McClelland Special Holiday Spirit - PToM Dec 2015 (Pipe Tobacco of the Month)
- Thread starter cgraunke
- Start date
cgraunke
BoM March '14
To spice things up a bit this year, I'm going to start doing a little giveaway each month.
For each person that reviews the PToM, I'll add a half ounce sample to the pot, up to a max of 2oz. total. Then, at the end of the month, I'll draw a winner from the lot who posted reviews and send them their winnings. Just a little juice to hopefully boost participation. Reviews don't need to be in any special format or super in-depth, just let us know what you thought of the PToM, what you liked, what you didn't. Maybe what it reminded you of. Pictures are great, too. Just share your thoughts, enjoy, and have fun.
Cool draws & sweet smokes, Brothers!
REVIEWS:
@thedismaltrade
@Whtwtrman79
@Xavier Dredo
@Garrett
@Iholmes
@CVAC085
@K Williams
For each person that reviews the PToM, I'll add a half ounce sample to the pot, up to a max of 2oz. total. Then, at the end of the month, I'll draw a winner from the lot who posted reviews and send them their winnings. Just a little juice to hopefully boost participation. Reviews don't need to be in any special format or super in-depth, just let us know what you thought of the PToM, what you liked, what you didn't. Maybe what it reminded you of. Pictures are great, too. Just share your thoughts, enjoy, and have fun.
Cool draws & sweet smokes, Brothers!
REVIEWS:
@thedismaltrade
@Whtwtrman79
@Xavier Dredo
@Garrett
@Iholmes
@CVAC085
@K Williams
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Just ordered mine, will post a noob review next week!
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I have plenty in a jar that you can have. I will only ask this question... Is it the same recipe every year...... I have a jar full of 2014 holiday spirit. If it's the same blend your more than welcome to it.
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cgraunke
BoM March '14
I went to have some late last week and realized my existing jar was empty and I hadn't ordered any '15 yet.
That's been resolved and I'm hoping to see it any day now...
That's been resolved and I'm hoping to see it any day now...
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Just got a tin today and will smoke some soon.
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Well I get the flavors the first quarter or third of the bowl then it's the typical hot air flavor that I get from near all aromatics ...... No offense to this one but it just doesn't do it for me, but for reference only a few aros are ok in my book ymmv
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Interesting tin note, reminds me of a Rum 'n Tonic with extra lime. Not picking up the pecans or cocoa. Packs and lights easily, few relights. Pleasant over all, slightly sweet when smoked gently. Trying it out in this Television pipe I just restored. When I was a kid we called it my Dad's 'Santa Pipe'.
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I didn't pick up on the pecans or chocolate either. Got my jar from Josh last night and immediately smoked a bowl - sweet raisins on my palette. Pleasant room note and the old lady didn't mind. Good stuff. Thanks to Josh for his generosity!
McClelland Holiday Spirit 2015
Tin note: rich, spiced rum some brown sugar and a Virginia bite
Little on the moist side out of the tin, I'm going to let dry for 20 minutes
Smoking in my cob that I use anytime I try new baccy
Upon first light I notice a great room note, almost cinnamon like
I haven't smoked many aromatics but this definitely doesn't have a chemical or syrupy flavor to me. At first the smoke is very lite and much more sweet than I expected. I'm very surprised how much of the rum and sugar smells I got when I opened the tin are coming thru in the smoke.
Not picking up on any cocoa like others have said. I smoked this bowl VERY slow and didn't get annoyed or irritated with the flavors. Couple delights here and there but I did smoke it right out of the tin.
Overall I would say this is an enjoyable smoke. Maybe not something i would smoke outside of the holidays but a good change of pace to put me in the holiday spirit!
Sorry for the grammar, lack of punctuation and overall terrible review but this is my first and I was just taking notes on my phone while I smoked. Looking forward to seeing what the rest of you think about this stuff.
Tin note: rich, spiced rum some brown sugar and a Virginia bite
Little on the moist side out of the tin, I'm going to let dry for 20 minutes
Smoking in my cob that I use anytime I try new baccy
Upon first light I notice a great room note, almost cinnamon like
I haven't smoked many aromatics but this definitely doesn't have a chemical or syrupy flavor to me. At first the smoke is very lite and much more sweet than I expected. I'm very surprised how much of the rum and sugar smells I got when I opened the tin are coming thru in the smoke.
Not picking up on any cocoa like others have said. I smoked this bowl VERY slow and didn't get annoyed or irritated with the flavors. Couple delights here and there but I did smoke it right out of the tin.
Overall I would say this is an enjoyable smoke. Maybe not something i would smoke outside of the holidays but a good change of pace to put me in the holiday spirit!
Sorry for the grammar, lack of punctuation and overall terrible review but this is my first and I was just taking notes on my phone while I smoked. Looking forward to seeing what the rest of you think about this stuff.
Alright, here I go with a review of the PToM only a few days after Christmas...
I already had an open tin, roughly 1/4 of it left, so it's been sitting for some time. Put a decent packed bowl in my Fat Belly Boswell pipe.
So upon opening I immediately was greeted with the aroma of hazelnuts and pecans. Reminded me very closely to the Nording Series Labrador pipe tobacco comparing to the tin notes.
Initial 1/4 of the bowl I was tasting hazelnuts and dark rum for sure. Was very pleasant and no bite what so ever. A very cool, tasty smoke. Only a handful of re-lights on the initial lighting. Very enjoyable tobacco at this point in time.
Halfway through, I decided maybe I needed to try to pair it with something nice, so I grabbed a bottle of Brekenridge Brewery Christmas Ale. Unfortunately, it didn't help my cause to try and get some more flavors and sadly it took a turn downwards. I was barely picking up much of the nuts and pecans I was tasting in the first 1/4 of the bowl. I don't want to say it was chemicals but it might've been just that. The re-lights at this point were un-real as it wasn't staying lit. I had to have been doing it at least once or twice every few minutes which is a little too often for me.
Final 1/4 of the bowl just burnt real hot and just let me down. I tried my best to see if I can pick up any flavors at all but it didn't happen. I decided to just give up on it tonight. I'm questioning myself as if the baccy was too wet or I packed the bowl way too tight. Maybe next time I should let it sit for a few minutes prior to smoking.
I do want to try it again, since I've had quite a few enjoyable bowls prior to this being elected for the PToM. I have another tin I'd want to age, but after reading here and speaking with fellow BOTL's about how poorly aro's age I don't think I'll be doing that.
I already had an open tin, roughly 1/4 of it left, so it's been sitting for some time. Put a decent packed bowl in my Fat Belly Boswell pipe.
So upon opening I immediately was greeted with the aroma of hazelnuts and pecans. Reminded me very closely to the Nording Series Labrador pipe tobacco comparing to the tin notes.
Initial 1/4 of the bowl I was tasting hazelnuts and dark rum for sure. Was very pleasant and no bite what so ever. A very cool, tasty smoke. Only a handful of re-lights on the initial lighting. Very enjoyable tobacco at this point in time.
Halfway through, I decided maybe I needed to try to pair it with something nice, so I grabbed a bottle of Brekenridge Brewery Christmas Ale. Unfortunately, it didn't help my cause to try and get some more flavors and sadly it took a turn downwards. I was barely picking up much of the nuts and pecans I was tasting in the first 1/4 of the bowl. I don't want to say it was chemicals but it might've been just that. The re-lights at this point were un-real as it wasn't staying lit. I had to have been doing it at least once or twice every few minutes which is a little too often for me.
Final 1/4 of the bowl just burnt real hot and just let me down. I tried my best to see if I can pick up any flavors at all but it didn't happen. I decided to just give up on it tonight. I'm questioning myself as if the baccy was too wet or I packed the bowl way too tight. Maybe next time I should let it sit for a few minutes prior to smoking.
I do want to try it again, since I've had quite a few enjoyable bowls prior to this being elected for the PToM. I have another tin I'd want to age, but after reading here and speaking with fellow BOTL's about how poorly aro's age I don't think I'll be doing that.
I agree. Most...but not all...of the aromatics goes away halfway into the bowl. Every once in a while, the Virginia tobacco fought their way through. It's a good aromatic blend. Needs some drying time out of a fresh tin. Sounded like I was smoking Rice Krispies at times...
I got rum and cocoa. No pecans...