McClelland No. 2015 Virginia Perique Flake

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.