Robert McConnell Black Parrot

Wow, that's an acridly vinegary McClelland, but I am in the camp that likes that smell. Not acrid when smoked, yet the perique content is moderately high. Not for the faint of heart; still I do love these aged VaPer flakes. My can is from 1995, and some of the tobaccos in this blend must have been well-aged when they went in the can. It has held up well, with just a touch of moisture remaining, and will continue to improve, which is good because I can't smoke this every day. More of a special occasion tobacco, like an evening when I've had too much ale and feel like singing pirate shanties to the imaginary black parrot on my shoulder. Raaak! Ahoy maties, there be rough waters ahead! Seems like a tobacco pirates would have liked, anyway. Salty brine in the nose and rum to chase it down with. Still, can be mellow and tasty as well, especially towards the end. Sip slowly, this one does not lend itself to heavy puffing.

2-15-10 A couple of months opened, and a couple more in a jar have mellowed this quite a bit. Still a bit sour and peppery if I puff a little harder, but I consider that a strength of this tobacco. Not for every day, but absence makes the heart grow fonder!

11-7-2022 It's been a while since I smoked this, and I sure do wish I had some more, and even though I don't have another bowl to smoke, and it's highly unlikely that I will ever see it again, I'm upgrading to four stars. Not sure why I gave it three in the first place, and at this point, would give McClelland's worst blend four stars just out of respect.

I cracked open a January 2000 tin today. What a great feeling. It's amazing to see the tobacco still moist after years aging in the tin, to see the glitter of the power crystals that mark this time machine embedded in the flakes, and to smell that distinct McClelland aroma as strong as ever.

I have little experience when it comes to aging--and in the future, I'd like to try a batch of old stuff alongside the new, but I don't have that luxury at the moment. So, my review will be limited to what I have on hand, and thankfully, it's very nice.

I understand that aging is supposed to mellow a tobacco, and judging by the very mild taste, I suppose that to be the case here. Fellow reviewers seem to give Black Parrot a higher strength rating, but this particular tin falls well below those marks. That isn't to suggest there is a lack of flavor. The Perique is ever-present but doesn't strangle the Virginias with an uneven proportion. It's welcome getting that Perique fix without having to run for cover.

Black Parrot reminds me very much of McClelland's 2015, although smoother and better integrated, which isn't a surprise since Ashton is an extension of the McClelland line. I'd like to see some kind of blind taste test with these two, I'd bet that there would be a bit of confusion.

Again, this is best for those who like Vapers with a less pronounced Perique component. I fall within that category, and yes..although I very much admire Escudo's, I prefer this to such a Perique powerhouse.

3.5 out of 4

This blend is recommended by the tobacconist when I bought a Danish freehand. Although the freehand only has a chamber of 18mm diameter, it does well with the Ashton Black Parrot!!

Ok, about the blend itself. Upon opening the tin, you know this would be a good stuff, although not as sweet in smell as the Orlik Golden Slice. The ABP is a broken flake and you do not need to rip before filling into a bowl. Just grap several and fold, pack it to the bowl and then enjoy the magic brought to you by fire and weed. The first taste is not that strong, thanks to the aged virginia. If you can make the ABP stay lit for the first 5 minutes, then you will have no trouble to smoke it until the end of the bowl, otherwise, you will have the pleasure to relight again and again.

During the entire smoke, ABP delivers a pleasent taste, however the others around you may not enjoy it as much as you do. The room flavour smells like something rich in oil and overburned. But as the smoker, this is definitely a blend worth enjoying.

Pitty to hear that ABP is hardly available now. Good news is that I have another 2 unopened tin in my collection. Guess I would age them for a very long time.

A definitely 4-star blend!

I'm almost finished my 100grm tin (European version). Very nice Va/per. There are actually far to many aromatics on the European market and not enough solid VA based non-aromatics. Some may find this two bland, I like it a lot...solid stuff, similar to Scottish Cake and just as good IMHO. Raisins and plums, easy on the Perq. a good honest non-aromatic, non-latakia based blend. For sure a few tins will go in the cellar.

McClelland, vinegar odor, big taste, broken flake, smokes nicely, too much Perique for my taste. If you enjoy Esoterica's Dorchester you will probably enjoy this as well. Three and one-half stars. Actually, I might upgrade this review after the summer heat subsides. Not many pipe tobaccos do well in 100 degree heat!

If you are looking to try an easy burning, cool, mild to medium flavored flake with just enough Perique to notice and not overwhelm, try this blend.

This works at all hours before dinner and can be smoked all day with delight. Very fine.

I remember trying Black Parrot back when I was finishing up college. I didn't care for it, so I stashed the tin away with some stuff I was packing up to take home to shove into a storage closet in the attic. Well, about six years later -- namely last week -- I decided to unearth some old boxes of junk from college. I saw the top of a tobacco can, yanked the can out of the cardboard box, and saw that it was Ashton Black Parrot. This can features the old artwork -- the line-art drawing of the parrot sitting among the wooden barrels. I was quite excited to find this, as I've rekindled my love for VA blends in a major way lately.

Upon careful inspection, I found 2.75 ounces of tobacco and no mold. The scent was still good and pure, and age had put some crystals all over the leaf. So far so good. But how would it smoke? Well, the weed was on the dry side, but not crumbly. That's how I like VAs anyway. I smoked a roomy bowl of this six-year-old Black Parrot the moment I got home.

I find Black Parrot to be a wonderful Perique-forward blend built on a solid foundation of quality Virginia and Carolina tobaccos. It's a complex and balanced nicely.

On the dry side, the broken flake packs well, lights well, and burns well to the heel. Six years brought some obvious integration to this blend, yet I could still enjoy what each component had to offer. The cilantro/grassy notes were slightly more muted than those I experience in St. James Woods. The Perique brings little in the way of pepper -- but lots when it comes to earthy goodness.

The smoke becomes richer and more robust as the bowl burns down, and the mid-bowl flavor shift is quite memorable. The bottom third is very tasty, and the overall smoke is dry and clean. I'd hesitate to compare the sweet notes of Black Parrot to those of St. James Woods, but BP offers more in the way of a food-like savory experience to make up for it. The mouthfeel is silky.

Black Parrot is a solid choice for those who want a high-grade and full-flavored VA/P with good presence. Great stuff.

This certainly falls into the VA/P blends that can be equalled by no other. I find this tobak fine for my regular long car rides between cities. Smoking this blend can leave you with a bit of tounge bite, but a bit of air drying and a tall italian block of wood should clear any of that up nicely. I rub the flakes out a bit, still leaving some medium to larger pieces. Age only improves this fine weed.

Enjoy.

What a day! This morning I received a resupply of Elizabethan Mixture, some Escudo, and a tin of Black Parrot. Nevermind that I fried my tongue in my exuberance, I'm happy!

It's hard for me to avoid a comparison of Black Parrot to Escudo, so I won't. I liked Escudo, but Black Parrot was wonderful.

The flakes are a bit sticky, but not as much as, say, a 2035 McClelland. They rub out well between thumb and forefinger, and pack nicely with a light hand.

How rich! I expected it to be a bit thin bodied but nice, and was rewarded with a creamy but not cloying rich flake that is for me best smoked when I want to devote my full attention to it. The sweetness and sharpness of the virginias are mellowed by the Carolinas, and the Perique level is perfect for my tastes. Black Parrott is simply outstanding.