McClelland Oriental Mixture No. 8

I opened the tin to find a nice looking ribbon cut tobacco. The smell was definitely oriental, but nothing outstanding.

I packed it in a medium Ferndown and lit it up.

It lit slow in this pipe.

The initial flavor was excellent, good, strong tobacco flavor. Almost like a srong burley. As I smoked it seemed to get hotter. I put the pipe aside planning to return to it later.

My next bowl was in a medim Nording. I smoked this one to the end of the bowl. It was the same, excellent taste at first but hotter as it went. My tongue was on fire by the time I finished.

I tried a couple more bowls over the next few days, always the same results.

Great tasting tobacco, maybe someone with differant smoking habits and a more taste than I would enjoy it.

There is something about McCelland mature red virginias thet I find agreeable and pleasure inducing. There is a ¨rightness¨to the taste and aroma that hits the mark. This blend balances the virginias beautifully with the smooth round condiment tobaccos present. I always find virginias to be more contemplative than other type blends, and such is the case here. Virginias reward me for sipping the smoke more so than other types of tobacco, where puffing is more pleasureable. As such, it is a relaxing smoke. As I do with most tobacco, I chop this a bit before I smoke it to make it more easily combustible. Trying to keep something lit detracts considerably from my enjoyment. No problems here.

P.S. My cans are stamped 1998.

After the euphory of trying no 14, I was looking forward to try this one, which was on the lighter side-colour wise.

As where no 14 was not cased, this one was cased with an unidentified flavour that, despite all my efforts, remained so.

The lighting up and partial smoking was a deception, the bakkie was sticking to the inside of the pipe like glue, and smoked hot.

I'll stick with no 14.

To me this is a mostly Viginian blend; you can notice the classic McClelland's ketchup flavour upon opening the tin. It is a great blend, perfectly balanced and would have been a perfect classic English if it hadn't have that typical flavour. It burns well and slowly and can be a fine all-day smoke as well as an introduction blend to the world of latakia.

As others (and McClelland) have stated - this is a very mellow, mild smoke. A fine crossover point, I think, for VA smokers wanting to experience a balkan or light English blend. The spice tobaccos are just that - hints of condiment under the zippy red VA sweetness.

Even my aged sample took a few lights to get going - but once it did it burned long, slow, steady and smooth.

This could easily be a good morning/early PM smoke - when you want just a touch of latakia and turkish - but not one of the overbearing (in a good way) powerhouse blends. This blend has a mellow, mossy undertone not quite like anything else I've ever tasted.

I don't primarily smoke English blends, but this is one blend I do like to smoke when I get that English urge. I find that the balance of VA's and Orientals suits my palate just fine. It isn't real heavy on the Latakia, but there is enough there to give it that smokey flavor. Xanthi could be providing some of that smokey flavor as well. The color is mixed light and dark brown with a good portion of near black. The ribbon cut packs well and it lights easily enough. The matured red VA's shine through as the base with a lightly sweet flavor and that familiar VA tang, but there is an underlying Oriental spiciness as well as a nutty taste that builds as you smoke down the bowl and, as the tin description states, it is a rich, mellow smoke. The flavor is soft and round in the sense that no one tobacco is always overriding the others. Moisture was not a problem, I used one pipe cleaner about half way down the bowl. I feel it did get a little harsh near the end but it was not, to me, unpleasant. It burns down to a fluffy, grayish ash. I find #8 to be a rich, rewarding blend, and I would smoke it almost any time of the day. LSW prefers the aromas of other tobaccos like the VA's or VA/perique blends but she as well as others that were there when I smoked this simply stated it "was not bad". I find it smokes best in a Grp. 5 or G size pipe, but it's mellow enough that a larger pipe would do OK. I tried it in a deep bowl full-bent Don Carlos and it did get a little bitter. I like it though, and I'll keep some around.

The very first time I have tried this blend and I like it very much and smoked it all that evening I will keep on hand. I like virginia tobaccos and this one is awesome! It has hints of Greek, and Latika but not to overpowering to kill the Red Virginia that is prominate in this blend. I highly recommend this blend for those who like Virigia tobacco or Virginia Blends.

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Thanks,

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Ronn Jones