McClelland Grey Havens

this blend was one of my earliest introductions to the mcclellands blends and i liked it from the beginning. the balance of the burley and virginia are just right and the "hint" of perique add just the right amount of the something extra. the tin aroma is wonderful and the tobacco colors make for a very inviting presentation. the varied cuts pack easily and set out to a nice flavorful smoke from the first wave of the lighter. as far as variation down the bowl, there is very little, but the flavor of the smoke from beginning to end is consistently good making for a good all day tobacco.

update (6/9/17)- this has become one of my favorite "go to" blends, i have found very few others that offer the same consistent level of pleasure regardless of time of day, indoor/outdoor, pairing, or mood. i have upgraded from "recommended" to "highly recommended" and do so wholeheartedly.

As someone who really enjoys many of McClelland tobaccos, I must say that this is a flop. For the amount I spent I would have been better off buying 5 pouches of Borkum Riff, for that is by far a more satisfying smoke than Grey Havens. This tobacco never seems to "happen"; it smells OK in the can and is cut right with the right moisture content, but then you light it and there's very little flavor, and so you think-- "Ok, this has got to cook a bit before it starts to taste good.". And so you smoke it, and you realize that the topping is getting to taste a bit chemically, I really don't know what it is, although I get hints of synthetic vanilla and butterscotch coming through, but there's still really very little actual flavor, not even the tobacco tastes like much at all...then all of a sudden, within a 3-4 puff window, this stuff gets hot and ashy and astringent, and you know the bowl is over...like I said, disappointing. And this happens regardless of which pipe I try smoking it in. On the other hand, the room note is pretty mild, and I guess as a social smoke it wouldn't be half bad if you could deal with it. It is a "quality" tobacco, as far is the type of leaf and blending and packaging, etc, but it really is nothing special and there are plenty of OTC and bulk jar tobaccos that outshine this stuff for a quarter of the price if aromatics are your thing...as I said, if I'm going to smoke a flavored aromatic, then let it be a flavored aromatic.

Recommendation: Swipe a couple of bowlfulls from someone and give it a try before shelling out $12 for a can of this stuff.

Sorry McClelland, Darkstar and Blackwoods are like manna from heaven in my book and you'll still get my $12/can for them every two months until armageddon, but this blend just plain doesn't do it for me.

UPDATE 1/15/09: Alright, alright--After a long time to dry out and mellow together, it's not too bad. Not my first choice, but not a horrendous as my original impression. Quality leaf...

Somewhat recommended...now

I enjoy this blend very much.I smoke this all day, every day.

I need to change my tasting notes on this blend. I smoked it over 10 years ago for several years and then quit for more flavorful blends. My recent change of mind about Haddo's Delight and Escudo made me wonder if I had a new perspective on GH. And, either my tastes or the blend (both?) have changed. Yes, this is a good, friendly mixture if you do not want to be hit with much Perique and desire a cooler smoke than something with more straight Virginia leaf than is GH. The tin I am noting is two years sealed. If you like what Haddo's D and Barbary Coast are attempting, try their older peer for a milder, finesse-blend. Let it reduce in moisture and pack it loose (Frank method works very well with GH), or it might burn your tongue and leave you questioning whether there is enough flavor. The aroma burning is always nice, and it has a slight cigar leaf note that I did not detect previously.

I am an aromatic smoker, but ordered a tin of this while in Iraq for something a little different to try. I usually am not a big VaPer fan, and to its credit, Grey Havens has only as much perique as needed and not a hint more. This is a good, non-offensive, all day smoke. Not really aromatic, but I am gaining a new appreciation of Virginias. I keep a tin of this around at all times.

I'm not sure what it is about Grey Havens that perplexes me. Sometimes, I find that I thoroughly enjoy smoking it; others, I merely tolerate it until I've managed to smoke the bowl's contents. I have problems identifying any of the constituent tobaccos in the mix (were it not for my ability and willingness to read the label on the tin and the reviews, that is) other than perique. I'm a seasonal perique fan. For me to thoroughly enjoy anything containing the spicy weed, I must have cold temperatures and hot coffee. Lately, however, the area in which I live has been experiencing unseasonably warm weather, and I'm sure that has clouded my analysis of this tobacco. Grey Havens isn't a bad tobacco; I just simply have many others that I prefer to spend money on.

My tin of Grey Havens was six years old at the time of opening. Still too moist, however, to properly enjoy. The first pipe was hard to keep lit and delivered little flavor. After a day's drying, the subsequent experiences were vastly improved.

The tin aroma, devoid of any McClelland ketchup smell after the drying, comes across as smelling like a spiced fruit compote. At the match the flavor comes through fresh and sweet. Quite sweet, actually, with a light and pleasant room aroma. I don't notice much complexity of taste in this blend, and not much change from start to finish. Rather, it's just good burley, virginia, a touch of perique, and a casing I'm still trying to identify (honey, perhaps?)

A good change of pace smoke for me, and recommended.

I believe that GH has been highly underrated by most of those whose reviews appear above. I bought a tin reluctantly based on the reviews. My tin was unlike most Mc Clelland blends, having the perfect moisture content. If you even think you like burley blends, you owe it to yourself to try a tin. And if you don't think you like burley, based on experience with drug store brands, give this one a try. One of my top three burley favorites following Stonehaven and Dark Strong Kentucky.

Update 12/23/05. My last tin of GH was not quite as good as were the earlier ones. I mixed it with 2035 (50/50) and found it even better than my original experience with this blend.

Update 7/30/07. While never a great fan of aromatics, GH ranked near the to op the list. As I grow less enchanted with aromatics, so does my liking for this one.

Add a star if you like aromatics and two stars is aromatics are all you smoke.

A fantastic blend,smoking abowl right now.The perique does not overshadow the burley or virginias.Virginias waft in and out giving delectable sweet tease and the burley anchors evrything together in a harmonious blend.

Upon opening the tin the famous McClelland ketchup was not as overpowering as their other blends,a figgy note was prescent,like a fruity steak sauce.

The leaf itself is predominately leather brown with a sprinkling of dark leaf.Finely shredded it packs and lites easily in a medium Savinelli.Upon liting once burning billowy clouds of smoke erupt.