McCranie's Old Master
(3.57)
Prime, ribbon-cut Burley with a touch of Virginia Bright. A truly rich Burley without added flavorings. A great natural blend for Burley lovers.
Details
| Brand | McCranie's |
| Blended By | |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | Burley Based |
| Contents | Burley, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | Bulk |
| Country | United States |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Very Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.57 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 20 of 28 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 07, 2005 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
McCranie?s Old Master Review
I don't review many...a kindness I've decided to bestow on the good readers here. But I wanted to do this review as a favor to Todd McCranie for being kind to me when I didn't really deserve it...and because I wanted to see this excellent product called up when others did a search here based on 4-star rating (which takes five reviews). So then:
But before I do...I DID order a pound of this...at the same time (though from different shops) that I ordered a pound of Nut Brown Burley...thanks pipestud! OK - onward...
I'd been skulking along the backroads and often dismal alleyways of Burley and mostly Burley blends...grilling a number of "most likely suspects"...finally rounding up MacBaren's Burley London Blend and Wilke's Nut Brown Burley as those that I thought had the best physical smoking characteristics and richness of flavor...without the fizzle and sourness or bite I sought to avoid. And although there are many other fine entries into this catagory the exploration ultimately led me to McCranie's Old Master - as in many times past following the guideposts set by erstwhile reviewers here that have gone before me.
What a find! Pouch aroma is divine! Smokes smooth and cool all the way, consistant of flavor, eager of burn, thick clouds, friendly to pipe after pipe (each of my two identical inexpensive Stanwell "freehands" and the little Bjarne pot...all of which seem to smoke everything well...love this blend). I'm smoking it now in a deep antique microrusticated Brackner Danish Ax and it's holding it's own, if not perfectly, at least rather well. Frequent mild tamping seem to help it stay cool in this bowl - but I'm thinking a bowl of less volume is the answer. Next will be the obvious Cob - I've a fairly new bent Country Gentleman that awaits. There seems to be some conversation that this might be cased, though McCranie's literature says not. Whatever. If so, it must be with the same pixie dust that the god's have blessed onto Bob's Chocolate Flake - for without a true side by side my oral and olefactory flavor neurons seem to tickle the same receptor cells in what remains of my brain. This is praise, as Bob's is considered a guilty pleasure around here. I'm thinking that this will be a marvelous Summer standard...though it never turns truely hot or humid in our end of the world. I can huff and puff and try to melt my pipe with the gusto of my cadence - and the stuff just chugs away providing it's steady cocoa-bacco flavor. I don't think others have mentioned...that a light sipping/side-streaming really allows the flavor to bloom. Lovely. Let's see...the price is right (it's bulk), moisture level at delivery is fine, packs and lights very easily...gosh folks, to me it's a major winner! 5 out of 5
I don't review many...a kindness I've decided to bestow on the good readers here. But I wanted to do this review as a favor to Todd McCranie for being kind to me when I didn't really deserve it...and because I wanted to see this excellent product called up when others did a search here based on 4-star rating (which takes five reviews). So then:
But before I do...I DID order a pound of this...at the same time (though from different shops) that I ordered a pound of Nut Brown Burley...thanks pipestud! OK - onward...
I'd been skulking along the backroads and often dismal alleyways of Burley and mostly Burley blends...grilling a number of "most likely suspects"...finally rounding up MacBaren's Burley London Blend and Wilke's Nut Brown Burley as those that I thought had the best physical smoking characteristics and richness of flavor...without the fizzle and sourness or bite I sought to avoid. And although there are many other fine entries into this catagory the exploration ultimately led me to McCranie's Old Master - as in many times past following the guideposts set by erstwhile reviewers here that have gone before me.
What a find! Pouch aroma is divine! Smokes smooth and cool all the way, consistant of flavor, eager of burn, thick clouds, friendly to pipe after pipe (each of my two identical inexpensive Stanwell "freehands" and the little Bjarne pot...all of which seem to smoke everything well...love this blend). I'm smoking it now in a deep antique microrusticated Brackner Danish Ax and it's holding it's own, if not perfectly, at least rather well. Frequent mild tamping seem to help it stay cool in this bowl - but I'm thinking a bowl of less volume is the answer. Next will be the obvious Cob - I've a fairly new bent Country Gentleman that awaits. There seems to be some conversation that this might be cased, though McCranie's literature says not. Whatever. If so, it must be with the same pixie dust that the god's have blessed onto Bob's Chocolate Flake - for without a true side by side my oral and olefactory flavor neurons seem to tickle the same receptor cells in what remains of my brain. This is praise, as Bob's is considered a guilty pleasure around here. I'm thinking that this will be a marvelous Summer standard...though it never turns truely hot or humid in our end of the world. I can huff and puff and try to melt my pipe with the gusto of my cadence - and the stuff just chugs away providing it's steady cocoa-bacco flavor. I don't think others have mentioned...that a light sipping/side-streaming really allows the flavor to bloom. Lovely. Let's see...the price is right (it's bulk), moisture level at delivery is fine, packs and lights very easily...gosh folks, to me it's a major winner! 5 out of 5
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 06, 2005 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant |
Well, Mr. Pipestud above called this one right on target. Holy Toledo this stuff is good! I really, really like McBaren's Burley London Blend but it has just been moved to 2nd place. McCranie's "Old Master" is way, way above anything I ever thought Burley could be!!!
Tiger
Tiger
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 02, 2004 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
I don't know how to fully describe this concoction except to say this is very tasty and a cool smoke as well. Rich enough to hold ones' interest but mild enough to smoke most of the day. And, it smells much better than most blends with this much flavor. Update: Downgraded to three plus due to mild taste.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 22, 2004 | Mild | Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
This is one great burley blend! Don?t look for complex flavors here but do look forward to a straightforward pleasingly sweet and very flavorful smoke from beginning to end. For you fast puffers, puff away, there is no bite. McCrainie?s claims this is a natural tobacco without added flavorings but I?m not so sure. I found Old Master to be a very flavorful blend. Maybe it's just me but I think it has a modicum of topping so McCrainie?s claim leaves me puzzled. Regardless, this is an all day smoke for sure! If you are like me and have several tobaccos open, you may find yourself reaching for this blend more often than your other open blends. I thought I liked Wilke Nut Brown burley and I do but, and this may be sacrilegious to say, I like Old Master burley more. I actually find Old Master more similar to the fruity topped Country Doctor by HOW, but better as well. I rate this tobacco 9.95 out of 10
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 23, 2002 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Very Pleasant |
This, my friends, is one of the smoothest, delightful burley blends I have ever had the pleasure of putting into my pipe. When my palate screams for burley, Old Master is the ticket!
This burley does not bite, does not turn sour as you move down the bowl, and leaves a fresh, clean taste in your mouth once you have completed a pipeful. The taste buds clammer for more almost immediately.
Seriously, if you have not experience Old Master's flavor and you enjoy burley, call the McCranie boys and order a pound of this stuff. You can thank me later.
This burley does not bite, does not turn sour as you move down the bowl, and leaves a fresh, clean taste in your mouth once you have completed a pipeful. The taste buds clammer for more almost immediately.
Seriously, if you have not experience Old Master's flavor and you enjoy burley, call the McCranie boys and order a pound of this stuff. You can thank me later.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 21, 2009 | Mild | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
this blend was just a throw in a few orders ago from mccranies, it's a bulk blend doesn't look all that great, palish looking burley and lemon colored virginia, which i hate the color of. smell in the baggy was, well, nothing, it didn't have a sweet smell or a hay smell that i get from other burley blends. now maybe you can understand why i didn;t bother trying it for a few months. for whatever the reason i decided to try this last week. i'll keep it short and sweet, this is simply the best burley blend i've tried... looks aside this blend get's A's across the board from packing, lighting, smoke volume you name it. cool smoking, thats not a throw in line, it smokes extremely cool and fresh and has a nice room note. you get that typical nutty burley taste but with the addition of virginia you get an added sweetness thats not found in most burley blends i've tried, thats a big reason on why i like this blend so much. give it a try fellas, it's a can't miss blend.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 25, 2009 | Mild | Very Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
Simple, flavorful, sweet, smooth burning with great nose, no glop, bite or goo found in the bag, bowl, stem or mouth.
Well worth getting yourself a sample bag and relaxing after lunch with a pleasant and pleasing smoke.
Well worth getting yourself a sample bag and relaxing after lunch with a pleasant and pleasing smoke.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 13, 2008 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Mild to Medium | Very Pleasant |
Only one solid dark red-brown auburn or chestnut color to it. Moderate vanilla chocolate aroma in the bag. This tobacco comes in bulk, not tin.
Light, mellow chocolate taste and aroma.
Light sweetener and a smidgen of vanilla may have been added, and mildly nutty. Leaves a pleasant room aroma.
So, it may be lightly flavored, but this is definitely a Burley, not an "aromatic."
Tobacco in the bag is moist. Incomplete combustion in bottom of bowl due to moisture, using tobacco straight from bag. Let the tobacco dry out for a day on a plate. I tried this and it still smoked wet in the bottom of the bowl(humectant?). And it still left a sticky reidue on my fingers.
No tongue bite, but scours the lips.
Slow burning
This could be smoked all day. A mild, mellow Burley.
4 stars for a mild, light, all-day smoke with a good room note. 2 stars, due to moisture in pipe and mouth scour.
3 stars overall
Light, mellow chocolate taste and aroma.
Light sweetener and a smidgen of vanilla may have been added, and mildly nutty. Leaves a pleasant room aroma.
So, it may be lightly flavored, but this is definitely a Burley, not an "aromatic."
Tobacco in the bag is moist. Incomplete combustion in bottom of bowl due to moisture, using tobacco straight from bag. Let the tobacco dry out for a day on a plate. I tried this and it still smoked wet in the bottom of the bowl(humectant?). And it still left a sticky reidue on my fingers.
No tongue bite, but scours the lips.
Slow burning
This could be smoked all day. A mild, mellow Burley.
4 stars for a mild, light, all-day smoke with a good room note. 2 stars, due to moisture in pipe and mouth scour.
3 stars overall
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 16, 2008 | Mild | None Detected | Mild | Pleasant |
This one is much milder than I had expected based on the aroma in the bag. It is a beautiful if somewhat mild smoke. I detected none of the sweetness or casing that others have commented on. To me both the taste and the aroma are clean and natural tobacco. The room note is mild yet pleasant. Towards the light end of the spectrum and a very nice smoke.
As with all McCranie's, the burn is spot-on and ends with a dry ash.
As with all McCranie's, the burn is spot-on and ends with a dry ash.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 04, 2007 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
If you've decided to venture out and look for a burley blend, stop here. I can't really add anything to the other comments, other than to point out the high quality of the tobacco itself. Also, if you are a dedicated aromatic smoker, you may want to start with "Porter's Pride" instead, which seems to me to be a more aromatic version of this (maybe the same thing, just cased?). Appearance is identical and aroma is quite similar. Even though PP is a high quality mild aromatic, when you want something more natural but still with a nice aroma, switch back to this. I purchased this on Bjarne day as well, and found the moisture content was perfect for smoking...not dry, not moist.
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