McCranie's Currituck

Again this month, we have a rather unique tobacco to review. Complexity is the order of the day, here; complexity in both the casing and the tobacco flavors. The levels of sweetness, spiciness, dark and light notes, etc. all work together to ensure that this a blend that will certainly never be boring. At the same time, the bite-free smoothness and excellent room aroma make this a tobacco that acts as a very good all-day or mixed company smoke. The aroma of my sample is excellent, a spicy, rich, and sweet blend of far too many different smells to count. The tobacco is dark, mainly dark brown and black with a few strands of lighter brown providing contrast. The cut is varied, bits of two different types of unrubbed flake mixed with longer, almost ribbon-cut strands. The tobacco is on the damp side, though the moisture isn't excessive, and it packs easily. It lights quickly and burns well, requiring a normal number of relights during a bowl. In the first third, the initial flavor is rather unique. The best way I can describe it is sweet, with a spice note - but spicy the way eggnog is spicy, rather than Tabasco spiciness. The taste is almost like hot, sweetened Chai tea. There is absolutely no bite, and the smoke is very cool and smooth. But even apart from this unusual casing taste, the tobacco flavor itself is highly varied. Dark and light notes battle in what should be an anarchy of confusion, but what turns out to be a very well integrated and smooth mixture. It ain't the symphony orchestra, but it's far from bluegrass twang. I find myself puffing too hard in an attempt to taste the individual flavors. In the second third of the bowl, the mixture of flavors continues seemingly unabated. The casing hasn't really faded, still present as a sweet/spicy taste. The tobacco flavors continue on well integrated, with nothing really standing out in the smoke. The blend remains cool-burning and bite free; the only real change I notice is a very minor note of sourness at about the halfway point. Both in casing flavor and tobacco flavor, this is a highly complex and multilayered tobacco. It is also very nice blown out through the nose. There are no moisture problems up to now, either, and I find that my bowl is burning rather quickly. In the final third of the bowl, the flavors are pretty much the same; in fact, they are remarkably consistent throughout the entire bowl. There is no appreciable lessening of the casing notes, and the tobacco notes stay similar throughout. The smoke is also consistently smooth and bite-free and cool, and is very pleasant to non-smokers in the room. The leaf smokes clean and dry right to the bottom, and I am sorry when my bowl is finished. Overall, this is a remarkable tobacco, in more ways than one. The multiple flavors, both in casing and tobacco, should clash and stumble. They never do, however, and the entire mess is very well-integrated and smooth. Each element adds to the overall flavor without overwhelming the other notes; this blend was obviously put together by someone who knew what they were doing. In addition, I've seldom met a tobacco that was as consistent, from first light to the dregs of the bowl. This could work as either an inoffensive all-day blend or an evening treat. I find myself smoking a LOT of this - so much, in fact, that my 2oz sample is almost gone! It's easy to go though many bowls of this blend very quickly, almost without knowing it. I think I'll go buy a pound or so - it's great stuff! Thanks for the sample, Wes!

Man, it is a wonderful swirl of flavors that doesn't settle on any one single. Seems to go from sweet to spicy to occasionally that just plain natural tobacco taste to indescribable and back again. Sent out an order for another 8 about 20 minutes ago. This has taken command as my daily, I think. The bowl gets more and more complex each and every time I re-light and I find a new taste springing forward- but then fading and giving away to another as quickly as it disappeared.

The “vinegar” smell of the tobacco lets you know McClelland tobaccos are used. Some of it lingers in the taste at the beginning, less so after some minutes pass. The red Virginia is a little tangy with dark fruit and earth notes while the stoved Virginia is sugary fruit sweet. The nutty burley is a minor player. The cavendish adds sweetness as does the dark Navy flake, which has a topping that I think could be rum. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell. I’m not sure what component brings the spice into the mix, but while it adds some complexity, it’s not always welcome as it disrupts the smoothness at times. Overall, the flavors meld more often than they don’t, but it’s not always consistent in taste. Even with some dry time, it tends to burn a little wet and will leave a little dottle in the bowl. Have some pipe cleaners ready and expect relights. Has a mild nic-hit, and won't bite. The after taste is okay, but short lived. Can be an all day smoke. I would prefer to give this three stars, but it has too many drawbacks, so I rate it at two and a half.

-JimInks

One of my favorite "house blends", the flavor builds throughout the bowl untill its over. This blend has character the different tobaccos "marry" and make a flavorful step child called currituck. I will miss this blend greatly....

Quite a blend here. Great Virginia tobacco flavor. Not to sweet. Quite forgiving to the typical Virginia bite. More mellow as the bowl gets smoked down. Very light casing if any at all. It has some flake in the blend. McCrannies blends this using Mclelland tobacco. The finest quality bulk. All day smoke. I purchased the last of this bulk ever available. Sad, due to McClelland closing this blend will never be available again. I have 3 large Ball jars left to be sparingly savored.

Excellent blend of just about everything. Nice tang no bite, nice easy burn, an all day smoke for me. Nice job with this one Mr McCranie.

This is the first tobacco I bought from McCranies and I liked it very much. It is a well balanced blend of good flavors. It has been a while since I smoked it but my recollections are favorable. I'll likely buy it again. Definitely give it a try.

This is a balanced blend that is full of flavor from beginning to end. It is smooth with no bite and has excellent burning qualities. Currituck makes for a pleasant change of pace or an all day smoke. As an aside, ?Currituck? is the name of a county in North Carolina.

A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored.

I rate this tobacco 8.8 out of 10.

Wow, a kitchen sink tobacco! Some latakia and perique and you would have it all. This is a very well balnced blend however, and the flavors all seem to go together nicely. Complex yes, but not so much that you have to concentrate a whole lot. This is my new "party tobacco". The room note is wonderful, and yet I can still taste tobacco. This stuff definitely has a full flavor which I think is lacking in many aromatics. The slight bit of flavoring that I detect seems to be coming from the navy flake instead of from the cavendish although I might be mistaken. A good buy and one I will keep on hand for the occasional sweet tooth smoke.

This blend is some of just about everything. Nice flavors and burn with no bite. An "all day" type smoke.