Tobaccos McClelland - Bombay Extra (Personal Reserve)

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2014-02-07		Medium	None Detected	Full	Very Pleasant

Very aged sample from an internet buddy - about an ounce or so. Quite a nice gift and I wish I liked it more. But it is much appreciated all the same, and not just because of the thought.

Mostly black with flecks of dark brown, this has a heady bag aroma of latakia and a faint whiff or orientals. Lights easily and burns cleanly. The initial flavor is latakia and it's pretty much latakia down the bowl. As latakia tends to soften over time, I'm at a loss to explain this. It's as if as it got milder, it melded too much with the other tobaccos and nearly obliterated their flavor. I'd occasionally get a teaser of perique or orientals, and some very light sweetness was present, but this struck me as a latakia bomb, and I don't do well with those. About 1/3 of the way in, I got this interesting well done steak flavor with some spice that was compelling, but fleeting. Mostly this blend just seemed "dazed and confused" with too much bitterness, but also with promise. I'd be curious what a fresh tin tasted like, and even more curious what Bombay Court tastes like, as I've not smoked either. Not being a huge fan of McClelland's latakia blends until Blue Mountain, I skipped these. But this one is interesting enough to make me want to try again, as I may have missed something to my detriment. This particular version, however, struck me as a blend less than the sum of its parts, but I do thank the sender for opening my eyes to this. I'll update once I've tried the fresh version. 19 years may prove to be too long to age this one - we'll see!

Pipe Used: meerschaum

Age When Smoked: 19 years

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2002-08-06		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Boy, after reading pmonroeb's review of Bombay Extra, I went and checked my tin to make sure I had smoked the same stuff. Taste is certainly relative!.....Latakia lovers, rejoice! If, on the other hand, you prefer your Latakia in subdued doses, duck and run from this blend! This tobacco should be renamed Bombed Mouth, because I sure feel like mine has been strafed by Latakia!

Upon opening the tin you get the definite feeling this is a heady blend. You get the same feeling at the match. I made it to about the quarter-bowl point before the wife sent me into the garage with the dogs - guess that tells you what the room note is like.

If you like your Latakia flavor revved up and care little whether you have friends around, then light up with Bombay Extra. Talk about smoking in solitude, this baby will get the job done, Whew!

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-02-21		Medium	Extremely Mild	Full	Pleasant

This is my favorite blend. I searched for a long time until I found this blend for an experience that I imagined I pipe could deliver. I love the complexity of the smoke as you get two/thirds into the bowl. The perique is just in the right measure and the latakia is never overwhelming. Like most McClelland tins, it should air out a bit before smoked but it is a wonderful blend.

On another note, my wife, who really isn't a fan of my pipe hobby, likes the smell and taste of this tobacco (unlike most smokes, she will kiss me after I've been smoking this blend). I've tried similarly constituted blends anonymously to see if I can fool her and I can not. She complains about every other smoke except this one. For peace at home after a smoke, this is my favorite (which is good because I like it just the same).

This blend's true pleasures are revealed in the last 1/3 of the bowl after the hotter and sweeter Virginias are all but burned out and the Lataka and Perique are left. The dark complexity and flavor, with the lingering sweetness of the Virginias, are one of the purest forms of relaxation that can be had smoking a pipe. A trule special experience.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2015-05-11		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is what I wrote about Bombay Court:

"Mild notes of smoke and wood from the Latakia. The Turkish leads with a nice note of butter and more wood. The Virginias add a modest sweetness. This is a good smoke, but is a little too woody for my taste. I wouldn't call it bland, but it borders on it. More sweetness would be nice. I can't get too excited over this one."

The changes in Extra are a definite improvement. Has more flavor and comes off as less woody. Also has a little more sweetness and a nice spiciness. I gave BC 2 stars. This version is an easy 3.

Mild to medium in body. Medium in flavor. Burns very well.

Pipe Used: MM Country Gentleman, Diplomat Apple, Mark Twain

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2013-04-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I think I'm in love with this blend. I tasted Bombay Court and, though I liked it a lot, I was left with a craving for more. Enter Bombay Extra. This blend smokes great from top to dottle, and always rewards you with a complex and satisfying flavor. I haven't smoked for a long time, so I can't break it down into its special Latakia and Perique, but what I can tell you is that, if you're a non-aro guy like me, you will find this blend very rewarding. Ordered a large tin and expect to have it in my regular rotation.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	MDP (39)	2010-09-19		Medium	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable

Intentional or not, McClelland has answered Dunhill's Nightcap (I've only smoked tins and bulk blended by Murray & Sons). Beaucoup Latakia, a manly touch of Perique with middling Oriental and dark Virginias are BE. Nightcap is all pugnacious and relentless to me, missing finesse and even a modicum of balance. BE is provides a little finesse and a modicum of balance and hence it would be my choice if this kind of blend attracted me. It does not, but I appreciate it for what it is represents.

I simply cannot explain characterizations of BE as "mild" or that it burns poorly. Like most McClelland blends, it needs moisture reduction and time to breathe after the tin is unsealed. As OSR said, it is for sipping. Chuggers need not apply at the English blends department.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-01-07		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Having been off the pipe and tobaccoreviews.com for two years I am back and my first welcome back offering is McClelland's Bombay Extra and it was not a bad way to enter back into the pipe smoking arena once again.

As I began to smoke Bombay Extra I detected all the noticeable McClelland qualities and almost concluded that there is nothing too special to note here...just an all round good smoke until I realized how all the leafs marry perfectly together and each can be detected and yet not one ever comes to the front to dominate...a perfect symphony. This symphony can be perceived as boring or bland but I think in reality it is a master blend. It just an all round decent smoke.

Bombay Extra should be sipped if you desire to maintain the balance...then she is perfect. Enjoy.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2004-01-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Blind review, sample sent by mail and review published on ASP. This is one of the better English blends this non-English fan has ever smoked.

75F patio smoke in 1/8 bent Tinsky tall Bulldog blast

Appearance: 50% black, 25% red, 20% brown and 5% blond. Mostly ribbon cut leaf, perfect moisture.

Tin Aroma: Light Latakia, with scent of what could be either matured Virginia or Oriental.

Light up: Lights easily with Latakia showing itself first, though it is well and lightly applied. Sweetness, toastiness and tongue heat indicate significant Virginia content, and mild back of throat edge indicates some nicotine strength. I'm not in ecstasy, but am enjoying this very much. The Latakia is truly only a spice note, just a bit more evident than it is in Bob's Chocolate Flake. Need to watch smoking rate b/c this can bite if pushed. Burns easily and dry, though the Tinsky must get some of the credit too. Bowl aroma is primarily Virginia.

Settle in: Top range is faint but necessary for the mild complexity this blend possesses.

There is a vague top-end sweetness that escapes further description. There is a caramel-like note in the lower end of the top range, indicating high-quality Virginias were used. This effect is lost, however, if the pipe is not air-smoked, so I am guessing that a high percentage of these qualities are from the small amount of bright leaf present, and the red Virginias. I'm picturing a mango-type sweetness and zestiness, but not flavor. Mid-range is the heart of this blend. The caramel tones transition into the mid-range and expand. Mind you, no toppings on this one are detectable. No heaviness or bitterness, no hint of Perique for me. Not really spicy either. Also a pound cake sweetness and depth, and an apricot jam quality (that isn't it exactly, but is as close as I can get). The Latakia is very faint, a big plus in my book, and it lends a chocolate-y tone to the background. The heat is no longer a factor. Bottom range is present but not much so. Vague and sweet. This tobacco burns fast. There are only five or so flavors here, very constant, without much variation. There is enough complexity, however, to keep the smoker interested, and the flavors that are present are pretty tasty. I'm not tasting any orientals at this point.

The end is near: This tobacco burns to a clean ash, leaving little aftertaste. Again, not much variation, but the Latakia does pick up a bit near the end, as well as a flavor that I identify with matured Virginia. No burley curse.

I'm not especially good with identifying Latakia blends, but I'm guessing that this isn't an Esoterica or Lake District blend. I don't pick up any signature smells of the Danish or German blends. I'm guessing American-sourced Virginias here.

An initial 7.5 of 10, very high for a Latakia blend for me. Second and third smokes confirm this rating. The best of the three for me.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2002-07-30		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable

This is one of my favorites. This is one of the richest aromas and flavors I have ever experienced in a tobacco. There is an astonishing depth to the flavor that builds slowly throughout the bowl. I would not describe it as strong, but as rich. You can definitely taste the darkened Virginias that give this blend a unique natural sweetness that sets it apart from most latakia blends. This tobacco defies being categorized. While it has a strong latakia element, it just does not fit into a Scottish, English or Balkan description.

Like most McClellands, it must be dried a little and I find it packs better if I break down the longer ribbons. The tobacco lights and burns well.

One quality I find particularly appealing is that the room aroma is less offensive to others than most latakia blends and does not linger in the room as do most latakias. I have on several occasions smoked this more than once in an evening then had guests over the next morning and asked if they could smell the tobacco and they could only smell an inoffensive hint.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	The good Rev. Rizzo (36)	2015-08-09		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

A rich and full blend. The smokiness of the Latakia will settle out and mellow with everything else after a bit of aging. The effect makes it in my opinion even more wonderfully balanced. The orientals are there for sure. A whiff of zing to them here and there. I think everything about this presentation is a big win.

Pipe Used: Peterson Systems Standard XL307

Age When Smoked: 3 years.

Purchased From: Allegheny Smokeworks.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	albfneto (184)	2015-05-27		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

This is a good stuff. Defined as an Oriental mixture. In fact, Bombay is the tobacco proeminent. I scented the Orientals, Latakia (main in the tobacco, than in the taste and flavour). Perique (mainly in the smoke than in tobacco) is also scented, Virginia is associate, but is a secondary tobacco in the mixture. The Room note is strong. Nicotine is also Medium to Strong. The best score for me can be 3.5 Stars.

Pipe Used: An Chacom, Bulldog.

Age When Smoked: recently purchased

Purchased From: a friend

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2014-05-27		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Well, this was a disappointment. Liking Bombay Court, I thought this would be as good or "EXTRA" good, it's not. It burns hot and bitey and lacks a distinctive flavor of Orientals that I get with BC. The blending proportions are so "out of whack" I don't even consider them similar blends and they're not !

Agree with reviewer DK

Revised 6/30/2014- Well once again I have to eat my words, this isn't bad. Give it a month to breath and it delivers a medium latakia / oriental flavor. It's one of those smokes that is good anytime between heavier blends. I still like Bombay Court better, this is just of a different style. 3 stars

Pipe Used: Cob & Maple

Age When Smoked: 1 year , open one month

Similar Blends: NOT- Bombay Court.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-03-02		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

GREAT Smoke, really enjoyed my first bowl of this from a 100g tin I received. Nice flavors throughout the bowl, burns slow, cool and steady, min-relights w/frank method.

I will be stocking up on this for aging

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-07-25		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is my all time favorite. When I smoke this mixture, I'm part taking in the Theory of Relativity and Quantum Revolution. I become whisked away, bending time and space. BLISS, ABSOLUTE BLISS. The melding of tobacco tones in my mouth, perfectly. On a scale of four stars, I rate this at SEVEN STARS. What I will do, is to let it breathe in open air until it is not moist to the touch of the back of my fingers, and at that point I delve into that enigmatic pleasure zone: Man, Tobacco, and Pipe.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-04-26		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

I believe Mark Twain once said, "Too much of anything is no good, except too much whisky, which is just right." This is a blend for people who feel that way about Latakia. Bombay Extra has way too much Latakia, which some of us feel is just the right amount. If you are an unrepentant Latakiaphile, then you will also be able to taste the meaty Orientals and McClelland's outstanding Virginias in this blend. But if you think Latakia is best used in moderation, you will probably only taste Latakia.

As for tin aroma, it smells like all good English blends smell: bloody awful. I don't understand why anybody cares about tin aroma. In my experience, generally the worse a blend smells, the better it tastes, and vice versa. If I want tobacco that smells good, I'll buy an aromatic and use it as potpourri in my smoking room, while I smoke real tobacco. (I actually did that once. It was enjoyable, but expensive.)

I usually drink tea, but sometimes I'm in the mood for a double espresso. Likewise, I usually smoke medium English blends, but when I want a serious Latakia hit, I reach for Bombay Extra.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	OSR (78)	2006-11-07		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Opinions, opinions....

I find this to be the most complex blend in the entire McClellands line of mixtures. One can taste all of the different tobaccos and none of them dominate the blend.

This is a tobacco to be sipped. It's not a full mixture though the label would have you believe that there's some strength in the mixture. The virginias are the base but the rest of the tobaccos come through nicely.

My advice is to buy a tin, pop the top and let it sit (with the plastic top on it) for a couple of weeks. There's something about letting certain tobaccos breathe and this is one of the mixtures that benefits from breathing.

Steady and complex to the bottom of the bowl, I prefer this in larger pipes. A very nice tobacco for the sippers among us. The oriental tobacco mixed with the perique really does the trick. Well done.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2004-08-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Some of the reviewers here keep trying to hold this tobacco up beside it's brother and expect the same thing. This tobacco is not Bombay Court,it's Bombay Extra, a whole different person.

This blend is just right for me.. The Latakia I do not find too overpowering but bold and well stated. The toasted Virginia components that play along sweetly with the Perique makes this a tasty smoke. The Perique adds it's stewed fruit background,and the smoke is thick,and curly smokey sweet.

I did play with this blend trying to figure out how to help you guys who have a tin of this now and don't like it too much. Here it goes: Add two chopped up level tablespoons of Dark Star to Bombay Extra. You'll be sending me Christmas Cards after you try that!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	crapgame1967 (61)	2017-01-16		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

Thoughts from my tobacco log dated 2003 and to this day I stand by what I thought then! Well I went to visit Dick at the tobacco shop and I went to find some Bombay Court only to find none on the shelf. Dick comes over and hands me a 50g tin of this and tells me to try this one out. So after grabbing a tin of a Peterson aromatic and some Lane bulks and an inexpensive church warden I walk to my Brat and load up the pipe. Whoa!!!! What is this??? Spice....pepper maybe?? Whatever is in this tobacco made the hair on neck stand up and want more!! It is very much like the other Bombay but is very spicy and I want more more MORE!!!

Pipe Used: New church warden

Age When Smoked: just opened tin

Purchased From: My friend Dick J's shop!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Reagold (29)	2015-10-02		Medium	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable

I've smoked two tins of 100g of this tobacco.

The first one made me fall in love. It became my favorite tobacco. Thick smoke, intense flavor, complexity in the right measure, and it has never let me down, always a great smoke. A wide variety of different tobacco was mixed bringing various layers of flavor. In short, a highly recommended tobacco and a incredibly memorable one.

So memorable that I bought a second tin to never run out of this wonder.

But time plays tricks. My second can did not impress me. Certainly not displeased me, but not enchanted me anymore. But I don´t think that the tobacco has changed, instead I have "saturated" my taste of such heavy English mixtures and so.

Anyway, it is a high quality tobacco, complex enough to be interesting but not for being boring, and certainly worth a try. Problably the problem is with me, not with the him!

I only recommend that, after opening the tin, let it breath, for my taste it comes a bit too wet.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	al1 (58)	2008-11-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Update: 3/17 This is a really good blend that I enjoy late in the evening after dinner or later on in the night when I am relaxed and want a full flavored smoke. The latakia is a major player but not overpowering. I get spicy notes and some natural sweetness as well from the other tobaccos used. I had to come back and redo my review as when I had first reviewed this blend years ago I was not experienced enough to truly enjoy what this excellent blend has to offer.

Pipe Used: savinelli 104, 115 ks, and 202

Age When Smoked: 10 years

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CPT/VSG (72)	2008-08-30		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Boy, the reviews are all over the place on BE but I like it. Among McCelland's English blends, the subtle touch of Perique adds to the interest and comports well with the Orientals. The Lakatia, to my taste, is in the background. My personal preference among McClelland's English blends is British Woods but BE is worth trying. Frankly, thouh, it doesn't stand out enough to be a part of my regular rotation but it burns well to a dry ash and is sufficiently interesting to rate an occasional smoke. I'm finishing an '05 tin and the 3 years of aging adds to the melding of Perique into the overall taste.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-09-19		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

Hello to my fellow tobacco lovers. I recently picked up a tin of this just to try something different. I love Latakia and heavy English blends, and the heavier or stronger the better but I thought that I'd try what I thought would have more of an Oriental experience.I really love this stuff. The more my mouth waters from a blend,the better I like it. This blend really does the trick. What a great surprise.It has a sweet,smooth,mouth watering flavor with no bite and if I was told there was opium in the mix I wouldn't be surprised. This is a nice change of pace from my usual mainstays of Penzance,Pirate kake, Old Ironsides and the other usual suspects.It was easy to keep lit and best enjoyed in a large bowl. The Latakia stays in the background and if your looking for a Latakia type blend this is not for you. I'll be replacing my Frog Morton blends with this in the future. I hope this review will help others.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2006-07-14		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I'm not sure why the reviews on this have been so poor. Imagine Frog Morton, but rich and with guts, or NighCap without the nausea and miserable aftertaste. I was looking for something along these lines, and was led to this by my local tobacconist. I was not all all disappointed. The tin is labeled 1999 and I bought it in July 2006 and found it to be strong but flavorful, rich and lovely. I don't know if the age would have that much of an impact, but I'm sure it helps. I don't think I would smoke this blend indoors, but others even enjoyed the aroma (despite the Latakia!) on the back porch.

Aromatic-only fans will probably hate it, but for a palette slightly more experienced and ready for English as in my case, this was a great step "up" and an extremely enjoyable after-dinner smoke that left me quite satisfied.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2003-10-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Unlike others, I find Bombay Extra is a step in the right direction from Bombay Court. Sure it has a rather nasty room note to non-latakia types, but that is a good sign, not a bad one!

I really enjoy the sweetness of the Virginia component, and find this adds to the balance of the blend. I would not characterize this as a really heavy lifter in the latakia territory, but it IS a good lat. fix. The perique is not a major player, but provides a bit of a zip that Bombay Court is lacking.

I also take exception to the comment that this tobacco is one-dimensional. The VA-latakia interplay is IMO rich and dark, just like the color. But then, why should we all like the same blends? I do find that I take to this tobacco more on some occasions than others, so would not give it great marks in the consistency category.

This is not one of the great english blends, but one of the good ones. It deserves an occasional pipe when the mood is right for a little perique in the latakia stew. Just don't expect Nightcap.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BostonPipe (84)	2002-12-27		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I should probably start off by saying that my review is based on an 11 year old tin of this blend. Upon opening I was greeted by a rich, full scent of mainly dark tobacco's with only an odd lighter piece to be seen. The tobacco packs easily and burns to a nice gray/white ash. The primary taste is the Latakia and Virginia's, with the Orientals taking a back-seat in this mixture; Perique to me is definitely a background flavor after- thought here. The farther down the bowl I smoke, the more the Latakia dominates. This is not a blend I would smoke throughout the day, rather an end of day, or after dinner smoke. I enjoy this in one of my older, Extra Large Charatan Free Hand Reliefs, with a cup of black Kenyan coffee. Final note: I still prefer Bombay Court over this blend for complexity of taste.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tillmanj (73)	2002-07-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Tin Aroma: While this does display the deep smoky aroma of Latakia, the most striking aspect of this blends tin aroma is the overt sweetness of the Virginias, which I feel are more noticeable for being thrown into such stark relief against the ponderance of Latakia in this blend.

Physical Characteristics: Not very many light strands in this average length ribbon cut, and a bit too moist for my taste, but that doesn't mean anything, as most commercial tobacco is too moist for my taste. As with every other McClelland blend I have smoked, it packs easily and burns evenly, leaving a powdery, white ash.

Notes: This blend seems to be a fugue on Bombay Court, somewhat inverting the proportions of Latakia and Orientals. Whereas Bombay Court is, as I wrote in my review of it, is heavier on the Orientals with the Latakia playing a mostly supporting role, this is Latakia, Latakia, Latakia, with just enough Virginia and Oriental to be able to call it a 'blend'. The Latakia used is high grade, very flavorful and full, but the absolutely gigantic percentage of it quickly dulls my tastebuds to any subtlety the blend might have to offer.

Verdict: While this is an interesting aside to Bombay Court, it really isn't my thing, being just a tad too one-dimensional.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2002-01-25		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

I'm rather fond of Bombay Court, so I decided to give this one a try. At least for me, this was a serious dissapointment. The well balanced and modulated blending in Bombay Court seems to be seriously disrupted, at least in my opinion, by the over preponderance of Latakia in Bombay Extra.

Interestingly, the tin aroma does not suggest the enormity of the latakia that comes out in the smoking. I'm not a huge latakia fan, so when I do feel like an English blend, I usually lean towards blends with lower latakia content. Some blends that feature considerable portions of latakia, but are well modulated and balanced (Renaissance and Caravan from GLP and Astley's #99 come to mind), I find very pleasant. However, with this blend, I find that the latakia content wholly overwhelms the virginias and perique (a triumverate of tobaccos that I'm partial to most of the time).

Though perhaps for the lover of strong latakia mixtures, this one just ain't for me.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rustedrailsmokes (293)	2021-04-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I recently picked up a tin of Bombay Extra in a trade and popped it as it was not one I had tried before.

The tobaccos are nice and dark and the tin note has smoky campfire written all over it. At first, I was afraid it was going to be too latakia forward for my liking, but I decided to give it a try.

It's easy to pack and light. Like the other McC orientals I've tried it has a rich creamy smoke. Throughout the bowl, the lat stays in the lead to my taste. The perique adds some pepper and the Virginias some dark sweetness. They work well together to make a blend which for me is perfect for an after-dinner smoke.

Pipe Used: Radiator Pipes, Canadians

Age When Smoked: 2017

Purchased From: trade

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JAX619 (2)	2018-07-16		Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

As a growing fan of English blends, I was excited to try this.

Smelled wonderful out of the Ball jar it was cellared in back in April 2015.

What I noticed in the first third is a mild Latakia flavor that, at times, morphed into a seawater flavor as the smoke entered my mouth and exited as a light, almost caramelly Latakia perfume.

Because of the latakia influence, it's definitely more aromatic than the other English and Balkan blends I smoke (Saiseni, Nightcap, Old Dublin). As I entered into the final two-thirds of the smoke, the latakia really started to shine.

In my opinion this is an excellent tabacco whose latakia flavor and aroma ins't too overwhelming. It has multiple layers of flavors and nuances. I find it more interesting that Saiseni, Nightcap and Old Dublin and am going to pick up some tins and make it a regular smoker.

Pipe Used: Cassillero (basket)

Age When Smoked: Three years

Purchased From: N/A

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	rintrah (14)	2018-02-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

There is indeed a certain richness to this from the perique, and I like it. Still, the bass notes on this one kinda drown out the zesty herbal quality of the orientals that you get when smoking Bombay Court.

I'm conflicted. I wouldn't reach for this when in the mood for a VaPer, nor would I reach for it over other options when in the mood for a Latakia or Balkan blend with perique. Altogether, its a nice blend that may hit just the right notes for some smokers, and I wouldn't say I can't recommend trying it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tpatriarche (43)	2012-02-07		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Rich and satisfying, but with less Turkish (excluding Latakia) than I'd hoped for, in fact I can barely detect any of the typical Yenidje topnote. I like the richness of the dark Virginia. Smokes evenly, and the ready-rubbed ribbon is easier to deal with than coarse cut flake. A satisfying smoke (my housemates like it too), but less character than St. James Wood in the Personal Reserve series.

BTW, I had never understood what people meant by the "Ketchup" smell of McClelland blends. With this one it suddenly hit me -- now I can't stop smelling ketchup! But as one reviewer said, who cares how it smells in the tin it if smokes well. OTOH, I believe odor in the jar is important when judging bulk tobaccos in person. It may not tell you everything about how a blend will smoke, but it's good for a first guess.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-12-27		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

I love this stuff. I had a 5 yr old tin dated 2005. The latakia had mellowed, the perique had come to the fore, and the orientals were as good as bombay court. No bite. This was a lot more fun than Frogmorton or British Woods. Lots of wonderful flavors. No harshness at all. Worth stocking up on and aging.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Virginia lover (218)	2010-02-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Good mixture, lots of flavors to enjoy, complex yet accessible. Exotic Latakia combined with the McClelland Virginia and Oriental with some Perique give that Nightcap feel.

Virginia lover

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipe4ever (204)	2008-12-30		Medium to Strong	Strong	Medium to Full	Very Strong

I find this blend completely Imbalanced, too much perique too much top flavoring and too much of everything to reach finally to a mixture of everything and nothing, Latakia is overwhelmed and the smoke is truly vulgar and nasty.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-11-23		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Strong

Presently Dunhill Nightcap is unavailable in the US. I am searching for blends in with latakia and perique. I fear nothing will replace Nightcap, but other blends may fill the void. Bombay Extra is a very nice blend. It is not a nightcap duplicate, but on its own merits it is a good blend. It is definitely worth a try.

The smoke is cool. It is biteless. There is a perique peppery tingle, but it is not bite or burn.

I noticed that famous McClelland sweetness. It was hard to miss the sweet matured virginia. The room aroma is pungent. I was asked by the moaning of the kids, the whining of the dogs, and rhetoric of the wife to step outside.

This a worthy blend in the latakia-perique genre. I will seek out other blends in the gnere, but I will stock up on Bombay Extra.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2003-06-17		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I personaly like this blend, but heavy english is my cup of tea.. The viginia gives a sweet note to counter the spice of the perique, and the balance of the blend 50% or more is a very nice latakia. My wife says the room note is O.K., kind of like a campfire in our living room. If you like Dunhill 965, try this...

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Noorrmm (192)	2002-01-27		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Appearance: Very nice ribbon cut, assorted colors run the full gamut from light to dark. Perhaps a bit darker than Bombay Court. A bit moiser than I like my mixtures, but about average for McC.

Aroma: A heavy aroma of, smokey Cyprian Latakia, sweet virginias and spicy Orientals. Definitely more Latakia than BC.

Packing: Packs easily into medium and larger pipes.

Lighting: Takes flame fairly well, neither too east nor too difficult to light.

Initial flavor: To my taste, the Latakia drowns out the other tobaccos.

Mid-bowl: The Latakia still overpowers the blend, resulting in a monochromatic Taste.

Finish: Finished well, not much gain in harshness. The pipe was dry and clean with some gray ash left.

Summary: Not as pleasing as Bombay Court, nor in the same league with GLP Raven?s Wing..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-07-09		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

Another lightweight blend from McClelland. I found this offering to be too mild for my taste, another good choice for someone exploring English blends or a first pipe of the morning kind of a thing. As I have mentioned in other reviews of this blender, my frustration is that what they describe as full-bodied blends are nothing of the sort in my experience. But other reviewers have commented about being bowled over by Latakia. Go figure.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-02-07		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

This review is based on a couple of bowls. Frankly, the first bowl was a bit of a disaster. It would not burn well, there were hunks of what appeared to be Dark Star in my pipe after the ribbon cut portion burned away. The tobacco had seemed dry at packing, but it didn't burn right. For the second bowl, I left the tobacco out for a few hours, and hand rubbed it quite a bit before packing. This was much better -- there are some nice light notes on the top, but it's a fairly rich tobacco overall, seems to have some stoved or pressed Virginia as a main element, and of course the latakia. Given what this is, I should like it more than I do.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Flugplatz (4)	2010-01-12		Strong	Very Mild	Full	Pleasant

I am a Latakia & Perique man. I like Frog Morton for a beginner's intro to English Blends. The next step would be Bombay Court. And then you have this guy. The deeper notes of Latakia and Perique are exquisite. The blend works very well for my palette and my tastes. I really like the burnt caramel smell of the Perique, and the Virginia mixed in is a very nice balancing point. I would smoke this all day, but it is very good sitting in your big chair and delving on the more complicated thoughts of life. Don't know about room note. I smoke outside mostly. The first wife hated it towards the end of my first marriage. Then again, she pretty much hated everything towards the end of that relationship! hmmm.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	colt25314 (42)	2009-11-26		Medium	Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Very good quality tobacco and a great smoke. I do not think this has the perservative additive that harms the other blends. Not on my list of all time classics but a good change of pace.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Demetri (113)	2009-02-26		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

I just finished a bowl of this five minutes ago. The taste is lingering on my palate, but that palate is quite happy. Rather than me rehash descriptions, let me say "Ditto" to most of pipinNfishin's description. This is a keeper for me. I was surprised at how quickly I went through my first 50 gram tin and will buy larger size today while stocking up before new tax kicks in.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2006-01-24		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I am just getting started with McClelland blends. In reading about Bombay Extra it sounded like a tobacco I would enjoy as I smoke English blends exclusively. I found the blend to be just okay. In my opinioon, this blend does not have a great room aroma, however, my wife enjoyed the aroma. So to me the aroma was tolerable. To my wife, pleasant. Also, there is a sweetness in the background as I smoked the tobacco that became somewhat annoying.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RCUSElder (244)	2004-12-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Strong

12-07-04 A big disappointment!

Appearance and Tin Aroma: Medium to fine ribbon, mostly dark brown to black laef. Smells awful, reminds me of sea swamp! Very similar to Cornell and Diehl's Red Stag. My tin was dated from March of 2002 so it had sufficient aging.

Packing and Lighting: Easy and not quite as moist as other MC blends I have tried. Lit after 2-3 lights quite well.

Initial Flavor: Blegh! Same sea swamp!

Mid-Bowl: Sea Swamp odor settles down, but it still is not very tasty although the room note is pretty good to those who like Balkans or English blends (which I do, of course.)

Bottom of Bowl: A little build up of strength, a little tingle from the perique is noticable. Ash is fine and mottled grey. Heel is dry.

Overall: This blend did not work for me. I love Balkans and English blends, but the leaf components in this mix just did not taste well to me. After 6 bowls, gave the rest away. Thankfully, there are many other MC blends I do enjoy thoroughly.(British Woods, FMATP, X-mas Cheeer, Dark Star, 221b Honeydew, etc...

Rating: 2 out of 5 points

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Beer (345)	2004-08-31		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Typical Mcclelland EM: light, round and creamy. Slightly More interesting and personal than British Woods, but not as full as Dunhills or GLPs. It has a dark and soft sweetness which is quite agreeable, though nothing to rave about. Weird pear smell in the tin!

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