McClelland No. 2015 Virginia Perique Flake

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.