McClelland No. 2020 Matured Cake

The woody, earthy, leathery, rather floral, sweet and sour, mildly spicy, nutty Oriental/Turkish take a little of the lead over the other components without dominating. The smoky, woody, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia takes a secondary lead over the fermented tangy dark fruity, tart and tangy citrusy, earthy, lightly grassy Virginias. They also sport a slight stewed fruitiness. The “vinegar” notes, as small as they are, last to the finish. The strength is just short of being medium while the taste level is medium. The nic-hit is in the center of mild to medium. No chance of bite or harshness. Burns cool, clean and a little slow as flakes tend to do, with a mostly consistent, fairly rich, complex and nuanced sweet and savory flavor from start to finish. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and needs some relights. Has a pleasantly lingering after taste. Can be an all day smoke for the veteran.

-JimInks

Tobacco blending houses have a saying, "If the blend is good enough to be tinned, it is." This one just had to come close!

I was recently sent a sample of #2020 with a tobacco order. It is smooth on the palate, and does have a good, solid taste presentation. Not much strength here though. With so many quality Virginia/Oriental offerings on the market today, this one just might be in the upper half of your favorites.

Update 10/11/2014 This blend, of which I put in sealed jars in 2009, seems to get better year after year. Some say Latakia blends do not age as well as VA VA/Per or VA/oriental. I can tell you that the flavor of the Lat remains true in this blend passing the 5 year mark, and the additional years only improve this remarkable flake.

10/12/2011 Though this flake is not a heavy Balkan blend, mainly due to the mild Latakia, it is certainly one of the most wonderful flakes available in the free world today. For those who have not yet found the taste of Latakia to their liking, this blend offers itself as a gentle mentor to the palette.

I had jarred 5 lbs of this in 2009. In early 2011 I cracked open one of the jars. Initial opening presented the aroma of Latakia and oriental. Lightly rubbing the broken flake but still maintaining some compression in the leaves I filled a bowl and packed it to a medium but gentle draw, and let it sit overnight as I often do when first opening a tin or jar. Upon lighting the next day I found this broken flake to offer a wonderful smoky flavor with a subtle sweetness arriving slowly onto the palette as the smoke progressed. Throughout the entire first 3/4 of the bowl the aroma and flavor danced from a mild buttery nut presence into a sweet and smoky delicacy, and back again. There was little excess moisture, relative to other tobaccos with similar components, though this may have been due to the dryness from being originally a bulk form. Toward the last 1/4 of the bowl, the latakia drifted away leaving a stronger essence of mature VA and oriental. The tobacco burns well, needing few relights, ending in a white ash.

As mentioned, the blend is somewhat mild for a Balkan due to the low content of Latakia, but there is something unique in how the blend imparts the flavors. If you are a heavy Balkan smoker, you will likely not taste the Latakia as a separate entity, however you will note the accented oriental that becomes unique from the marriage to the Latakia, as it gently caresses the VA throughout the smoke.

A superb recipe, and process well done.

A couple of years ago I decided to try several of the McClelland bulk blends, predominantly Virginia and Virginia-based flake. Of all of the blends I tried, I hands-down liked this one the best. I had some trouble remembering which one it was, but managed finally through a process of exclusion to single it out.

I just recently re-ordered an ounce (just to be sure I had the right blend!) and was happy to be reacquainted with it again. Of all of the McClelland bulks I've had thus far, this one is most definitely one I will be buying a significant amount of to store away.

I began by breaking down the flake lazily, and leaving it on the table in my kitchen so it would dry out. Occassionally I would break it down some more and after a few hours I found it dry and rubbed out enough to pack into a nice medium-sized billiard. Please do give this blend an opportunity to dry appropriately, since a little dryness really brings out some of the excellent qualities. In my opinion a blend like this is best smoked in a larger, longer format pipe that will afford it the opportunity to concentrate and evolve depth of flavors and aroma.

The Virginia component is marvelous. Sweet and nutty. Burns relatively cool without any harsh tannic or herbal notes. The balance with the Oriental and Latakia really excels in this blend and does wonders to the Virginia base. It really makes me wonder - why didn't I like the other McClelland bulk Va flakes as much as this? Could it be just the addition of the Orientals and Latakia?

---

EDITED 8 August 2017

In my opinion this is the best blend that McClelland make. The matured Virginia is top-quality, lights easily and stays lit, and isn't dry in the least. The Oriental and Latakia add just a suggestion of spice and depth. This blend truly outcompetes several of McClelland's "fancier" blends, and for the price in bulk, it just can't be beat!

I would say this blend should be tinned, but I rather like the bulk pricing so I'm begging that they never tin it. This is my hands down favorite. Sweet, interesting, not too heavy but has a little kick at the end when the flavors get earthly. Ages very well. Burns well from top to bottom with minimal pleasant relights. Can burn the tongue if pulled on too hard, but hey, its a Virginia blend. Does not need any special attention other that rubbing and drying which are the only draw backs. If I could change one thing it would be to have this ready rubbed...call it 2021

The tin note has got an acrid and fermented note of Orientals. The moist content would appear to be rather high at first sight, but once you start crumbling those flakes down they seem rather dry ("goldilocks" I'd say). The smoking experience is musty, spicy, with zesty undertones, and oriental forward. The oriental tobacco comprises the backbone of this blend whereas the latakia seems to act as a buffer in between the former and the virginia leaf it contains. The thickness and appearance of these flakes reminds me of SG, but somewhat easier to break down into a coarse broken flake. I am finding the marrying of all different profiles and flavours quite balanced and right on the spot. And as you progress with your smoke it gets darker with a favour profile that hits many fronts. I think there is so much going on with these flakes, so a rating of four solid starts is appropriate.

This was like finding real ambrosia! Or priceless mithril! A beautiful flake. I didn't find any bite, but it is well to smoke slowly to benefit the flavor this tobacco offers. A must try if you enjoy McClelland's orientals.

Update: I have to say, yet again, how wonderful this tobacco is. Also, after having the chance to smoke this in my house a few times(I normally smoke outside) I really enjoy the room note.

I've had some years to make my way through most of the big names in virginias, vapers, english blends, and va/oriental mixes. The quest for me has more or less ended with the discovery of this blend. It is perfect.

I can't claim to be a huge english fan although i enjoy such blends as ten russians and london mixture. I've always enjoyed the sweet snork on certain english hybrids as well. The latakia component in this blend is just that, a sweet snork that tops off the whole with a sugary and comforting element.

The midrange of flavour comes in from the orientals and some virginias. It's of spices, and develops surely as the bowl burns. Initial taste is less pronounced but it will rush in soon. Don't worry on this account. Combined with the snork you are left with an almost spice bun, spice cake flavour here.

Lastly the whole thing is built on the famous maclelland virginia foundation that indeed is smokeable all on its own to me.

This blend touches all parts of the tongue and nose in terms of flavours and thus delivers what feels like a mouthful of flavour. The room note is also desireable in this sense and one could easily sit in a cloud of this stuff to the delight of the senses.

What else can i say, i just bought a pound and will be buying more for the cellar. I see it as an everyday smoke for my tastes but have yet to smoke it in hot weather.

If you haven't you need to try this tobacco. Bottom line.

For a bulk tobacco this hits the spot. I bought 8 ounces for around $23.50. It was an impressive english mixture with virginia blended in. It is pretty much an all day smoke for me. I enjoy the sweetness with the nuttiness of the orientals mixed in. I must say this is definitely a good blend to start on regardless of how often you smoke a pipe or if it is your first time trying a pipe. This tobacco does not disappoint.