ages well too.

Anyone that likes strong tastes like perique owes it to himself or herself to give #2015 a serious try. You will not be disappointed.

Pipe Used: L'Anatra, Dunhill, Viprati

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JBA_HLC (1)	2014-09-29		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I've been smoking a pipe for about four months, so this is definitely a novice's perspective. Am accustomed to smoking cigars and reviewing them, but this is my first attempt to describe a pipe tobacco.

I got a couple ounces of this bulk blend from pipesandcigars.com. The flakes in the bag I received were broken up, but nowhere near ribbon. So i did a little rubbing and managed a fairly tight frank-style pack in one of my cobbs that produced a wide-open draw despite the fact that the tobacco was fairly moist.

During and right after the char light, the VA sweetness is up front. Zero bite and quite sweet through the first third of the bowl. Then more variety of flavors including some spicy notes appear as the midway point approaches.

Maybe this is due to my inexperience, but the last part of almost every bowl becomes a little bitey and ashy tasting to me. With Virginias, almost all of the sweetness disappears during the last part of the smoking experience. While better than other blends, I still had this experience with the 2015 VAper. I don't notice other reviewers mentioning this, so I'm pretty sure it's a reflection of my technique that I'll figure out eventually.

It's pretty easy to maintain a good temperature and the smoke volume is significant which I enjoy. You can get a nice amount of smoke without puffing too much and if you overdo it, this tobacco doesn't punish you with bite or harshness.

Overall, this tobacco has great combustion and flavor characteristics. I'm still learning alot about the various types of blends and the individual representations that I find most enjoyable, but VApers are becoming a favorite. This 2015 Flake is as good as any VAper I've tried so far and may become a daily smoke. Will definitely be ordering more.

Pipe Used: Corn Cob

Age When Smoked: Fresh (less than a month)

Purchased From: PipesandCigars.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Old Nate (17)	2014-09-07		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I remember the first time I smoked this va/per and the love affair with tasty, zesty, flavorful Virginia Perique blends began! This tobacco sings in your mouth! Almost immediately I notice the sweet spice of the perique that reminds me of tart raspberry pie. Both sweet and spicy with the flavors bouncing off each other throughout the bowl. From charring light to mid bowl the flavors are bright and spicy and fruity. I would describe them as alive throughout the first half and by the second half of the bowl the tobacco starts to develop a little more adding a slight nuance to the flavor profile, but the tart and piquant exuberance of the tangy Virginia and zesty perique is still very much in play. Make sure to enjoy these flavors as they are developing, and mingling with your personal taste buds. In other words, don't overpuff. It will be easy to do, because this is a delicious smoke, and while I find myself wanting to gobble it up, I definitely notice diminished flavors and a slight acrid taste develops if you go this route. But if you take your time, and allow 2015 to absolutely work to its full potential. This is when you notice the deep fruit spice that I am constantly reminded of when handled with care.

All of that being said, this is not a very fussy tobacco. I usually use the three layer method when packing but it also works using the frank method and delivers nicely. The aroma from this blend is perique upfront, and once you get a second whiff and your nose adjusts to the forward perique, you'll start to discern the familiar Virginia plum like tang, especially the McClelland VA smell for which they are so well known. How pleasing is that smell? All of us pipe smokers have become quite accustomed to this beautiful essence and it is there in full force, Virginia and Perique, nothing better. I bought this one from my local tobacconist and it is definitely a little moist and benefits from a good degree of drying time (user discretion). I like to dry it for at least 2 hours, depending how fresh my supply is, which is usually jarred so it is fresh.

Smoke it, enjoy it, and savor that tangy sweet spice. It is sure to please both the Virginia lover and the Perique-o-phile. This is a nice middle of the road blend that can be smoked several times a day, but me personally, I like to keep it to no more than just once a day as it is a mighty peppery blend and I love to look forward to this one when I have it on hand. Plus there are so many baccy's to smoke, you can't go wrong with savoring this mighty fine concoction by the Virginia masters at McClelland.

Pipe Used: Many

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: B & M

Similar Blends: St. James Woods, Beacon Extra.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Joeray (61)	2013-11-01		Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Ok this is the blend that makes me really love va and have a great smoking time. Is a medium taste, not too mild and not too strong but i can feel the sweetness of va. I smoke it with a slow smoke and give a smoking pleasure from this blend,and i really enjoy a sweet taste of virginia tobacco and the perique touch. So i no doubt to make this blend as 1 of my favorite blend.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2013-09-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This is a really nice VAPER!! My package came to me from pipesandcigars.com (about 44 bucks for a pound!) yesterday and the baccy is at the perfect moisture level to just pack a bowl, light and enjoy. There is that unique aroma to the unlit tobacco that many have talked about, this being the smell of fermenting vegetable matter, or perhaps some special process that McC employs as they ferment/age this blend. Either way I find the aroma to be very alluring and not terribly unlike some other fermented VAs I have experienced.

This medium to dark brown, broken flake packed very easily after just a little additional rubbing. It took to the flame pretty well and though the volume of smoke is only moderately thick, the taste and aroma are excellent. There was a little tongue tingle when first lit, but no discomfort after the first 10 puffs or so. The perique is perfectly blended with the sweet VAs and produces a sweet/savory smoke. Very nice indeed. After finishing the bowl my mouth felt quite clean and clear of any potential residual distaste. This is definitely a real winner for me, and it will be welcomed as a regular indulgence. Highly recommended!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	William H. Hardy (95)	2013-05-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Probably the quintessential VaPer. The Virginias, of course, are outstanding and the Perique adds just the right amount of spice. A great "sweet and sour" VaPer and probably the best I've smoked. Sadly, I don't get around to ordering it very often, as I like to try new things. However, I probably should be ordering this rather than other stuff.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Hottgunn (19)	2013-02-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have smoked this blend on and off for many years and it is still very good. Nice fresh grass sweet smell out of the bag. Somewhat moist so a little drying time is good. Coarse even when rubbed out so for me it burns better in a larger bowled pipe. Sweet smelling when lit but with a robust body in the flavor. Perique adds a little nuttiness and peppery taste. A great change up from Latakia blends which I love. Very much recommended.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Badbrude (17)	2012-07-05		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This has been on my rotation for years. This is my favorite VaPer blend. What I find lacking in most VaPers, MC2015 has it all in spades: Flavor, coolness, peppery with sweet and sour balance. Samuel Gawith's St. James Flake is a close second.

My prep is slightly rubbing out a wad then shaping it into a football that I can load as one unit into my bowl. I like smoking this best with a Duncan Mill Aerosphere pipe as it absorbs the moisture exceedingly well.

If you like VaPers, give this one a shot.

PS - I'd been smoking LJ Peretti's London Flake for years until I found an on-line store that sells MC2015, whose description was very similar to London Flake. When my purhcase arrived, it looked exactly like London Flake. Smokes exactly the same. If Peretti's London Flake isn't MC2015, I'll eat my hat.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	gladi8tor96 (143)	2012-03-22		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

UPDATED REVIEW 2017 I have smoked this blend on and off from 2011 on. I figured I'd provide a more descriptive review.

From the bag the redish, medium-brown flakes provide scents of tangy, sweet earth with hints of hay and dark fruit. Definitely a McClelland VA blend. It reminds me of red cake in smell, but not quite as sweet and a bit of spice.

The broken flakes are easy to load in a bowl or to rub out and load. Lighting is a breeze and I find one I get it going it tends to continue if tamped gently occasionally.

The red va's provide a natural sweetness and tang that includes dark fruit notes, some toasty caramel hints, and some earth and just a tad of hay. The perique is a condiment in this blend as it also deepens the dark fruit flavors and rounds them out with just a bit of spice. The smoke is not harsh and doesn't bite. It reminds just a bit of redcake but with more going on....more spice and a great variety of flavors. Definitely worth ones time.

OLD REVIEW 2012 I have found, when the mood is right, especially on a nice summer day, that I love a good VaPer. With the virginias in these blends, it has been my experience that they are of a lighter nature, like Escudo, Scottish Cake, Bulls-eyeflake, Navy Flake, etc... These 'lighter' virginias produce a sugar-cookie, hay-ish, like sweetness that I very much crave. With this blend of red and orange matured Va's though, I have experienced something different than my typical VaPer blends. This tobacco seemed to be richer and fuller than the aforementioned VaPers. There seems to be more depth and the sweetness is heavier, like comparing a sugar-cookie to a rich cheesecake. The smell from the bag of this blend is exactly how it tastes & smells when smoked. Truly delightful!!!

Pipe Used: Billard, Corn-Cob

Age When Smoked: New from store - 1-3 months

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Nording - Beagle (Hunter Blend), McClelland - No. 5100 Red Cake.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sirchud68 (60)	2011-06-21		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

One thing I've learned about McClelland 20's: You never know what a few weeks will do till you've let it sit for awhile. This seems like an ok, mild, va/per. No muss, no fuss. I have never been let down by McClellands yet, so I bet this stuff only gets better. At the price it's going for a must try.

20 Oct 11 Update: I smoked this all summer long and feel deeply in love with it.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-10-20		Mild to Medium	Mild	Full	Pleasant

This is a delightful VA/PER. SLightly rubbed out, it stays lit and delivers a pleasant sweet Virginia flavor with the Perique slowly developing over the durarion of the smoke. I am enjoying it in a J.M. Boswell large bowled apple. The blend also smokes well in my Group 3 and 4 estate English pipes. I can't compare it to PS Luxury Bullseye Flake( my other favorite) because 2015 has no black cavendish. All in all, a fine smoke all around

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-08-04		Medium	Strong	Medium	Tolerable

McClelland's 2015:

I am not etirely sure of the exact date but I believe it was in the late '70's or possibly the very early '80's (of the last century,Oh My!)when I first encountered this blend."Very different" I thought on lighting up,"very different indeed!"

I went on to smoke the rest of the other 20's and the same thought ocured to me each time. Another thought was that I'd like to like this considering the "different taste" as a motivating factor. I kept smoking the blend and the other 20's since I worked at a tobacco shop at the time and free tobacco was a "perk" as they say.I did this on and off for about two years( not as a regular everyday smoke but as a change of pace) still thinking that for some reason I was missing something and it probably was my fault that I was not enjoying it as much as I thought I should.

Finally the job, the college carrer and that part of my life wound down and the McClelland's was just a memory. I continued smoking other available tobaccos but not much missing the 20's blend experience.On a whim of nostalgia I ordered some from a supplier(Habana Premium Cigars)about four or so years ago after reading the rave reviews here."Must have been my own lack of sophistication back then," I chided myself.

It wasn't.Continual sampling during the interim has assured me I was initially right.

As an older smoker I have come to realize that, oddly enough, my opinion does count for something at east as far as my own enjoyment goes.

This is undoubtedly good tobacco but for me it just doesn't work as a serious blend. This is not to take away from the others that really are big fans of this since a little age has granted me a little tolerace and respect for the opinions of others while not changing my taste buds much.

I like the Virginia/Perique blends very very much but for some reason I just can't get past the(fermented Virginias? ketchup? whatever) smell of this blend.The taste, in my opinion, is nothing to get worked up about either The room note---who cares!The strength? So-So not much more.

If the smoker happens to be a really big fan of Red Virginias (fermented or otherwise)and doesn't mind the smell then by all means do try it. Otherwise I don't recommend this blend. The other McClelland's unpressed virginias are fine and recommeded but not the "ketchupy" ones.Their aromatics????? To each his own I suppose?

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-04-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'm lightly puffing on a bowl of 2015 as I type this.

And light, effortless puffing is one of the things you'll have to do to experience the flavor 2015 has to offer. I say that not only as a caveat but as a recommendation: I sincerely hope that more who've taken up the pipe in seriousness, with the patience the hobby generally demands in comparison with others, might take the further time and effort necessary for enjoying vapers -- their exquisite, elusive flavor is truly worth their steep learning curve, 2015 included.

What is 2015's flavor? I'm not intentionally being coy here by saying that, were it easy to describe, it might not be so intriguing. Unlike the straightforwardness of the flavor of most aromatics, and the relatively easy-to-describe smokiness of latakia blends, the vaper flavor is, literally, elusive. Part of the reason is that, to a much greater extent than with other tobaccos (perhaps with the exception of some straight VAs), the flavor can vary considerably from bowl to bowl, depending upon the cleanliness of the pipe, the peculiarities of one's smoking technique on any particular occasion, and even the moisture-content of the tobacco.

I'll give it a try anyway: sweet but musty; figgy or raisiny; a deep unison bass pitch of burnt-sugar caramels against lighter virgina violas with pepperings of mild acidity from taut strings of the first violins. How's that for a tobacco tin-side description for a vaper named, say, 'Symphonic Splendor'? If it weren't for the possibility of alienating a large percentage of the customer base, who are probably less than keen on orchestral music, I'd say we oughta rename 2015.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-02-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Although I don't usually review a tobacco after the first bowl, I'm making an exception here. This could very easily become my regular smoke. The sweetness of the Virginias combined with the spice of the Perique give a piquancy to the taste and aroma that are almost beyond description. Reading the other reviews here leaves me scratching my head. Some reviewers describe the experience as almost transcendent, while a few describe is as almost garbage. I guess this only proves that there is no accounting for human taste. Difference of opinion is what makes a horse race. A few reviewers described the pouch aroma as vinegary. I don't really detect that, but if I were to describe what I smell as vinegary, it would be as balsamic vinegar rather than white vinegar. I smell the ripe figs and raisins that I detect in almost all Virginias, but there is something else that I can't quite put my finger on. I suspect it's the fermentation of the Virginias combined with the Perique. At any rate, whatever it is, it's delicious. I detect no acidity in the smoke, but just a very rich, full sweetness and savoriness.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	juanocp (11)	2009-11-17		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

First VaPer and what a start. When received the stuff i crumbled all of it and let it dried in mi case for a couple of days. When loading it was lose cause this being a flake, always works (better lose and adjust with tamper than have to put down a wasted pipe).

Love at first sight. The virginias in there are just indescribable, these lasted for half of the bowl, the second half was spices i'm asumming the perique, just spice to complement the sweetness of the virginias, smoked two bowls and they both behave the same way half virginia sweetness and half perique's. My only complain is that i couldn't smoke these on an empty stomach. I'm still to try the so acclaimed Escudo.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipemanuk (76)	2009-06-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

This has been reviewed so many times...and tbh it was on the overwhelmingly good reviews that I went out and bought some...and I was not disappointed. This is absolutely one of the best VAPERs that money can buy. It's pleasant enough freshly out of the bag, but if you can buy enough to age some, and I strongly suggest you do, you will be rewarded with a smooth creamy smoke unbeatable at it's price with any other VAPER on the market. In my humble opinion this is really one of the best smokes I have had to date...wonderful hints of fruit, bread dough, cream and spice. My method, for what it's worth, is to fill a couple of pipes in the morning and smoke them in the evening slowly and contemplatively. Easily beats Fillmore and that's not to say I don't rate Fillmore because I do, but McClelland knows how to blend virginia and perique far better than Mr Pease...though I think Mr P is a better blender where Latakia blends come into play. But each to their own....if you haven't tried 2015, you owe it to yourself to give it a go.

Updated...I was very enthusiastic about it fresh out of the bag wasn't I :-) I do stand by my comments though in letting it mature a while. I have so many blends in my cellar that I rarely come to 2015 and thus I now have a lot, more than 5 years, in the jar. When I do turn to a pipeful now and again I find this blend very rewarding indeed. Like all USA produced virginias it needs careful gentle smoking so as not to get bitten and so playing Warcraft and puffing 2015 furiously is not something to be at all recommended!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-01-20		Medium	Medium	Medium	Strong

It's like an old pair of jeans...sure you can buy the more fancy...and God knows they're more dry, wet, sweet, sour, stronger, or milder...

I really enjoy the bar bq topping...excellant stuff.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-12-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I really like this tobacco. As has been noted, it must be dried out some to be properly appreciated. It is is spicy, full, sweet tobacco from top to bottom. Very, very good. No bite if you've got any skills at all.

@@update@@ 2015 is also very "durable". Some days I pick up the pipe, and it just isn't the thing, so I lay it aside and do something else. Other times half a pipe is plenty. I left some 2015 in a pipe for three days going through this sort of process, and just finished it off this morning. It was at least as good as fresh.

update #2 10/08/07 broke out some 2015 just now with 6 months age to it. I left it on the dashboard of the car to dry out a bit, and overdid it. I doubt it could get any drier. Its still fine, actually, if not rubbed out. I arrange the broken flakes vertically in the pipe and sprinkle the top with the fines, and have a remarkably cool, flavorful smoke.

update #3 12/8/08 I just opened a jar of this with over a year and a half on it. It has mellowed considerably. When new it could be a bit harsh, and also I think I remember it being sweeter. Now it's more mellow and spicy. I suppose the perique character gets infused with aging, sort of like letting a spicy stew "rest" before eating it. I usually smoke this in a narrow cob with cup of good coffee at hand. Seems to be more flavorful in a narrower pipe. I dry it, then rub it out, unless I'm smoking outside and its windy. In such conditions rubbed out will burn too fast and too hot. Even so, I wouldn't say it has a nasty bite, it just loses flavor and lets you know your doing it wrong.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	NONSUMDIGNUS (11)	2008-10-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Smelling this tobacco reveals a hint of vinegar. Nice and sweet all the way through. The nicotine is just right and is a little bonus to this fine tobacco. 3/4" bowl smoked for an hour - I'll definitely be buying more.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-09-17		Medium	Mild	Very Full	Pleasant

I smoke Churchwarden pipes, I have to say this is a great smoke, seems like the Perique is more noticable toward the bottom, very good smoke.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-06-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This is my latest stop on my trip down the Viginia super hi-way. I have sampled at least 30 Va. blends over the past 6 months. Most of them I have like, or loved. This one is in the love category. Whats not to love? Lots of sweet red Va., with just the right amount of Perique, and at a bulk price. IMHO this ranks up there with most of the high priced tin competetors.

As with most blends, I find that drying benifits this high quality tobacco. Once dryed out I gave it a good rub. This yielded an easy load, light, and burn. The flavor is of sweet, natural Va. tobacco that I have come to love. The Perique seems only to be in a supporting role. With the quality, and price 2015 is becoming an all day smoke for me. All things considered I rate this one at

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stacey (40)	2008-05-29		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Update 5/29/08

I'm going to waffle again here and put this back to 4 stars. It is that good most of the time and only once did I get a 3 star batch.

Original Review Follows

I opened it and did smell that ketchup smell, but who cares. Lit it up and at first this didn't burn well for me, I almost despaired because I could tell there was some taste here. I let it dry a bit, even though it didn't seem wet to me and packed it less tightly and voila an awesome smoke! This is truly great stuff and has currently taken over the top spot in my rotation. I get consistently good taste out of this one. If you like Virginia tobacco go out and get some!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-03-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

update 3/08 It has about 5 years age on it now. The moisture level is just about perfect. It's taste is a little cleaner now from when it had 6 months of age on it. 2015 has smoothed out quite abit and burns cool. The sweetness of the Va's and Perique taste has amplified through the years. This DGT's like few other blends I've smoked. There is no bite whatsoever. This now tops St. James Woods, Escado, Solani 633 and Reiner's Light Golden Flake in my top 5 Va/Pa blends.

9/04 original review One of my favorite Virginia/Perique blends. Brown broken flakes with that infamous McClelland vinegary smell, although when smoking, it has a BBQ like smell. It needs drying out before smoking. 2015 ages wonderfully tastes sweet and peppery, but burns cool. Very reasonable price purchased 5lbs for aging. A must try for those how enjoy V/P mixtures.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dave (15)	2008-01-12		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This blend has been compared to Peretti's London Flake and indeed it is very similar in looks, tin aroma and, until recently with me, the flavor. 2015 is more of a broken flake. I find it to be milder, less harsh with richer notes toward the middle and bottom of the bowl and a little drier. The descriptions of both tobaccos on this site indicate that both are made of Orange and Red Virginias with a little Perique. However, Peretti's web site currently lists the ingredients of London Flake as Orange and Lemon Virginia with Perique, so I don't know if they have changed the blend, but I have noticed as of late that it has had a more sour taste to it, thus I have become more attracted to this stuff. I find it is a good all day blend what with the milder characteristics. Much less irritation but the flavor has not been compromised. As other reviewers have noted, if the VA/P blends seem too harsh for some, they should give this a try. I have not been disappointed. The price is reasonable too, relatively speaking.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Frosty (29)	2008-01-03		Medium to Strong	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have just finished a one year old sample from my cellar, and I love this stuff. It must indeed be dryed out prior to smoking, as already noted. I find it to start out peppery and spicy, then it settles down to a most delightful full bodied smoke. The Perique is just the right level for my taste. The quality of the leaf seems to be very high, and if one smokes this gently, an enchanting interplay of the Virginia's and Perique is your reward. This blend DGT's very well- in fact I often pack a nice half bent briar with this and take a few puffs in the morning before work, then lick my chops all the way home in anticipation of the after dinner pipe with a nice drink. I often smoke myself into a major hiccup fit with 2015, partially from the Perique and partially because I just devour it. Just be sure to dry it out. If I smoke it in the garage, Mrs Frosty sneezes her head off. McClellands is to be thanked for their gift to Vapers!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-12-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Cheap, plentiful and of the highest quality. Those are the words I would use to describe this broken VA/Perique.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-09-01		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

9/1/2007: This review is different from my typical review. I bought 2015 searching for a VAPER to buy in bulk, that was economical, and worthy of setting aside for years aging.

Conclusion: Worthy right out of the bag fresh, and I anticipate this will age extremely well. Of all the VAPER Flakes in the same genre that can be bought in bulk in the $30 lb. range or under, 2015 is my pick. I frankly think it is better than even SG's St. James Flake.

Wish I had bought this three or four years ago when it could be had for near $20 lb.!

P.S. St. James Woods is a little different, but not much in terms of flavor. One big difference, SJW is already well-aged at purchase. Of course, it sells for a premium price and rightly so.

Update: I had the pleasure of opening a Kerr jar put away sealed since September 2007, so about 20 months aged. The tobacco color is more uniform, much less red hued from the fresh batch and more brown and dark brown. The overall flavor and Virginia sweetness have deepened, edges are softer now, and it is just a pleasant, tasty smoke. I think I would have a hard time differentiating this from SJW if I smoked both with a blindfold. I look forward to 2015 after five years aging.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Xeneize (275)	2007-07-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

One of the blends I never get tired of smoking. Virginias might be second in quality to Old Gowrie's, but they're well above their price and the added Perique make them really enjoyable. When I'm not sure which Virginia/VaPer I will enjoy at a given time, I can safely grab 2015 knowing that I'll get what I want.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	flyrod6057 (18)	2007-05-15		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Wow. An excellent tobacco. I lit this up on a rainy night and was thrilled by the entire experience. My first bowl was in a brand new Peterson bent apple, and the entire smoke was....sublime. The complexity of flavors ranging from earthy to spicy was magnificent. The weed lit fine and smoked cool. I enjoyed it enough that I had to fire up another bowl in a more seasoned pipe, just to make sure. The second smoke was as good as the first. I'll be keeping this blend around for a long time. Also, I intend to lay some aside for aging, as from what I've read, the good becomes great over time...

Update--1 September 2010 A word of caution: this is a great evening smoke, but beware! I smoked a rather large bowl of this prior to heading to work, and found myself rather sluggish for the remainder of the day! There's a significant nicotine wallop, it slowed me down considerably. Still: a tremendous tobacco!

I find that there are two ways to smoke this: unbroken, just stuffed into the pipe, and fully ribbed out. I prefer the first; it smokes well, leisurely and cool, with the subtleties of the blend coming forth in good time. When rubbed out, it smokes differently: not as sophisticated, and actually a bit on the hot side. Thus, I recommend keeping the flakes as full as possible and savoring the experience as it comes. When rubbed out, the flavors come haphazardly and in somewhat of a rush. Still, all that said, a great smoke for a cool evening.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-03-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This is the standard I use for judging all Virginia and Perique mixtures. Even though it is packaged in a plastic bag and not a nice tin. Even though it is less than haft price of other blends I smoke. Even though it is a rare occurrence to receive a bag with the ideal moister content for my taste, it seams to always be too moist. I dry it out, cut it into short flakes (easer than rubbing it out) and fill my smallest group 3 Dunhill or my largest ?GG? Castello, or any thing in-between and enjoy. The extra work to dry and to re-cut or rub out is well worth the effort. The Perique comes thru but is a complimentary without being too dominant. McClelland's 2015 has a medium bodied, well rounded flavor that keeps me coming back from the tins.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Hemlock (69)	2007-01-27		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

If one has acquired a taste for this tobacco, one has thus understood pipes and tobaccos. It is a very fine broken flake, enjoyable in small and large briar bowls alike. I find it best when dried somewhat and rubbed well in a large bowl. Once you hit the zone it brings about a soft bite-free vaper flavour that can only be described as it is. To describe it with fruits, inanimate objects or even legumes is simply not appropriate since "tobacco" is the operative adjective and noun alike. This blend is worthy of an entry in the encyclopaedia under VAPer Tobacco. There are many in the same group, but I classify this among the best benchmarks because it is well made, high quality and presents a cherished flavour only for the initated. Have some in your stash along with Telegraph Hill, Solani 633, Filmore, Irish Oak, Luxury Bull's Eye Flake and Haunted Bookshop.

cheers

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Philo Beddoe (221)	2006-10-14		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tangy McClelland Red Virginias and some peppery Perique make this bulk blend very tasty. It tastes like 5100 with a dash of Perique, not a lot, but enough to satisfy my Perique craving. Very much an all day smoke for Va/Per lovers, highly recommended.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	hoo-boy (26)	2006-07-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

a great smoke in my opinion, as good as it is, Think If McClelland offered it in tins what it would be like if aged for a few years . I an't complaining tho I have some aging in sealed jars. 4 stars hoo-boy

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-05-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is the first VA/PER blend I have smoked and I found it to be a most pleasing experience. This blend did not bite as much as other Virginias I have smoked (I am guessing because of the Perique). This is the best McClelland blend I have smoked to date. I found that while smoking this blend, my cares of the day seemed to drift away with the smoke.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-04-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is my benchmark Virginia/Perique blend. It's the standard by which I measure others of this genre. I always rub it out for a nice, even burn. Of course, you can't beat the price.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-04-04		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

There are three words that made me buy this tobacco. Virginia, Flake, and McClelland.

The Virginia is first rate, and the Perique is well-behaved. If you have shied away from VaPers because of too much Perique, this is your solution. A nice all-day VaPer.

Everyone says that 2015 gets beter with age. I have no idea if that's true or not. As soon as I get it, I smoke it till it's gone. Some day I will learn enough self-control to age some. Maybe.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-03-25		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Great smoke. I was at my local smoke shop browsing for something new and exciting, and my tobacconist said: "hey, this 2015 is a great little smoke." So, i bought a few ounces and found my pouch getting lighter and lighter as the days went on. My experience with flakes is limited, but i did find the flakes to be quite thick. Suprisingly though, it was not hard to keep lit. The sweetness of the virginias is very pleasant, and sometimes the perique jumps out at you towards the middle of the bowl. This is def. a go to smoke for me. The room note is a little bit overwhelming, but i can deal with that. bottom line.. If you love the sweet natural tobacco flavor of virginias, you'll be addicted to this blend.. I am truly impressed. Don't be scared away by the mcclelland name. it truly is, how do i say it, a little taste of heaven.

Almost forgot.. one must smoke 2015 SLOWLY..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-01-28		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

January 2006.Mc Clelland 2015 Bulk.

Why doesn't Mc C,put this superb blend in a tin? It's thoroughly delicious,especially,after 3 to 6 month's aging in rubber-sealed glass jar's.Age it even longer,for a really perfect result.

Take out the amount of tobacco you intend to smoke,and just let it sit and air on a sheet of paper for 10 to 20 min's,depending on the temperature.Then load your pipe,light,tamp,and away you go..on a more than pleasannt pipe-smoking experience!

The virginia is pure pleasure,and the perique element is just sheer perfection,with-out one trying to out-do the other.

I love both Escudo,and Mc's 2015,the former has a flavouring,and the latter doe's not.But,I love them both in there own right.

Highly recommended.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-10-23		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I just got done reviewing 5100 and many of the same aging comments apply; you need to age 2015 a few months or longer to appreciate the flavors. This tobacco is a great VAPER and tastes very similar to Solani 633 without 633's sweetness. The quality of virginia's is up there and just the right amount of perique is added. For the price, 2015 and C&D Bayou Morning are great VAPERS.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	hrhf (38)	2021-07-20		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This review is a work in progress. I recently received a small yet extremely generous sample of this, probably four bowls’ worth.

I typically like to get to know a blend a little better before I render a verdict, but I’m going to do my best to savor every moment in an effort to truly know this defunct classic.

I’ve had this blend in the distant past, and enjoyed it. But I didn’t make a huge deal about it, because I thought it would be around forever, as popular as McLellands was/is.

This sample, is extremely broken flake at this point, and a shade beyond chestnut brown. Shiny, oily and offering a hint of the famed McLelland ketchup bag aroma.

This first bowl took to flame fairly easily, thanks to a decent rubbing out. The first third of the bowl was unremarkable. It truthfully wasn’t especially flavorful, and was especially boring for a VaPer. It’s begun livening up towards the end, but that’s a little disappointing considering I have only three bowls remaining.

I’d rate the flavor at this point as mild to medium. Reminiscent of a creamy exotic tea… some nice stewed fruit notes. The perique is very mild in this one.

As I near the end of this first bowl, it’s really come alive. Still mild to medium, but a lovely medley of flavors. Mostly darkly sweet, with a bit of a tart edge. The perique is finally starting to step forward, particularly on the retrohale. Better late than never.

This one has finished very strongly, like Secretariat at the Derby. Each quarter getting a little stronger. Still, my memories of this recall a stronger blend.

The description atop this page uses the word “refreshing,” which absolutely applies. Once done, the finish is somewhat reminiscent of the feeling in one’s mouth and throat after a breakfast glass of cranberry juice. So yes, refreshing.

I ran a pipe cleaner through my cob nosewarmer and repacked. You know... for science. I wanted to see if that initial weak start may have been due to this pipe having been previously tarnished by other Virginia blends.

And, yes, this second bowl starts much more crisp and tasty than bowl one. The overall flavor is basically unchanged, but maybe a hair past the mild-to-medium mark. Not quite medium, but closer. And certainly closer to my vague memories of #2015.

Everything is just a little bit more in focus on this second go round. The perique, all figgy and juicy, is much more apparent. Definitely not overbearing. I’ve found I have a level of tolerance when it comes to perique. Bayou morning for instance is far too much. This dear departed masterpiece’s portion of perique sits very comfortably in the position marked EXACTLY RIGHT.

As I approach the halfway point of this second bowl, I try to remember a VaPer this good. I thought Sam Gawith St James Flake was great back in early January, when I was still relearning to smoke a pipe. But it’s disappointed since. I love Gawith Hoggarth Louisiana Flake dearly, and it will have to do. I seem to recall finding Escudo pretty great too, but haven’t really had any since my return. I may need to pop my lone tin soon to see how it stacks up. Luxury Bullseye Flake is very pleasant with a little age, but it ain’t this.

Now I remember why I was so disappointed when I learned of this company’s untimely demise upon my return to pipe smoking six months ago, after a nearly decade long absence. I have smoked a LOT of different tobacco in those six months. Very few approach the perfection attained here.

I bemoan to the depths of my soul the fact that I didn’t have a chance to cellar 2-3 pounds of this. It’s one lovely straight VaPer. It’s not something I’d smoke exclusively, but it would make an outstanding every day breakfast smoke.

And while I’ve never been one to devote a particular pipe to just one blend, this is one that would have certainly been worth that. In fact, I’ve decided that, going forward, this pipe will be the exclusive domain of VaPers. In honor of what is one of the all-time greats. Oh, McLelland’s... we hardly knew ye.

Pipe Used: Cob nosewarmer

Age When Smoked: Decade-plus

Purchased From: Gift

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rustedrailsmokes (293)	2018-09-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

2020-12-29 Update:

I popped a new jar from 2017 which I had packed up back at the end of McC production. The jar had a satisfying "pop" and the jar-note is sweet with that little bit of "ketchup/vinegar" which made me love this one back then. The sweetness of the Virginias has increased with time and the perique still provides spice. I let the flakes dry for a couple of hours before smoking and find that it still smokes a little moist, but nothing that a quick swab of a pipe-cleaner can't fix.

A couple of more years of aging have mellowed it even further and I took out some to enjoy over new years and sealed the rest back up to slumber further.

I still hold out hope that I'll find a magical stash of this somewhere to add to my collection and dwindling cellar.

2018-09-05 - Review

I think I'll miss 2015 the most of any of the McClelland bulks.

It's a great broken flake and I can only wish that I'd bought more of it before it disappeared.

It's a great middle of the road VA/Per with to me the perfect amount of perique mixed into it. When I opened the jar which has aged a year now, it has that that signature "vinegar/ketchup" smell that you expect from McC.

Easy to pack, I pack a few bigger pieces in the bottom and a few shreds on top to help with lighting. A charring light and then it burns great and slow without any noticeable tongue bite.

Highly recommend and I hope to find more somehow.

Pipe Used: various

Age When Smoked: fresh to three years

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LannarkGent (145)	2016-12-18		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant

This flake smoked very evenly and lit easily. It was a pleasant Virginia perique . While pleasant, and certainly a smoke I would I would accept if offered, I do not find it to be unique enough to justify buying anymore.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2016-07-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A solid bulk flake with good flavor and a smooth smoking quality.

What No. 2015 does best is strike a unique balance between the taste of McClelland's red Virginias and their pungent, plummy perique. The Virginias taste rich, toasty and dry, and the tangy dark fruit flavor of the perique comes across clear mix while still managing to play a perfect counterpart. Together these tobaccos present a satisfying amount of spice. Nasal exhales tingle and even burn a little, but only in that exhilaratingly good kind of way. The flavor depth and spice build nicely as the bowl progresses and never overwhelm.

No. 2015 is a medium bodied smoke with medium tobacco flavor strength. The nicotine strength is slightly below medium and there’s no bite or harshness to speak of. This flake does require some dry time and a few relights along the way, but it is easier to work with than the majority of McClelland’s Virgina flakes. It goes without saying that 2015 tastes best at a slow sip.

While this isn’t my preferred McClelland VaPer, 2015 is still a solid smoke and I would imagine that with the right amount of age it has the potential to be spectacular. Please note that my review is based on a freshly purchased 4 ounce sample with no additional aging.

Age When Smoked: Fresh

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	leacha (15)	2015-07-29		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Since I do not have a highly refined palate, it's hard to describe tastes and flavors that I experience. I only know what I like and do not like. So here's my rating scale and a brief reason for the rating.

★★★★ = Excellent - Apocalypse blend, cellar worthy.

★★★☆ = Good - Not part of regular roatation but keeping a few tins/ounces is wise.

★★☆☆ = Fair - A smokable blend that is worth trying again.

★☆☆☆ = Poor - Do not smoke! Trade off or give away to the unsuspecting.

Because tastes and blends change over time and depending on what pipe is used, I reserve the right to change my rating at any time.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	point9 (114)	2014-12-18		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The tin note is full of McC's notorious ketchup smell, but fortunately the smoke is nothing like that. A spicy vaper with right amount of perique. A little too spicy for my taste and can bite you if pushing hard. I give the rating only on personal liking, but with the bulk price, it's reasonable to get all the popularity.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	al1 (58)	2008-11-15		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

This is nice. The perique is perfect in this blend. I normally don't care for perique in my blends, this one may convert me.

I found it to rub easily, dry quickly and pack very well. I did have to relight a couple times but it was only a couple.

I agree with another review below that this goes up in smoke quickly but that is fine, I hate those that burn slow like coal.

It lit up quick and smoked cool. I did get a peppery taste from the perique at the very beginning but this quickly fades as the bowl progresses, the flavor mellows and builds very nicely into a wonderful almost stewed flavor.

Tastes a lot like the smell of a fresh crop of VA tobacco curing in the barn when the stoves are doing their work.

I am highly reccomending this to the patient- almost steady sipping is ok, puffing in almost any form is not. So far a 3/4 inch dia bowl is doing the best with this blend for me.

Goes on where 2010 stops in flavor. I love this series of tobac's 2000, 2010, 2015, 2020 are great. I think this is sorta what 5115 was trying to be like but it fell short. This does the fruity thing naturally from the perique. Much better.

If you like natural tobacco flavor it is in here. A little cigarettish but in a very pleasent way.

I think you should go try some....

update: this is a good tobacco but I seem to be unable to tollerate perique anymore, It just irritates my throat. Not bad for folks who love perique!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Satc001 (67)	2006-09-24		Mild	None Detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant to Tolerable

Okay, this review is easy for me. This blend never dries out, never! It must have some moisture reagent in it. Nevertheless, it is absolutely tasteless, doesn't burn well, and scorched my tongue. I found myself enjoying a pipe of Sir Walter Raleigh over this, and I hated SWR. I apparently don't get it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-08-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

U.S. smokers are truely blessed with this beauty from McClalland. I paid 2 x the US Price in duties & tax alone for the 8oz I imported into Australia. Well it was worth it. On opening the bag I was greated with the famous ketchup aroma. I was immediatly struck by the course broken flake texture, stems and all. As it was fairly moist i took out about 1/2oz teased it apart & let it dry some for about 24 hours. After some time the room filled with the pungent aroma of pireque. With great anticipation i filled the small bowl of my Peterson Donigal rocky 999 & struck a match & proceded to light. This stuff takes a bit of effort to light, Char Light & a few relights is the go. Starts out a bit thin with Pireque immediatly to the fore but then this starts to blend into a combo of rich VA & peppery spicy Flavors coming in layers. Mid bowl & this beguiling tobac starts to hit it's straps. It delivers a rich creamy smoke that is extreamly satisfying & rewarding when puffed lightly. This smoke is a journey, with the pireque slowly building to be more noticable at the end. There is little tounge bite or moisture. I will, dispite the cost, be geting more of this tobacco with the intention of ageing, given it's moisture content it should be a good choice.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-07-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Well, I have to thank my buddy Tim for this one. I used to smoke mostly latakia blends, with only a little smattering of Virginias when the mood was right. After trying 2015 it has become my go to smoke. It has never done me wrong, just don't go crazy with the puffing or your tongue will jump out of your mouth and slap you in the face. Just let it air out a few minutes prior to smoking and take your time and savor it's delicious tobacco taste. If you're new to the world of Perique blends, give this one a go.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ranger (79)	2005-07-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Don't want to beat a dead horse here, or a four star tobacco, so I will add very little. Top of the line virginia/perique with an equally unbelievable price. I've been smoking King Eider lately and this is very similar in texture, moisture and smell, although in both taste and odor, 2015 is slightly sweeter, and much more affordable. The best of its class.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-06-29		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I discovered the pleasures of 2015 Virginia Flake late, having stupidly assumed that all McClellands "...were about the same". Not so this fine broken flake Virginia. The Perique is there only to round off the flavor and dispel any hint of bite, not to dominate. The first time I tried it I was on the road with an empty pouch. Finding a little tobacco shop, I stopped by to reload. The shop was pretty bare and lacked whatever I was smoking at the time, but the shopkeeper pulled out a big plastic bag and said "Here, try this. It's a McClelland Virginia- Perique". I nodded and he filled my pouch with a few ounces.

Thank you very much!

It's all been said before and I won't repeat it except to say that this is this gold-standard by which I now measure Virginias-- and none have measured up yet. A sweet, full smoke that just gets better to the last of the bowl.

Five Stars if there were that many.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-06-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Update: June 19th 2005. After smoking much poundage of this fine blend, I am more fond of it now than when I first tried it. This holds up and is consistant. The tangy, sweet and slight peppery taste and aroma continue to please. I have found that rubbing it out thouroughly and letting it dry for a few days enhances it's delicious flavor.

Original review; It's all already been covered by the many reviews here. Mild, smooth and nutty with a hint of spice. Mmmmmmm-good!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lbarraa (29)	2005-05-29		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I can't ask any more to a blend! This blend is spicy, tasty and with just the rigth dose of nicotine.Easy to burn, with out bite tongue. The mature virginias and the perique are the perfect marriage. Congratulations to Mac Clelland's fellows.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-04-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Greetings, I bought this as a way to replace a memory of the way I used to buy and smoke tobacco in Kentucky. Back then I would go the the local tobacco shop and buy straight Virginias and Perique and mix my own. So I tried a few McClelland, Esoterica and Dunhill tobaccos and this is the closest to perfection I have found. It doesen't break up as smoothly as Penzance, but what does? But the proof is in the flavour and burn. The ash is white and clean and can even clean a gooped-up pipe. There is little tounge tingle, but it will not leave tounge blisters like a Mac Baren or such. As for room note, this is a funny notion. I live in Sacramento, California and I don't think it would matter if you smoked roses they would complain. I have had a couple compliments and a few "are you smoking"? comments. So I smoke what I like and let the smoke clouds go where they may.

A very good all day smoke and my favorite.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-12-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A natural sweet Virginia with just enough Perique to perk it up and make a great tasting tobacco even better tasting. As with any Virginia puff gently or you'll get the tounge bite. I only lightly rub this out,and leave many chunks.

Update:I now buy this in one pound bags,you will too if you like Virginia Flake Tobacco,as this is as good as you'll find on the market today. Refreshing,wonderful Virginia creaminess,and tangy.My wife says it smells awful,like a cigarette burning. I really don't mind if it even smells like hashish burning,it's my A-No.#1 pipe tobacco. Bless you McClelland!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-10-22		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Ahh, how I love Autumn in Michigan. It seems this season was made for pipe smokers. And what better tobacco to go with the cool, crisp air and falling leaves than 2015? My favourite bulk blend by far, it rivals more expensive tinned Va/P blends IMO. I like a lot of perique, and 2015 gives a full measure without being overwhelming. Plenty of fine reviews of this fantastic bulk, if you like Va/P blends I recommend you come to Northern Michigan this fall and fill your pipe with 2015 as you enjoy the season. Cheers

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-10-01		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

McClelland 2015 is a classic natural tobacco. It loads and lights easily, smokes reasonably cool for a Virginia flake, and has no bad flavors or aftertastes. It has a nice slightly sweet Virginia flavor and smokes a very long time. I typically don't bother to rub this out, spend some time getting it lit well, and then settle in for a nice long smoke. The tobacco burns to a fine white ash and is a no-brainer for the lover of natural tobaccos. There is no huge taste here, as there is some with some Latakia-based blends, but the taste is intriguingly subtle, complex, and various. Not a great tobacco, but a very good one.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Young Piper (304)	2004-08-03		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

04/09/2014 - My last batch of 2015 had wayyy too much Perique for me. It was spicy like those 10,000 times hotter than hell hot sauces, you know the ones with a mushroom cloud or the words "death" etc. I know I got a bad batch (or good if you really like Perique) but raising my rating to 4 stars since my aged batch which I had to dip into is absolutely divine!

8/3/2004 - I have waited awhile to review 2015. I wanted to get a real good feel for it. After smoking a pound, i find i like my Kind Eider better. The leaf is a better quality in that it has no sticks and the flakes are larger for a bulk blend. They are almost similar but the 2015 has more of a tangy sweet and sour sauce taste and i prefer the slightly smoother King Eider.

Hands down if i had no other tobacco i would be very content to smoke 2015! Good stuff in its own right.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JB (44)	2004-04-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Yum!

There are precious few Virginia/Perique blends that are as consistent and well balanced as 2015.

The Perique adds just the right amount of peppery goodness without being overbearing. The Virginias integrate beautifully into this blend and provide a beautiful base to this mixture.

This is a bulk blend that stacks up head to head with any tinned blend of any kind.

It can be found at many B&Ms as well as over the Internet at excellent prices. It's hard to find something wrong with this picture!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-02-10		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

I'll keep this short and sweet. Let me just echo the positive reviews from above. I like St. James Woods from McC as well, but this is a bit softer and tends to have less bite, while still maintaining a deliciousness that I have found in few other tobaks.

A bit of aging (6 months or more), and a little drying will make this favorite of mine all the better.

Price is right, taste is good, bite is small, wehat more could you want?

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pounder 5000 (178)	2003-12-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is one of the best bulk tobaccos that I have ever come across. The Virginias are of a high quality and the perique is tasty indeed. Next to Escudo this may be the most well blended VA/P that I have tried to date. Complex enough to satisfy when I'm in the mood and yet has good enough burning characteristics to smoke when I don't want to pay much attention. This would be a good place for an aromatic smoker to begin with all natural tobaccos. It stay sweet the whole way through and the Perique, while gaining in intensity as you smoke your way down, never gets beyond the nice spice stage. This acts like it wants to nip the tongue but thankfully never quite gets to that point. In fact, for a McClelland Va it is remarkably bite free. A low price tag makes this bulk blend a heck of a bargain!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-08-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This tobacco is a great mix of Viginia and Perique, sweet with just a bit of spicyness from the Perique. The smell of the unburned tobacco smells like a cross between Ovaltine and rasins, but not as sweet as either of those. The tobacco burns cool for a Virginia and quite slowly. This is a tobacco to take your time with. Don't rush it and you will be well rewarded. It burns right down to the heel with no relights and only occasional tamping. I've never been bitten by this tobacco, but when smoking I always keep in mind that this is a Virginia and will bite if you smoke it too hot. This tobacco lends itself well to Autumn nights with a cup of coffee.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jaybee (77)	2003-04-22		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Another great tobacco from McClelland. Similar in taste to 5100 with a bit more. This one must be smoked slow to appreciate the variety of flavors. It doesn't tend to smoke hot, but can do so if pushed. Once again, for the economy and quality it's hard to beat.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Paddy (127)	2003-02-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

The tobacco is a broken flake, dark brown with flecks of lighter leaf. The tin aroma is the usual McClelland Va. odor of vinegar or catsup. I suspect they use vinegar in some part of their curing process, perhaps to reduce the alkali level of the tobacco, but who knows. I buy this in 1 lb. bulk and let it age a little, and smoke perhaps five bowls of it a week among the other twenty or so tobaccos I have going at any one time. I have found that the smoking characteristics of this blend may vary from batch to batch. Some times I need to dry it out completely before adding back a little moisture to make it pliable for packing and smoking, otherwise it can offer a little bite. This batch is, however, rather moist but burns smoothly and offers no bite. I rub out the flakes thoroughly in my palm as I do with most flake tobaccos. I make a little chickpea size dottle, gradually fill the bowl, tamp lightly with my fingers and fire up. The flavor of the smoke is always consistent and is a combination of natural Va. sweetness (no sweeteners added that I can detect) and a light Perique tang. This is not a complex smoke, simply good Va. and good Perique. It is an excellent smoke for those who like the pure tobacco flavors. Paddy.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Eulenburg (193)	2003-01-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Like Esoterica's Dorchester to the life, plus a moistening agent whose smell I don't care for.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-11-25		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Great value from Mclells with this aged one. Nice brown/red mash of flakes & broken bits, Fine straight from the bag, although as with all in their press-aged VA line some cunning flame-work is required. Taste is quite woodsy & zesty, though not complex, but for those who savor such tastes such as myself - who cares. A bit of a nose tickler 'cos of the perique. Been going down very well lately with my evening Bourbons.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	NEWMAN (305)	2002-04-07		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

Another winner from McClelland in a natural smoke. No casings here just great brown VAs intermixed with some lighter birdseyes and with just enough Perique to result in a well balanced blend and a pleasant experience. I don't even bother to rub out the nicely pressed flake which results in a long, mild, even, cool smoke. The intial taste is semi-sweet but light bodied. The woodsy undertones of the Perique become more evident but remain subtle until near the bottom of the bowl when more spiciness develops. I thought that it smoked a bit wet in various bowl sizes, but with my next receipt, I'll try to dry the tobacco some since I feel the intial moisture content of this batch was > needed. I find the medium strength to be ideal for an all day smoke but switch to a stronger blend after dinner.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bluesmoke (75)	2014-11-30		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This is a light VAPER which seems to be well balanced, but due to a lesser than assertive flavor this begs comparison to other more robust fulfilling blends in my mind. This is a so-so one for me, but not unpleasant to smoke. I finished my portion, though won't purchase this again. Body is medium, smokes well once lit, few relights and a light clean flavor once finished. This just didn't fill me up, didn't quite satisfy, left me longing for another bowl, unfortunately not a bowl of the same. 2 stars..sorry 2015. TCJLY

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Michael N. (10)	2014-11-24		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'm still a rather novice VA smoker. Less than one year, of thirty plus, smoking pipe. I've found some excellent ones, awful ones & not awful but ONE-TIME trials. I always smoke ( or try to ) about 2oz before forming an opinion. Since I'm truly not a Perique fan, I didn't make it through all 2 ozs, as this was way too peppery for my 'buds'. I'll say it packs well, lights very well, and smells pretty good in the pouch/jar. But, I'll not deprive others and move on.

Pipe Used: Various Briars

Age When Smoked: 3-6 months

Purchased From: P&C, on line

Similar Blends: others, with Perique, I did not care for !.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Phonomet (44)	2013-10-13		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

IMO not a standout flake, but a solid smoke. Someone described the flavor as "cement block" and "wet pavement," which is strangely apt. I'd add that there's a touch of ozone in there too. Not very flattering descriptions, but the flavors work together. The perique is definitely present and the VAs are top quality which is why it gets 3 stars from me.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DavidP (25)	2013-04-16		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

The "tin note" on this blend is spot-on with aroma of the corn silage produced by my family's dairy farm. It's not ketchup you're smelling folks, just the scent of fermented vegetable matter.

I have no luck smoking this stuff folded and stuff, I have to rub it out first. Once I do though it's moderately easy to smoke; stays lit and isn't too gurgly. It's on the wet side when fresh so a bit of drying is recommended.

To me the flavor is overall on the light/mild side. I taste sweet alfalfa/plums with a light tang from the perique.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2012-04-30		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I would smoke this again, but I probably won't buy it again.

2015 is packaged in extremely dense flakes. I usually pack a bowl without doing much to the flakes, but I found I had to rub out 2015, or I would hit air gaps which made for an inferior smoke.

It seemed to smoke much wetter than what I'm used to.

The taste while I was smoking it was okay. It seemed to pick up an ashy taste very easily, and I would make sure and dump any ash before a relight, and would not try to smoke to the absolute end.

However, the aftertaste is exceptional, one of the best I've had! Even after brushing my teeth, the next morning my mouth tastes wonderful.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	piedpipester (19)	2012-02-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I bought this blend because I can't find my regular vaper flake anywhere, (has there been a blight on Virginia tobacco?) I was unimpressed to begin with, but a couple of weeks of smoking has caused it to grow on me.

It's mild for sure, but the good thing is that it doesn't bite at all, even after repeated bowls. This tobacco needs to be rubbed out throughly so that it burns well, I wouldnt advise smoking it in flake form. I have come to appreciate it's smooth flavor, the perique is just right for my tastes (I know it's there for a little spice, but doesn't burn the mouth). Slightly sweet, a little spice mid/late bowl, and very slow burning, it might just become a regular in my rotation. Smoked at leisure, it's taste becomes more apparent, and i'm thinking about buying some to celler for 6 months, I think it would age nicely. 3 stars.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrT999 (318)	2011-10-07		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I can't say this is a cool smoke by any means, but it is a flavorful one -- fairly slow burning, naturally sweet. If this site had a 5 star scale it would be a 3, but right now I have to keep this at 2+ for me. I look forward to trying it again a few months.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Fly ticky (26)	2011-09-04		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Full	Tolerable

Nice smoke not overwhelming good flavor.Lots of smoke,not my favorite but its up there. Doing a revisit of this smoke , ie an update I love this tobacco it is very very good . I guess it takes some time to find some thing you like better than what you are used to.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BingCrosby (162)	2011-02-13		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

We have all had this experience one time or another... the one where you really want to like a blend and can taste the potential in it.. but something just doesn't do it for you. For those who do like this tobacco - I am jealous because it is a va/per at a great price.. I found the mccleland treatment of an otherwise quality tobacco just a little too off putting.. It isn't just the ketchup thing.. there is something else almost a soapy thing going on and not a pleasant soap. Whatever treatment mccleland gives their virginias is preventing me from appreciating their tobacco.. So if you don't mind the mccleland treatment you are sure to love 2015.. if you don't - avoid it.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-12-14		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I found 2015 to be heavy, harsh and sour. I do enjoy VP's but this one goes to the dark side. I'm sure this is high quality tobacco (after all it is McCelland) but it's just not my cup of tea. Please bare in mind that this is only personal opinion. You may love 2015. You will never know if you don't try it.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	strongirish (249)	2010-10-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have become quite fan of VaPers and this is another in my quest to try them all. This is a nice blend but not a great blend. It comes in a semi rubbed out state, needs drying as it comes to moist and it is of a pretty uniform dark brown color leaf. The pouch note is slightly sweet, little of the kethchup aroma common with MC blends and a little musky, obviously the perique in it. If loades easy in the pipe after being rubbed out some more and lights very easy. It burns at a nice slow pace and has the semi sweet flavor of VA with a touch of the perique emitting through. It is creamy and non biting to the tongue and while there is no Ah HA moment with it, it really is a pleasant smoke. But I find it is a little light in the perique dept and the VA used could have been a touch sweeter for it to be a regular for me. It does burn down to the bottom at it's slow pace needing few relights and it burns dry to the end with a black and white ash and little dottle. As it is not an inyour face blend, it easily could be an all day blend for some, but for me, it won't make my keep in the cellar list. I recommend trying it but I can't give it a rousing review as it's pretty non dimentionable.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Demetri (113)	2010-04-30		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

In my continuing exploration of VaPers it is quite natural for me to try this blend. Hence, I purchased 2 ounces of this flake as a trial. My favorite VaPer to date has been C&D's Bayou Morning (in bulk ribbon form; I've not tried this as their version flake yet) and my second favorite, closely behind, is Escudo (a true pressed product).

2015 did have some small jar aroma of the McClelland ketchup topping, but not badly so. Moist enough to pack easily but not so much as to be difficult to keep lit, it was a smooth, generally pleasant VaPer of medium strength. It's taste is a bit muted, subdued in comparison to Escudo or Bayou Morning. I think therefore that the VA component is greater here and the Perique a bit less than those others. The VAs dominate this flake with Perique playing a less prominent role. I consider it a 'journeyman' blend and well suited for those times when one wants a long smoke. Load up a huge bowl and be assured of a pleasant smoke for quite some time. Also suitable as an all day VaPer where Bayou Morning or Escudo might become too much. Although a VaPer, in comparison to McC's Dark Star (a pressed VA) I like 2015 better just for the ease of smoking it, plus the added spiciness of the Perique. Nice tobacco. 3 Stars.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-04-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

A bulk broken flake with a smell that is not particularly engaging, quite bland and plain to me. It does not have the signature McClelland tin smell at all. Sliced and diced in a small bowl it lit after a few tries. The flavor is on the sweetish side with the perique in the background till at mid bowl it turned spicy (but not as spicy as Blackwoods Flake). Medium smooth but somewhat harsh and cloudy taste though not excessively sharp for a virginia. The side stream I do not care for. Aftertaste is peppery long lasting and hard to erase.

The perique could be a bit more discrete and is a distraction for me. Did not stay lit, burned my tongue and smelled up the place. Wife detests the smell. So - no pouch smell, stinks when it burns, average flavor, bites and not a nice side stream.

Overall fair but I prefer Old Gowrie and will not buy again.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Clarkus (36)	2010-02-24		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I got off to a bad start with this tobacco somehow. I picked it up at McCranies as "Southport" I suppose expecting something quite different. My normal smoke is Orlik Golden Sliced so maybe I was expecting that with perique.

When I got home and opened the pouch, the aroma really put me off. It smelled to me like ketchup. I loosely loaded my pipe not rubbing it out much further than how it came. The flavor was unimpressive and I couldn't detect the sweetness I expected from a VA. Also, the moisture level led to some unexpectedly serious tongue bite. I let it sit for about three weeks and having only two slices of Orlik left, I gave it another try.

Obviously, the tobacco elves came by secretly and performed some kind of miracle because I was confronted with a wonderfully sweet spicy smoke. I also took more time rubbing it out further and loading my pipe with some larger pieces loose at the bottom and a finer rub at the top to get the fire growing. I smoked it all day today and having nothing else to do, was able to delve into the complexities of this blend and was never tempted to go for those last two slices of Orlik.

I am going to spend another full day with it tomorrow and expect to buy a half pound next week and let it dry some before smoking it. By the time I finish this pouch, I will have had sufficient experience at rubbing it out to get an optimum smoke.

I found it to have a better than average amount of vitamin N. and the flavor seemed sometimes medium and sometimes full. The burn was beautiful and lasting - not a fast smoke and I don't recommend trying to rush it as your tongue may object. In fact, I don't recommend starting a bowl unless you have time to relax, savor and pay attention to it. The room note - all tobacco smells good to me; all tobacco smells bad to my wife but I got no complaints from my dogs.

Definitely give this one a try. I won't be surprised if I come back in a month and give this one another star.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-06-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I don't smoke alot of VaPer, but this one has made me put it in the 'a least once a week' rotation. I tend to smoke aromatics at work on the flight line and this breaks the monotony of my choice Aro's nicely. I light it up for me.

Nothing really stands out, except that I get a great tobacco flavor. I really, really enjoy a great tobacco flavor.

A little more strength and character, this could go four stars. Worth looking into.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tripjoker (65)	2009-04-05		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I've been trying for over two years to like this tobacco. I say trying because I have had four ounces that I have been samling off and on for that amount of time. Don't get me wrong, this is quality tobacco, but not to the level that I believe it should be.

The taste is not as full as one would assume from the ingredients used. The virginia is anemic at bet and the perique is MIA. NO mtter what humidity level or age, this is a disappoinment. I really wanted to like it, but it is sadly just another bulk offering that pleases the middle of the road crowd.

Stokkebye has much more impressive offerings in bulk form, as does C&D.

If you like the lighter, less flavorful Vapers, this is your nirvana.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-02-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

It has all been said before, but this one is a classic that all other VaPers are compared to. Not the best and far, far, far from being even near the worst.

Always a good smoke with little maintenance required. Keep some always at hand, I do.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-02-18		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Hopefully, I am reviewing 2015! The shop I bought from was selling this in bulk and it was labeled McClelland 'Zesty Virginia' - if I remember correctly. A Broken flake VaPer with no mention on the jar of 2015; but it looked and was described like 2015, so...

I found this surprisingly hard to smoke. It was like rubbing out and packing twigs. Tough to get burning. Excessive puffing led to tongue bite and a worn out mouth.

The pouch aroma is very inviting. The flavor that comes from the first half of the bowl is amazing. Tasty BBQ. Sweet and spicy. Plenty of smoky pepper with salty notes.

The last third of the bowl becomes a bit bland. Leaves behind a crunchy ash. Probably a good tobacco for building cake?

Overall, this isn't quite a 3 star blend for me. I found it just as hard to prepare as Dark Star, but without the same reward for my troubles. St. James Woods has the same flavor and is easier to smoke.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-01-24		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Well, its just under one month shy of a 3 year age I put on the same batch of 2015 that I first reviewed. My wait was well worth it. This stuff aged perfectly. Three years has done alot of changing. I have a sample of some recently aquired 2015 to compare the aged stuff to. The excessive moisture has dissapated. I was so excited to see such a drastic change. It was alot harder to rubb out compared to the unaged sample I had to compare it to. I rub it fully and pack to perfection in an XL315 peterson. Then, sheer bliss. I got almost an opiate like feeling from my sensory overload. I puff away with my taste buds and nose telling me more than than I've experienced in a long time. Notes of carmel, sweet tea, apple, and nut abound. I could go on and on but, just buy it. Put it in a sealed mason jar and forget about it. Then open it up and be blown away. UPDATE:01-24-08

The McClelland name has become synonymous with the production of quality, distinctive, VA compositions. 2015 is perhaps one of the milder VA's that I've tried. The addition of perique is quite subtle in this blend, definately not a standout in the mix. 2015 can be smoked non-stop without much bite, IMHO. Other smokers that usually don't smoke alot of VA may not agree. 2015 is so mild on the pallet, I thought it originally had some burley, when I tasted it blindly. There is a presence of nutty textures that are typical of VA. The aroma is very pleasing in the nose. My only gripe on this blend is moisture content. I believe it's a bit wet. The excess sugar and moisture are what allow these bulk VA's to age so well. I have begun to cellar this and other McClellands like wine, using Steve Fowler's method. (See cellaring techniques on ASP's pages). I believe his method to be supreme.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-01-08		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

2015 is a decent smoke the virginias aren't great and they aren't bad. There is enough perique to know that it's there which is actually good because the virginias are a bit weak. I wouldn't call this blend complex or deeply satisfying but it'll do in a pinch.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-09-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Hey! The good ole vaper! Tangy, spicy, a bit of sweetness. Watch out, smoke this one slow or you will be chomped! Not just bit. All virginies should be smoked slow. Like slow cooked barbecue which this smells like out of the bag-tin-whatever packaging. Let it sit and dry out a bit, rub it out, fill your pipe and you have an awesome smoke that will last you over an hour, even in a medium sized bowl. I'm not kidding about smoking this slooowwww. Don't have a puffing fit. This is a tobacco to relax with on a summer afternoon/evening. Watch the sunset, drink some single malt maybe a mint julep and puff along. It is delicious and for some reason makes me think of hot southern evenings, which we have in Wisconsin in August and September, though few realize it.

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	Pipe4ever (204)	2008-08-29		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable

Simply I don?t like the 2015, it did not work with me, I find this Virginia/per tasteless, bland and spicy, doesn?t burn well and doesn?t get dry even when left in my car 1 week in summer time, under the sun, it will remain wet !

I can?t recommend it to anyone.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-07-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

It's all been covered well here, but I'll add my nickel's worth anyway.

Pouch Aroma: Wosbald hit it spot on. Sweet, tangy, fermented. Kind of like driving through Fresno at the height of raisin season.

Flavor: Zydeco Stomp. Perfect balance, not as refined as some but has a certain bad girl charm. Properly aired out, it is bite free. Not dried out, you may suffer from sauna mouth syndrome.

Room Note: Who cares?

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-05-20		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I generally enjoy most all things red Virginia and this, with the addition of perique, is no exception. 2015 is a good mainstream smoke that with aging is really quite good. I for one do not care for the aroma of most McClelland blends in the bag however I have learned to appreciate what that aroma translates into once a match is introduced. It is almost hard to believe that a vaper such as this would produce a smooth creamy smoke but when sipped appropriately that is exactly what you have. I have in the past bought this in bulk as many others have and let it age with excellent results. There are nuances with this blend that you get only after it begins to breakdown in a confined space. It will make you look at your pipe and wonder what you really put in it. It?s a rewarding experience.

Honestly, if I could afford to smoke St James Woods on a regular basis I would choose it over 2015 but 6 to 8 months of aging with 2015 seems like a much better investment. And the benefit is not too far off from the tin if you are patient. This is a good quality smoke that ages well and is very satisfying. I am giving it 3 stars only because it is what it was meant to be; average tobacco with good aging potential.

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	Slow Triathlete (62)	2008-04-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Originally this blend was a pain in the butt because it came extremely wet and no matter how much I rubbed it out it never seemed to dry out. Finally, I put my sample on a cutting board and minced it as I do garlic. It finally broke up small enough that it was able to dry out. I did smoke a bowl before it was dried out enough. I was extremely disappointed because I had to relight so many times that I couldn?t take notes well enough to give a proper review. After chopping this blend into oblivion I was able to smoke it almost to the bottom of the bowl. Even though this blend is pretty good for a bulk blend, I feel that the amount of prep work just isn?t worth it to me. However, if you are very patient with this then you will be rewarded with a fine bulk blend. The different Virginias taste very good against the amount of Perique that is in this blend. Taste-wise this was a very good blend but like I said earlier the amount of work to get it there just isn?t for me.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-10-28		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This broken flake has a sweet and tart pouch aroma.

The virginias are of solid quality: tasty, though a bit diffuse, lacking the clarity found in McC's tinned blends. The perique is noticable, though not dominant.

This is a simple and pleasing bulk blend from the ever-reliable McClelland house. For those who are so inclined, this ages nicely.

Chamber Gauge: Narrow

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-09-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

In the never-ending search for a great VA flake, I was thrilled to get a few onces of the bulk 2015. Although this VA lacks the rich choco-aroma of the great Marlin Flake, it does have a very peppery nose to float along with the sweet Virginia. It does take 1/3 of a bowl to flame up and engage the crusty unrubbables, but then you are rewarded with mild, copious smoke that could fill an afternoon, indoors or out. And the price per ounce makes this a 3 star standby.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-09-02		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I cannot seem to get 2015 to rub out well. The little chunks of bark just get smaller. The salsa tang is ok every now and then but I'm still searching for the right combination of aging, pipe and consistency that many seem to find with this weed.

I think I?ll try some of the suggested alternatives in this thread.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-07-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is one peach of a bulk Va/Per, with better flavor than many of the more expensive tinned blends.

The perique is added at a perfect level to keep the smoke interesting yet allowing the virginias to remain as the main focus. Naturally sweet, mildly spicy, it burns cool for me with no bite.

Due to its price and quality, 2015 would make a perfect all day smoke for the Va/Per lover. If you like this type of tobacco, it's a must try.

I rank this just a slight notch below my favorites of the genre.

* 1/2

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-06-23		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Just ordered two oz. of this stuff from smokingpipes.com to give it whirl. I'm a pretty novice smoker but this stuff just wasn't for me. Gave it a great big whiff when I first opened it and it smelled very nice, like fresh hay. Unfortunately that was the best part of my experience with it. It was pretty moist when i got it, so I set aside two bowls worth to dry for the afternoon. That night and went to light it up and was very disappointed. Gave me pretty bad tongue bite trying to get it going.(Note: This could have been from my inexperience with pipe tobacco but I have managed to light up with other pipe tobaccos and receive no tongue bite so who knows.) The tobacco was strong, almost like smoking a cigar, but I found the taste to be very bland. halfway through the bowl I started to detect a hint of spiciness but other than that nothing. I guess I just don't enjoy Virginias very much. I'm more of a Latakia and Oriental guy.

If you enjoy Virginias this may be the tobacco for you, all these reviewers can't be wrong. However, if your on the fence about purchasing this stuff and aren't that big a fan of the Virginias I wouldn't recommend this to you.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-05-14		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I generally like McClelland tobaccos, and this is no exception pour moi. I like this a little better than the 2010, which now just appears like a component of this blend. This has more interesting flavor notes than 2010, I'm sure a result of the Perique. Let me try to break it down: the nuttiness/grassiness is from the Virginias, and that sort of sour/piquant is from the Perique. Now, I know tobacco tastes like tobacco and not the millions of fruits, vegetables, or other products that I and others use to describe it, but I can perhaps make out a bitter orange tamarind, without it ever getting quite there. The 2010 may be the bitter which somehow the 2015's interesting sidenotes of sourness balance out perfectly, creating something new, and pretty nice. A very affordable VaPer. But if you want the full-blown-away effect of all this, check out Cornell and Diehl's Night Train, which is similar save for its added Burley component.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-03-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Update: Fillmore has simply replaced 2015 as my Vaper of choice.

09/24/2006: This broken flake comes a tad too moist to my liking and thus I prefer to let it dry out a bit before smoking. When dried some (about 2 hours) but still pliable, the fold, bend and stuff method works just fine for me. Once the bowl is ready, a charring light, a few gentle tamps and a re-light routinely gets me through an entire bowl.

2015 consists of quality Virginia character and natural sweetness and the Perique is never to spicy or peppery. Their perfect marriage of balance and taste provides a lot of flavor right from the start. The Perique is used with just the right proportion to round off the blend and remove any hint of bite.

This is one I can smoke all day. A tobacco with a sweet/nutty Virginia taste and a hint of cool plum like spiciness that does not require ones full attention to enjoy. The flavor and burn characteristics are top notch. The ash is always white, dry and clean. The aroma is very pleasing. I highly recommend this to Vaper enthusiasts.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-01-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Of all the McClelland tobaccos listed, 2015 is one of only two with more than ten reviews earning four stars, and for good reasons.

While this may not be the very best tobacco of its kind, it is certainly a close second or third.

After years of smoking MacBaren's Club Blend, 2015 has become my default Virginia/Perique blend.

One caution...This tobacco MUST be smoked at the proper moisture level. Failure to do so, will result in a less than optimal taste and a seared tongue.

2015 is priced well and dollar for dollar, may be the best of its kind. It is far superior to many other Virginias selling for much, much more.

If you even think you like Virginia tobaccos, 2015 is a must try.

My next order will be for 5 pounds. Some for now and the rest to age.

July, 2005

I recently opened a tin of 2015 that had been aged 18 months. It was IMHO superior to King Eider to which it has been compared. Given that 2015 costs roughly half of King Eider, I don't know why anyone would purchase that latter.

I now consider 2015 the best in its class.

January, 2007

As fine as 2015 is, I must downgrade it to three stars. The reason is the introduction of Fillmore, which IMHO is the benchmark of a VAPER. If you enjoy any blend with Virginias, you must try this absolutely extaordinary blend.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-09-30		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

another quick note. I like to blend blends together, it's lots of fun making new tastey concotions. sometimes it works, sometimes not. Here's one that does. . .mix 25% 2015 with C&D Briar Fox. very tastey. For me 2015 is now best used as a blender. have fun. .

8.20.06 Update\downgrade.Haven't had this again at 5 in the morning after a beer night, as they are very rare occasions. But as a daytime VaPer I have burned out somewhat on 2015. minus one star. I still say test it.

7.7.06 This is a nice smoke, and a good mixer, too boot. As I try to give options always, here is yet another. Long stem meerschaum, Gösser bier, looking forward to a pancake breakfast. 5 a.m. Test it.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-07-25		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I am not a flake lover, however, if I had to choose a flake this is it. I also do not like much perique and this blend is light on the perique.

The sweetness and flavor of the red Virginias is evident upon lighting and stays with you down to the ash. I found it best only lightly rubbed out and in a medium sized pipe.

It can get hot if you puff like a dragon.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-06-07		Mild	None Detected	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Maybe they put the wrong stuff in my two oz. sample but it is clearly marked McClelland # 2015 so here goes.Decided to smoke right out of the bag since the moisture level seemed about right. Bland, mild, almost tasteless with zero aroma. Slight hints of the perique now and then. To me this would be a good quality blending Va.

dunhill grp 3 dedicated to vapers

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	pyroboby (7)	2006-04-28		Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

By having to smoke outside in on the deck or garage i have found the depending on temperature outside, wind, etc, makes different blends perform differently. For me this blend, 2015 was purchased in a 4oz bag and upon opening the box and plying the bagi was met with tangy smell that i have noticed in many of Mcclellands blends and from reading other reviews i promptly sealed the bag and let it sit for several weeks. By now the moisture had become quite nice and the tangy also had a slight sweetness to it so i loaded my virginia only pipe with the 3 layer method. While the tobacco tasted nice i puffed too hard to keep it lit and subsquently got bit and a nasty head spin from the nicotine. So after sitting for several months now i had read up on the frank method of packing the pipe and was eager to see it work its magic on this.

Let me say right now that i am sold on this method of packing as i was able to smoke the pipe at my leisure without sucking like a madman or relighting every 5 minutes. The tobaccy was wonderfully smooth now, no bite anymore. About mid bowl i notice the perique become more prominent and loved it. The bowl finished off sweet and spicy IMO and was a great break from the large amount of latakia blends i posses. If packed properly i would suggest this a an all day smoke and a must smoke for any virginia lover out there. I plan on buying more and cellaring it properly in jars to see how it will fare later down the road.

Rob

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	sasha (228)	2006-03-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This is one of the few Va-Per blends I really like. This flaker are pretty thick, the thickest I've ever seen, but they're easy to rub and pack. I can suggest to rub them roughly and pack, then top them with a pinch of finer shredded ones and finally press a little: this will make the lighting easier. The flavour during the smoke is really consistent from the beginning to the end, with the Perique quitely assertive and not overwhelming as in many other blends. The Virginias are good quality ones, neither excessively sweet nor biting. A particularly good point about this mixture is its roundness, hard to find in a Va-Per blend which are usually rather sharp in taste. On the contrary, one bad thing is that the smoke can be a little wet if you don't pay attention: but if you do, you'll be rewarded with a tasteful, almost creamy, smoke. McClelland bulk blends are proving to be just as good as the tinned ones in my opinion, and very well worth the money. Recommended.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-12-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is an extremely good Virginia/Per blended Flake for "Bulk" tobacco. Not quite as good as Escudo or other quality "Tined" tobaccos. But a real pleaser. I was extremely surprised at how good it was. For a Bulk tobacco this one is the best for a Virginia/Per Flake.

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	Moe (46)	2005-09-18		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

It's all been said, smooth ,sweet,slightly spiced,and mild...Yum

One of my favorites.

Get you some. But not to much.....

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	zulujerk (146)	2005-08-25		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I've smoked a couple other McClelland 2000 series blends--2025 and 2035-- both of which I found to bite with madness. I didn't have that problem with 2015, which was surprising, since I tend to be a nervous puffer.

The Perique also seemed subtle too, which was much welcome. It's not overpowering like some of the other Vapers I've tried, C&D blends Bayou Morning (both flake and ribbon) and Three Friars.

I would actually prefer this to Escudo, simply because I have grown tired of Perique heavy tobaccos. In bulk, this is a great deal. I highly recommend it.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-08-02		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

It's no accident this tobacco rates highly. As a lover of latakia blends, matured VA flakes are either hit or miss for me. The majority seem flavorless or one-dimensional at best. The bite is hard to bear without adequate flavor or complexity. McClelland's 2015 has a medium bodied, well rounded flavor that keeps me returning time and time again. The natural tobacco has an uncommonly sweet, farmlike taste with a vegetal background. The perique provides a finishing complimentary spice without being too dominant or stealing the Virginia thunder. The bite is sublime and balances well with the amount of flavor. The only reason I didn't rate a 4-star was because I give a slight edge to McClelland's 2035 dark navy flake.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-07-24		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I was initially puzzled by this tobacco. After smoking it in a few system pipes, I was becoming discouraged in that it seemed to be entirely flavorless. Consequently I figured I'd better try it in a normal briar instead, and was immediately greeted with the virginia flavor that I had sought. Apparently the system pipes are a bit much for this wonderfull blend.

Owing to the perique content, this tobacco can be smoked without fear, as the perique smooths it out and removes 90% of the bitey character without overly influencing the flavor. I would call the flavor range to be in the middle and lower end for virginias.

This is a perfect go-to tobacco, rewarding the smoker with a pleasant flavor yet not requiring any special smoking technique as most of the richer virginias seem to demand. As I did, you should try it in several different pipes as some seem to bring out the flavor much more than others.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-12-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a rather good tobacco and, were it not for the fact that I do not care for perique, it would be a great one. The perique is just a bit too noticeable for my taste, though, but I can't see myself not smoking this now and again.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-11-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

No doubt #2015 is one of the better Va/Periques to be had. Previous reviews leave little room for anything more than affirmation and am glad to do so. This does require attentive smoking unless one likes being punished but that is "business as usual" for Virginia lovers. To my taste, Bufflehead's "Bufflehead Decoy" is a much better smoke. But because of the quality in #2015 I will stretch just a wee bit and give it three stars.

Tiger

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-06-26		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

In a nutshell, classic virginia with Perique. It's good stuff, but I'm not a huge fan of Perique in non-english blends, so I don't appreciate the addition. It's still a good tobacco, just not in my preference for virginias.

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	Danno (106)	2004-06-20		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

In reference to my review notes, it would seem that I found this offering "middle of the road". Untrue. I rather enjoy 2015. I only smoke a handfull of the McLellands offerings due to being highly susceptible to tongue bite from their particular way of handling of virginia. That being said, 2015 is a refreshingly unvolatile va/dash- of- perique broken flake that behaves well and rewards gentler puffing. There is some humectant agent applied as the tabak will stay quite damp even during a dust storm, but I do not find it offensive in flavor or burning characteristic. Lightup is straightforward and the resulting smoke is satisfying. I am not a proponent of DGT(I smoke when I fill a pipe) and as such cannot say whether the flavors improve with such treatment or collapse. In all, a good smoke, though not so economical in Canada.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-11-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is probably my favorite Virginia/Perique blend on the market. Fresh from the baggie, it'll smoke hot and a little wet, but with some ageing/drying time, it turns into a pretty good smoke. I find this goes best in a larger pipe, rubbed out- and a pipe with a filter helps cut down on tongue bite and doesn't take away any flavor. The trademark McC smell isn't strong and it's one of the few McC blends I actually like. Try it after it's aged a year or so and you'll notice a huge difference from new stock. Sure, it's an inconvenience to HAVE to age the stuff, but hey, it's cheap and worth the wait.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-03-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

My first couple of bowls of this were an experience I shall never forget as the perique was overwhelming as if someone had poured West Indian chilli source all over it. I really got the wrong end of the lollipop. However it must have been a rogue couple of flakes that did'nt get mixed in right. But at the price these things happen. I am glad I tried some from another part of the bag because this tobacco is perhaps the finest virginia/perique blend I can remeber. Complex and rich in a medium sort of way, a true classic of the type .Perhaps not as visually appealing as Escudo but on a par taste wise and a third the price. Nuff said.

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