McClelland No. 25

I have a great deal of experience with this blend, it has been one of my staples for over a year, and I have smoked it in every sized bowl in my spectrum.

Some of my esteemed colleagues here state that they detect none or not as much of the catsup aroma that is markedly McClelland?s. All of the tins of this blend that I smoked were 3 to 5 years old- in fact the one that I am smoking now is 5 years old- and it?s there, Catsup.

I love this blend. It is a strong second to my favorite VA Flake: Marlin Flake, though my palate tells me that VA Number 25 is a bit more complex. The reds and darks show two different faces of the VA profile, each pronouncing its very own distinct flavor as the bowl develops. The last third is my favorite of most of the bowls containing VA?s because it is more ?stoved?- thereby sweeter, richer, with more body? VA Number 25 does not disappoint in this.

For the first half or so I detect a fruity roundness, in VA Number 25 it has none of the sharpness that I find in the Christmas Cheer Series- probably because they have none of the dark stoved element. Indeed this blend has the most body of all of the McClelland VA?s that I have come to know, though it lacks none of the sweetness that I expect the sweetness is outdone in some of their other blends like Darkstar, Blackwood?s Flake, 2035, and Butera?s line?s of Darkstoved and Matured Ribbon.

This blend has shown no tendency to bite for me- though I might mention that I have quite a bit of experience with VA?s and smoke slowly as a rule.

Remarkable. Try it and see if you agree.

This is a blend of roughly equal parts of red and black tobacco in fully rubbed form. The cut is quite fine, and the tin aroma is rich and winey but without the vinegar smell often found in McC blends. Packing is easy in any size bowl because of the fine cut. Predictably, the tobacco lights easily, and burns well. Surprisingly, it also burns cool, unless puffed agressively. It even stays cool when smoked outdoors in moderate breezes. The initial flavor is sweet and rich, and quite smooth to the tongue and palate. It develops more complexity toward the middle of the bowl, and seems to get somewhat stronger toward the end, occasionally getting a bit harsh. I find it benefits from some airing out before smoking, or it will deliver a hot and wet smoke. When smoked carefully, it delivers a great deal of flavor, and I prefer it to Black Shag (which is similar in appearance and cut, although less red).

I bought this tin in the late nineties and like most of my McClelland’s I liked their tobacco but did not open many. Well, today was the day for this one. I stopped by on Saturday to visit some of the gang at the unofficial pipe club meeting. There was around seven of us. This is my only tin of this particular one but I plan on smoking it through in the next 2-4 weeks before it gets too dry as I am not jarring this one. Upon opening, I was greeted with the signature vinegar smell and my eyes gazed upon an exquisite mostly black fine ribbon cut, almost shag. I passed it around and afterwards loaded my General Corn Cob and proceeded to fire her up for the maiden voyage. Very rich tasting, with the reds appearing every once in a while. At least that is what I believe. This cut of tobacco makes the smoke last a really long time. I find the tin note hard to describe but to borrow from other reviews, maybe stewed plums after it breathed for about a day. My subsequent bowls today were very relaxing and rich and dark tasting if that makes sense. I find this one hard to describe the taste while smoking. 23 years, this set on my shelf and I have maybe 8 assorted McClelland’s left but maybe I will pop another one next year. Sorry guys. 😊

I'm reviewing a three years old tin. The McClelland note is more subdued than usual, it smells of sweet, musty hazelnuts.

If smoked without any drying, get ready to use a lot of matches and if smoking it fast to produce a lot of moisture. The best way is to dry it in your pipe for a day and savor it as indicated after dinner or late evening. Gravity fill works best as the cut forces the smoker to be careful with the packing, less and loose is better.

The balanced flavors are tangy, sweet and toasty, mellow yet with enough body. As the bowl progresses, the flavors meld with a smooth earthiness/mustiness. I recommend it for experienced pipe smokers and to be smoked as an after dinner treat or as a last smoke of the day.

Virginia lover

This one really activates the taste buds. Very sweet. Tangy. You immediately want to light up a 2nd bowl.

I don't usually smoke stuff cut this short in length. Just gravity drop it in. Don't pack. Try to get a few larger pieces in at the bottom so you don't clog the draft hole.

This stuff smokes better the drier it is. Let it get crunchy. Air it out overnight. Try to smoke it on a low humidity day.

Then enjoy an explosion of flavor.

McC #25 Virginia … A tasty, fully rubbed out Virginia blend with just a touch of oriental's. The moisture level is about ideal, but I aired my tin out some, maybe just from habit, but the result was a real decent smoke. There was some sweetness and a good measure of that wonderful Virginia tang.

Due to the fine cut, I found bowl packing can be a little tricky, but overall IMO #25 is a real keeper. I found this tobacco bite free, flavorful and well mannered, and for those reasons this tobacco (IMO) could be candidate for as all day smoke, but I save this blend (and others) for my evening recliner smokes, when I have time to get into my sip and taste mode. For those that enjoy a more straight aged Virginia taste, I sure would recommend you try this one.

I had the chance to acquire a tin of 96 vintage #25. I really love #24 but had never tried #25.

Unlike the normal VA flakes, the consistency is ribbon almost shag. The coloring of my tin is muted blacks and browns. Tin note was not too exciting kind of earthy. Very like McVinegar smell like so many of our lost McC blends.

This one being such a thin cut requires care not too pack too tight. Moisture level was perfect and it took off with one light.

The taste is pure tobacco, it has the stewed fruit taste not the grassy/hay of bright VAs. I've never gotten any tongue bite from it, but the cut requires slower smoking than my usual flakes. I'd consider it very consistent through the bowl as I don't notice much change from beginning to end. Seems to smoke best to me in a smalll/medium bowl. Also, not interesting enough to really want a huge bowl at once.

Wife said it smelled like cigarettes in the room (coming from a RYO smoker) compared to other tobaccos she prefers the smell of.

I'm planning on enjoying my only tin of #25, since I don't know if I'll ever find anymore out there at a reasonable price.

Tin note is very enticing, red Virginia tanginess with the deep heady Mclellands vinegary odour. Consist of a fifty-fifty mix of red and black Virginias cut into thin and short ribbons with a few small pieces of broken flakes here and there. The tobacco needs a little drying otherwise it will smoke a moist. It needs a little effort to light and needs some relight if your’re not all the time at it and a drawback I could mention is that I find it does not always burn evenly and this translates to the draw.

Now, the smoke is not as exciting or complex as the tin note suggested to me, but it’s still very good. It has a nice wholesome tangy taste with some smokiness, a good medium strength and a nice balance between the savory and the sweet flavors. Room note is acceptable, smoky and tobaccoey.

Without being overenthusiastic about the flavors or complexity, I find it’s a tobacco I very often turn to. It’s satisfying without being overtly complex, but it has a nice tobacco flavor, burns cool for a Virginia, does not bite unless pushed hard and can be used repeatedly without being boring. For me it’s what I am looking for an everyday tobacco. 3.5 stars.

As I hinted at above, I have some problems with the burning behaviour and the resulting draw. A remarkable solution I have found to remedy this problem is to blend #25 in differing proportions, even half and half, with Samuel Gawith's also excellent Golden Glow Virginia. The result is one the best tobaccos I've smoked!

Straight from the tin, no drying, late in the evening, with a glass of bourbon. I crack the tin(2009 production) and am met with a muted version of the McC steak sauce aroma. I see golden, red, brown, and black ribbons of Virginia tobacco. Soft to the touch, not wet, goopy, or cased. Loading it into a cob, it packs easy, has a nice spring to the touch and sets up for an easy light as it is fully rubbed out and does not present with the usual broken flake cut one would expect from a blend in this style.

Hit it with the flame fro the trust Bic in a MM cob for the charring light, tamp, let it sit for a minute, then relight and we are off to the races.....the slow races.

Sip gently and I am rewarded with light notes of citrus, light buttery caramel, pastry, nougat, and truck loads of Va goodness. It isn't flavored, feels very natural and while it does not make truck loads of smoke to fill the room, packs a nice group of flavors. Room note is very much straight tobacco and is not designed to draw bystanders in with candy and perfume. It is straight up tobacco.

I should probably hunt down a current production tin to do a side by side comparo against my 8 year old example. As a fan of straight Va blends, I find my self not yet finished a bowl and thinking of buying more to continue keeping an aged stock in the cellar.

If you want to delve into McC VA tobacco, but don't know where to begin, this is an excellent starting point. I think much of what is in this tin is a group of different base tobaccos from which other McC products derive.

Get some.

....by the way...smoke responsibly and this is a damn near bite proof Va. Gentle and deep of flavor with a medium weight nic hit which compliments a glass of Ky Bourbon quite well after a nice dinner.