McClelland Dark Star review.

McClelland Dark Star Review Notes

Blend: Virginia
Cut: Flake
Flavor: Medium
Nicotine: Mild/Medium
Tin Note: Typical McClelland Virginia. Vinegar/ketchup aroma with a hint of dark fruit.

Prep
Prep work is key with this one. Do not expect to just crack open the tin and pack a flake. You will not enjoy it if you try that. The flakes are very thick and very moist when you first open it. It is comparable to Samuel Gawith flakes in that regard. That is really the only similarity though. The flavor is not similar to SG Virginias.
What I ended up doing (on the advice of a guy at my local shop who loves this tobacco) is to justs open the tin and leave it open for several hours. This gets the flake where it is nearly smokeble, but not so dry as to need jarring.
I prepare this flake a little different than most. With this one, as well as Gawith flakes, I rub them out a little bit more than usual. I am a proponent of leaving a flake as intact as possible for the most part. I think they blender made it flakes for a reason. However with this one, I do rub out some. Not completely out like a ribbon mind you, but more like a broken flake. I find the burn is better that way.
I will say it again, if you do not dry this tobacco out, you will probably not enjoy it. If you are in the mood for convenience and want to smoke right now, choose something else like a Dunhill flake or a ribbon cut.
But if you are patient and prepare, which I don't mind doing, it is very much worth the time.

Taste
This is an interesting Virginia.
You do get some of that vinegar flavor at first, but after a few puffs it dies down.
It is stoved, so you don't get much of that grassy/hay like taste that you get from say a Dunhill Flake or a Orlik GS.
There is a very nice sweetness and you get a dark fruit flavor. Again it is not the citrus flavor you get from a lighter red Virginia but more of a dark plum/molasses like sweetness.
There is also an earthy component as well as a subtle spice.
This blend is rather complex and has several things going on at once.
This is a very nice tasting tobacco and is worth the effort, when I have time to devote to it.
It will require some re-lights, no doubt. It is slow burning. I often get an hour out of a bowl, but that is also because this is best enjoyed at a slow pace to get all of the flavors it has to offer.
I don't know that it has unseated SG FVF or McClelland Red and Black as my top two Virginias, but it is right up there. I have heard that it ages very well and will definitely put a few tins back.
Overall, I highly recommend giving it a try if you are a lover of Virginias.


If you are into YouTube videos, here is a link to the video review.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFzcDPjUKpc