McClelland 2010: Aged vs Fresh
Posted on: Tue, 09/02/2008 - 20:08
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McClelland 2010: Aged vs Fresh
Ok my taste buds are no longer on strike so I figured I should give this 2010 that I've aged for just a tad over a year another shot to see how it really compares to the fresh stuff. Here's my take:
I mentioned last week when I couldn't taste anything that the most obvious change was a complete taming of the 'biteyness' that fresh 2010 exhibits. Aged is as smooth as silk. Thats a real good thing. Score one!
I also mentioned that I thought the flavor rather flat compared to the fresh stuff and after today's smoke (in a pipe dedicated to McClelland VAs by the way) I've got to report that yes, this tobacco did lose a lot of its yummyness (sorry for the technical term there). While its smoother overall and still does have *some* of that spicey McClelland flavor on top of the hay like / citrus like VA flavor it is MUCH less than when fresh. Whereas when fresh I could taste all three VA components in a single bowl - the flavor evolving from start to finish in an astoundingly good manner, now unfortunately there are just hints of its former glory.
The sidestream however is much nicer. It will never be a crowd pleaser but man is it just super VA-ish.
Bottom line: I won't age any 2010 in the future. The three jars I have downstairs will sit for 6 months longer each so I can see how it does at 18mos, 24mos, and 30 mos respectively. I doubt it will get any better but who knows. For the time being I'll finish this jar over the next few weeks and then will buy smaller quantities that I can smoke in under 6 months at a time.
Oh well ... you win some, you lose some.
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Rick Piatt
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I guess like wine...some tobaccos just will not age well...such is life...surprising to hear of a VA though...
but if you decide you really don't like the aged 2010, you can always send it to me ;)
Cheers,
Josh
I've just put a pound or so of 2010 away because I thought it was just too fresh & I felt it was too harsh. I'm going to give it 6 months to a year & try it. I did the same with 2015 & it was great. But perhaps it's because I really dried out the 2015 as well. Yes, it is more muted, but I like that. The original stuff was just too raw. And I can't bear the ketchup. In fact it was enough to make me give up on McC entirely. I changed my tune after unearthing the 2015 & a batch of 2010 before that. It worked for me. But I tend to dry my tobacco out a bit - give it some air - not to the point of crispness though, but until whatever topping there is disappears. I'm drying out some McB HH Mature Va now. I can't handle the stuff - it's harsh, the topping is dreadful &, after half a day it's as crisp as cornflakes. It still stinks. I'll give it a few more days & rehydrate it. If it doesn't come right, I'm tossing it. Don't know why they spray sh1t on good tobacco & stink it up. Gee, I am grumpy today...
that 1 year is really putting that much age on a tobacco. Scoring a few 4-6 year old tins in the local B&M were really fantastic smokes. When I ordered the same on line what I got was nothing like the well aged tins. This is basically what got me started on cellaring lots of tobaccos and I have so many that I may never know what it is to smoke a young blend after a few more years. Latakia blends are suppose to improve for ten years before they start to decline and Virginia's much longer. As I understand it, aging is a very slow process where air chomping bugs consume all the oxygen, die off, and creatures from Venus finish the job. Latakia blends have notable thresholds of 3 and 6 years, VA's 5 and 10 - if one believes what they read.
So bud, I would revise your 18, 24 and 30 months plan to 4 years, 6 years and out past 8.
I think tobacco is probably similar to wines and scotch where a year is just a drop in the bucket.
All said though, it was kinda flat.
Fume in pace, ckr
Hi Rick!
Hope all is well.
I was not a fan of 2010 until I tried some 5 year old, then it was much sweeter and smoother, although would still bite if puffed quickly. I thought it was pretty decent at 2-3 years, but at 5-6 years it is very good. FWIW.
Take care!
TC
Hiya Tom, long time no post! Don't be such a stranger around these parts pal!
Your comments confirmed what I was planning to do but for a longer time period ... I think I'll just let the jars sit for a few more years before I touch them. In the mean time I'm grabbing a couple of ounces of fresh stuff in the next order. Gosh I love that baccy when its fresh ... if only it didn't bite back it would be a perfect 10 for me.
Rick Piatt
Rick,
sorry I've not been around here for a while. I manage a rare post on ASP but that has been about it. Been busy at work, with adult kids in college and moving, death of mother-in-law, still settling into my new (1 year now) home and environs. I hope to stop in more often as I learn quite a bit from this forum and I enjoy the relaxed and friendly atmosphere. thanks for the encouragement, amigo.
TC