McClelland No. 2015 Virginia Perique Flake

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!

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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.