You're careful. Patient and careful. Per McClelland:
Pure Virginia, no additives whatsoever."An excellent all day, indoor smoke. This beautiful Orange-red, shag cut cake has a mellow flavor and a light subtle aroma."
My post at TR:
This is the Virginia that I finally "got", credit to da'rum. It starts light and sweet, but the result is entirely up to meticulous rubbing out and drying, modest (not tight packing) and great, great care in piping. Rush it at any point and you not only risk tongue burn but I think it possible to ruin the bowl. Small, careful sipping, occasional light tamp and be willing to let it go out and cool a bit, and only then relight. The key word: light - light load, light tamp, light relighting, light sipping."Due to the many reviews, I'll keep to just the key points that I hope will best serve others. First: to rub it out - a task yes - then to allow a good drying (for me at least 1/2 an hour). Packing was moderate, neither tight nor loose. Do not expect what you'd call a thick, creamy smoke and if you dare to try to force it, you will pay the price. No surprise there, but I beg you - beg you - to put up with light sipping and just be patient. Read on...
As a result the the first half bowl is yes mild, yes mildly sweet and but with only glimmers of what is to come. If this were all this tobacco was, I simply say "meh" and let this one go back on the shelf. On this basis, I'd completely agree with the review that called this a "read a book" tobacco, as it will not interfere. But then, and as the bowl proceeds, the sweetness, the orange peel, cinnamon etc. that you'll also read about start to emerge with growing richness and increasingly becomes absolutely wonderful. Moderate nicotine develops as well, nice.
The "27" gets progressively richer and deeper from that point on, and at about 2/3 to 3/4 hits a truly marvelous zone. What really helped me to finally "get" this one (and reduce the burn) was my choice of pipe: a rather rare Savinelli system pipe. This reduces burn and with it's tapered bowl works to concentrate the flavors for a very pleasant experience.
My advice: dried, packed and smoked with patience you will be truly rewarded. The slow build-up and increasing pleasure makes this a wonderful and rewarding experience which grows and grows as you slowly proceed with patience. You will not be disappointed."
Personally, this is NOT an all day smoke for me, for those reasons, but when you have the time and inclination (for me with my first AM cuppa Joe) and well, it's wonderful, pleasant, pure and gets better by the puff.
I can see why the Virginia boyz/girlz like them. The McClelland No. 27 Matured Virginia is reputed to be made from top quality leaf, well prepared. Mine was tinned in 2011 (4 years ago).
