Tobaccos McClelland - Dominican Glory Maduro

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sinister Topiary (84)	2013-11-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

DGM is the first cigar blend I've tried that gets it right. As MDP in his excellent review points out, this cigar blend does not have any latakia, which I believe is the secret to its success. In the cigar blends I've tried, the smokiness of the latakia works against the distinctive tones of the cigar leaf, destroying the harmony of the constituent elements. McClelland was inspired to stick with virginias to complement the cigar leaf, and they produced a masterpiece.

The maduro is present in exactly the right amount, a darkly sweet condiment with just the right amount of tang to complement the other flavors. Indeed the balance is perfect between the maduro, the red virginia, and the stoved virginia, each one singing its own melody, yet always singing together in harmony. (I suppose I would consider this a most contrapuntal blend!) It's a lovely experience.

Which means that this is not a blend to smoke in passing, because it's not that enjoyable if you're not paying attention. This is something to be sipped and savored slowly and with some concentration. You don't drink a dignified Islay malt like it was a watered down J&B. (Or, to carry our music metaphor further, if you're going to listen to JS Bach, listen to JS Bach...)

I know from experience. My first few bowls were a marvel of flavors. As I started taking the blend for granted, it lost its magic as the flavors blurred together into something a bit too sharp, even unpleasant and bitey. That's because I sped up my smoking rhythm, treating it like a drugstore blend to be huffed. Once I slowed down again and gave it the respect it deserved, the magic returned. Basically, if you do not approach this blend with the respect it warrants, it will not respect you in return.

Not recommended for a mindless smoke; Highest recommendation for a mindful one.

15 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	MDP (39)	2011-01-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

I cannot disagree with the tin description, as DGM delivers on all counts. I have smoked a fresh tin and five-year aged. Ten year old, 100 gram tins are waiting for a 20th birthday coming out party. I prefer this to the very good Dominican Glory. DGM is richer, fuller, and the flake cut makes for a cool, slow burn.

The five year old tin I am reviewing is spectacular. What an aroma wafted from the freshly opened tin! Curry more than ketchup, lively and warm, this was a great moment all by itself. Moisture level was just right to pack a bowl and go. I do not rub out the flakes, but organize them into a ready to burn nugget.

After a lengthy charring light, I let this sit for a minute or two and then fire for real. DGM is ready at the match with spicy and sweet flavors, but is still more savory than dessert. A creaminess developed five minutes into the smoke and the flavors kept migrating within a medium range of flavors- spice, tang, cream, leather, in and out. The cigar leaf is most pronounced in the aftertaste and side stream smoke. The room note shows the high quality tobacco and handling McClelland puts into their tinned offerings.

Like most Virginia flakes, DGM is best smoked slowly, tobacco just smoldering. This will DGT okay, but really not overnight for my tastes. I chalk that up to the cigar leaf, as other cigar-leaf pipe tobacco blends. I think part of the "glory" of this blend is that it does NOT have Latakia, as does just about every other cigar blend available. I like many such blends, but without DGM, there would be a large, sad void in blends.

A brief note on the fresh tin. Very similar flavor profile and aroma. Moisture level must be reduced from tactile moisture and the pipe packed a little loose. Really, both fresh and aged, this is an all-time favorite out of hundreds of blends smoked.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2017-05-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This is a great blend. As expected the quality of the tobacco used is outstanding. Dominican Glory Maduro exeplemifies the versatility of McClelland’s Virginias. How much this mixture tastes entirely unlike a cigar is what surprised me the most. In fact, to my taste the flavor of the maduro leaf is barely detectable. However, the cigar leaf does add a certain fullness to the body of the smoke. The red Virginias are sweet, toasty and tangy and combine perfectly with the deep earthy undertones of the stoved Virginia and cocoa notes of the maduro leaf. Each sip has plenty of flavor and finishes with a delicate pepperiness that lingers on the tongue. The aroma is sweet and the room note does not reek of cigar, instead it’s shockingly pleasant. The tobacco flavor strength is a firm medium and there’s enough nicotine in this to make me take notice. Dominican Glory Maduro is smooth, creamy, tangy and peppery, all in balance and expertly blended. In my books this is another excellent Virginia offering from McClelland, and though the flavor is fairly rich, this is a very good tobacco for warmer weather.

Age When Smoked: 7 years

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2002-05-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Now this is nice. It packs more punch than you would think and is a palate pleaser. I took a tin of this to my local pipe club meeting not too long ago and it was quite a hit, especially with the guys who smoke cigars regularly.

As for me (I'm not normally a cigar smoker), I found the blend to be delicious. I could taste the Virginia leaf, but the cigar leaf was the star.

This is a quality blend, cool and slow burning, and I believe it to be an outstanding way to please the pipe/cigar lovers out there.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Brass (5)	2015-08-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

If you like cigar leaf blends, then you have to give this one a try. Pricing is a bargain and stands up to Stogie, Habana Dreams, and other, perhaps, better known brands. The flavor is awesome, well integrated and full.

I was turned off by the infamous ketchup/vinegar smell when I opened my first tin. Fortunately, I took the advice of a PipesMagazine reader and let the open tin air - in this case for a couple of months. The smell diminished and the taste improved to 4 star level.

I haven't written many reviews for TobaccoReviews.com and you might notice the blends I write about recieve high grades. That is because I'm not motivated to write about blahh blends.

Pipe Used: Several, but like big bowls for this blend.

Age When Smoked: 3 months

Purchased From: SmokingPipes

Similar Blends: C&D Habana Day Dreams, H&H Stogie, G.l.Pease Robusto and Key Largo..

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2015-03-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This is an interesting blend and a very good one to boot. To start with the normal disclaimer to McClelland blends. Yes it has that familiar scent. I think this may be important to those thinking that the Maduro would mask the scent. In fact, the Maduro presence to my tastes was hard to detect on its own merits, however, it did do enough to differentiate this from other McClelland Virginia blends.

If you do like McClelland Virginias, then this, I think, should be something you should try. It is taking the Virginia in a different direction, but it falls far short of a cigar blend where the cigar is more dominant. I would still consider this a Virginia blend first. I really enjoyed and will likely buy some more in the future. Although I didn't notice an appreciable nicotine kick, it only stands to reason that this would be stronger than the other McClelland blends. So this may also be a nice option to many who find McClelland to be tasty, yet weak on the nicotine.

Age When Smoked: Tinned in 2011

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Deimitori (11)	2014-09-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I got this nice tobacco as a gift by my good friend Argyris ("Erinmore") from "pipeclub.gr - Hellenic Pipe Smokers Forum" who he gave me a tin of 100 grams and whom I warmly thank him a lot!

Broken flakes consisting of mature red virginia tobacco and stoved virginia tobacco and autoclaved by adding maduro leaf tobacco . By opening the tin I feel intense and pleasant a sense of vinegar. The well known ketchup taste of McClelland is present in a less tense in this blend.

This is a unique tobacco blend. In my opinion the "secret" is to be smoked with very a calm and slow manner and giving attention to realizing the "rounded" taste and complexity of flavors that can give us. So, sweet and pleasant notes of virginia tobaccos with a touch of sweet nuts, brown sugar and old paper and wood and earthy aroma but delicate also. It's quite creamy and full while the maduro leaves impart a slight peppery taste makes it actually look like containing perique tobacco. Not at all reminded me of the feeling of smoking a cigar. The partnership of virginia and maduro in this blend gives a tasty result, the basis is of the aftertaste of virginia tobacco with maduro adding a pleasant peppery taste that completes the mixture but without duplicating the overall flavor of the blend.

Maintains long after the opening of the tin a very good level of humidity. Lights easily and also burns and smokes just as easily. Moderate nicotine strength, it causes no tongue bite unless it is smoked very fast and nervously. It delivers excellent both in briar and in corn cob. Can be smoked throughout all day long. Does not wet the bowl of the pipe and leaves little messy in the filter of pipe. The room note when smoking it is pleasing.

Worth to aging this blend, I believe the aging will yield the greatest in this pipe tobacco.

It is one of the pipe tobaccos that actually deserves to be enjoyed by smoking it in a very calm way, and as about me, when I am smoking this tobacco, it relaxes me a lot.

In conclusion, Dominican Glory Maduro is a very good and enjoyable pipe tobacco!

3,5 stars out of 4.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2006-09-06		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

What a pleasant surprise! This is really very nice. The reason I'm surprised is that I was totally unimpressed with the other closely named blend - Dominican Glory. One of the other reviewers commented that it tasted like it had some perique. There is something in the component seasoning of this blend that would justify that comment. Oddly enough, when I smoked this, after already being rather disappointed with the other Glory, I started off very skeptical ... however, one third through the bowl I was rooting for it. In fact, it has some similarity to St. James Woods ... except this blend is more suited to my tastes. Wonderfully balanced and tasty smoke.

Starts off very Red VA and then quickly settles down. The stoved VA married with the mature Red VA is an extroadinary balancing act and the mild peppery nuance (which one could easily think is a little perique) must be coming from the Maduro Cigar leaf and it is delightful. It doesn't require any special technique, it is tame with a wonderful taste and very pleasant aroma. I noticed no flavorings in this blend other than those imparted by the Red VA naturally. The smoke is slightly creamy and leaves the palate clean.

The nicotine is slightly less than mild but the flavor is not compromised since it is very tasty. It's complexity may be lost after a seriously spicy meal but nonetheless I wouldn't hesitate to grab this as a singular tobacco for a weekend away or a short business trip. The blend is mahogany in color and a broken flake. It smokes cool and dry and performs effortlessly just under a smolder.

I also recommend this to smokers that would like to experience some complexity in a blend that leans towards the mild side of medium and delivers very good taste and complexity even though it is sans Orientals. My preference is to smoke this earlier in the day when the palate is clear. Although as I already said ... you could grab this and smoke it exclusively for a day or two without kicking yourself. Terrific Stuff !!!

Cheers, VC

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	OSR (78)	2006-01-02		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I really don't look at this flake as a "Cigar Blend".. To me, it's more like a virginia/perique with cigar leaf added in place of the perique. The cigar leaf is more condimental in nature - it's added for a bit of zing.

And zing it does. I agree with the other reviewers here, the Maduro version is much, MUCH better than the regular DG. To me, the cigar leaf adds a smoother dimension to the VA than does perique and given the tendency of McClellands "vinegar" virginia mystery, the smoothness of the cigar leaf offsets the vinegar twang.

The blended maduro adds enough body to make the virginias round and full without dominating. Like most everyone else I expected this flake to taste like a Hoyo Oscuro and was initially disappointed. My disappointment didn't last long because here was a darned good VA flake that was rich in flavor, had some depth and didn't bite. It's the Maduro cigar leaf that does the trick. Very well done.

One of my favorite McClelland flakes. Buy a couple of tins and let them age for 3 - 5 years. You'll be rewarded.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stefanos (222)	2016-10-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

If one wants a cigar in his pipe he can readily go to the Tabac Manil Semois buchons ...literally. So while choosing Dominican Glory Maduro I wasn't looking for a cigar in my pipe, I was just curious to try cigar leaf spiced tobacco.

Did I get any special cigar-leaf aromas though? Yes, I think so. There was a nutty and leathery or even rubbery (not burnt, no screeching tyres here) aroma in the smoke which most certainly comes from it, but far from coming close to smoking a cigar in a pipe, it seemed to lack the intensity the addition of cigar leaf suggested to me. This tobacco was rather closed or tight, not giving as much aromatically as I was expecting. Flavours were a little subdued and the smoke was not very sweet either. So although this is a nuanced tobacco, it's not very forward aromatically. The broken flakes, which are always a joy to toy with, were somewhat damp, but even when I dried them I did not see much difference. In any case this is not a casual smoke, it needs some attention, even if it does not reward it fully.

As to the notorious McClelland's tin note, it is vinegary yes, but apart from the facUpdatt that I do not buy tobacco for the tin note, it's actually very pleasing to me, and in this case it was also enveloped in a beautiful nutty honeyness.

Now if there is one thing which this tobacco excels at, is in its burning qualities. After lighting it almost goes through the end of the bowl without needing any relight, it burns slow forcing you to sip, it burns evenly and dry to the end leaving ...a powdery white ash which is very nice to look at. And only at the very end does it become somewhat bitter.

So, while DGM is obviously made from a top grade leaf, I could not get as much enjoyment out of it as I wished. After finishing about half the tin, I gave up hoping and jarred the remainder on the prospect of better days. If my intuition is right, this tobacco needs cellaring. So, I recommend it somewhat for what it is now, but quality-wise this is a three star tobacco at least, and I hope that one day it will show.

Update 20/3/2017: I opened the jar where I had stored the tobacco for nearly five months to be greeted with an intense tangy vinegary smell, typically McClelland otherwise, which I found fabulous. The broken flakes rubbed out with ease and I let them dry for a little while as I thought right. It lit with ease and soon I realised that Dominican Glory Maduro was in for a radical reappraisal: this time I found it significantly better: A medium strength smooth Virginia with perfect burning qualities, nuanced and flavorful with a wonderful sweet spiced note reminiscent of nutmeg or cinnamon and maybe a subtle and delicate vague cigar leaf note. Absolutely delicious! Definitely four stars now. Reappraisal might have to do with myself only, but I guess the short cellaring did some good to this tobacco helping it open up significantly. Yet if you're looking for a robust cigar taste in your pipe tobacco I can recommend other blends (i.e. C&D's Burley Flake#3, Captain Earle's Honor Blend) and not Dominican Glory.

Age When Smoked: a. new/b. five months in a jar

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	initials SG (29)	2015-11-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Loved this savory broken flake from the first puff. In fact I could not stop smoking it, bowl after bowl, until the nicotine finally made it too difficult to continue. I know that slowing down and taking your time is oft-repeated advice that applies to practically all pipe tobacco, but it especially applies here. And it's a little hard sometimes, because it is a medium, not strong blend and the temptation to speed up can happen. But don't, and you will be rewarded.

Neither a cigar in a bowl nor a standard Virginia flake with a weak bit of cigar leaf as a barely-there condiment, DGM strikes a fine balance between the two. Very satisfying for the piper who loves red and dark stoved Virginias but also has a jones for the taste of a good cigar to complement it. A bit peppery, a bit sweet, and fine flavor from the mature and red Virginias. As with other McClelland blends, the stoved Virginias are medium, not strong. Thus they may lack oomph for some but allow the cigar leaf flavor to come through while still being quite flavorful.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2010-03-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

As a fan of oily-smooth Arabica coffee (black, not too hot, medium roast and without creamer, or sugar), I thought a cigar leaf-containing blend would be a bit richer than usual. While not as 'thick' as I expected, this blend is pretty good. Unlit, it DOES smell like ketchup (acetic acid from fermentation?)...but--likely on account of it's acidity--doesn't have much of a tendancy to burn the tongue. However, it does not want to stay lit, so you'd better give it a bit of a drying. Really, it tastes like a stoved Virginia. The scent isn't at all unpleasant to non-smokers--even my MOTHER likes it.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sharpiper (2)	2017-01-12		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

First, the tin note to me is overwhelmingly mincemeat pie filling. Pleasant, but strange at the same time. Like raisins soaked in apple cider vinegar. No detection of cigar in the tin note, but if the suggested 2 or 3% cigar leaf is all McClelland is using, why would you detect it?

Next, the smoke is creamy and thickish. The taste, a smokey, but enjoyably mellow flavor that is reminiscent of the tin note. It is a little moist, although not bad. I did have to relight several times, but I was sipping. I did experience the mildest of tongue bite.

The room note is nice to me, probably not as nice to those who appreciate heavily topped aromatics. There is a hint of cigar in the flavor and the room note. More of a recognizable presence of cigar in the burning bowl note.

I did suffer a nicotine buzz by the end of a full bowl, although tolerable.

All in all, I recommend this for a slow sipping, relaxed smoke. Add in the prep time for rubbing it out before loading your pipe, and you'll want to make sure you have plenty of time to devote to DGM.

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum Maple Country Gentleman

Age When Smoked: fresh from a newly purchased tin

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BigSwede (93)	2016-06-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Overall I have to say I enjoy this tabak. It's fairly simple: some excellent VA, which by itself would be a nice smoke and a bit of cigar leaf. The combo gives the somewhat sweet and grassy VA some color and fullness without being cigarish. I rub this out fairly well and carefully pack it to leave some room. A smooth pleasant smoke and change of pace from my usual fuller blend (Havana Daydream). Smokes cool and I've not been bit. Not what you'd call exciting and it doesn't invoke thought of symphonies or poetry but very well done.

Pipe Used: Generic longstem canadian

Age When Smoked: New/Fresh

Purchased From: pipesandcigars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2015-12-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

- Dark and creamy with enough natural sweetness from the Virginias to not be on "Cigar Overload". Today I'm only an occasional cigar smoker, unlike years ago when I would relish a good dark Maduro. This tobacco really doesn't bring much cigar similarities but rather reminds me of everything I wished a good Burley base tobacco would bring ,but doesn't . To me Burley brings the darkness but not the smoothness that this tobacco has and without the" Burley bitters". A rather enjoyable smoke through the whole bowl and even during the relights.

Most of the reviewers had it right in that you should think of this as a Virginia with only a touch of cigar leaf.

Pipe Used: osark maple and MM cob

Age When Smoked: tin age 2 years / open 2 weeks

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2013-10-28		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Tolerable

This may appeal to those who like mild bodied blends. For me it was lacking in both body and flavor.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2010-06-29		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Another of my attempts to experience something like the Sobranie Virginia #10 of yore. Not a bad blend. The cigar leaf didn't come through as much as I would have liked. I tend to go for fuller bodied blends and it seems that even the blends McClellands' describes as full-bodied are quite tame by my standards. As other reviewers have mentioned, I would very much like to know what makes ALL of their tobaccos smell like a blend of ketchup/vinegar in the tin. This blend earns a solid 2 stars.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2007-03-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This flake is a pleasure for those who enjoy the combination of red/Stoved black Virginias and even more so, if they are aficionados of fine medium bodied Maduro cigars. Any tobacco can be Maduro leaf, as the curing process is what makes it so. The rich flavor and musty aroma added by the character of this cured dark leaf, enhances the natural sweetness and aroma of the Virginias in a very positive way. Fanciers of the pipe and Maduro cigars need to look no further for a tobacco that will offer them the best of both worlds. This flake is easy to load and light, is smooth, dry, clean burning and a joy to experience.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sasha (228)	2005-10-14		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Far better than its plain Dominican brother, this brings a stronger punch and a fuller flavour. The cut is different, this is a broken flake with some big pieces, and this helps to keep the moisture at a decent level. The ketchup flavour is definitely at a low level and disappears completely after a few puffs, and here you can really taste the cigar leaf, spicy and completing the virginia sweetness in a very interesting way. Recommended!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spike (296)	2005-08-06		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Maduro is much better at suggesting a cigar than it's more finely chopped brother, the plain Dominican Glory. The broken flake makes for a richer and more satifying smoke. You receive a full flavor with lots of cigar-like smoke, but it doesn't really taste much like a cigar. I did enjoy the experience even though it is unlike any normal pipe tobacco mixture. Well worth a test drive and a pretty good hot weather smoke. Another plus: No bite! See if you can sample this before you buy a whole tin. I suspect this will be a love/ hate type of tobac.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ATW (110)	2015-12-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a good blend but dont let the name fool you. This is a Virginia forward blend with the addition of Maduro cigar leaf. The Maduro will just simply smooth out the rough edges of the virginia and give it more body. A very cool smoke without tongue bite. Has a nice mellow virginia sweetness with a cigar-like quality nuttiness. Low nicotine and can be an all day smoke if you enjoy this type of flavor profile versus an vaper or straight VA blend as an all day smoke. My tin is about 5 years old so a fresh tin might be a little sweeter. Smokes very well in a cob. This is a re-review 10-29-17

Age When Smoked: 3 years

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	bearded_cavalier (11)	2015-07-21		Very Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

A very nice cigar leaf blend. Burns extremely slowly with little relighting needed. Burns to a fine white ash. As a fairly quick puffer I do get a bit of n-sickness with this one if I'm not careful. It packs quite a punch, so smoke slow!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2013-05-16		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

I am a pipe man through and through but on occasion will enjoy a cigar. This blend really has sweetness from the virginia. A little grassy tone can be tasted as well. Very pleasant. THe maduro leaf is always slightly in the background, but never overwhelming like I have found with most other cigar blends. This one is a keeper in my books!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CenTex (18)	2009-11-30		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I tried this because I like cigars and from the description on the tin, I thought it would be a good transition to pipes, which I just recently started smoking. I liked it at first, although the ketchup smell struck me as odd. I kept thinking of barbecue as I smoked the first few bowls. I put it away and started experimenting with other blends. I recently went back to my tin and tried this one again, and found I didn't care for it all that much. I do not taste the cigar leaf. It still reminds me of barbecue. It has an interesting flavor but I can't include it in a regular rotation.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kilmarnock Piper (251)	2009-10-04		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Does not taste like a cigar, but the cigar leaf must be high quality and blended in just the right amounts, because there is certainly something here besides the Virginia, and I liked it. Other than that, it is a good example of the McClelland style of Virginia-full and complex yet remaining mellow somehow.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Loboatomy (41)	2009-01-15		Medium	Extremely Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Quite a blend. Definately not "cigarry" in any way. Rather, it's probably one of the nicest and smoothest of the Mclelland virginia blends with a touch of "something else". That something else cools it down and at the same time complements the virginia. No bite, no juice even straight from the can. A little of the ketchup, but not too bad sompared to some of the others.

Reccomended.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Fofo (81)	2008-03-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Not bad for a fan of virgina blends and an occasional cigar smoker. Don't expect this blend to be just like smoking a cigar because it isn't, if you want to taste a cigar then smoke a cigar.

Virgina and cigar leaf go very well together, but I won't be buying this blend again. I liked it, but it gets old quick and there are other virginia flakes I enjoy a lot more.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Slow Triathlete (62)	2008-01-08		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

I really enjoyed this blend. I come from a 10 year cigar smoking background with the maduro wrapper as my favorite. Now granted, this does not taste just like a maduro cigar. If you want that flavor, then just go out and buy a cigar!! This has a sweeter taste from the viriginias. You can definitely taste the cigar leaf now and then. I opened this up, dried it a bit and then rubbed it a bit and it smoked all the way through. Very, very pleasant tobacco.

I will be buying a few tins of this.

=2010 Update=

I've grown quickly tired of this blend.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cell biologist (21)	2007-09-09		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Very Full	Tolerable

I am not a cigar smoker. The smell of cheap cigars makes me run away. The few good quality cigars that I have tried have a kind of back-of-the-nose tang that dominates and overwhelms my senses and masks any other flavor. I can find this flavor in Domincan Glory Maduro, but it doesn?t dominate, it adds to the McClelland virginia flake flavor, which I really like. The combination is deep and rich and somehow filling, like eating very rich food. This analogy aptly describes my feelings for this tobacco. Sometimes, the cigar flavor is more than what I like, others it is an interesting change of pace. I have to be in the right mood for it. My favorite pipe for this is a meerschaum, in which the cigar notes seem to blend better. I really like the pressed flake presentation and the virginia tobaccos in this blend, and the addition of cigar leaf, for me, is a nice way to acquire a taste for this distinct flavor. I?m not ready to go out and buy a $30 cigar, but I might try one if it was offered.

Tin: ?02 - 5 years old.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2007-03-05		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Domican Glory Maduro.06/03/07. I found this to be a little stronger than Dominican Glory,but I really enjoyed it very much.Again very easy to light,well behaved,and thoroughly delicious to bowls end.Great flavours along the way also.A nice greyish ash at the end of the bowl,with very little moisture content left in the bottom of the bowl."It's a winner"

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2007-01-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Virginia flakes are what I smoke almost exclusively; unfortunately I am also a fast puffer. I really want to like McClelland's Virginia flake blends, but most of them just bite too badly for me. This is one of the few that I can smoke without severe consequences.

The cigar leaf is not identifiable by me as such; however, I can definitely tell that the sweetness of the VA has been mitigated with something. Since I also smoke a lot of cigars, perhaps the cigar leaf just sneaks in under the radar.

Like most flakes, it's too wet in the tin, but after two or three days in the pouch it dries out nicely. The result is a fairly dry smoke with plenty of flavor.

There's a huge difference between the DG Maduro and its ribbon-cut brother. I vastly prefer the former. The ribbon-cut DG burns too quickly and the sweet richness of the VA is missing, overpowered by the cigar leaf.

This is in my top five for VA flakes.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2006-12-02		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

This pipe-weed is about the fourth one containing cigar leaf that I have tried. It is easily my favorite. The pressing and aging techniques used here result in a marriage of flavors I do not find in the other cigar blends (including Pease's Robusto, C&D's Billy Budd, P&W Churchill). Masterfully balanced, I first find a Red VA taste, followed in short order by the slight spice and earthy cigar leaf, and thereafter the stoved sweetness kicks in. Other blenders seem to really struggle with the incorporation of cigar leaf, never quite finding how to balance it, or discerning precisely the role it should play. McClellend really found the secret. Very well done!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2004-07-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

If I wasn't told that DGM had cigar leaf, it would be hard to explain the subtle spiciness that "curbs" some of the natural sweetness from the main Virginia base.

Perique could explain it, but DGM lacks the "stewed fruit" aspect evident to some extent with Perique-touched blends.

The sweet, dark flavors still prevail even as complemented by the maduro cigar leaf. This is moderately complex and certainly not monotonous.

DGM is on the other side of the flavor fence as compared to Robert Lewis 123. DGM is a cigar enhanced Virginia blend (red and black stoved), while 123 is a pleasant take on an English-hybrid of sorts. I have yet to compare it to Robusto by GL Pease or Peretti's No. 500.

This is pretty darn cool smoking, producing little moisture and lots of flavor and aroma for indoor and outdoor enjoyment. Could be an all-day blend except for the richness.

I get the most taste without any penalty when fully rubbing the already broken flakes. It just doesn't burn well for me otherwise (I usually just fold flakes with other Virginia blends).

My tin was two years old when opened.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2002-09-06		Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Very Strong

Being quite new to smoking Pipes, I've not had much experience in this area, but I do enjoy a good cigar, and that's where I find such a liking to this brand.

The smoke is quite rich, and most definitely sweet. I'm getting a wonderful idea what the VA's are like, and these full-bodied, sweet-on-the-pallette smokes are absolutely wonderful as far as I'm concerned.

In the beginning of the smoke, the sweetness is very pronounced. As you get towards the center of the bowl, it really comes alive. It's a bit of a warm smoke, and if you drag too hard, you're liable to burn yourself. This is definitely a pipe tobacco to be "sipped". Towards the end of the bowl, the sweetness tapers off, and you've got a fantastic warm nuttiness with the smoke just POURING out of the mouthpiece.

In the can, my honest impression is that this blend smells a lot like teriyaki jerky, but the flavor is quite robust. If you're looking for subtle nuances, this isn't really the blend for you, but I've found my favorite for the moment. I can't wait to try some more virginia flakes!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2001-03-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

Wow, it's been years since I smoked this. I got some from Barry Levin back in 93 or 94, can't remember exactly.

As I recall, it's basically Blackwoods Flake with 2-3% cigar leaf added for spice. It's surprisingly good if you like cigars; you can definitely taste the cigar leaf; but like a good spice it remains subordinate to the (excellent) virginias. If you're expecting a cigar-in-a-pipe you'll probably be disappointed, but if you're looking for a spicy blend with that leathery spiciness (and don't want latakia), then this is a good place to start.

Surprisingly, the cigar leaf is much more noticeable in the aroma than in the flavor, so if your wife doesn't like your cigars, she probably won't like this...

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Geronimo Von Klaus (76)	2014-09-08		Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable

What a strange smoke.

Its glorious to behold in the jar, has that ketchup aroma wafting out of it right from the start, and you get the cigar in there too.

Soaking wet, needs a tonne of drying time. Even after that, its a "female dog" to light this and needed about 3 or 4 relights after char and tamping. Then it was really hot right at the start, palate stingingly hot.

Then it calmed down, warmed, and its a good smoke. However, its a cigar in a bowl! The VA's are present and you can smell them, but the overwhelming presence is a chopped up and pressed maduro cigar. If you want a maduro cigar, have one, this concoction is so strange. I used to smoke cigars before turning to pipes (my bank balance rare got above zero when smoking cigars) and loved a maduro after a meal, but honestly, they are so heavy and palate numbing that you have to be in the mood for them. I thought this would be a McClelland VA with a touch of maduro, but the maduro overwhelms everything, and it just came out with big plumes of cigar smoke.

Kind of nostalgic for me as a former cigar guy.

Won't buy another tin, might give the rest of the one I have away. Its not bad, I just don't see why it exists.

Pipe Used: Bulldog Briar

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2012-03-23		Very Mild	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Picked up a dusty, old tin of this from my favorite pipe tobacco shop. The date on the bottom read "18 01 96" so naturally, I had to buy it. For $13.25 I got a 16 year old blend of good tobacco. I haven't been smoking a pipe for very long but this stuff is definately a good virginia. Couldn't taste much of the cigar leaf but I can literally see the sugar caked on this stuff. Truly amazing the way tobacco ages and I will definately buy the other tin that was a few years younger. I'd reccomend this to anyone who favors the taste of natural tobacco over the flavorings you find in aromatics.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-12-01		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

On top of enjoying cigars from time to time, I primarily smoke VA, VAPer, and English blends. My first bowl of this blend was slightly disappointing as I was really expecting a much stronger taste of cigar. I loaded my second bowl in a Savinelli bent Dublin and decided to simply enjoy the quality virgnias in this blend. In not trying too hard to notice the addition of cigar leaf, the full creaminess and spicy, woody notes that only cigar leaf can provide came out in full force. I would suggest drying this blend before smoking as with most McClelland products to truly enjoy its well-behaved smoking characteristics. Flavors I detected throughout the smoke where oats, slight honey, spices, and very little citrus/tangines on top of still somewhat subdued cigar notes. Definitely not a cigar in your pipe. If you want the taste of a cigar it's been said that you should SMOKE A CIGAR!:) Overall a somewhat mild, high quality virginia smoke with pleasantly subtle cigar notes. Can't give it four stars but I have some aging so I may update.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2008-07-17		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Outstanding blend, the Virginias are very creamy and sweet, the cigar leaf is spicy. Burns very nice to the bottom of the bowl, never gets hot, and very few relights. From the tin the tobacco just a slight vinager smell, never offending, in fact very nice.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2007-05-17		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This stoved Virginia flake with cigar leaf added is a pretty good smoke. It has a lot of flavor, although I detect none of it being that of a cigar. It comes off more as a flavorful flake that smokes well with minimal bite factor. The tin I smoked was packed in 1999, so it has a few years of age on it.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2006-05-08		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This is definitively a good tobacco, with some cigar "feelings" i recommend this one to those who DON'T like aromatic tobacco and would like to try something other than a latakia based.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2005-01-11		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A very good cange of pace. there is virtually no cigar taste,unlike the churchill blend @ Wilke.If you like a decent ready rubbed go for it I would not buy a 100 gram tin though, you might feel stuck. A very good flavor and aroma.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2001-03-13		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

OK, I bought a tin of this hoping it would be substantially different from their other flakes. Now, don't get me wrong - it's a tasty smoke and if you really pay attention the deep flavors from the cigar leaf are there. It's like Blackwoods Flake with a little less of the savory character that I like so much and a deep, dry cigar note just above the threshold of normal perception.

I have to smoke this when I've really got time to appreciate it or it just tastes like Blackwoods Lite. I prefer VA #24 to this, but give it a try if you like the idea of a subtle cigar note in a VA flake.

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