Tobac of the Month Blind Review - February - Va

Post your TOM Blind Review for February here. I will select my favorite review and post what the baccy was after all reviews have been submitted. Enjoy guys!

-Tyler

WARNING!!
This is my first review of a tobacco ever! Let's give it a try.



Eyes and Nose
A beautiful brown flake with a smell that is figgy and slightly vinegary up close sort of reminds me of McClelland from the smell and look of it.

First Part
Nice moister with this flake and easy to rub out and fill the bowl with.
The taste is very woody at the start turning quickly to a almost nutty figgy somewhat woody taste with a nice balanced sweetness that sort of crawls in and out and in between the figgy nutty woods taste.

Second Part
Now I'm getting a sort of malty taste with still the woodsy taste staying around and the nut being gone with the fig being more hidden under the woodsy/oaky malty taste. It has a nice puffy ash as I head down to the half part of the bowl,This tobacco smokes cool so far and hasn't gone out since.

Half Part/Last Part
So the half part is getting deeper with the wood/oak taste and the fig is slightly back with a slight very slight almost pepper or a root maybe radish kind of taste, Very pleasant.

The End
The wood/oak is all but gone and moved to a dark deep almost a slightly burnt sugar on ceder like taste. A little more time and it's getting near the end I'm getting more of a sweeter bread like taste, I love the end of this tobacco! You got to tell me what this stuff is! I need to get some! PM me and I have to say that this stuff hasn't gone out at all!!! I have not done a relight once!!
And this is done as the last puff of smoke dissipates into oblivion.

I had nothing to drink with the tobacco and was smoked using a Neerup and I smoked another bowl an hour later in a Wessex to confirm everything I tasted, All though it differed slightly in taste it was still close to what I tasted in the Neerup.

I hope this review is good. This is only what the taste of the tobacco reminded me of and some things were on the tip of my tongue but couldn't for the life of me get. I'm sure I'll get better at it as the months pass.

Cheers!

[Curly Cut]

got the tobacco in the mail today.
will work on a bowl soon (didn't see how many bowls-worth were in there yet).

[Curly Cut]

i just rubbed out the entire sample, attempting to have a small bowl, but it's determined to not burn at all. so, when i go back upstairs, i'm gonna put it all in a bowl for a few days to dry out, then take it with me on my business trip. right now, it's unsmokeable for me.
obviously, this isn't my review, just a heads-up.

Interesting,

Usually, I find this baccy to be smokable after being in a baggy for a spell. It is a pretty thick cut though and could probably benefit from drying out.

I had some last night, smoked 1/4 of the bowl and let the rest sit for a couple hours. Came back to it and it stayed lit much better.

I look forward to reading what you think. This baccy is becoming one of my favs quickly.

-Tyler

[Curly Cut]

do you want us to guess what it is, or just review it. it's obvious what it is.

Originally Posted by Curly Cut

do you want us to guess what it is, or just review it. it's obvious what it is.

Just review it for now. All of the baccys I was thinking about sending are obvious.

Funny how certain baccys have such a distinct look/smell/taste. If you have had them before that is. I wouldn't have known what it was until I had seen it.

-Tyler

[Slow Triathlete]

Hi guys,

Just got mine on friday. Postal damaged it en route and had to repack it. Now I've been laid out with a fever since Sunday. I'll review this in the next few days. I'm pretty sure that I know what it is as well.

The sickness is going around right now. My wife and kids have all been fluish and throwing up since last night. Took work off today to take care of them.

I look forward to reading the reviews. hope you feel better soon!

[Nick]

Smoked my first bowl last night, I haven't had this before so don't give it away for me. I'll smoke another bowl in a few and possibly submit a review.

[Nick]

First I have to say; is this a straight Virginia? If it is then it is my favorite to this point.

My biggest complaint with most straight virginias is they lack character, body, depth, and complexity. This blend has all of those in spades. It was easy going to smoke and not troublesome in the least. This is also the darkest Virginia I have ever smoked which I assume is the reason for why I like it so much more. I usually don't like the dried fruit sensation with Virginias so I am pleased that this has a creamier fuller texture and doesn't just seem like hot air.

I guess I just don't get the more subtle intricacies of most Straight VA. Maybe because I'm not really a subtle guy. I kind of hope this is Blackwoods Flake or an equivalent as I have a tin of that stored away at the moment.

86/100

Originally Posted by Nick

First I have to say; is this a straight Virginia? If it is then it is my favorite to this point.

My biggest complaint with most straight virginias is they lack character, body, depth, and complexity. This blend has all of those in spades. It was easy going to smoke and not troublesome in the least. This is also the darkest Virginia I have ever smoked which I assume is the reason for why I like it so much more. I usually don't like the dried fruit sensation with Virginias so I am pleased that this has a creamier fuller texture and doesn't just seem like hot air.

I guess I just don't get the more subtle intricacies of most Straight VA. Maybe because I'm not really a subtle guy. I kind of hope this is Blackwoods Flake or an equivalent as I have a tin of that stored away at the moment.

86/100

I am glad you enjoyed it. I too am finding it to be my fav VA. tobaccoreviews.com and everything else I have read sticks it as a straight VA. I will pm you what it is so as not to spoil it yet for the other guys (even though they probably guessed it).

Could you expand a little on how you came up with the 86/100? I am wanting to do more reviewing and looking for different ideas to adapt into my own system, so I am intrigued by how others do it.

Thanks for the review.

[Nick]

I think the out of ten points system can get a little fuzzy where as if you put it out of 100 I think it pin points the score of the tobacco better. For instance I gave this blend an 86/100, whereas I would have to put 8.6/10 which in my opinion is ugly. Plus I am a college senior and my life is centered around percentages hence and 86% or a solid B. I usually review every blend I try on TR but I also have a little spread sheet going where I simply name the blend under the correct blender and give it my percentage score. I also feel it is a great way to compare other blends and in my opnion can be very accurate when done correctly.

For instance I give Piccadilly a 95% as it is my favorite smoke where I give St. James Flake and 80% because I feel it is just a decent smoke. In my opinion grading is comparative hence my grading system. BTW my lowest tobacco grade at the moment is Vanilla Cream at 65%.

[Curly Cut]

Blind Review:

Packed a Stanwell Pot with the fully rubbed and hopefully thoroughly dried out tobacco, sat on the covered patio at the hotel before it got really cold out.


A very strong perfumy note is noticeable on the draws, more than when it's wet and fresh from the tin. the drying has helped a lot and not giving me any problems with being harsh.

I knew as soon as i saw and smelled this what it was. My first bowl didn't go very well as the standard problems i have with McClellands flakes were making themselves known.

If overpuffing, this can turn more zesty and less flavorful nearly biting.

(lucky me, the lawnmowing contractor for this hotel just decided to show up and start mowing around me)

I've noticed that I don't like using the tamper from my Old Boy, it just doesn't get the job done like a pipe nail, a mr.c tamper, or one of my own dowel rod creations.

about 1/3rd done, still the same flavors - a zesty virginia with that Christmas Cheer perfumy backdrop. I always have troubles with McClellands products staying lit, this one is no different after leaving it in a bowl overnight, then putting it back in a little baggie for a week. it feels brittle to the touch, but still won't stay going in one of my best smoking pipes.


now it seems to have changed to a slight "navy flake" flavor on the bottom 3rd. I kinda poke around the bowl, broke it up, re-tamped, re-lit, and got a strong zesty flavor, with hints of a port wine sweetnes (but it burned a bit on exhale thru the nose).

at the very end, knocked some ash out, re-lit, and it's still a nice zesty and slightly perfumy Virginia.

Thats a nice pipe. You think a pot is better for this kind of flake or doesn't really matter?

[Curly Cut]

thx. it's an old stanwell regd # pipe i got for about $20 on ebay (a freakin steal), straight grain all the way around, only 1 small fill, which i don't care about.

shouldn't matter what shape, i just have issues with this brands flakes staying lit no matter what form i leave them in.

Great job on the reviews guys! Just waiting on Slow Triathlete to post his. I'll pm him to remind him.

[Slow Triathlete]

Sorry for the hold up guys. I have reviewed it on paper. I'll transfer it over today.

[Slow Triathlete]

Upon receiving the sample I noticed that it came in Flake/Broken Flake form. As soon as I sniffed the bag aroma I had a pretty good idea what this blend was. I rubbed it out fully and let it dry for about three days before I lit it up.

The taste pretty much matched the smell to me. Sweet virginia with a hint of cinnamon and clove. Smells like Christmas to me. I had issues with keeping this lit as I have in the past because the chunks that this blend rubs out to are still hard to keep lit even when dried out. Oh well, I still enjoyed this blend. It reminds me a lot of when I started smoking because this blend (or different year that is) was one of my first purchases.

About halfway through the bowl I picked up another fruity aroma/taste that could only be identified as being similar to orange peel. Nice addition to the blend.

Overall, I enjoyed this blend. It is hard to dry out and keep lit a lot of the time but if you can hang with it you will be rewarded.

Super job with the reviews guys!

As most of you have guessed, the baccy is McClelland Christmas Cheer 2008.

Your reviews must have jinxed me for this baccy. The first couple bowls I had smoked great. Lately, I haven't been able to keep a bowl lit for my life. Hmmm...

I still do enjoy the taste though. I am glad you guys also seemed to enjoy it.

I will take a look at the reviews tonight and pick the winner. Good job guys!

-Tyler