McClelland No. 24

Saturday morning at the house of my grandparents, twenty years ago: the coffee bubbles in the percolator, eggs and bacon sizzle on the grill, the television is on super loud and then, someone pops some bread in the toaster and a delightful smell fills the house. Grandma bought the bread that was sweet and delicious but bad for you at the grocery store, so toast there was more like candy to us kids raised on urban-suburban homebrew bread. Imagine spreading some apricot jam on it, and you have the basic idea of the first half of the bowl of this blend. The Orientals add a slight piquant flavor to the stacked and pressed Virginias, bringing out a honey, bread and lemon flavor which changes as the bowl burns down and melts the sugars in the Virginias. Out of that sweet-sour taste, represented by the apricot jam although that is not an exact flavor match, comes the sensation of nougat, where the honey and sugar balance the gently tangy flavor of egg whites. Over time this gives way to more of a caramelized honey flavor with a faint tang of lemon, and as the bowl turns to ash, becomes a purer sweetness like agave. For those who like sweeter tobaccos, this is quite a treat that could easily be smoked all day and late into the night, but the higher sugars means that it burns hotter and can bite, so it is best breath-smoked at an extremely slow pace. A large bowl lasts me for an hour and three quarters of an hour. Although it is already "matured," this blend will likely gain a richer flavor with further aging.

I did not know what to expect when I bought this - it sounded good, had good reviews, I love darker/aged Virginias and I like oriental and prefer flake cuts. That's really the only reason I got a tin of this when I was in the states at my parents' place over Christmas last year.

Now almost a year later and back in Germany, where I live, I finally got around to opening and smoking a decent amount of this.

The tin note upon opening reveals that McClelland vinegar scent, but that fades after being opened for a day or so. What's left is the smell of wood, something nutty in the background, a slightly sour note and dark notes of raisins and figs. I'm telling you, this is as deliciously-smelling as it is -looking and especially -tasting...

The small flakes are of a thick cut with a relatively dark colour with lighter streaks (drama leaf) throughout. They are too thick to pack as flake, so what I do is, when I have a LOT of time (this burns so slowly!), cut the flakes into small cubes with my very sharp opinel and then just let them fall into my pipe etc. without tamping. When I don't want a smoke that will last 2+ hours in a medium sized bowl, I rub it out to a nice ribbon cut that is slightly wide.

The flavors are amazing... Rich, dark, spicy aged virginia flavors with one of the creamiest mouth-feels of smoke I've ever experienced (except for in cigars occasionally). Mid-bowl, the drama oriental becomes more pronounced and it develops a slight tanginess accompanied by a rich, almost roasted nuttiness, akin to maybe walnuts or pecans. A very rich and robust flavor which, combined with the aforementioned rich, spicy virginia flavors, is amazing.

The tin states this, and usually I believe that to be marketing speak, however, I did smoke this outdoors on a few walks in the woods and I must say, this is a stunning tobacco.

When I am back in the states this year, I'm bringing more of this home with me. Damn.

For my money the best tobacco McClelland makes. Sweet and savory Va with enough Drama added to provide a whisper of spice. Super Va and stands up against the best. Great with some age too

Simply put, a fantastic tobacco. Quite possibly my very favorite tobacco, for what is Life without a bit of Drama ?...? The addition of said Drama, and the incense to floral notes (the floral notes in the tin show up not long after being transferred to a jar, while they are ever present in the smoke) it brings, combines with the Virginias used in spectacular fashion and in the right proportion. Wonderfully complex.

Once again, McClelland nails it with their tin description and another superb tobacco from the Whale of land locked Missouri.

This is a 5 star, not 4, tobacco. It is that good.

I don't have much to add to what others have already said about No. 24. This is a superb offering from McClelland and a personal favorite of mine. Let's face it, straight Virginias, for all their pleasantries, can get a little monochromatic or boring sometimes. In this blend, the addition of Drama completely eliminates the issue and makes for one fine, interesting smoke. You get the ever-present creamy sweetness of excellent red VA, complemented by a constantly changing presence of mildly sharp, spicy and tart high notes coming from the Drama leaf. It adds a highly refreshing sort of complexity that makes this one a treat in any kind of weather, hot or cool. And as GentlemanZombie points out, the flavor profile is greatly influenced by the choice of pipe. I always smoke tobacco in a briar, cob, and meerschaum side by side before doing a review. And in my limited experience, no blend I've yet tried is as dependent on pipe type as No. 24. When the weather is cooler or I just want a sweet creamy smoke with that extra hint of tartness, I choose briar. When the weather is warm I choose a cob to get the most out of the refreshingly tart overtones. In summary, this is a spectacular blend with a surprising amount of complexity, and the leaf quality, as always with McClelland, is second to none. Perfect burn and zero bite issues. If you don't have a few McClelland VAs in rotation, you're surely missing out. Highly recommended, if I ever find this in bulk I will cellar pounds of it.

Classic McClelland broken flake with a moderate smell of sweet fermented Virginia and a little perfume of the Drama leaf. It has a little more moisture than many of the McClelland flakes I have tried, but it burns extremely well. I rub this out, which is not my normal habit with broken flake, but it seems to work.

As it smokes, I get a lot more orange and red than lemon Virginia flavor. The earthy and warm Virginia presence is nicely offset by the Drama. This blend sent me down the rabbit hole with regards to Drama, and I found a few early 20th Century sources that suggested that the hill leaf is a lot sweeter than other Basmas, and that it's grown next to Kavalla. That sweetness is apparent - at times the bowl was almost sugary. I have a huge sweet tooth, so I loved that.

With so many McClelland blends to choose from, some are bound to get lost in the shuffle. I'm fond of the whole Matured Virginia line, but I think No. 24 is an overlooked beauty. It ages wonderfully, too, and if you're inclined to buy aged tins it comes cheaper than the Christmas Cheers.

The Drama doesn't do this one any favors.. Something doesn't jive with the Virginia here... This isn't a bad tobacco but if they dropped the Drama out of it, I would like it much better...

Update: This tobacco needs to be dried thoroughly before smoking. I was smoking this way too wet and not getting the full flavors... The Drama serves to enhance this tobacco, not detract as I previously stated... This had become one of my go to blends now that I have more experience with the pipe...

Loved it, but I love most McClellands I've tried. This one is especially rich and satisfying.

12-6-11 Aquired a tin from 1993; don't ask how much I paid. Still debating whether to cellar it (i.e. for how long) or smoke it (i.e. sooner rather than later), but when I do smoke it, I will post my thoughts.

The review by DK right below mine is tempting me to go for the smoke it sooner option...

Drama Reserve is one of my favourite blends, so I had to try No. 24, because they share the same ingredients. It seems to me that the proportions of the two constituent tobaccos are here reversed, more Virginia in no. 24 and less Drama, but the final effect is equally fascinating: a full and creamy taste and a joy to smoke it ...