Butera Golden Cake

Lately I have been on an aged Virginia kick and have been looking high and low for aged McClelland tins. Golden Cake is one of the most distinctive tobacco's in that it is mostly Lemon Virginias, the other being Fribourg & Treyer's Golden Mixture (which I will review next). I had mostly intact flakes in my tin, very large flakes (for McClelland), nice little squares of gold and differing shades of yellow. Tin aroma is typical McClelland with citrus notes. These golden tobacco's need to be sipped and let gently smolder or else you will lose all flavor and create a little blast furnace in your pipe that will scorch your tongue and melt your palate (not really but damn close). Lemon Virginia when un toasted and left in its mostly original state gives extreme sweetness, very high notes and a fine citrus taste, another reviewer mentioned sweet and sour which is a perfect description! Like a Chinese sweet & sour chicken sauce almost. Unnoticeable room note which is neither pleasant or offensive, it's just there, and is also very thin not thick with body like a black Cavendish. Golden Cake is NOT the flake for beginners, not forgiving of careless technique and will bite losing all it's flavor with high temps, but if allowed to smolder, will become quite the treat on a scorching Nevada day. A fine summertime smoke that's very refreshing when it is 115* outside, basically the complete opposite of say Nightcap which is one of my favorite wintertime smokes. Not an everyday smoke (for me) but sitting by the pool with an Iced Tea and a Cob it is certainly worth having a tin around for its uniqueness and when rubbed out makes a fine blender as well. I like having the complete spectrum of McClelland Virginia colors on hand, Yellow Golden Cake, Orange Christmas Cheer, Black Dark Star and Virgina Woods which incorporates all the colors and variety. McClelland makes the best Virginia's (IMHO) I just wish they made larger flakes like the Gawith boys and that they had a flake with strength like 1792 or Dark Flake.... Although extremely tasty and top shelf, I cannot find a blend made by them with the nicotine I desire and need to either blend in 5 Bros. or smoke a bowl of something strong afterwards to get a buzz...

A good friend gifted me a tin with a stamp dating the tin to June of 1999. I have never smoked Golden Cake so this review is my thoughts on a 13 year old tin.

I opened the tin and saw what I was hoping for, those lovely crystals we call bloom. The tobacco still had the McClelland Ketchupy tin note. It was also somewhat moist, so some drying time was in order after I rubbed the tobacco out.

I commenced loading my pipe using the threes method and headed to the deck. I did the charring light and then the relight. The first 1/4 of the bowl had that terrible McClelland yuck. But, after that you are in for quite a treat. It was a mild to medium VA taste with tons of sweetness. There was nothing complex about this flake, you got honest to goodness VA Flake! The ashes stuck in clumps to the side of the bowl, so I knew my pipe was going to need more then a normal cleaning. The tobacco burned all the way down and left the tiniest of dottles.

I would of given this flake 4**** except for that terrible ketchup taste. I am going to buy this to cellar and also to smoke now. It never hurts to do a little comparison.

Of all lemon Virginias I've tried, this one is definitely the best. No tongue bite and no tang is what makes this blend stand above the rest of its class. The McClelland ketchup smell/taste is there as with all others offerings from the house.

To me, this is Capstan Gold Navy Flake with McClelland ketchup, and I find it much more enjoyable.

As a VA fan, I found this one to be something of a disappointment. Aside from the McClelland vinegar smell, the tin aroma was promising, as was the hearty look of the partially rubbed out flakes. Its obvious it is a quality-made blend.

Upon first light, tanginess and sweetness arises. However, this is soon replaced with a generally dry and hot experience. Not bitey per se, but 'arid' is the word that comes to mind. The VA flavors are there in the backgroud, a little sweetness hovering, with a few low notes detectable, but overall this never develops into full flavors, even toward the bottom of the bowl. On the plus side, after smoking a bowl there lingers a warm and toasty aroma in the room.

I had bought this tin several months ago and then recently rediscovered the opened tin in my cache. I couldn't recall why I hadn't finished the tin back then. After a few bowls, I now remember that there was simply nothing compelling about this blend.

With all the good VAs out there, I simply don't find this one worth spending the time on.

Nicely pressed flakes,sliced @ ~ 1/16" and comprised of > 50% brown, 10% yellow and the balance dark brown to black VAs. I don't rub it out and find that it smokes cooler that way. A large sized bowl makes this easier to accomplish and results is a long, enjoyable smoke. This blend is loaded with natural sugar from the curing process and can burn hot if smoked too quickly or rubbed out too finely. The tin aroma is sweet, fruity and very nice. This complex tobacco has changing but pleasant flavors during the smoke but a substantial natural sweetness dominates throughout. Burns evenly and when not rubbed out, avoids many relights. Aromatic smokers may even enjoy this blend but if you like straight VAs, give it a try. I'm going to age a few tins for some time and expect that the flavor will only further improve.

1.Open the tin and pour these flakes out on a sheet of paper. 2.Let dry about 12 hours 3. Put flakes back in tin. These flakes don't come overly moist but there is enough moisture that a little drying is needed and that will help remove some of the tounge bite. Golden brown pressed virginia. Tangy and creamy. Notes of hay and malt. This reminds me of how the old Capstan blue used to taste. A really nice American Virginia that is worth the try.

Update:

Aroma: Ketchup behind which can be detected some tobacco.

Appearance: Thin partially rubbed flake, dark brown and black with yellow speckles.

Loading: I just squished some of the flakes into a Tsuge Kaga.

Lighting: Needs a fairly heavy char but then lights easily enough.

Taste: Fairly stong aged Virginia. Tangy and mildy sweet.

Smoking: Burns a bit hot for me, so I remind myself to slow down.

Conclusion: This is a good aged Virginia Flake. I'm not quite sure how much I like this class of tobacco. I think I prefer natural and stoved Virginias better. For those who like aged Virginias I think you'll find this satisfying.

This is a very nice Virginia broken flake, which I would classify as medium. There are several blends of this genre already in my cellar, or I would add this one to my collection. The flavors range from high through mid notes, with an occasional low note peeping in to say hi. Very little vinegar aroma for a McClelland product.

This VA was plain to me. I did notice some nicotine going on and some extra flavor coming and going randomly. I will give it another chance, but if i compare it to... Dunhill Flake. I might just give it that chance when i m out of Dunhill. 🙂

Update: Second chance. And I m not out of Dunhill flake, I just opened the container today (too bad it does not come in a can)and smelt something different, like a stronger smell of prunes. I still think this tobacco is not consistent through the bowl but here and there the flavor comes and I am really enjoying my stanwell poker filled with it. I might even finish the container!

Summing up, it would be unfair not to give it an extra star!