Tobaccos McClelland - 2008 Holiday Spirit

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-12-11		Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild	Very Pleasant

From the moment I opened the tin, I knew it would be a guilty pleasure. Strong and sweet caramel-like aromas from the combined efforts of the intensely aromatic cocoa/rum/pecan casing. I'm sure this is likely a bit too heavily cased/topped for some, but for an aromatic this stuff is like candy and the casing is still mild enough for a pleasant though light tobacco taste to shine through. If you're going to be smoking around others, particularly in a bar/pub, if you don't get compliments from this one then you're doing something wrong. I know I did, get compliments that is. ;) The first few puffs are fine, but the sweetness really comes through about mid-bowl with a chocolatey almost coffee liquer kind of thing going on. Definitely low on the nicotine content, which I honestly don't mind. Sure it smokes a bit wet and can get hot, so make sure you've a pipe cleaner or two on hand and go easy on the steam-puffing. Ultimately, I can't do much better than the description on the tin itself:

"This smooth blend of Burley, Virgina and Cavendish tobaccos is flavored with dark rum, pecan and cocoa. It brings a warm glow to the coldest winter day. The aroma of a favorite holiday confection wafts from the bowl bringing pipe smoking contentment."

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2014-01-18		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

When I first transitioned from cigars to pipes, I started with English blends and it wasn’t until several years later that I tried my first boutique aromatic. I guess they say you never forget your first time and mine was with a tin of 2008 Holiday Spirit. I used to smoke it only in a churchwarden and it was wonderful. It started a Christmas morning tradition of a cup of coffee and an aromatic while opening presents with the family. I digress…..Anyway, while looking for something for the most recent Christmas; I opened a tin of Holiday Spirit that I had stashed away. It was still good, although I have found other aromatics more to my liking in the years gone by. There is just the right combination of rum, and cocoa sweetness that I remembered. I didn’t get much of the pecan however. As an aromatic, it is difficult to tell if aging helped to improve this blend, but it didn’t seem to hurt it either. There was no bitterness that I sometimes find with aromatic blends as the bowl progressed, just a deepening sweet rum flavor. There was no goop in the bowl either. While it didn’t make this past Christmas morning, and I don’t know if it was produced in 2013, it was a nice change of pace and a fond memory of when the kids were younger.

Pipe Used: Churchwarden

Age When Smoked: 5 years

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3023)	2015-03-19		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Very Pleasant

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

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2015-02-27		Mild	Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

Not too long ago I cracked my only tin of 2008 Holiday Spirit as I was in the mood for some sweetness. I was not disappointed. A typical McClelland's enhanced offering that still tasted like tobacco, yet delivered the advertised goods. The only nuance of flavor I could not detect was the cocoa, which is why I opened the tin in the first place. It still pleased.

Pipestud

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-03-05		Very Mild	Medium to Strong	Full	Very Pleasant

A tad past Christmas...lol...nonetheless...a standing ovation for McClelland Holiday Spirit 2008. The tin aroma is exquisite...the smoke is mild pecan with an essence of cocoa...as professed by the manufacturer. Little-to-no rum flavour...which is just fine. This blend is on par or superior to those of Pipeworks & Wilke...well done!

No false promises by McClelland here. If you want to dabble in the occasional aromatic...or more so, if you are a regular aromatic connoisseur...try this, there will be no disappointment. Flavourful, cool...no moisture or dottle...smokes to a fine white ash.

I hope that Holiday Spirit 2008 has an agreeable shelf life in my weed-cellar...because forgoing this before its availability passes me by would be a grave disappointment.

A companion infusion: a cappuccino with just a tad of Tia Maria...drop in a bean to crunch when the libation is done.

UPDATE 05/01/10 I found that this does not cellar well...losing most of its flavor. If you have it...smoke it.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kissphantom05 (22)	2009-12-21		Very Mild	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

When I opened the tin I was almost overwhelmed by the smell of rum. This was not bad, however, because I like rum! It was a tad moist, but I could not wait to try it so I skipped letting it dry and packed it and lit her up. The flavor I was hit with was amazing. There was absolutely no tongue bite and no gurgling even straight out of the tin. Its aroma reminded me somewhat of Lane Limited BCA and also of Blue Note.

The room note is among the most pleasant that I have experienced so far. Although it lacks the smell of cinnamon and holly, it makes up with the remnants of a freshly baked pecan pie! I am thinking of ordering more of this before it is gone! Cheers.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Davetopay2 (16)	2018-01-08		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Well, no ketchup. That's a good thing in this case. The tin smells of chemicals. It smokes like a fancy drugstore blend, but without bite. I was taken aback by the large shards of leaf....but marched forward. I get a bit of spice, maybe cinnamon, but the rum and cocoa are absent. Did 9-10 years of age not do this a favor? Nothing wrong with this tin of tobacco, but I personally may be beyond it. It could benefit from an hour or two of open drying, but smokes clean and cool.....a testament to the quality of the base leaf. Burley is the fore note, cavendish, and then any va. I'd probably enjoy it more if the Va came to the fore.....

Pipe Used: 1950s Grabow

Age When Smoked: 10 years

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Capt (339)	2011-07-16		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

If you can find this, buy it. I bought a few tins and I am down to my last one.

Something in the topping gives this a musty odor, maybe the cocoa or pecan. However, it doesn't transfer over to the smoke. Burns clean and cool, leaving a dry bowl and a happy palate.

I have paired this with a hot buttered rum, with good results.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-11-11		Mild	Medium to Strong	Medium	Very Pleasant

I did not like this blend very much, it was like a Christmas party gone wrong! Too much rum, chocolate and pecan pie. The blend was very wet and seemed to linger in my pipe for several bowls. It did not bite my tongue, which surprised me as wet as it was. The manufactures of pipe cleaners must love this blend because I sure went through them smoking the few bowls I had. If you are a die hard aromatic smoker, you might like this one, otherwise I would stay away.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jimmyc (3)	2009-11-06		Mild	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

The tobacco I'm reviewing is the 2009 Edition which has the same tin description as the 2008 Edition. So I wonder if there is any difference in the two years?

I've had a few bowls of Holiday Spirit and can say it is a great smoke. The best part of this smoke for me is the smell while I'm smoking. There is a nice spice aroma and that aroma lingers for awhile after the smoke. Over all its a smooth, great tasting smoke, but smoke slowly to avoid tongue bite. Also use a pipe dedicated to aromatics. I will purchase a few more tins to cellar for when the mood hits me.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	k_pip_k (9)	2009-10-20		Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Very Pleasant

I don't have much to say about this blend. It didn't strike me as spectacular or even just mildly enjoyable. It is a very so-so blend.

The fragrance from opening the tin is rich with coco and vanilla. The room note is pleasant as well, as indicated by my wife and kids. But the taste comes off flat.

There is no taste to speak of. I can sort of assume that the sensitivity on my tongue has been worn off. So someone with a more discerning palate may taste the nuances of this blend. I couldn't.

The only reason I would smoke this is to provide pleasure to others with the pleasant room note. I would not make this my daily or occasional go to blend.

K

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Big Nick (74)	2009-05-22		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Great blend, mild and tasty. They should make this one of their regular blends so that it is always available, although here it is May 22/09 and it is still fairly easy to get.

Very nice combination of flavors, Burley, Virginias and Cavendish with Rum, Pecan and Cocoa. All of the flavors are present at one time or another wafting in and out creating an aromatic bonanza. My taste buds would say that the pecan is more of an almond/amaretto type flavor than pecan, but hey, close enough. The first half of the bowl seems to be more dominated by the (lets just say) Rum and Nuts. Then the Cocoa works its way in. Great aromatic smoke !

One thing has always struck me as odd. Why do some people think a blend like this is only good around the Holiday's. I understand that many flavors and fragrances remind us of certain holiday's, but good is good. When I BBQ a steak in the winter, its good. When I eat turkey in the summer, its good. When I smoke a bowl of 2008 Holiday Spirit in May, hold on to your shorts now, oh my God, its still good !

Don't practice self deprivation, get some while you still can !!!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dr. Scott (82)	2011-12-06		Mild	Strong	Mild to Medium	Very Strong

Mine was the 2011 version, but I think the recipe is the same from year to year.

Tastes and smells like burnt pecan pie. Did they case it with Karo syrup?

My wife hated the smell of this one.

Only for the diehard aromatic lovers.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-01-07		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

My first aromatic, very pleasing smoke, love the tin note and room aroma. My wife wants me to get more, and I won't mind doing so. A nice change of pace.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-12-12		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

This is the exact same blend as the 2009 version, just a different date on the label. A good aromatic that burned well and with only the slightest inclination to bite if puffed too aggressively. The flavors described are certainly present, although none of which remind me of the holidays. A good crowd pleaser with a pleasant taste for the aromatic smoker.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-11-08		Very Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

I really enjoyed this Aromatic. I feel that when rating aromatics, they of course have their own category. This should not be compared to cool smoking English blends.

Being an aromatic, it can smoke a bit hot, but that is natural. The casing is something very sweet, and nutty. The rum tops it off to produce a very fragrant and pleasing aroma to those around.

I think if you are searching for an AMAZING holiday aromatic, this is it. Pick up the 2008 or the 2009 as I am sure by the tin description they are nearly the same.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-08-30		Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Excellent blend. I love these niche tobaccos. It truly does remind you of a fragrant Christmas air...

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-06-23		Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

I'm not a big aromatic smoker, but I recieved a tin of '08 Holiday Spirit from a good friend as a christmas gift. I really enjoy smoking it, and I wish I had more pipes dedicated to aromatics so I could smoke it more often.

It's a good mixture of Burley,Virginia, and Cavendish with wonderful tin notes of Caramel.

The room note is great, and even the most up-tight non-smoker would enjoy it.

It smokes great, although I have to be carefull when I pack it because of the broken flakes. I've yet to get any tongue bite from it, and it smokes to a fine dark grey ash.

On a different note, I reached into my pipe bag to load some up, and realized I only had enough for about 2/3 of a bowl. Rooting around I found some Dubliner from Ted's Pipe Shoppe in Tulsa, a strong English blend, and mixed a little in. It smoked great and took the edge off of the Latakia. I think I'll try it again.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-04-20		Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Very Pleasant

I find that this is a wonderful blend, with subtle notes of nut and rum. Very Christmasy; definately not a year-round smoke. Still really enjoyable.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-01-27		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

All I have to say about this blend is DELICIOUS! I cant get the stuff to bite and there is very little moisture left in the bowl when finished!

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-12-20		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Sampling at my local tobacconist, I purchased a tin believing with a little more aging, this might develop a bit more flavor depth due to the fine Virginia leaf. So, I will smoke it next Christmas in 2009 for a likely treat. I like it now, too.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PipenGuitar (15)	2008-12-18		Extremely Mild	Strong	Mild	Pleasant

RUM RUM RUM! That's the main smell I got opening the tin. Fine by me...I'd dry it out a bit just because it's so damn moist. I find that drying it out for an hour prior to smoking will help lessen the syrupy texture that was accumulating in my mouth. I found that a corn cob pipe was best for maintaining a cool(er) smoke.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-12-07		Mild	Strong	Very Mild	Very Pleasant

I judge all respective tobaccos on their individual merits. I never compare English blends to Aromatic Blends or Virginia Flakes to Burley Flakes. So with that in mind, take this review for what it is worth. This is a rather bland and disappointing blend. EXACT DESCRIPTION: A mixture consisting of both Best of Show & Tastemaster in one tin. That is it. VERY McClelland aromatic flavor- which means not easily defined. It is sweet and harmless. I would skip it. For true aromatics go to Pipeworks at Wilke.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-12-07		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

As far as an aromatic is concerned this is a good blend and the taste reflects caramel and rum. Perfect for the holidays but I don't think I would smoke much of it at other times of the year. The flavor seems to die close to the bottom of the bowl and loses a lot of character. I found it to be a bit of a hot smoke and had to really watch myself to keep it smoldering at the right temperature to avoid the tongue bite. I would not invest in a large portion of this blend but I do think it is appropriate for this time of year.

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