McClelland's Matured Virginias Navy Cavendish is a modern take on an old sailor's tradition. In the days of wooden sailing ships, seafarers would dampen their tobacco with spirits and put it under pressure to keep it for the long naval voyages. McClelland does the same thing and slices the cakes into flakes for easy preparation. One twist is the addition of a dark Jamaican variety of rum.
Only have smoked 3 bowls so far but I am very pleased with it.
Upon opening the can the flakes which were more / less broken were twice as thick as many other "Navy Flakes" resembling Beef Jerky. Tin note was that sharp almost "sour" aroma which did not carry over to the smoke.
The moisture content was perfect for rubbing out and packing on the spot. 1 Char light & 1 re-light and you will be treated to a full flavored VA flake that is not over powering but also not weak in any respect. Burned well, well mannered from start to finish. smoked in a Corn Cob pipe being used in the "Feb. Burnout" event in the Corn Cob Nation. I suspect very good things when I can try this in one of my briars as well.
Bottom line is this, You like Va Flakes? Buy a tin, give it a shot, not for you? then gift it, jar it & age it, or toss it. Whaddya out? a lousy $15. Cheap learning curve in my book.
Cheers!
2 out of 5
Painful
Jan 10, 2018
This one is tough to rate. I'm a big fan of Virginias, but this one has all of the negative qualities one might associate with them. Simply put: It burns very hot and bites very hard. The flavor is very good, but it's painful on the tongue.
5 out of 5
Great
Dec 18, 2017
Good smooth
5 out of 5
Great product!
Dec 17, 2017
I love the full bodied flavor of this pipe tobacco, it delivers a slow satisfying cool smoke. Will order again!
5 out of 5
Great, enjoyable smoke.
May 29, 2017
Wonderful full bodied flake. I prefer flake tobacco but really don't care for Latakia. Some Navy Flake has Latakia as it is preferred by many. This is a different twist on Navy Flake with the addition of Cavendish into the mixture. Great smoke with notes of burnt coffee and chocolate as well as some honey. This is on my favorites list.
5 out of 5
Navy Flake without Latakia - Excellent!
May 20, 2017
If you are a Navy Flake lover this is for you. I really enjoy dark flake like Peterson's Irish Flake and University Flake. Many Navy Flake out there contain Latakia and while many might prefer it, I just couldn't get used to it. MNC contains no Latakia and is very satisfying when you want a stronger smoke. Very rich chocolate and coffee notes were detected. As with any flake, I would suggest that you air dry out a little before packing your bowl.
5 out of 5
Good stuff
Jan 08, 2017
Subtle cavendish nice balance of Virginia.
5 out of 5
Very satisfied.
Jan 03, 2017
This is one of my favorite tobaccos. I am also pleased with the three Stanwell pipes that I've ordered recently.
5 out of 5
Great navy flake
Dec 28, 2016
Excellent tobacco, great taste, burn cool enough, properly packed and smoked doesnt need to dry out, stay lit until the end. The tobacco is sweet tangy almost fruity, the taste and flavor remind me of dunhill dnr.
5 out of 5
Good but wet
Jul 18, 2016
It's good tobacco but needs a lot of drying out. I only smoked 2 bowls so far, he 1st wasn't good needed a lot more drying. The 2nd I crumbled enough for a bowl and let it dry on a sheet of writing paper for a half of day. I smoked it in a mm diplomat apple. It smoked slow taste great and and was smooth. If you like flake tobacco give it a try.
4 out of 5
Tasty and pleasant, but have a lot of matches handy.
May 16, 2016
Smoking it as I write this. Tasty and pleasant. Veiled fruity bottom to the taste. Not too spicy, not too fruity. A good balance. The only downside is I find it hard to keep lit as I am on my 5th match on this short bowl. Too much puffing has the potential for ending up with tongue bite. As others have suggested, maybe leaving some out for a half hour or so before smoking. A nice tobacco!
3 out of 5
Not for me
Mar 07, 2016
Tried this brand after it was recommended but I do not like it. Mixed it with with some leftover tobacco. I also found it hard to stay lit.
4 out of 5
Best McClelland blend yet!
Mar 01, 2016
Burns well, loads of tasty smoke. flavor is great, spicy and sweet in prefect balance. Does not get ashy at the end of a bowl, flavor remains all the way though. I have no problem filling my pipe with this tobacco any day of the week, any time of the day! Just a good solid smoke.
1 out of 5
Very nice navy
Jan 26, 2016
I had ordered a tin, smoked a little and put it away. After a couple of months remembered it and had another bowl. This time I enjoyed it so much that I quickly ordered another couple. Some tobacco stores are sold out so I may have to order a few more. A little aging does magic. Perfect strength, aroma and consistency and body. Let it air for 5-10 minutes after rubbing so that it would light better and stay lit. Fill a med to large bowl and make sure it's rubbed lightly. A very nice smoke indeed. Sip it slowly and enjoy a long, cool smoke. Love it and recommend it highly!
4 out of 5
Pungent!
Aug 31, 2015
Pungent in the can, but a pretty good cool, mild smoke after letting sit out for about 15 min.
Customer Testimonials
This smelled like rotten fruit mixed with rum right out of the tin. But if you can get past the god awful smell, this tobacco might just be one of the best Navy blends you'll ever try. You'll have to let it set for a while, because this was quite moist when I first cracked it. Note that I haven't tried very many Navy blends myself, but overall, judging by the reviews of some of the other top Navy blends out there, this one is just as good or even better. The smell of this when smoked was fantastic. Difficult to find, but fantastic, nonetheless. Imagine a spiced dark rum, with a slight and almost hidden fruity note. It tasted just like Jamaican black rum and Jamaican black rum only. That was the best thing about this blend; it's a 100%, traditional Navy Cavendish. However, I had to puff away on this one to get the full flavor and was tongue bitten as a result. But once you get that ember going, just sit back, sip, savor, and enjoy. Two thumbs up!
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