McClelland Virginia Woods

An Aromatic? Hmmm! Not so sure. Seems some classifications are subjective.

But not to worry. This is a nice, simple, uncomplicated tobacco that can be an all day smoke for new and experienced pipers. It smokes right out of the tin, requires no fanfare, either for drying or rubbing out, and delivers fair and square without any pretext of complexity. However, I don't find it as sweet as some reviewers have stated. I find both McClelland's HoneyDew and Stave-Aged Virginia 35 Ribbon sweeter than this guy.

I'm still becoming a VA fan: At this point I'd say yummy, sweet, easy to smoke. I did get tongue bite. Tin dated 08/14. I'm jarring and planning to let it sit for some time. A friend entered, shortly after I'd finished my first bowl, and he commented how wonderful the room smelled. He'd never tasted so he took a bowl, before I sealed for storage. I do enjoy a ribbon cut. I'm not too fond of rubbing-out slices. Go ahead ( he did ) and laugh but I've started using a cheese grater to break-down slices into large flakes ! I have high hopes here.

I am someone who typically finds straight Virginias to mild and tasteless..for instance, I bombed Blackwoods when everyone loves it. Saying all that, I actually found this one was pleasant and enjoyable to smoke. For an easy, all day smoke where I just want to sit in the yard and watch the world go by, I go do this tobacco. Also, coming from a heavy puffer, I experienced no tngue bite.

A very tasty tobacco as I expected from McClelland's Virginia blends. It has a natural sweet-sour (spicy?) tobacco flavor.

I chared it and results were great. Burns very well, slow and cool. Smokes dry with a nice flavor balance. It is fruity tasty on the tongue and you can detect also the deep flavor of the stoved Virginia.

Even if it has a long lasting smoke, which I like to enjoy a lot, my nicotine needs weren't satisfied. But no problem, I'll prepare another bowl with this sweet cookie quickly!

An all day creamy smoke for me. I warmly recommend it for those who like enjoying natural tobacco flavor.

This blend is unique by its class, one can not compare it to any other aromatic blend.

If you are looking for an aromatic blend that enhance and give 100% of the virginia tobacco flavor, this is the one.



The taste is perfectly reviewed by DrDNA Below.

Seductive, this. A friend passed a tin over to me which had been coagulating for six years or better, a gift of rare proportions. Tin aroma is muted but still retains the tendrills of well prepared virginias. Initial flavor is VERY subtle, you will not taste any of the nuances if you've smoked an English prior to. Around bowl three, likely due to palate and pipe adjustments, revelations slink in. Now the true depth and mysteriously velvet-like flavors begin to show up. I found that this smoke did not lend itself well to enthused puffing, as it will bite but of greater import, the dynamics disappear when coerced instead of beseeched. I am not a patient man by virtue and have left many mild and subtle tabaks in my wake, abandoned in the quest for more forceful experiences, hence my suprise at enjoying this offering, it being exceptionally mild and deviously subtle. Those who crave an experience when smoking, one requiring total devotion to briar and technique would do well to have a go here.

Tin aroma is light and slightly sweet, and flavor is much the same when lit. Smoke it slowly and there's plenty of that light Virginia sweetness. Try to hurry it and it'll scald your tounge. Overall, a nice mild smoke.

Tin marked 07. The preservative smell is light and the tobacco is quite moist upon opening. Another variation on matured Virginia tobacco ribbon cut. A very good winter smoke, burns well from the newly opened tin. I will dry the tin for a few weeks to see how this works out.

Update After some drying, this tobacco delivers a nice flavor that is malty with some fig finishing. It is one smooth smoke that is not overly sweet. As for the woodsy aroma, I might be confusing it for the malty taste, of course I am a Latakia smoker as well so that would play tricks on my taste buds.

Virginia lover

The tin I will rate is dated 06 on the bottom and it had turned almost brown from the smoke in my local tobaccnist's shop. I had tried Virginia Woods back in the late 1990's and was not to impressed, so I thought I would revisit the blend and see if my taste buds had changed.

Opening the tin I did not smell the McClelland humidfier scent that some refer to as a Kethcup smell. I have smelled it in many other McClelland blends, but not this one. The smell is of mown hay and mellowing slightly fermented Virginia leaf.

Lighting the blend was easy but it took a while to really get the taste going. After I let it settle down, the nice billowy smoke tasted of sweet murky Virginia and the nico was quite stimulating. Take it easy with this, don't rush it. This blend is delicious but I don't get the "woodys" aroma that is suppose to be there. Well done McClelland.