McClelland No. 2045 Oriental Mixture

Shortly after reviewing the godawful Davidoff Mild mixture, I left the Navy and began a long hiatus from the pipe, while continuing to smoke cigarettes. Almost six years later, cigarettes and I have irreconcilable differences. McClelland's 2045 Oriental is the first pipe tobacco to help me get through the divorce from my cigarette habit.

I selected this blend after ruling out Virginias (which I've had difficulty with in the past) and aromatics (not what I was looking for). After buying a two-ounce bag at a local brick-and-mortar, I took it home and gave it a better look-over. It's predominantly rough-cut dark tobacco, with some lighter ribbons thrown in, with a slightly sweet smoky smell. My girlfriend opined that it had a clove smell to it. It does have a slight McClelland catsup smell, but not to the point that it's bothersome.

It burns fairly cool, and has a woodsy, slightly peppery taste. It's also relatively safe to inhale (important for me, a recovering cigarette smoker), and capable of delivering a good wallop of Vitamin N. However, it does bite the tongue a little, and it's a bear to keep lit; this is most bothersome after tamping. If these qualities are attributable solely to the tobacco, it's nothing a little drying out won't fix. I have no clue as to the room note, as I smoke outside or in the garage. Strangely enough, the garage took on a sawdust smell after this was briefly smoked in there. And the neighbors don't complain, so it must not be too bad.

This is a nice not-too-heavy English blend that can be smoked all day, and it's pretty enjoyable overall. So, why three stars?

Firstly, a little more Latakia would probably be more to my liking. Secondly, I'm not sure if its bad qualities are due to excess moisture, my diminished smoking technique, or pipe-and-tobacco incompatibility. I'll update the review after a little experimentation and trying the blend in a briar.

28 March 2012 update: though I still haven't tried this blend in a briar, it's dried out quite a bit. I also tried rubbing each bit between thumb and forefinger before putting it in the pipe. What a world of difference it made! It smoked cooler, required only two relights, allowed a slight sweetness (Virginia?) to pop in, and lessened the aftertaste. Though it's not quite four-star-worthy, it is a better smoke, and I'm now thinking I'll next fill my pipe with a Virginia.

31 March 2012 update: still have yet to try this blend in a briar, but I did try a Virginia blend. Much to my surprise, my girlfriend disliked said Virginia blend; she said the 2045 Oriental is much more pleasant. Further, it is now my belief that this tobacco makes a perfect all-day smoke. Upgraded to four stars, and one I'll keep around. I won't further update this review unless the blend changes substantially.