McClelland St. James Woods

I feel really bad about this but i am going to have to buck the trend with this review.

First let me state that I have nothing but the utmost respect for the fine people at McClellands and I know for a fact they produce nothing but the highest of quality products. I have had the distinct pleasure of enjoying many of their offerings over the years and regardless of my personal preferences with the blend I know I have received a very high quality craft product every time.

That being said for some reason I just don't get St. James Woods. After reading all the reviews here I was very excited to try it. I am a true lover of all tings Virginia and thought this would be a real winner.

Do not get me wrong. In no way was this a bad tobacco. It is beautifully packaged and produced product. It just did not knock my socks off as I had expected.

Upon opening the tin I got hit with that wonderful mouth watering ketchupy-vinegary smell that most McClelland Virginias seem to be blessed with. The cut is a strange random Krumble cut type. It was very moist in the tin and very hard to rub out. After drying for some time I filled a butz-Choquin calabash and sat back waiting to be amazed. I was met with shoulder shrugging indifference through the whole bowl. The flavors were ok but they were not amazing. This tobacco was also hard for me to keep lit.

This is an OK blend, but it does not give me that pipe smoking epiphany that others seem to achieve. I would say it is somewhat recommended, but based on the other reviews from my most revered brothers of the briar here I think everyone who has ever let a pipe grace their lips should try it.

I'm going to cut right to the mustard here folks... Or rather the ketchup. This offering from McClelland is a world class smoke, and definitely has that famous McClelland ketchup tin note in spades. So strong it burns the nose with a vinegar aroma when you first pop open the tin. This particular tin (or can) is two years of age, and I can tell for certain that another few years of aging would make the St. James Woods absolutely stellar. This is a VaPer lover's dream, and the quality of leaf used is second to none.

Tin note: Ketchup and Vinegar that does not translate over into the smoke. Some drying necessary prior to packing your bowl. Room note: Pretty neutral, and not offensive to non smokers Nicotine content: The lower side of medium. Satisfying, but friendly. Taste: Pretty consistent throughout the bowl. Sweet and hay like, pretty tame on the spiciness from the Perique until the last third of the bowl where it picks up a few notches and gives you that ground black pepper feeling on the tongue. Very full, pure and sweet Virginia hay taste with no tongue bite whatsoever, and a slight spicy character.

This is a World Class Virginia Perique blend. Bravo McClelland... Bravo!

Update: still my number one smoke. I've cellared many tins for aging. Was lucky enough to just receive a tin dated 2011 and opened in without checking the date beforehand. It was an amazing smoke. If you like virginias with perique at medium strength don't wait and try this one.

What can you say about this one? It's a top notch blend and my number #1. The combination of red virginia and perique is maybe the best combination in a pipe. Add to that the depth and creamy sweet flavor of the black stoved virginias. I find this blend to be complex and very tasty.

I recommend rubbing fully to get a nice even burn. Dry a little to your preference. I don't often smoke bone dry but I do dry a little. I usually smoke a small tin that I've aired a bit and then let sit in a closed mason jar. Over time it seems to open up the flavors in the jar.

Ignore the tin note. It doesn't matter. I happen to think it smells amazing. That's how virginia smells kids. You get a similar tin note from Old Gowrie or Hal of the wind. Though not quite as strong I guess.

This is based on a full tin of St James Woods purchased a couple of years ago and just opened. SJW greets that nose with the usual McClelland fermented scent and like many McClelland's it arrives far too moist to smoke. After rubbing out the broken flakes it dries fairly quickly. Overall there are things I like about this VaPer and things that I find to be just OK. First off, like all McClelland blends, the quality of the tobacco appears to be great. The flavors really build nicely throughout the bowl. SJF is lightly sweet and the Perique is just right for me. As the bowl progresses, the sweetness is more pronounced. I wouldn't call it a negative, but for me; SJW lacks the body/strength that I prefer in some of my favorite VaPers. It is the one thing that will keep it from my regular rotation. When it comes to the McClelland VaPers that I have smoked, I prefer the Blackney's Bayou Slice a little bit more. Overall, I would recommend SJW to any VaPer lover, especially if you prefer your VaPers with a lower amount of Lady N.

A delicious pipe full of magical tobacco. The stoved Virginias and the Perique come together for a night in Fantasia-esqe delight. I could smoke one bowl right after the other.

Upon opening the tin you get that all familiar McC vinegar/ Ketchup aroma. I allowed the tin to breath for about an hour but my anticipation got the best of me and I started to fill. The tobacco was in various sizes and thicknesses of flakes , so I rubbed out the larger pieces. It took about three charring lights to get the tobacco burning, but once it was lit, it stayed lit. The taste was sweet with a complement of raisin and prunes, very nice and no bite. The tobacco seemed to contain a large percentage of 5100 Red Cake with additional stoving and some additional stoved Virginias. The Perique was in the background, not heavy enough to be peppery. As I continued to smoke I noticed that the typical Ketchup taste stayed with the entire bowl, strangely this added a dimension that was complementary to the Perique and really worked for me? I would buy this again. PS very similar to McC Club Blends: GKCPC Beacon Extra but not as smooth and with less Perique.

There are few things that I enjoy more than buying pipe tobacco in a well-stocked cigar shop. Once upon a time, the store's buyer loaded up on pipe tobacco using the "if I have it they will come" logic. But they didn't come. I found just such a place in Vegas and picked up a few McClelland tins from the forgotten corner behind the ashtrays filled with tinned tobacco. The highlight is the '03 dated St. James Woods. I can't imagine being without this tobacco now that I've tried it.

Personally, I think the tin aroma is more HP sauce than ketchup- courtesy of the figgy perique, no doubt-and I've never had a problem with McCelland tin notes anyway. To me, they're a sign of authenticity.

This has dried out over the years and looks really beautiful--a mix of brown and black broken flakes alongside semi-broken clusters that make me think of jerky nuggets. It's not the easist to rub, and it's a devil to keep lit, but it is sooo worth the extra effort. At this level of maturity, this is an elegant, elusive, exasperating, extraordinary smoke. And oh so long. I couldn't believe how long it lasted.

I also picked up '05 Blending Perique and BB Latakia Flake. I might have to go back and scoop up the rest of their unintended cellar.

This is a review of two, four-ounce tins. One had less than six months aging and the other tin, five years. Both were delicious, but with age came smoothness that made SJW one of the finest VA/P blends I have yet smoked- and I have been through quite a few. For the Virginia flake lover desirous of the mysterious something that only Perique brings, give this a whirl.

This is a blend that will leave your pipe cleaner after smoking it than before you started. After smoking SJW, my pipes are dry, smelling "fresh" and unspoiled, with fluffy, pure white ash to tap out.

The taste is round, rich and almost full, from the alto to the baritone, never really hitting the soprano or bass. SJW is not highly complex, but varying and truly interesting.

Perique is ever-present and never omnipotent relative to the exceptional Virginias. Careful smoking will reveal layers of flavors of brandied stone fruits, dark chocolate shavings and caramelized sugars. SJW is particularly tangy and ripe, despite the copious dark-stoved leaf.

This was acceptable simply loading the broken flake into my pipes, but a bit more rubbing brought greater flavor and little temperature worries. There is flavor enough with every sip to assure that one's tongue will be ready for a second bowl. It worked in all sized pipes. This can nip when puffed aggressively and a sooty taste will ensue to go along with your aching tongue.

This is one of my top VA/Perique picks. I have enjoyed for years and hope to keep its acquaintance. It does different things than my new friend, Fillmore. Viva la difference!

This review is based on a tobacco with three years of age.

St. James Woods (SJW) is a great VA/P blend with lots to offer. Opening the can lets out what I call the McClelland Stinger, but it's just a byproduct of aging -- and I've grown quickly to like it. If it shocks you, know that it passes when you let the weed breathe. Otherwise, you get an inviting, sweet, earthy, nutty, and nearly fruity scent. This is good, natural tobacco!

Lovely presentation in the tin: broken flake in variegated brown and very dark leaf. Some of the tobacco needs no rubbing out, but larger pieces get the chop as I prep them for smoking. Moisture is good in the tin, but I prefer VAs slightly more dry. I pack the pipe without applying pressure as I go. I only tap the bowl to get the tobac to settle in. I top it all off with some finely sliced leaf to get a good burn, and it's on.

This stuff leans toward the sweeter side, and the Perique really complements the overall body of the blend. Rather than add a peppery element that, in my opinion, would deliver too sharp a contrast to the VA characteristics, it enhances the VAs with a bouquet of vegetation, nutty spice, and savory depth. It's integrated quite well in SJW. I love Perique, so I'm an easy sell.

SJW smokes very well, stays cool, and burns nicely with no bite. Top third serves up the fine flavors you'd expect from high-quality VAs, and the Perique enters the fold midway. The second third ushers in the best both components have to offer. It's so full of marvelous flavor that I'd rather be smoking it right now than writing about it!! I find that McClelland VA blends like to take the bottom third to remind you of what the enitre smoke was about. End bowl remains cool and tasty.

I think SJW is a great smoke all around for anyone, and it's a good way to get acquinted with what a top-shelf VA/P mixture can offer. If you need a VA/P blend to introduce yourself to the genre, I think SJW is a safe pick.