McClelland 2013 Holiday Spirit

The Virginia is slightly grassy, and there's a minor nuttiness from the burley. The black cavendish adds a very mild vanilla note and there's a touch of honey from the gold cavendish. The toppings are not strong, and the rum loses a little of its impact after the half way point. The pecan is more noticeable then, being a little less obvious in the first half of the smoke. The cocoa notes are also very mild. The tobaccos and toppings complimentary meld fairly well together, and as pleasant as it is to smoke - decent burn rate, little moisture in the bowl and no dottle, silky smooth with no bite or harshness - it lacks depth of flavor to be any more than a work about all day mixture. If you like mild aromatics, this may suit you, but if you want a deeper tasting one, it may not satisfy you. Has little nicotine. Two and a half stars.

Apparently, this blend is the same every year, so my reviews for the other versions are the same as this one. I can't tell any differences.

-JimInks

Simply one of my perennial favorites. A nice cocoa and nutty flavor. Not an over powering sweet tobacco. A consistent good taste all the way through each bowl. Very good for sitting in front of the wood stove on a cold winter evening.