McClelland Grey Havens

Grey Havens is among my favorite tobaccos, with a permanent place in my rotation.

Having smoked several tins at this point, I can say that the cut and quality of the blend is top notch, with the right moisture content, and an extremely pleasant tin aroma without the slightest hint of ketchup. Grey Havens is at home in any pipe it seems, but it does particularly well in larger billiards.

The taste is delightful, though I do not detect any toppings as some seem to. (I do not generally care for aromatics, but perhaps my palate is insensitive to very light topping.) I find the perique is what really sets this blend apart and gives it a character that makes me look forward to a pipeful. A major plus is the very pleasant room note, and it is my go to smoke when non-pipesmokers might be around. This is a smoke one buy one blend.

A good all day smoke. It's positively delicious, but not overtly so. It's not going to punch you in the face with a wild flavor, but rather it sets in on you unexpectedly about half way through the bowl. This is definitely a blend you want to smoke in a larger bowl to get the full effect. Others in the room have remarked on how good it smellsand it really is just a joy all around. If you're a huge bold Virginia fan, maybe this doesn't quite make the cut for you, but for a very smooth and satisfying (if perhaps less intense) smoke this blend will not leave you wanting.

One thing I've noticed about McC blends in general - they require age to really come to fruition. Lots of age. The tin I have is about 50g worth of 7.5 year old Gray Havens. This is really fantastic stuff. I could envision a newer tin being hard to get through - thin and harsh - much like some of beloved "young" C+D and GLP mixtures. But the sample I'm currently treasuring is dense in flavor in complexity. Truly quality stuff with an interplay of light nuttiness, tangy perique, delightfully sweet topping and natural VA. A very mild cigar note creeping in every now and again adds robustness. No bite or wetness with the topping actually enhancing - instead of overpowering the smoke.

This is in sharp contrast to my experience with other McC Craftsbury collection series. Frog Morton is, IMO, abysmally boring. Deep Hollow kind of like attempting to smoke a caramel apple (though quite tasty if you hit a sweet spot). But Gray Havens is to date the only one of the bunch I'd actually keep around. Though I have a feeling I should hunt down some old tins or else stow away a bunch for savoring later...

I will add that while topped, this seems to promote much more appeal in taste than to room note. While the perique and topping function well in the blend - the air left in the room is exceptionally acrid and stale.

I see why Tolkien smoked this, I love it! I purchased it because I love perique. Though I prefer Dorchester, I thought I would broaden my taste. I read the previous reviews, after I ordered a tin and thought: Uh Oh! But, I love it! My tin was moist, sure, but, not that moist. It is a most unique, leafy texture, with a smattering of black perique and a fragrant odor of dried fruits. The taste, oh. that taste!, now, I know why JRR used to look forward to each new day as another to smoke! However, one does have a next-morning "after-taste" But don't let this deter you. So do as I did. You need to experience it firsthand!

Va., burley, and perique. Excellent quality tobacco. It has the {traditional} McC nose out of the tin. When lit it is smooth, has a sweet flavor, and a light chocolate/vanilla aroma. Note the word light. It's not flavored like an aromatic. I like this blend because it's not tireing like a straight burley or an english, and it doesn't get sugary-syrupy disgusting like a typical aromatic. A good middle ground tobbaco. The wife will like it too. It is moist but once it is lit it burns quite well. Savor and go slow. VA and perique will bite ferociously if you smoke them too fast. The flavor is sweet and spicy. I like it!

I bought this can because of the name and description, being a Tolkien Junkie, i had to try it. The aroma is outstanding, rich aged Virginia and a sweet topping which smells of prunes or something likr that. Upon closer sniffage you get a nice spicy flavor, overall the smell is half of the experience and starts the mouth watering.

The blend is as others have said a bit wet, and needs a few minutes to dry out. Once a tad dryer, it packs nicely into my slightly bent horn virginia pipe. It takes a bit to light it, but find a nice torch lighter gets it going nicely as well as drys it out a bit. The initial flavor is the sweet virginia musty flavor, but is quickly accomanied by the topping flavor. a rich smoking experience, about a third to halfway through you get the perique spicyness that rounds the blend out nicely.

I dont think alot of english tonbacco smokers would like this, but if you like a nice mautre virginia try it, it is a nice accompanyment to a good book and my wife found the aroma much to her liking.

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.

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

A sweet flavor, I've been smoking this for a few months now and have yet to tire of the taste or the pleasant aroma.

I would say this is better than Deep Hollow, not by much, but it seems to excel wherever Deep Hollow fails.

I can't seem to find anything bad to say about this blend! So far I would have to say that this is my favorite!