McClelland Dark Star

From looks, feel, and smell, this would seem to be a serious, testy tobacco. One that requires patience and dedication. This, however, isn't really the case. Tear it up, grind it up, or just squish and stuff it in your bowl- it's actually pretty forgiving. The famous McClelland Virginiagar scent is strong with this one, but doesn't translate too heavily to the tongue. It's actually a pretty tasty offering, albeit one that takes all of your notions of what a Virginia is and stabs them in the lung, Sure, it's sweet, but it's also spicy and smokey. It has a zing! I like it best in a small billiard, since it can leave my taste buds feeling claustrophobic after a bit. It's a treat that I break out once in a while for a change of pace. Definitely not an all-day smoke for me, and I'll smoke Five Brothers for breakfast! Makes a great dry-rub, too.

ok.. i revisted this baccy last nite and today and admit i was wrong. I actually like this baccy. I kept thinking about Unsal and his recommend. I took a flake, seperated a little and let sit about 15 min. smoked and tasted like a dream. i just dont know what i was thinking or did the first time around. and thanks unsal for piping, i mean popping into my head. a good baccy indeed. sorry all and sorry McClelland..thanks

didnt like this alone. hard to keep lit moist and found it harsh dried. I'll take pieces of it to blend with others. i know, i know..need to give it another chance, but dont think i'll change my mind on this one.

Moist, partially broken flakes which are black to very dark brown in color with occasional chocolate-hued veining. The tin nose is sharp yet deep, with a marked acetic acid note covering a pungent, woody sweetness and the aroma of fresh, wet clay. Measuring approximately 1” x 2” and 1/16th” in thickness when whole, the dark rubbery flakes are not particularly amenable to easy preparation and can be, to put it mildly, something of a pain to pack and keep lit. Experimentation with a variety of preparation techniques was necessary to find what works. For this reviewer, the flakes seemed to do best when allowed to reach a substantial level of dryness and then placed in smaller pipes with narrow gauge chambers, partially ‘rubbed' (meaning, in this case, broken into chunks by hand or cubed with scissors).

In the bowl, Dark Star offers a pleasant combination of rich, syrupy spice and semi-sweet chocolate with notes reminding of wood smoke, old cinnamon sticks, molasses, and the caramelized sugar crust of crème brûlée fresh from under the broiler. For this reviewer, allowing the flakes to smolder (accompanied by measured sipping) produced the best results. DGT is delightful as is the second half of a fresh bowl, where the flavor nuances begin to emerge. Dark Star goes particularly well with a cup or two of freshly ground, dark roast coffee, preferably after dinner. On the full side of medium bodied, the finish is long with a savory, woody tang.

Not for the impatient, Dark Star is much quicker to punish inattention than it is to reward persistence. At the same time, however, this reviewer is left with a sneaking suspicion that there is more going on in these odd black flakes than just one tin can reveal. Based on a tin dating to 2004, it is highly unlikely that Dark Star could ever become an ‘everyday Virginia' around these parts, but it does beckon for more attention and further consideration down the road. Given the constituent tobaccos of the blend, its suitability for cellaring and long-term aging seems obvious.

As stated, this stuff is different. Upon opening I didn't know whether to eat it or smoke it. Most likely Beef Jerky, Its very wet. I took 2 large slabs and laid it out on the dashboard of my truck to let it sun-dry for 2 hours. Then I broke it all apart and packed it loosely and used the fine crumbs/dust for the topping. It toasted just right on the first light, Then 1 more light lasted till the end, Not really strong, mild nicotine, Flavors are favorable. Pleasant experience, No bad side effects. I'd buy it again. I recommend a trial, You might just like it. Takes a bit longer to prepare for smoking, but Its good.

For me, not entirely my style, not as much as other McClellands such as Virginia #24 and #27 or Blackwoods Flake. The flake is very dark and compact. I gave my brother, who rolls his own cigarettes and smokes the occasional pipe a tin of this, and it is about his favorite. The flake is mellow and stoved-tasting, too much so for me, but there is no arguing with the quality. I smoke it for a change of pace. There is also a pleasant spice aroma, kind of nutmeggy? Ginger? Hard to say, and probably just a product of the curing. I get a note of dried fruit like figs or dates, but I often get that impression fron this style of tobacco.

Love this stuff.

I fill a pipe or two with folded flakes and then leave them overnight and smoke them the following evening and thsu I never have problems with the burn at all.

Many have accurately described the rich sweetness of the blend; I do not think there's anything else that approaches it by a mile. And I love the tin scent too...wonderful!

I have one quibble and it's this that drops it a star...I have a tin of DS from 2007 open and a jar of 2035 that I stored away also in 2007. I cannot tell any difference, in the look, the smell or the smoke. So while I hold onto my precious tins of Barry Levin DS from the 1990's and the few more recent tins, what I buy now to store is 2035.

When I opened the tin, my first reaction was that someone had removed the tobacco and replaced it with chips of creosote or whale jerky. I had to contemplate how to get it into a pipe and get it lit. What seemed to work best is to break the flakes lengthwise into approximately 3/8 inch wide strips a little shorter than the bowl depth and stand these up in the bowl, sliding them in one or two at a time until there wasn't any more room. Doing this leaves the pipe with almost no resistance to draw but a good long first light will allow the bowl to be tamped down until the draw is right and it is ready for the true light. This leads to a lot of smoke and an extra long light will yield a smoke that can be kept going pretty much like normal. This smoke has a wonderful sweet taste with noticeable bite. Setting this aside until the bowl is cool, then resuming later with a third light gives a wonderful slow, long smoke that is really hard to beat. The room note got compliments too and that was surprising. All in all a wonderful smoke that takes a lot of work, a complete cool down set aside before resuming, and then a slow and patient draw.

This is a quality dark flake Virginia tobacco with the same ketchup aroma as Blackwood Flake and St James Wood, deep ,dark or even black stoved Virginia, tasty with too much added (natural) top flavoring of cinnamon and licorice, full and powerful on the palate, require many relight and much attention, nice room note.

Dark Star is a decent Virginia blend, a classic from McClelland

As a regular English/Balkan blend smoker, Dark Star is not in my rotation but I like it for a change of pace. There is no bite even though it takes some work to keep lit (fill up your Old Boy before a bowl). The room note is somewhat odd but basically pleasant--a kind of a charred scent with some sweetness. In all, recommended for Virginia lovers.