McClelland St. James Woods
(3.31)
A highly sophisticated broken flake of matured red and black stoved Virginias pressed with the finest Louisiana perique. This beautiful, mottled tobacco has an especially deep, rich character with that mysterious and compelling aroma that is perique's alone. A truly satisfying delight for natural Virginia pipe tobacco.
Notes: From McClelland: Occasionally we meet someone whose familiarity with a variety of tobaccos, sensitive palate, and desire for "that special tobacco" provide an inspiration for us. In seeking to satisfy a taste other than our own, we pleasantly surprise ourselves with beautiful results. This is what the Personal Reserve Series is all about. We developed this concept early on as a way to enhance our creative spirit. We are proud to offer these fine pipe tobacco blends, and hope you will enjoy them.
Details
| Brand | McClelland |
| Series | Personal Reserve |
| Blended By | McClelland Tobacco Company |
| Manufactured By | McClelland Tobacco Company |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Perique |
| Contents | Perique, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Broken Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin, 100 grams tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.31 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25, 2014 | Mild | None Detected | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Tolerable |
I don't see the big deal of this blend ! Yuck ! A lousy excuse for latakia ! This is no Penzance, Sobranie, or anything comparable. I'm not a fan of frog Morton but I'll take that over this ! No flavor, blah. Taste like I'm smoking frankincense with no tobacco ! Where's the tobacco ?? Where's the VA ?? I like English but this is terrible. Come on all you English lovers, you can't be serious giving this 4 stars ? I think too many were drinking the kool aid when smoking this ! This is lousy, don't waste your money ! I like both aromatics and English and this is the worst English I ever had ! Totally bland no flavor all incense aroma ! No tobacco taste whatsoever ! Give me three nuns any day over this slop !
Pipe Used:
don't ruin your pipe with this !
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 19, 2009 | Mild | None Detected | Mild | Very Pleasant |
If you are looking for smoothness and flavor like Escudo or Davidoff Flake Medallions - this is not it. Overcooked virginias and not enough perique. Rough and hard to keep lit. A let down. I liked the smell.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 04, 2009 | Medium | Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
I tried this blend a while back and disliked it from the get-go and never made it thru the can. Blamed it on the sharpness of the perique amongst other reasons. Now, upon time and thought, I am not so sure. I post a NR simply because of that experience but acknowledge how personal tastes change or develop and plan to give this one another go. I post now simply to note that reviews are perhaps better termed ...opinions.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 07, 2006 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
As others have observed, this is pretty much Blackwoods Flake with perique added. I should like this, as I'm a fan of Blackwoods and I absolutely love perique, but this blend was a huge letdown.
In my experience, perique normally adds a stewed or ripe fruit essence while greatly enhancing the entire range of tobacco flavors. When used correctly, perique can unlock all the nuances of a blend, kind of like applying salt or other spices to meat can actually intensify the inherent qualities. It also usually imparts some strength, as perique is a nicotine laden leaf. In St. James Woods, however, it seems to do the exact opposite. The concoction was utterly flat, almost like smoking hot air, and I couldn't make out so much as a hint of the perique flavor I was expecting.
I ended up dumping what was left in the tin after forcing myself to smoke a half-dozen bowls. This is the only McClelland tobacco I've tried that was a complete waste of time, and this is by far the worst presentation of perique that I've had the misfortune to come across. If you're searching for a Va/Per, I'd suggest picking up some Filmore, Anniversary Cake, or St. James Flake (from Sam Gawith).
In my experience, perique normally adds a stewed or ripe fruit essence while greatly enhancing the entire range of tobacco flavors. When used correctly, perique can unlock all the nuances of a blend, kind of like applying salt or other spices to meat can actually intensify the inherent qualities. It also usually imparts some strength, as perique is a nicotine laden leaf. In St. James Woods, however, it seems to do the exact opposite. The concoction was utterly flat, almost like smoking hot air, and I couldn't make out so much as a hint of the perique flavor I was expecting.
I ended up dumping what was left in the tin after forcing myself to smoke a half-dozen bowls. This is the only McClelland tobacco I've tried that was a complete waste of time, and this is by far the worst presentation of perique that I've had the misfortune to come across. If you're searching for a Va/Per, I'd suggest picking up some Filmore, Anniversary Cake, or St. James Flake (from Sam Gawith).
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