McClelland Dark Star

A naturally sweet mature Virginia . If you like McClelland Vinegar Virginia (MCCVV), as I do, this will be a winner. You will have some prep work as you need to rub this out real well and let it dry some prior to smoking and even with this ,this tobacco is hard to light and keep lit. Unfortunately , keeping this lit requires a faster puffing cadence than recommended as slow sipping brings out the best in this tobacco and also keeps bite to a minimum. Have the time to sit and savor this, as it is a long smoke. Not an on the go type of blend.

This is the second tin of DS I've tried. The first tin I made the mistake of letting the whole tin dry before I rubbed out the "beef jerky" flakes, an impossible task. When I was done, I had every size from dust to 1/8"x 1" pieces and it seemed like my 100grs. was left with 10grams of tobacco by volume. My recommendation is to keep the flakes moist in the tin and rub out only what you need for a bowl, hit it 5 second in a microwave (or you get a damp dottle) and fill.

The flavor of this tobacco reminds me of Rattrays "Dark Fragrant" , sweet with a bitter aftertaste. All in all, DS is a nice tasting blend that requires too much attention to smoke. I probably won't buy again for that reason.

Got to love and agree with reviewer "DK 06/09/2009"

Update 4/21/12 - I've been working on this same tin for about a month and it has really become something special. Smooth , flavorful, sweet and more complex that Rattrays " DF" and takes a match . The key is to rub the entire tin out while it's damp taking care to give an extra rub to those bigger pieces then let it breath and dry a little. Moved this to 4 stars.

McClelland Dark Star presents itself in thick black flakes, almost uniform in their coloration, and bearing a strong aroma of acetic acid. The moisture content of this tobacco is high. I usually store my tobaccos in Le Parfait glass jars with a rubber gasket and bail closure, and the moist Dark Star flakes have adhered themselves to the bottom and sides of their jar.

Because of this high moisture content, it is very hard to light Dark Star, but I prefer to smoke it immediately without drying. I feel that drying this tobacco would make it lose some of the interesting characteristics it exhibits. I tend to fold the tobacco firmly and either push or screw it into the bowl of a pipe with just enough firmness to hold it in place. Two or three flakes will fill the bowl of a pipe of medium size while still allowing enough space between the folded flakes to allow for expansion while burning, allowing for a good draw. Adding a sprinkling of fine particles from the broken flakes in the bottom of a Dark Star tin to the top of a pipe bowl just before packing will reduce the time and effort it takes to light this tobacco.

This tobacco seems to be well suited to a briar pipe of a Liverpool, Cumberland, Lovat, or Zulu shape. A pipe with a tall and narrow chamber would be ideal. However, something like a dry system Oom Paul from Savinelli or Peterson might also be a perfect pipe for this tobacco, since Dark Star can smoke very wet if you don't approach it slowly and with care.

I would recommend a Zippo lighter with a pipe insert to be used for lighting this tobacco. Getting Dark Star to burn well can be a chore, and the aforementioned type of lighter will ignite the tobacco without risking rim charring of your briar. The initial vinegar tang of Dark Star will mask any taste from the liquid fuel of the Zippo that a sensitive palate might detect. (Personally, I have never had a problem with using a liquid fueled lighter, but some people claim they can detect an altered taste to their tobacco when using such a device.)

At the start of a smoke, Dark Star asserts itself strongly, with a tingling sensation on the palate and a taste of vinegar. These sensations are bracing and surprising, but not unpleasant. I could detect a hint of what seemed to be fresh mint in the background at first, which was most unexpected.

After a few minutes, the taste of Dark Star becomes softer and much more complex. Something of molasses and currant can be felt, and a meatier tobacco taste begins to appear in the background.

For the final act, Dark Star begins to taste more like a traditional English blend, such as Dunhill's Early Morning Pipe, or perhaps it could be perceived as a milder version of Gawith, Hoggarth's & Co's Black Irish X.

All in all, Dark Star is a pleasant tobacco that presents the smoker with a taste that evolves almost like what could be expected from a layering of different blends in a Chimney. I found this tobacco to be a surprising experience.

Dark Star is a chore to get burning, but it rewards patience and persistence well. A good, bracing tobacco that smokes like a three-act play.

Pipes used for testing: Brigham Chinook (65), Falcon A16-19, Peterson Darwin, Peterson Tankard, Freehand Baglan Meerschaum, Peterson Aran 268, Dunhill Shell 0314 Bulldog (1976)

I love this in a small, tall and narrow bowl. From the first light there is a depth of flavor that is extraordinary, which builds and mellows to the bottom of the bowl. Studies of the olfactory system indicate that humans possess at least 500 different odorant receptors, each of which reacts with one or more compounds. Remarkably, specific neurons in the brain region called the olfactory cortex respond to only a combination of two different odorant molecules, not either one by itself (Science 10 March 2006 311: 1477-1481). This means that the brain responds in a way that integrates signals from different molecules: the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. This is definitely true with fine tobacco. Puffing on Dark Star, I get very pleasing combinations of neurons activated, which, given the numbers of receptors and combinations of possible responses (500^8?), it is not surprising that we have difficulty describing such flavors and use analogies: malty notes mixed with old cabernet sauvignon, dried fruit, and ripe woods. This is one of my favorites. It is also very good when blended with other tobaccos if you like to attempt on your own to excite a symphony of olfactory sensations through mixing.

There is a learning curve to get it to burn well. I have had good luck with the slow in- out airflow cycle and employ frequent re-lights. The rewards are great!

There is a tin note of all of the McClelland blends that many pipe smokers either love or hate- it smells of Catsup to me. I cannot say that I go either way; I could certainly do without it, but will keep smoking their blends because I enjoy them.

And Darkstar has a sister- 2035, and in fact I think that they are twins.

This dark stoved VA Flake has the appearance of railroad ties, or small pieces of a car tire. In the literal sense of the description it is in no small part I'm sure due to the method of the stoving and stoving and stoving process. But they got it right; this blend is a lovely example of what happens to VA tobacco when it is put to the oven.

I bought several 5 year old tins from the local tobacconist a while back and have been smoking it off and on ever since in many different sized bowls.

For my tastes I rub it out as much as possible, as I was soon to find that otherwise it would take a blowtorch to light. The first half of the bowl has the sweet deep richness of a stoved flake, and as the bowl burns deeper so does the stoved flavor and body. To me it?s not comparable to other flakes, indeed this flake is in a world of its own, without the fermented aroma of Stonehaven and not the fig and raisin tin notes of Marlin Flake.

This Flake is the best that I have enjoyed by McClelland?s as far as this pipe smoker is concerned, and I will continue to do so- Darkstar is a part of my vast regular rotation.

I was able to sample a bowl of this from a fellow friend of mine and pipe club member. This tin is from April 2006. I took three thin strips, twisted them in half and loaded it up in my Altinay Meerschaum Poker. The aroma from the jar was that of strong fermentation of the tobacco. This has a full flavor, low in nicotine, the taste of this blend reminds me of smokey charcoal if that makes any sense. Really great blend that due to the flakes took me about an hour to finish. Great way to spend the day.

This is my all time favorite blend. This is as good as a straight Virginia can get and I personally can't get enough of it. Upon cracking open the tin, that oh-so-familiar McClelland ketchup smell overwhelms the senses. The first time I ever opened a McClelland Virginia blend, I almost threw it out. It was unlike anything I had ever smelled before in a pipe tobacco, but I'm glad I didn't. Now I have grown to love that peculiar smell, because I know it means sweet deliciousness awaits. Dark Star is no different. If anything, that ketchup smell is stronger than ever in a tin of Dark Star, so be aware of that. But if you get through that, you will be rewarded with one of the best tobaccos on the market. The moisture content is atrociously high. I normally leave some of the broken flakes out for an hour or more rubbed out and ready to go although I have left it out over night and half a day and it was still fine. Upon first light, you are carried away on sweet clouds of stoved Virginias. The sweetness is very akin to honey, there is a bit of a fruit flavor, maybe fig or cherry in the background, but it is very sweet. Then as the bowl starts to settle in with a tamp or two, a bit of spice comes out. It's nothing like perique and it doesn't stay around for the entire bowl in my opinion. It simply weaves in and out of the smoke, popping up when all you think is left is sweet honey. Deeper behind it all is a very bread like flavor that if you sit and ponder will come out a bit more. The nicotine level, for me, is medium in intensity, but friends have said its a bit high for them. To each their own. Personally, Dark Star is a blend that I love to smoke while deep in thought. You do need to be a bit careful with the blend as it can bite if you really puff on it. But, if you are careful and contemplative, you will truly be rewarded with one of the best tobaccos on the market today. My only regret is that it doesn't come in bulk or large 8-16 O.Z. tins.

I ordered this blend based on the online description at P&C. I was curious because I had just really recently become a fan of VaPer blends and I thought I try a straight Virginia flake. I have smoked several VaPer flakes in the past so a flake without Perique in it might be the way to go for an introduction. Dark Star! What a name for a tobacco. Sounds like a science fiction title, but this smoke is no fiction. This blend is the real thing. The flakes were thick and moist. The color is black with an aroma that is unique. After taking a look at the flakes I immediately rubbed out the whole tin as best I could, not easy. Next time I'll cube cut the flakes. I have had very little trouble in lighting this tobacco, my handy Zippo lights it up fine. Sip it because it is possible to get some bite if you huff like a train. It has a sweetness from the tobaccos that I like. It was a fun experience and a good intro to McClelland products.

Nothing to add that hasn't been said. As a lover of primarily Balkan and English blends, I will say that this VA seems to exemplify all the positive attributes that a dark VA flake should have and it is an extremely enjoyable smoke. Along with Pease's Union Square (a very different flake, for sure), one of the best in production! An altogether pleasant and magical departure from my regular smokes. 4 stars, without a doubt.

This is a rich, sugary, figgy Virginia that I feel strongly must be a base for Tudor Castle, which is perhaps the best blend I have ever smoked. Now up to this point I thought it due to the blend as a whole, lf- but I now know it's the Virginias that make it special. This stoving process-it melds not only the flavors but it tempers the structure of the tobacco, makes it elastic, rubbery, as well as slows down the burn characteristics very much. That part is a pain in the.... but so worth the effort.I tear at the flakes as best as possible. The flavor is rich, very sugary, perhaps molasses-like, and never bitter, never bitey. So I'm not a Virginia only guy, in fact I must confess I didn't read up on this blend b4 smoking it, so I was very surprised to find it was a pure Virginia! It's akin to comparing milk chocolate to dark chocolate in that regard, Dunhill or Capstan have get followings, and are lighter, hayish. This process must take plenty of time to complete..and is it sooo worth the wait! I cannot recommend this enough.