McClelland's 2020 matured cake replacement

[Tenthgate]

Hi all, I had stockpiled a bunch of this delightful 2020 bulk mixture that McClelland used to make. I smoke it aggressively and it doesn't last long!

Not sure how many are familiar but as they have stopped producing it i'm looking for suggestions to scratch the itch.

It had a unique taste and profile. Another blend i am quite fond of is c&d sunday picnic which is similar in a way but lacking the latakia.

I really do like the woodsy aspect added by the latakia, the 2020 actually had a kind of sweet spice cake thing going on and smokes very well

Anyways curious what you guys would suggest.
Thanks in advance

[HSigurdsson]

Many McClelland blends had their own flavor.
Many have tried to reproduce it, but none ive found are very close.
Maybe some day the recipe and process will be disclosed....I hope.
I cannot remember the 2020 but if it had Virginia tobacco, look for deep, dark Red Virginia blends and add some Latakia to them maybe.

[Piping Abe]

Maybe @Ruffinogold can help. I have no experience with McClelland outside a few of the Frog Mortons.

[Citizen B]

Many McClelland blends had their own flavor.
Many have tried to reproduce it, but none ive found are very close.

This is very true. My first tin was McClelland Red Virginia. Sounds simple, right? It's not. There is nothing else like it. The same with the blend in the tin with the yellow label.

[Ruffinogold]

Well , this is a sore subject , isnt it . Those McClelland give ups bastids ... I swear . They did something to their Virginia that accentuated that " ketchup " type thing thatvas can have , especially red va . Wessex makes a Red Virginia flake and it has that Ketchup thing going on but I think in its natural state , meaning I dont think they do anything to it to accentuate that flavor like McClelland did ... I think it was in their process that boosted that . I had a discussion with someone years ago and tats what was mentioned to me and I couldnt tell you what it was
Anyway ,Wessex red Virginia flake has a very mild " ketchupy " McClellandish thing .. but dont hold your breath waiting for it to be in stock , sadly . The other is Sutliff Red Virginia crumble Kake .... I mention it because it has that red va thing but even less than the Wessex . Its quite good on its own and is usually in stock somewhere and pretty reasonable in price too . Its at least one to try
Sadly , McClelland did something in their process that gave them their signature taste that no one else wants to do for some reason

I use to hate the ketchup until I tried their Tawny Flake . That blend did it right and I came around and it wasnt too long after that , like a year , that they decided to give up without selling off ... apparently because no one would spend teh time making theor blends the same , so they said , which if you know me .. I think is bullshit but thats just my opinion

[Ruffinogold]

Back in the day , Wessexs Red Virginia tin stated " Red Sun " topnote ... so I think wessex could pull off a McClelland flavor if anybody could . I hvent bought a wessex red va tin in a long while being they are not usually available and I dont think it states red sun topnote on it anymore

God , McClellands Virginia 24 , which wasnt ketchup , was feaking amazing

[HSigurdsson]

Many McClelland blends had their own flavor.
Many have tried to reproduce it, but none ive found are very close.

This is very true. My first tin was McClelland Red Virginia. Sounds simple, right? It's not. There is nothing else like it. The same with the blend in the tin with the yellow label.

I have about 1 pound of 5100 "Red Cake" from 2012 in my cellar.
Unfortunately I put it in only two jars.
Thats just before I learned to use MUCH smaller jars!!
Now if I want to open one, Ill have a half pound opened.
Its not a huge deal but it will slow the aging process.
Now I use 4oz jars which give me 15-20 bowls worth.
I wish I learned this in 2012 when I jarred up about 10 pounds of McClelland into 16oz jars.
I bought a pound of all their VAs and Vapers they sold in bulk for long term aging.
Now im having trouble opening any of the remaining 12 or so jars.
I have smoked one jar from most of them, I only have 2 jars of the 5100......and maybe 2015.......ill have to look

[HSigurdsson]

Well , this is a sore subject , isnt it . Those McClelland give ups bastids ... I swear . They did something to their Virginia that accentuated that " ketchup " type thing thatvas can have , especially red va . Wessex makes a Red Virginia flake and it has that Ketchup thing going on but I think in its natural state , meaning I dont think they do anything to it to accentuate that flavor like McClelland did ... I think it was in their process that boosted that . I had a discussion with someone years ago and tats what was mentioned to me and I couldnt tell you what it was
Anyway ,Wessex red Virginia flake has a very mild " ketchupy " McClellandish thing .. but dont hold your breath waiting for it to be in stock , sadly . The other is Sutliff Red Virginia crumble Kake .... I mention it because it has that red va thing but even less than the Wessex . Its quite good on its own and is usually in stock somewhere and pretty reasonable in price too . Its at least one to try
Sadly , McClelland did something in their process that gave them their signature taste that no one else wants to do for some reason

I use to hate the ketchup until I tried their Tawny Flake . That blend did it right and I came around and it wasnt too long after that , like a year , that they decided to give up without selling off ... apparently because no one would spend teh time making theor blends the same , so they said , which if you know me .. I think is bullshit but thats just my opinion

Yes sir.
Occasionally Ill find a tin of some sort of Virginia blend that has a whisp of the McClelland "ketchup" flavor. Then ill buy it again, and it doesn't taste the same.
One was a Sutliff blend but I don't remember what it was called.
I have a bunch of C&D Red VA around here, Im gonna mess around with different things to see if I can mimic the flavor.......probably not.
I do know that Mike McNeil told me years ago that the "ketchup" is more of a process thing than an added component thing. Thats as much as he would tell me.....him and Mary were very tight lipped......im pretty sure their own family doesn't know the secret.

[Ronv69]

Many McClelland blends had their own flavor.
Many have tried to reproduce it, but none ive found are very close.
Maybe some day the recipe and process will be disclosed....I hope.
I cannot remember the 2020 but if it had Virginia tobacco, look for deep, dark Red Virginia blends and add some Latakia to them maybe.

One reason why the McClelland's blends haven't been reproduced is one of the reasons they closed. The quality tobacco just isn't available in large quantities.

[Ronv69]

Many McClelland blends had their own flavor.
Many have tried to reproduce it, but none ive found are very close.

This is very true. My first tin was McClelland Red Virginia. Sounds simple, right? It's not. There is nothing else like it. The same with the blend in the tin with the yellow label.

I have about 1 pound of 5100 "Red Cake" from 2012 in my cellar.
Unfortunately I put it in only two jars.
Thats just before I learned to use MUCH smaller jars!!
Now if I want to open one, Ill have a half pound opened.
Its not a huge deal but it will slow the aging process.
Now I use 4oz jars which give me 15-20 bowls worth.
I wish I learned this in 2012 when I jarred up about 10 pounds of McClelland into 16oz jars.
I bought a pound of all their VAs and Vapers they sold in bulk for long term aging.
Now im having trouble opening any of the remaining 12 or so jars.
I have smoked one jar from most of them, I only have 2 jars of the 5100......and maybe 2015.......ill have to look

Well, it's fully aged. So you should smoke it up ASAP.