McClelland's Wilderness

Brothers of Briar

Help Support Brothers of Briar:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
derlict311

derlict311

Well-known member
Joined
May 13, 2011
Messages
166
Reaction score
1
My first experience with Wilderness tonight. Whoa! I love it when people get excited about a blend and let their emoticions run wild. :affraid: Wilderness is a blend apparently created by Fred Hanna (I'll have to google him...) and is an unbelievably good medium Balkan. :bounce: The components are Drama and Yenidje oriental tobaccos, Syrian AND Cyprian Latakia, along with McClelland's famous Red Virginias that round out the blend beautifully. I have to admit, expectations were high on this one. It's hard to beat a good Balkan, and one with so many rave reviews, let's just say my hope sprang eternal. I'm trying to temper my initial impressions, but I think this is a really good smoke. I think we have a winner here.

Thoughts on McClelland's Wilderness?


 
I have a tin, haven't popped it yet. Among many I ought to try.

8)
 
Just scored two from smokingpipes.com with a year and eight months age. As I look closer at Fred Hanna (pipe tobacco enthusiast), he began blending after reaching nirvana with Early Morning Pipe. We all got one or two of those "nirvana" blends, don't we?
 
I was on a Syrian search for a while. That was one I picked up but still haven't opened. I might have to slip that one up near the Escudo, which is the next tin I intend to open.
 
I had a couple healthy bowls in my Pete 302 tonight. The smoothness of this blend is it's best feature. For a Balkan to be that smooth is a wonder. I like how the Latakia is in balance, not "pronounced" like so many other's. This is not lat-forward. It's a harmonic relationship between it's players. Reminds me of another fine lighter Balkan I like, Pease's Samara, but also reminds me of the newer recreation of JF Germain's Balkan Sobraine, if there was a "Light" version.
 
For my part I didn't think much of it. I don't mean it was bad and I certainly respect all who appreciate the blend, but for me Wilderness lacked oomph and was dull. I couldn't wait until I'd smoked it all away and could open something else.

A tip of the hat to DrumsAndBeer, for he and I seem to have been on the same kick not too long ago--Syrian lat. I thought Wilderness was okay, but I got a leathery type of smoke and what I think were gripping nice red virginias for about the first sixth of the bowl and then it was just smooth (yes), dense, and sadly dull.

Wonderful to find a delightful blend for sure though! Way to go, Derlict, there's more Wilderness for you now that I'm not picking up any more tins.
 
I'm a big Wilderness fan, but for a Syrian Lat blend I prefer the Three Oaks Syrian, also by McClelland (thought not the same blender)--the Three Oaks has given me more consistently delicious smokes, whereas some bowls of Wildreness are great, and others are just okay.
 
When Wilderness first came out I got a couple tins and went on a mini-binge with it. Smoked it everyday until it was all gone and loved every bowl.

Really appreciated the restraint of the Lat presence as I was moving away from Lat-forward blends anyhow at that point.

Moved on to other things as I often do. Need to get some more of this in and see if it still wows me.


Cheers,

RR
 
I love Wilderness and bought many, many tins of it. I think it's by far the best latakia blend from McClelland.
Yet, over time, it's lack of strength has tempered my appreciation somewhat. It's got more "oomph" to it than most McC products, but it's still a decidedly mild blend compared to what I normally enjoy. As a result, I think it will take me a long time to work through my supply of it.
 
As someone who had smoked mainly C&D blends, I was at first put off by the tin note of Wilderness. Unfortunately, I had read about the famous vinegar/ketchup smell and that is what I noted, by smell and taste. So, I put the tin away for about a year.

A year later I tried it again, the tin note was all but gone. As I smoked it, and having read more reviews of McClelland's blends (especially the red Virginia), I realized the taste was from the Virginia. It was very sweet and deep, kind of fermented. I like Balkans for the complexity, and Wilderness has it. The red V in this blend makes this blend unique in my experience with Balkans. It may be too sweet if you are looking for a "drier" taste. But with a recent bout of allergies dulling my tastes, the sweetness is much welcomed. I believe I will buy more of this. It is top notch quality.
 
Being a long time Balkan devotee, ( 759 was one of my daily "go-to" blends for almost 20 years) I went through a couple of tins of this a few years ago. It was very good, but did not have the "kick" I was used to in my Balkan blends. Tried Oriental #14 and Peretti's Royal blend and prefer them to this more. Having smoked 759 "back in the day", kinda spoils ya as far as a Balakn blend goes :p
 
monbla256":4enkitpk said:
Being a long time Balkan devotee, ( 759 was one of my daily "go-to" blends for almost 20 years) I went through a couple of tins of this a few years ago. It was very good, but did not have the "kick" I was used to in my Balkan blends. Tried Oriental #14 and Peretti's Royal blend and prefer them to this more. Having smoked 759 "back in the day", kinda spoils ya as far as a Balakn blend goes :p
Click to expand...
I agree Wilderness does not have any kick, so to speak. That can be nice to when you want a Balkan and don't want to numb you palate like stronger ones sometimes do to me. For what Wilderness is, I think it has a lot going on and is a fine "light" Balkan with some good complexity to it.

So...you got any extra tins of 759, monbia? Haha. Saw one on the internet for over $200. Not sure it that's worth it...maybe not.
 
derlict311":xdrrc7bq said:
monbla256":xdrrc7bq said:
Being a long time Balkan devotee, ( 759 was one of my daily "go-to" blends for almost 20 years) I went through a couple of tins of this a few years ago. It was very good, but did not have the "kick" I was used to in my Balkan blends. Tried Oriental #14 and Peretti's Royal blend and prefer them to this more. Having smoked 759 "back in the day", kinda spoils ya as far as a Balakn blend goes :p
Click to expand...
I agree Wilderness does not have any kick, so to speak. That can be nice to when you want a Balkan and don't want to numb you palate like stronger ones sometimes do to me. For what Wilderness is, I think it has a lot going on and is a fine "light" Balkan with some good complexity to it.

So...you got any extra tins of 759, monbia? Haha. Saw one on the internet for over $200. Not sure it that's worth it...maybe not.
Click to expand...
I've got 8 of 'em alomg with about 12 965, Nightcap and a few S&P Gentlemans Mixture. Had 'em since around 1982 as I recall and NONE are for sale :p I bought 'em to smoke , I've just been a bit slow getting around to 'em :twisted:
 
Top