McCranie's Old Master

I bought an estate briar and the seller threw in a 2 oz baggie of this. How cool is that??? Toffee-brown ribbon cut with a rather noticeable aroma of chocolate in the bag. Easy to load and it took to the match very well, giving off large plumes of smoke.

This seemed a bit to0 moist and a bit too chocolatey to be "unflavored" as is claimed. I think McCranie's sources some of their blends from McClellands and I believe this is one. McClellands "unflavored" burleys seem a bit flavored to me as well, and I think this is their X-10. But no matter, this is no aromatic. The burley and bright tobacco taste is at the forefront. The casing is mild enough to be noticeable but is not intrusive. Seems like an excellent tobacco to break in a briar, and I picked up two recently (odd for a dedicated meerschaum guy!). I found no complexity here, as is the case for many burley blends, but the flavor was consistent up and down the bowl and didn't get bitter or harsh... which sometimes does occur with burley. So if you enjoy a little extra flavoring in your burley but still want a natural smoke, this one should be on your short list.

Without repeating what has already been said, this is my favorite burley blend. I've been a burley smoker for years only recently venturing into VA's and I find this to be an extremely fine tasting blend. It burns well, smells good and tastes great. While I intend to continue my venture into VA's I will certainly want a burley to go to and this will be it.

Update: Middleton's Sugar Barrel blows the doors off this one. I'm leaving my recommendation at three stars because it is a decent burley.

Folks seem to love this! Well, I will give it three stars, then. Actually, it was one of the first pipe tobaccos I tried, and I moved on from it. I can't think of anything negative to say about it; apart from the fact that it just didn't turn my crank, resound with me, whatever. Supposed to be a great tobacco for the beginner, but the first tobacco I loved was Stokkebye Bullseye Flake. No accounting for taste! Old Master is mild and pleasant, perhaps too much so.

The one arrives in bulk..

Upon opening the bag I am greeted with a wonderfull aroma. The bags' content, is a mostly brown mix of burley & I guess VA. My sample was neither overly moist or PG'ed..

Packing & Lighting: This blend is an easy 3 step pack & lighting is a breeze. The leaf takes to flame straight away.

Smoking: This is an excellent burley! Smooth, cool, nutty, sweet. There is no way that this isn't cased. Its too sweet to be straight. Not that the sweetness is a problem mind you..Its great and doesn't distract at all. FWIW I can't detect any VA's here..and I could care less..This is a great blend.

Finish: Finishes up to a nice, dry, ash. You won't be finding any huge clumps of dottle left over.

Folks this could easily be an all day smoke..never hard on your palate..just a nice sweet & nutty taste. Give it a try..you won't regret it! 3 of 4 nice blend McCranie's!

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.

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.

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

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.

Picked this up going to the Bjarne Trunk show that McCraines hosted. They were great hosts and we all had a great time..... That said, I got three blends while I was there. I am starting with Old Master. Smoking this at their great tobacco bar- This was a mildly sweet, nicely nutty blend with a bit of spice that reminds me of granulated deer tongue. Its a great blend that burned to a nice white ash, very well behaved- no bite or nip. Got 7 oz's. When I got it home, the stuff was damp with PG or some kind of artificial humectant. Serious bummer. It took three days to dry out and start to recover the taste I was looking for. Over all- Recomended- but it would have done better with less PG.