McClelland Dark Star

6-6-04 I was very excited to open my tin which had been layed down for two years. Although I did not get what I was expecting, nevertheless it was worth the wait. As I have mentioned before, I am primarily a Balkan smoker, so any deviation is ussually a "I smoke this on occassion". On to the review:

Appearance: Well, it looks like beef jerky. It is tougher and drier than "Stonehaven" though.

Tin Aroma: That wonderful tang that you either love or hate (I love it!)

Packing: It is a little too moist upon opening, be sure to leave open for a few hours upon initial breaking of seal. Can be a little daunting to break up fine enough to get decent airflow in the pipe. I had frustrating results if I tried the stuff method (it kept going out this way and would get an inconsistent draw). Fully rubbing out is my recommendation.

Initial Flavor: I was expecting the rich fullness that I recieved from "Stonehaven", but instead recieved a medium to full Va flavor with a spicy kick to it.

Mid-Bowl: This is where I liked this blend best. Nice mellow stoved Va flavor with a nice interplay between the sweet and salty elements of the leaves. The spicyness mellows somewhat.

End of Bowl: Flavor intensifies ever so slightly, spiciness comes back too. You can almost taste the "redness" of the Va at this point. Ash that is left is fine and grey with a nice clean aftertaste left in your mouth.

Overall: This is a high quality blend that is definitely a "niche" or "special occassion smoke". It is not a Va that I would smoke everyday. The Spicyness caused taste overload for me when smoked all day. I would not recommend to a beginner because this has to be packed and smoked properly in order to get the most of the blend, otherwise you will just frustrate yourself and you may burn your tongue. I will definitely keep a tin "in the cellar" and open for special occassions though. I still prefer "Stonehaven" or "Marlin Flake" over this blend, but it is still in my top ten of VA's

Rating: 4 out of 5 points, enjoy...

I first purchased this stuff two years ago after reading some reviews. at first I thought it was a practical joke, this stuff ain’t flake this is jerky! Or perhaps old leather scraps!, I rubbed it out (more like tore into manageable chunks) and stuck it in a large meerschaum, puff puff bite, blah, chucked it in a cupboard and forgot about it. well.... two years later I come back to these black leathery misshaped flakes and slow it down. I carefully rubbed at a couple of pieces, and gravity filled a fairly medium sized narrow bowl. a couple of charring lights and a tamp and we’re off.. slow and careful like. this ain’t half bad, actually ... this is very good! Nice chewy sweet wisps as I slowly breathe, puff, breathe, puff. there is a lot more too this flake than originally perceived, it makes you look for other subtle flavours. I put it down half way through the bowl and leave it for a few minutes, I find this can help distinguish subtleties when the pipe is on the cusp of going out. the sweet hay Virginia is present but there is something deeper here, like burnt caramel but so natural that you can forget it’s there at times. close to the end of the bowl and it’s getting a wee bit of spice but not unpleasant just something that demands a little more care. (Two years and it’s still a lil moist). I don’t know about dark star I reckon it should be named black mamba, it requires preparation, respect and to be treated with gentle cautiousness or it’ll bite! but when you do... wow! a truly delightful tobacco, I prefer something that’s easier to tame and quicker to pack and go... None the less a great tobacco!

Wow, If I didn't know better I would of thought I had a tin of tire shreds, it was that dark. This flake is extremely dense (yes, almost rubber like) and takes some work to rub apart. These unwieldy rubed-out bits tended to create air pockets in the bowl, which created a bad suction at times. The smell in the tin was amazing and the spice tickles you nose.

Lighting up can be a pain, so make sure to keep the tiny kindling bits to put on top, otherwise it is like lighting charcoal biscuits without fluid. Once lit however, it acted much like charcoal and smoldered forever, giving you a long smoky treat.

As expected the flavor is spicy and deep, though it felt different from an English or Oriental in taste. It was very good, even without that McClelland flavor I come to expect from their blends (the Frog Morton zing) and is a solid 3 star for me. Honestly, might even be a 3.5 star, but the fact that it is such a pain to get packed and lit in the middle of winter with my cold fingers, held the score back.

Note: while it may not have any flavoring added, my taste buds decided that someone dashed something spicey on it.

I have to say this tobacco is very much a 'split decision' for me. Usually, this is a very pleasant smoke -- the dark tobaccos meld well, it's mildly complex, deliciously dark with just the right amount of bitterness, like a good porter. Other times, it hits me as bland and bitey -- obviously, since it's all from the same tin, it's me not the tobacco that's different. I'm sure that's true of all blends and all smokers, it's just that this time the difference is so dramatic, and of course shows why we shouldn't rely on just a bowl or two before we rate. Still, usually this is a very good dark tobacco, well worth trying.

I am going to have to agree with other reviewers, this stuff is very good. While I'm not a huge fan of McClelland blends I think this one hits the mark as a good, tasty, cool burning smoke.

The tin note is vinegary, the usual McClelland, but that's where it stops. The smoke is flavorful, earthy, with a sweetness that's present but not very pronounced. The aroma is of baked bread, kind of reminds me of waffles.

What I'm not crazy about is the cut. The flakes, dry or moist, don't rub out into strands of tobacco but into chunks. Basically, the flakes crumble but not like your traditional crumble cake, more like smaller pieces of the flake. This makes packing somewhat challenging, but not terrible. Lighting is another issue, but no big deal if you use a lighter. Once lit it stays lit and burns cool.

I am not likely to buy this again in favor of other tobaccos that suit my tastes better, but I do recommend it as a good, quality smoke.

As a side note, if you like really sweet Va. flakes, this might not be for you.

Don't buy Dark Star if you can't enjoy the ritual of preparing it. I can't imagine trying to rub this stuff out as one would an ordinary flake; it'd be like trying to rub out wood chips. Some have recommended electric coffee grinders, others tobacco grinders. I find that a grater works very well: I use the kind with a little metal drum and a crank, as for grating Parmesan. Works like a charm and you can wash it afterwards to use with other tobaccos (or, if you dare, to slip back into the kitchen drawer without telling anyone).

Dark Star's claim to fame, in my opinion, is its distinctive dark, heavy sweetness. I've had sugary smokes, and molasses-y smokes, and aromatic smokes (both good and bad), but never a smoke quite like this. I like it very much. Behind the sweetness the taste is subtle, even light, and requires gentle smoking to emerge; most of the flavor is in the finish. Because Dark Star is a big smoke, this point is not obvious at first. It's not so wild and complex as Stonehaven, but there's stuff going on there; it's got character. Good for evenings in the warmer months.

"Dark Star crashes, pouring its light into ashes," say the Grateful Dead in the song which, I imagine, gave the blend its name. I think I see what they had in mind. And unlike what the Dead were smoking, this stuff is legal.

Neurons, huh? I don't know how reliable mine are anymore, but they seem to be doing a fine job enjoying Dark Star. My tin reads, 'rich, cool and dark with a seductively spicey aroma and complex flavor' Pretty much what is stated above for tin description. And pretty accurate, too boot. This is very good stuff. I love stoved Virginias, but I agree with many reviewers that McC's bulk Dark Navy Flake is a better stoved flake than this. Dark Star could be a little sweeter, but, other than that, it has no faults.

This would be a 4 star review if there wasn't a cheaper, tastier version of the same thing made by the same company. The spice in Dark Star is great, but I must save the extra star for 2035, seems better melded and flavorful.

As usual, I have a mixing suggestion for this tobacco. Although it's great straight, it's really great mixed with 75% Gawith Full Virginia Flake, my all day smoke.

Oh, yes! It's undeniably McClelland, only this time the ketchup and worcestershire are turned down while the stoved Virginias are turned up several notches. This is pretty much an all Virginia cake knockout. It's in the McC Personal Reserve line, but a very different and totally refined offering. The Blackwoods Flake is a lighter, fruitier, mottled flake. DS is black as coal, baked, charred, each leaf resilient and satiny. It's hard to get this one going after you've figured how to properly rub it out. I just folded mine in a large bent Peterson Shamrock and hoped for the best. Once it gathers momentum, though, look out! If you're not a fan of McC and sweetened matured Virginias, I'm preaching to the wrong choir. But if you are, you're in for one heck of a treat. The aromas are deep and autumnal with hints of bark and chestnut. It left my car smelling wonderful. Surprisingly, unlike the brighter mottled Virginias of McC, it did not razor my tongue. Then again, I only rubbed out one large slice. This is one I would like to have in my collection. Why do companies like McC insist on making so many great tobaccos? It makes our choices too varied. So many tobaccos, so little time!

Four of five stars

-------update march 2006

Got a 50g tin a year later. Still very good stuff, but here's the problem: I've tried too many other magnificent things since then, which I guess has lowered my estimation of this flake. It's still smokes cool and dry and leaves a heavenly aroma in the room, but it's too damned hard to rub out and pack and then you have to work like a fiend to light it and keep it lit. I'm trying to make my life easier, not harder. Pipe smoking is joy and relaxation, not a struggle. Still a great stoved Virginia flake, but this is for once in awhile when I'm not feeling badly about fighting with my tobacco.

Three of five stars

If you have never tried such a stoved flake, you will definitely be impressed: it's black, it almost looks and feels like dried leather. The tin aroma is great: some ketchup, some dried fruit, some deep and dark caramel notes. Compared to other flakes, it's not too moist... but it clearly shows it will take some effort to light up (also because it does not rub out easily). The stoving has a positive effect on burning qualities, as this tobacco doesn't bite at all even if rushed. The taste is dark but not heavy, amost licoricey: not sweet and sour like other McClelland offerings. Once lit, it goes regularly with little relights. Room note is not very pleasant, a bit rank especially after you have finished the bowl. It's a nice tobacco, easy to smoke, soft and light in nicotine: in its genre it's one of the best, although I admit I tend to prefer red virginia flakes.