Tobaccos McClelland - No. 22 (Matured Virginias)

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-08-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Nice looking mottled flake. This one combines natural VA sweetness with some mild zestiness. As mentioned by others, hard to get lit and needs some drying time. This one worked best for me with a decent amount of moisture content left - not dried to tinder. I preferred its taste that way, even though it didn't take a light as easily as I'd like.

Great flavor development down the bowl! This has a nice combination of high and low notes, whereas I found #27 to excel at high notes and #24 to excel at low notes. I suppose my taste must be in the lower, darker notes as I prefer #24 and Navy Cavendish to this, and this to #27. I haven't smoked #25 in years so I can't comment on that one yet, although I have a tin simmering.

Of the ones mentioned above, this one might be the best at the balancing act. It's a no-nonsense virginia that does everything right in the flavor department, not trying to do too much or too little. It's just right! I like this one but I prefer a little more "naughtiness", which is what I get from #24 and Navy Cav. Still, this is a high quality, good tasting straight VA and deserves a try.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2003-06-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

Supple and sweet Eastern and Middle belt Virginias aged in cakes to develop their natural sweetness. And yes, the zest of the Bright leaf employed does add rich undertones of joy! This one is made to age beautifully, and the 20-year old tin that I smoked was absolutely sensational.

Well, it did burn well, too.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2001-04-06		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Similar to, but more full-bodied than, McClelland #2010, this is a very unique, very American (in the good sense)bright Virginia blend. It is a pure-form tobacco, without flavoring, steaming, maturing, stoving, pressing or anything else that I could detect. It doesn't get fancy with red and black Virginias. It is simply a delicious, naturally sweet, zesty, tangy, toasty, refreshing, yellow/bright Virginia. It carries McClelland's signature ketchup/vinegar tin aroma proudly, plus a grassy, hay-like undercurrent. The room aroma is rich without being heavy or dark, lively but with substance. It goes without saying that something this bright and sweet can smoke hot unless slowly drawn, but for those who keep the rate down (or especially those who use the "Breath Smoking Technique"), the smoking experience is magical. The lemon-y zest keeps you honest! Only #2010 comes close in character (I find the often-compared Ashton Brindle Flake to be distinct from #22). In summary, the top range is the distinguishing feature of this blend, but is nicely supported by a toasty mid-range that grows richer and more predominant as the bowl progresses, in a wonderful way. The bass range exists more as a side-effect of the mid-range, and some might find this to be a distinct disadvantage. I don't, because the rest of the blend was so engrossing that I didn't notice the lack of lower tones until I actively began to look for them. If you are in the mood for a snappy, flavorful, tantalizing smoke, McClelland #22 is for you.

(PS - A year of aging puts this into another universe, increasing the rich, smooth & sweet elements while decreasing the bite danger.)

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2015-05-31		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This is a really flavorful flake. Very clear raisin/fig notes with a little sweetness and a touch of spice. A nice tartness as well. It's been so humid here that I haven't been able to dry any out, but it smokes just fine straight from the tin. A little stubborn on the light. Might take a few matches. This is well rounded in flavor and is very nice by itself. I think it has a future as a blender too.

Mild to medium in body. Medium in flavor. If you like straight Virginias give this one a try.

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

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TK Pipe (101)	2012-10-26		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

McC #22 Virginia … A tasty, somewhat rubbed out Virginia flake blend of the best of America's Virginias. The moisture level is about ideal, but I aired my tin out some, maybe just from habit, but the result was a real decent smoke. There was some sweetness and a good measure of that milder smooth Virginia tang. Due to the coarser texture, I found bowl packing can be a little tricky unless rubbed out some, but overall IMO #22 is a real keeper. I found this tobacco bite free, with only a bit of the typical Va. tongue tingle, but overall a easy going smoke. For those reasons this tobacco (IMO) could be candidate for as all day smoke, but I save this blend (and others) for my evening smokes, when I have time to get into my sip and taste mode. For those that enjoy the taste of a straight aged Virginia, I sure would recommend you try this one.

P.S. This blend is not without use as a blender.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Katharsis (39)	2012-04-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

As per usual, McClelland produces another great VA. Tin note is of course the ketchup/vinegar smell, which of course does not carry over to the smoke.

This one is probably the most unique VA I've tasted. It changed a couple times throughout the bowl. About mid-bowl or a little after mid-bowl, the flavor became very rich and was probably the most multi-dimensional flavor I've experience in a VA. It was sweet, a little leathery, floral, some sort of spice, and of course a little hay-like all at the same time.

Another thing to notice is the room note. I usually don't care about this, as I smoke on my commute to and from work, or while I'm reading outside on the porch or deck. But I had smoked this outside at a friend's house, and another friend, who actually has an allergic-type aversion to scents, liked this smell on me. Also, I will try to occasionally get a clue at the room note simply by smelling the bowl while I'm smoking -- probably not the most accurate way. However, this one smelled great when I did that. Just sweet and slightly floral. I don't like floral tasting tobaccos (see: Lakeland), but the slight floral notes I've mentioned in this review are not like that at all, so don't be turned off when you read that if you're like me.

Overall, this is a great VA. Maybe not the best, but it definitely gets four stars so far from me. Let's see if it stays that way throughout the tin. (And, of course, as per almost all McClellands, a couple days of waiting after you open it is best.)

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Davetopay (43)	2010-09-23		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Another of the blends I have been puffing away at, and meaning to review. Why haven't I? It hasn't moved me. There is absolute;y NOTHING wrong with this tobacco. I enjoy looking at it, touching it, smelling it, and smoking it. Would I go out of my way to buy it again? MAYBE. It's of the "can't hurt to have some on hand" class of straight VA's.

It is a very pretty, slightly broken, fairly thick cut flake presenting a wide range of colors from bright yellow to dense umber. The moisture was pretty close to spot on when I opened the tin( about 2 years old). I just crumble/fold some chunks into a pipe, rub a few strands out as kindling for the top, and light'er up.

The smell I find to be hit or miss based upon my mood, the weather, the alignment of the stars, and the timing of an obscure geyser in Iceland. Some days it smells EXACTLY like A1. Yes, A1 steak sauce, which paradoxically is the WORST thing anyone can do to/put on a steak. But it tends to work here. Whether this is the result of actual spicing used in the process, or just the result of these particular leaves and the chemical reaction which they present when dosed with the vinegar-voodoo juice at Mc C's, it lingers in the room note. Not bad, just different. Some of it comes through in the taste, but not much.

There isn't any bite, but there is a bit of a peppery tingle and spicy undertone. Almost all of the proper Virginia flavor and aroma components are there, but it never really grabs me and demands that I smoke it. Toffee, caramel,buttery pastry, it's all in there. No grassyness, no hay, no citrus. I wish it developed more, then I would have more to say about it.

I still have a tin of No. 25 on the shelf, dated May of 2009, so I have something to look forward to. It may be the family member that floats my boat.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	al1 (58)	2008-12-13		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This one is good if you are looking for straight va taste without much else but good high end flavor. I like the flavor. I do find it more enjoyable outdoors. I agree with another reviewer it needs drying as do all the tobaccos in this series. When properly rubbed and dried it lights and burns ok but harder to light than average.

Not as memorable as #27 but a good smoke for those prefering the high clean end of va flavor spectrum. A good one for those new to the flakes I think. It is nowhere near as touchy as #27 but it has nowhere the flavor or kick either.

Not for me too often but it is good for those liking this sort of flake.

Room note was commented to me to smell good, something like pastry in the oven or toaster. This was said by someone who is sensitive to stinky blends.

Update: I am turning to this and #24 much more often lately. I love #27 but I disagree with the tin label that #27 is a great all day smoke. This blend is much more tameable and less quick to hurt your tongue. #27 is so good but it requires too much pampering to get a great smoke.

I got sent a savinelli 804 canadian instead of the pipe I ordered from the store and that by chance was one of the best mistakes ever made. That pipe is proving itself to be a great smoker- one of the best ever up there with my ardors. This blend and other va's are sublime out of this pipe. In fact it is one of those that I think would smoke anything well. My point- this blend shines in a pipe that suits it.

Second update: This lost it's 4th star after I found the wonderful world of Greg Pease tobacco's.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cell biologist (21)	2008-02-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This is a reference tobacco. It is coarsely cut and pressed into flakes that can be rubbed out or simply wadded up in a Frank-type side-pressure spin into the bowl. This tobacco is very similar to 2010, perhaps it is a longer aged version as some have suggested, but I detect richer notes from this than 2010. Both are very lemony with bright citrus notes - but only in the right pipe and at the right burn rate. When it burns too hot (and it can if you?re not careful!) burnt rubber notes can be gleaned, which I find to be generally true of the lemon virginias. No one likes that! But carefully smoked, this stuff is just marvelous, rich mahogany malty bass notes with a citrus top end. It took me awhile to notice and appreciate the citrus notes, in part because only a few pipes bring it out, in part because I wasn?t tuned in to the flavor. It?s best for me in a tall somewhat narrow bowl with a long draw or cooling stem of some kind (I just made a pipe of pyrolytic graphite that works very well with this). I call it a reference tobacco because it is the old style, old breed, simply prepared without additives, of very high quality.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (403)	2022-06-30		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

Hard to believe that it has been four years since McClelland closed up shop. My journey with my unopened tins is slowly coming to an end. I had about 19 tins ranging from 10 to 20 years old that sat on my self over the years. I have 8 tins left until now when I decided to open and share this one with some of my club members last week. I will be moving out of state and that is just as good excuse as any. The tin code on this is 220500. 22 years. Upon opening the tin, my eyes gazed upon the broken flake covered with microscopic glistening sugar crystals like diamonds. The trademark vinegar smell is still alive and well in this tin but have noticed like they usually do over the past week in the tin the vinegar smell has waned. Lights fairly easy and for want of words has a rich spicy taste to it with an occasional sweet spot hitting the mark every once in a while. Like just about everything McClelland produced this is a fine quality, Virginia. I enjoy this most in the evenings while drinking my coffee. The next stop on my journey will be Bombay Court, an Oriental with a dash of Latakia. That is about 13 years old. Part of me just wants to open the rest soon in the next few years so I can get it out of my system and be able to enjoy these before I go to that big pipe cloud in the sky. 😊

Pipe Used: Altinay Meerschaum Poker

Age When Smoked: 22 years

Purchased From: JR Cigars

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DenizBeck (323)	2017-08-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I was lucky I got granted a sweet little sample of this by a fellow pipe smokers. All US-blends are unavailable over here in Germany so I was craving to test one of the "famous McClelland Virginias".

Anyways, when opening the sample-bag I got greeted by the typical vinegar scent of McClelland. This seems to be quite natural pipe tobacco, as the "sample-bag note" is very mild and inconspicuous. When sticking my nose real close to the flakes I get scents of vinegar, hay-ish grass, and very little citrus & sweetness.

As I only have a sample I can't comment on moisture level, mine came in perfect smoking condition. The bright brown flakes with yellow speckles are only coarsely rubbed out and there are some half flake slices in there, that I could also fold&stuff if I wanted to. Yet i rubbed it out until I had a coarse ribbon-like cut.

After first light (which is pretty easy to do when at good moisture level) I was surprised by a rather spicy and "dark" toned Virginia. Intense (dark/whole-rye-)bread aroma is the soul and body of this blend, that's underscored by a mild citrusy-sweet undertone. Decently spicy and very tobacco-y. A mild toast note is also there. It's a piquant Virginia blend, and only has very little sweetness to round this to a unique melange. Only hints of stoved-fruits (mainly figs and plums) in the background.

Definetly full-bodied for a straight Virginia, this blend is far from being flat! Rich in aroma, not overly complex, yet it has a few nuances to explore if you take your time and mind on it. Honest, zesty, flavorful! Doesn't bite, even if pushed a bit.

Pipe Used: Clay Pipes / Bellini Straight Billiard

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	James C. (17)	2017-01-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I completely agree with the positive reviews on this tobacco. It's a great tobacco but requires experienced pipe smokers. It demands concentration and attention to achieve its fullest potential. Oddly enough it can bite initially but settles down to the point where you can puff it rather vigorously. Mildly sweet, toasty, citrusy, spicy, medium body virgina. Progresses down the bowl and leaves a clean finish. High quality leaf. I have had amazing smokes and frustrating ones. Bowl size matters. Experience matters.

Age When Smoked: 3 yrs

Purchased From: B&M

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fr_tom (393)	2013-12-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I got a sample of this in the mail and found fairly dense broken flakes. I rubbed them out and smoked it in the Kirsten I am smoking Wessex Gold Brick in these days.

This is a mellow, full red Virginia flavor. It is a little "heavy" tasting, with just a little tart and sweet. I don't detect any topping at all, and there is no subtle latakia or izmir lurking in the background. I liked this as a straight Virginia smoke, and it is in the same class of tobacco as Wessex Gold Brick and McClelland 5100.

Pipe Used: 1/4 bent Kirsten

Age When Smoked: gift from friend

Purchased From: sample from friend

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2013-02-08		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Unnoticeable

I am new to pipe smoking, and certainly new to reviewing tobacco. My experience to this point is mainly with aromatics, so this is my first real non aromatic tobacco. And I like it!! The tin note is definitely along the lines of roasted tomatoes, vinegar, and ketchup. Not my favorite smells to get out of the tin. However, the smoke seems fairly complex - I do get some roasted tomatoes to taste, but also leather and hay. It burned very well and offered an extremely long and cool smoke. No tongue bite for me. A very nice tobacco that gets 3.5 stars from me. I will absolutely keep some of this on hand.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Virginia lover (218)	2011-05-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

A very tasty blend, well balanced with a minimal preservative smell off the tin. Zesty and slightly tangy yet it never bites. Easily a perfect all day tobacco for Virginia aficionados who prefer a genuine, unchanging, rich taste.

Virginia lover

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2001-03-26		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Vinegar, anyone? This being the first McClelland Virginia I ever tried, I was somewhat surprised at the odor that greeted me when I popped the top of the can. As another reviewer has mentioned, it's an odor that one either loves or hates. Some say it smells like ketchup; have any of you eaten any recently? Exactly what have you been smoking?? Ketchup isn't even close! Oh well, each person's tastes are different; that's what makes life interesting :-). Personally, I like the smell, and it doesn't come through in the tobacco's flavor at all. This blend comes in medium to large flakes, dark brown with veins of lighter, yellowish-brown running through them. They are a little moist, but rub out easily and pack well. Once rubbed out, they light easily, though this blend seems to require more relights then average once into the bowl. I usually smoke this blend in a very large-bowled Savinelli estate billiard, with a tobacco chamber diameter of about 1.5 inches. If I need to stop partway through the bowl due to tongue bite, I can rest and pick up the pipe again with no loss of flavor. The first third of the bowl is sweet, especially if smoked slowly. Actually, slowly is the only way you CAN smoke this tobacco, unless you enjoy crisped tongue and mouth. To avoid the bite, I find I need to puff carefully, barely getting anything from the stem at all. This certainly contributes to multiple relights, but it also is where this blend shines. The light puffs deliver a sweet, flavorful smoke that makes the effort worthwhile. As the bowl moves into its second 1/3, the flavor becomes more rich and complex, though the sweetness stays present. Toward the last third, the sweetness and richness merge somewhat, forming a complex and satisfying flavor that has an even greater tendency to bite. Care is needed! Also toward the end, some moisture is present, and it may be necessary to run a pipe cleaner down the stem of the pipe. Unlike Latakia mixes, going back to a bowl later on does not adversely effect the tobacco's taste. This is fortunate, because frequently it will take three sessions to smoke a large bowl of this blend. Overall, this is a pleasant smoke that requires time for careful concentration for full enjoyment. While not my favorite McClelland Virginia, it is nice as a change of pace, when I'm in a sweet Virginia mood. In addition, I believe that leaving the tin open for a couple weeks may help to solve the moisture problem; more results to come.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tomcat (226)	2021-08-17		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Unnoticeable

McClelland no 22 Matured Virginias- loving this tin of 20 yr old Virginia tobaccos . Sweet and tangy dark fruits . I am getting some citrus but no grassiness to speak of . Not really any spice either . A little vinegary ketchup but i enjoy it . If you can get an old tin you won’t regret it . What a treat ! 4

Age When Smoked: 20 yrs old

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	steppx (186)	2017-06-30		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Another fine Virginia flake from the, probably, greatest Virginia flake maker out there. McClelland knows Virginia. Period. To give this less than 4 stars, IMHO, means you probably are either inexperienced or simply an aromatic smoker, or just a guy who hates straight virginia. Its impossible not to rate this four stars, frankly. Its of the highest quality and perfectly presented. Now....one might like blackwoods better (i do) or Dark Star or even #27... but along with Gawith's FVF the McClelland virginias are the best you can do. Some reviewers give, for example, Macbaren blends four stars. Thats fine. Thats what you like. But honestly, for the experienced smoker of pipes, the art of pipe smoking as it were, this is of the highest quality. Now its a less stoved flake than some from McC, and its made of different virginias (i suspect very little red in here, but i could be wrong). And its not a nic bomb ....though its certainly a notch over mild. The taste is a bit subtle and perhaps that is the problem for some. But if you give it some attention, dry it out a bit, rub it out then before packing your pipe....you are getting the luxury end of virginia flakes.

Purchased From: 4noggins

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rothesay (5)	2016-12-11		Medium	None Detected	Very Mild	Tolerable to Strong

When I opened the tin, there was a very strong aroma of ketchup, though it did not carry through to the smoke. The broken flakes were very nice, and the tobacco rubbed out perfectly each time. The moisture level was spot on, but this tin had apparently been sitting for some time, despite my having just bought it. Mature VA #22 lit and burned well, and behaved throughout the bowl. I tried it in a number of different pipes, including several briars and cobs, and it seemed to be most at home in the pot shape.

I was, however, not impressed with the taste. It was a touch ashy, and that is all the flavor it really had. If there was anything else going on, it was hidden beneath that. The only time I ever got a little more out of it was in a pot, particularly my Randy Wiley. The sort of thing to smoke if one wants a lit pipe but no distractions like taste or complexity.

(1.75oz tin smoked over ten days in November.)

Age When Smoked: 3yrs 10mos

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Geronimo Von Klaus (76)	2014-09-03		Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Strong

I thought this would be a tour de force of all that McClelland does well, and what I got was a soaking wet (and impossible to dry out), bitey and hard to smoke Nic explosion that left me with dry mouth, and a palate that tasted like hay.

I don't know what went wrong. It was sopping wet when I got it, I took a load out and dried it for an eternity (as in, lid off in my office for nearly 4 days mixing it around occasionally), and still it was hard to light and keep lit.

The smoke was paltry, very sour and hard to draw out, and unsatisfying, and the flavor was just middle of the road VA, with a stack of Vit N and dry-mouth and bite for the pleasure of trying so hard to smoke it.

Not good.

Pipe Used: XXL Billiard

Age When Smoked: 5 years

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kilmarnock Piper (251)	2012-12-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

My tin is vintage 1997, and I don't think I can add much to what others have said except to say: another winner from McClelland's Matured Virginia series!

They have a lot in common anyway, but the main similarity is just in the overall quality of these American Virginias, and McClelland's excellent selection and treatment of them.

11-6-2022 I must have bought a duo of 1997 tins of this off Ebay back then, because I had another that I cracked about six weeks ago and smoked through...it's sad to think how many McClelland tins I had with age on them back then in 2012, and how few I have left, and what people are paying for them now, but at any rate, what I have left, I will smoke...

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2011-09-28		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This is a wonderful Virginia flake with more dark, sweet flavors than the kind of hay-like flavors found in brighter Virginia flakes.

Rich, creamy smoke. Rich, natural tobacco flavor with distinct notes of clove. Also notes of leather and cedar. Moderately careful technique precludes any tongue bite.

Not overly complex, but full flavored and satisfying from start to finish. Mildly sweet with moderate nicotine.

Like most flakes, a little drying and rubbing out is beneficial.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Denevei (58)	2011-01-08		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This is the first Mac Baren tobacco I ever encountered. I go back and forth with it, sometimes liking it and sometimes not. Like most of their tobaccos, Vanilla Crème has a strong tin aroma, especially when freshly opened, of fermenting compost, but in this case it's vanilla fermenting compost. I've said before, though, that you sometimes have to ignore the tin aroma. The tobacco is a broken flake of heavily cased Virginia.

This is a good smoke when others are in the house. My impartial room note judge said that the fragrance is quite nice, kind of like having a vanilla candle burning in the room. Easily lit, the burn is smooth and fairly cool, especially for an aromatic; I suspect that this is due to the quality of the tobacco used. Once burning, the vanilla flavor is accompanied by a nice creaminess. Think of cream soda in a tobacco. There's nothing subtle about Vanilla Crème. I did find, though, that the flavor began to get a bit sour by the bottom of the bowl, and it doesn't DGT very well.

If you want a really good, high quality vanilla blend, go for either this or Sweet Vanilla Honeydew. I personally prefer SVH, but that could be because I smoked it first, and maybe because it has a bit more subtlety about it. Vanilla Crème is a good tobacco to smoke when others are around, especially if those others have a tendency to complain about "stinky" tobaccos.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Blackhorse (96)	2003-11-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I plan to come back and fill in a bit more when I have more of the tin finished but thought I might note here that I had stumbled on a six year-old tin of No. 22 in a local shop. Opening revealed the flakes to be in excellent condition...many coated with a fine sugar dusting...or might this be bloom? At any rate it was easily rubbed to a coarse texture, put into a handy 2001 Peterson's 4th of July Dublin A4...and the result was close to heaven. Smooth, sweet, spicy, just a delight! It burned well with only a few re-lights to the bottom of the bowl...the flavor deepening as the bowl progressed. I need to go back and rummage around that shop more often!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Noorrmm (192)	2002-02-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Nicely cut orange-red flakes, neither too thin nor too heavy. Easy to rub out to any degree. Initial aroma is usual vinegar, but airing it out solves his, and allows thee tobacco to burn cooler and drier. The initial taste is a good sweet basic Va., with not much complexity. As it settles down, there are layers of flavor developing and playing with your palate. An excellent choice for an all-day virginia.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2001-09-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

Virginia #22 arrives in 2-3 inch flakes, medium to dark brown, with lighter golden striping. As expected, the McClelland 'Heinz ketchup' odor is in full effect, though I don't find this off-putting.

As of this review, I have smoked it fully rubbed-out, 'sausage-rolled', and cut, against the grain, into small squares. I have found the last to be the best preparation in terms of ease of lighting and coolness in smoking. (Occasionally, I use some aged 5100 as kindling to aid in lighting as well.)

The flavor alternates between a subdued, toasted sweetness and a more astringent 'tobacco' flavor. I never find the nicotine presence to be overwhelming, but often notice it once I have finished the bowl.

As others have noted, #22 has a tendency to bite enthusiastic puffers; some aging is sure to take care of such concerns.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Aurorasofautumn (38)	2020-04-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

That's one of the tobaccos I bought as soon as the rumours of McClelland shutting down their production started to spread. I bought a tin of it one day just to try it, liked it a lot and immediately ordered two pounds of this, so this should tell you how much I like this tobacco. I don't just like it, I simply adore it.

For a while I thought that McC's #24 is king when it comes to the Matured Virginias Series, but oh boy - how #22 has grown on me. The zesty taste of the bright Virginias is just beyond compare. I usually fully rub out the flakes and gravity pack them. After a few puffs I am in heaven already. The smoke is creamy, light, flavorful, slightly sweet, zesty and surprisingly full but never tiring. What I taste mostly here are citrus notes as well as "malty/bread notes", but they are part of a complex amalgam of flavors I just cannot seem to pin down and which ultimately constitutes the magic and allure of this blend.

A big plus of this blend for me is also that it's produced using tobacco that has actually been grown on American soil (I know I am Swiss but I still love the U.S.).

In my opinion, when it comes to the best Virginia baccy out there, forget Rattray's Holy Trinity, forget Gawith's FVF and BBF (even though I love those quite fervently as well), forget Dunhill Flake and come and pray at the altar of the almighty McC Matured Virgnias #22.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DavyCrockettwashere (33)	2019-11-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I’m smoking a tin of number 22 from 2012. To age this I opened the tin and re- caped it. I did this to let the vinegar smell dry up and also give the tobacco some drying time. After all those years the tobacco has not dried out completely, it’s easy to pack, and still takes a few matches. The flavor is mellow, malty, and hay like. This tobacco tastes absolutely wonderful! It’s staying lit well and has a mellow tangy flavor that is just out of this world good. I’m so glad I have a few cans stored up.

Pipe Used: Castello Sea Rock

Age When Smoked: 7 yeas old.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pryhosm (248)	2018-09-28		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I love Virginia tobacco's...almost as much as I love Balkan Blend. Well that isn't right. They are equals at the pinnacle of flavor, just different and really are dependent on mood. That said, I am also a fan of McClelland Virginia's in particular. From the signature tin note to the presentation and unique flavors they draw from the leaf. I am sure glad I have some saved up (but not nearly enough). No. 22 is a zesty, flavorful straight VA that comes in beautiful broken flakes resembling beef jerky and the tang from the tin not far off from jerky.

I have been smoking 6 year old tins and the flavor is robust, tangy and has depth. The familiar ketchup/BBQ sauce smell transfers to the taste in the first 2 minutes of the smoke but dissipates quickly (I like that flavor btw). It develops into a savory, earthy smoke with dark sweetness and has creamy spots as the bowl progresses past the half way point. There is also a mild spicy quality that persists from beginning to end, kinda of like perique pepperiness but not quite.

If you are a fan of VA's, McClelland VA's in particular and can find this tobacco, it is a must have.

Pipe Used: Briar's, meerschaum and cobs

Age When Smoked: 6 years

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	motamanx (1)	2018-06-29		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

#22 Matured Virginia was my go to smoke after nearly a lifetime of Dunhill Nightcap. For a while I segued into Three Year Matured Virginia, but that went away for a while. When it returned it wasn't the same. Enter #22! Now I find that McClelland closed its doors, so there's nowhere to go?

Pipe Used: mostly Dans

Age When Smoked: old

Purchased From: pipes and tobacco

Similar Blends: Three Year Matured Virginia, but that went away for a while. wasn't the same. , I love to find something similar to it., Dunhill - Three Year Matured Virginia.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2013-07-28		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

McC does fine Virginias , and this is no exception. I find this a little more on the mature stoved side than the light bright side. Somewhat reminds me in flavor of GLP Union Square but darker in looks. Better rubbed out and allowed to breathe some. I'd buy again.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2011-05-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

a well aged virgina flake this was my first tinned tobacco i got and found it to be enjoyable. it does have the mcclelland vinger and catsup smell but dont let that scent fool you it is a great smoke and really dresses up the the virgina nicely

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2011-05-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

a well aged virgina flake this was my first tinned tobacco i got and found it to be enjoyable. it does have the mcclelland vinger and catsup smell but dont let that scent fool you it is a great smoke and really dresses up the the virgina nicely

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-11-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This Virginia is a tasty, zesty one. It has an acidic, fresh note.

Problem here is the high maintenance it demands. If really dried out it takes light well, but looses some flavour. If not completely dry, it tastes great but is very hard to keep burning.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2006-09-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I am going to keep this brief. #22 has everything I look for in a Virginia tobacco. It lights well, when allowed to dry a bit, and stays lit. The flavor at the match is a little sweet and grassy but this develops beautifully as the bowl is consumed. After about 1/2 bowl, #22 becomes rich and sweet with a little spiciness that plays in and out. The only thing left at the bottom of the bowl is a grey/white ash with absolutely no goop. I love this blend.

Jay

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2005-06-23		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Opening the tin, a smell of fermentation and dried apricots. None of them detected while smoking it. On his best in the first half of the bowl (then a little hint of the fermentation). I prefer it otherwise. At the end the spiceness dominates too much. Is it a bad-tasting tobacco ? Not really. But as I use the star-qualification very strict, I can't say that I recommend it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spike (296)	2005-03-12		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

A smooth and flavorful straight Virginia. This is from a three year old tin so a new one may not be as tasty and bite-free. The spousal unit was especially critical of the after-smell of my clothing. I on the other hand enjoyed it thoroughly. Highly recommended.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Beer (345)	2004-09-01		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Smell of sour prune jam and pear, very yummy. Broken flakes, very easy to load, maybe a little rubbed out. Lights and smokes very easily and dry. A very good tobacco, tasty (sweet, sour and spicy) and not bitey (though my tin was 3 years old, so YMMV). Not as distinctive and memorable as 27, but solid and reliable.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2003-10-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

After reading several favorable reviews of #22 and 2010, I bought a tin of #22. I enjoyed it a great deal, enough to buy a pound of 2010, to which #22 is often compared. Having compared the two, #22 is a smoother, more refined smoke. My tongue starts to warm up quicker with the 2010. Room note is always a tricky one. I find the smoke from a good Virginia or Virginia/Perique very pleasant and satisfying. No. 22 also reminds me of a new blend from Bufflehead, Virginia Ruddy Duck. I like #22 enough to buy another tin in the future. With 2015 and 2010 available in bulk, those are my default tobaccos.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stogie (26)	2003-06-18		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

As I load up my last remaining bowl of VA No.22 from McClelland, I feel I have done this tobacco proper service by smoking an entire tin before reviewing. (As I always do!). As a self-professed lover of VA Flakes, and one that finds most of the McClelland product divine, I was not nearly as impressed with this tobacco as I had hoped to be, or as most of the previous reviewers were. I purchased VA No. 22 along with tins of VA No. 24, St. James Woods and Dark Star, of which I will have reviews posted soon. This was my least favorite of the four.

Visual: A dark brown flake, with lots of yellow and gold streaks throughout. My tin contained mainly broken flake, no full "sheets".

Texture: As with most McClelland flakes, this one was just a little moist upon opening, but I like it that way. I let this tin get fairly dry over the three months that I took to get through it, and as it became dryer it lost that VA tang to a large extent. Even upon proper rehydration, the wonderful tanginess of VA never returned.

Pack/Pipe: I smoke this both partially rubbed and fully rubbed. Usually I preferred the latter. Gravity fed into a number of my VA pipes, (Ashton XX oldchurch and Pebblegrain pots, Nording freehands, Dunhill Redbark Poker etc...) This seemed to burn best with a light hand.No problems smoking this to bottom of the bowl with minimal relights.

Lighting/Burn: Two matches to char, one to light. Without fail, this tobacco needed a relight within the first third of the bowl, but then makes it almost to the bottom. Burns to bottom and leaves a white/grey ash with a few bits of charred tobacco.

1st 3rd: This tobacco is definitely most flavorful in this portion of the bowl. VA tang is here as well as a nice earthy sweetness. Smokes through this portion quickly and with nice mouthfuls of white smoke.

2nd 3rd: Burn rate slows down here. Smoke becomes a little cooler and flavor evens out to a natural VA taste with just a little tang. If it had more zip here I would rate this higher. Never needed additional matches in this portion.

Final 3rd: Have lost a lot of flavor here. Almost no VA tang at all, minimum smoke generation, and need stirred and relit with some frequency. Maybe I am tamping this too firmly, but evidently my consistency is amazing, because it happens every time!

Notes: Like all McClelland flakes, I have no issues with the quality. This just did not stack up to the benchmark set by St. James Woods and VA No.24 in my opinion.

Stogie rating of: 5 Fair Fonsecas

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2003-02-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Overall & after smoking quite a few ounces of this stuff I would say that this & 2015 are my favourite Va flakes, 22 has that McClelland Venom & zest which splits pipesmokers in half- into love it or hate it camps that is. 22 has as much bite as the best of 'em, having it's share of yellow leaf- But if appreciated slowly you won't harm yourself( I've got a sensitive tongue but it won't bite me with proper technique) . Another thing about this blend is it's High range sweetness, you can't even detect it some smokes, other times you can. BUT when the moon is full.... ( joke..sorta) never boring though & as said before - outstanding with a few beers. * I've recently opened a 3 year old tin & in comparison to a younger tin there is more sweetness & toastiness but the bite-threshold seems about the same.

disclaimer: review updated & some liberties taken .

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2002-04-03		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

For the lovers of VA's-- myself included-- a 'must try' blend as we make our way through the taste-gauntlet of the world's innumerable tobaks.

This is a good day starter, no shock to the system, no real surprises.

It is the lack of that certain something else that keeps this blend from receiving a higher rating.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2002-01-19		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is my first posted review. It is by no means my first tobacco, I just happen to be smoking it right now.

Virginia # 22 is typical of McClelland Virginias, full of red and dark stoved tobbaccos with small streaks of yellows.

The tin smell is that strange McClelland only aroma so often read of. But as time passes after the tin is opened, the zesty Virginia aroma shines through.

This tobacco, because of its flake cut, is ideal for a multipurpose tobacco. It is easily rubbed out for indoors smoking. It is equally up to the task of outdoor smoking.

The taste is one of spice and sweet. As I am a barbeque cook and cook alot outside with wood, I am most reminded of that aroma with this tobacco. Its taste is like the smell of good sauce on the coals, sweet yet tangy.

I recommend this for anyone who has a taste for the outdoors, spicy foods and honest Virginia

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Madox07 (43)	2019-09-01		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I open this can finally, not before inspecting it; when I notice the stamp on the bottom reading "220715". So I am thinking "Great, if that's the packaging date this has some age to it, so my day is about to get better". Well ... I open the can, and it pops with a loud noise, and I stick my nose in it ... it smells like ... ketchup, some vinegar, perhaps a wiff of something in between clove and ginger. Not very encouraging, but non the less I am determined to get past the first impression - although from past experience if it smells nasty, it tastes nasty. I pick up a a couple jerky looking flakes, rub them on my pipe plate, and fill a bowl. It takes a bit to light, but finally I have a full draw, and it's simply amazing. All the repulsion dissipated, as I was puffing smoke after smoke. I used a Denicote pipe for this, with a 9 mm carbon filter, and I puffed at it for a bit over an hour. Very pleasant smoke - throughout the first half of the smoke it keeps its taste constant: smooth, slow burning, virginia with a unique sweetness to it. The taste reminds me of exactly one thing, yesterday's cut moist grass that has been sitting in the sun for a warm early summer morning. I did not leave it out to dry, since it didn't feel overly moist. As a term of comparison, as far as moisture goes in flake my last experience was Samuel Gawith Navy Flake, which felt considerably wetter. It took me only two relights, which is ok in my flake book. Shortly within the second half of the bowl, this blend kindly reminded me to slow down - the pipe got a tad warm and it was threatening to bite. After I turned off the locomotive I was rewarded with a slightly more intense taste, still grassy like, but resembling a lightly sweet dark chocolate. I was quite impressed by this smoke, and I need to take my hat of in front of this great American blender.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2018-06-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Rich, mellow and a bit tangy. Everything a pressed and aged a Virginia should be! A delight to the senses. This fine Virginia took the match well and I had only two re-lights. Delicious! I just found out McCkelland closed down.Thats what I get for living in the Antarctic most of the year. Glad I have several pounds of various McClelland tobaccos.Next thing you know, someone will tell me that the Doobie Brothers broke up.

Pipe Used: Charatan billard

Age When Smoked: 6 years.

Purchased From: Smokingpipes

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Dottle (162)	2005-10-31		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is the least favorite of the McClelland matured VAs I have tried to date. The distinct vinegar smell was overwhelming in my tin. Despite letting it air out and ?re-age? for another several weeks, it didn?t mitigate the vinegar smell. A little harsh at first light, it settles down into a decent VA smoke for a while then ?turns south.? The flavor seems to dissipate, it loses ?punch,? and becomes moderately harsh. And unlike some other reviewers here, I thought its burning qualities were marginal.

A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored.

I rate this tobacco 6.5 out of 10.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2004-07-27		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I'm not a connoisseur of straight VA blends. I've only tasted a few and they keep my interest less than VA/P and Latakia blends. This leaf is quite nice. More solid and varied flavor at the top of the bowl...a bit... coarse through out the later portions. Towards the end a little bland. I found it pretty well behaved, but my sample is quite (nicely) dry. Burns very evenly and good thick cut.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2003-06-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

This is the second McC VA I have tried, and like the first one (Dark Star) this one annoys the hell out of me.

Like Dark Star, opening the tin is like opening a bottle of 99% acetic acid. The vinegar fumes are so strong they need to put a label on this warning you that it should only be opened in a chemlab inside a fume hood. This is just nuts... what the heck are they putting on this?

I let this thing dry out for several weeks with the top on and it still didn't loose enough of this vinegar smell/flavor. So finally I rubbed it all out to a broken flake consistency and let it dry for a few days with the top completely off. Finally it became smokable. However to be smokable this stuff needs to be bone dry. I don't like tobacco that has to be crispy-dry in order to be smokable and this whole vinegar issue really bugs me.

After all this trouble I'm rewarded with a mediocre virginia at best. A little sweet, a bit of spice, but I'd much rather have a tin of Patriot Flake than this

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