McClelland No. 2015 Virginia Perique Flake

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 Updatedowngrade.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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

One of my favorites.

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

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.

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.