Replacement for McClelland 5100 Red Cake

[RSteve]

Sutliff Matured Red Virginia 515 RC-1
"Regular red Virginias have a flavor that can best be described as toasty-sweet. Processing and maturing red Virginia can bring some surprising results. People used to buy McClelland 5100 Red Cake by the pound because of it's zesty flavor. For those who miss that terrific flavor, you should try Sutliff Matured Red Virginia 515 RC-1. This isn't an exact match for 5100, but it has a depth of flavor and a tang that you wouldn't normally find in a regular red Virginia.
If you're looking for a rich red Virginia, then try Sutliff Matured Red Virginia 515 RC-1."

The McNeils, who owned and blended McClelland tobacco, were not growers, nor processors. They blended, perhaps added some casing, and marketed. Without McClelland tobacco purchasing their tobacco, I'm quite certain that McClelland's tobacco sources went elsewhere to sell their product.
Carrying that further, why not to Altadis, the parent company of Sutliff Pipe tobacco? Sutliff Matured Red Virginia 515 RC-1 is a virtual clone of McClelland 5100 Red Cake, without identifying it, as such. Instead of 5100, it's 515...Not Red Cake, but is RC; not much of a disguise. There's even the faint familiar ketchup aroma.
My pound arrived this morning. I rarely smoke a straight Virginia, but I had smoked 5100 often in the past. After smoking two bowls of Sutliff 515 RC-1, I think it's very, very close to Red Cake, but much less costly.

https://www.smokingpipes.com/tobacco/by-maker/Sutliff/bulk/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=250855

 

[Stick]

Great shout, Steve, thanks for posting this. I'm pleased there's a worthy alternative to 5100 RC... I was rather partial to bowl or two.

 

[Zeno Marx]

but much less costly.

you ain't kiddin'

 

[RSteve]

Sutliff Matured Red Virginia 515 RC-1 is a relatively new release, yet it now appears as Smokingpipes.com's

Bulk Sales Rank: 15

added by edit: $25.86 per lb.

 

[Brewdude]

Way great intel Steve, thanks for posting. 5100 is in my top 5 blends of all time. I'll be checking this out in due course.

8)



Cheers,

RR

 

[Fight'n Hampsters]

Very interested to see what the consensus is on this one regarding the closeness to 5100...

 

[Ozark Wizard]

I found it closer to McConnell Red Virginia than 5100, but that's just my opinion. Just didn't get the depth of flavour..

 

[Timbo]

Thanks for the heads up, I now have a pound on it's merry way to my front door. I'll post my thoughts once I've had a chance to sample a few bowls.

Cheers

Tim

 

[smoker13]

Try McCranie's First Light, suggested by a Brother here months ago. It ain't bad, I think you'll be pretty pleased. Not McClelland's pleased, but c'mon, heaven on earth has been taken away from us, after all.

 

[Timbo]

Was not impressed, came away with a cigarette taste in my mouth and the cob I smoked it in stunk like a pub ashtray. Have jarred it up and will leave it a fair while before poking that particular bear again.

 

[scotties22]

The reason Mike quit was that he didn't have growers left to get him the quality of leaf he demanded. The reds he used were so labor intensive to grow and pick that the growers have moved on to different things. Mike actually threw away more than a few pounds of red leaf at the end because it wasn't up to his standard. In short, no one is purchasing that tobacco anymore because it no longer exists.

We will all find suitable substitutes, but nothing will ever be 5100 or come close to it. Just the way of the world. I'll let you boys smoke it for a while before I decide to add any to my cellar. I'm curios how it'll be with a few years age on it.

 

[Ozark Wizard]

Was not impressed, came away with a cigarette taste in my mouth and the cob I smoked it in stunk like a pub ashtray. Have jarred it up and will leave it a fair while before poking that particular bear again.

That was my impression as well. Here's what I did to make it a bit better......

Give it a light misting of distilled water. Stir. Get it slightly past a Sam Gawith's Flake moisture content. Pop it in the microwave for about twenty seconds per 8 ounces. Immediately put in your tubular press and, well, press the snot out of it. Rest for a week under pressure. Remove from the press and jar it. Forget about it for a couple of months.

It'll be more mahogany looking. It'll be slightly sweeter. It'll never be 5100, but it'll be a lot better than when it showed up in the post....

I also made a topping mix of distilled water, vinegar and treacle to mist on it, which added sweetness and the twang McClelland products are known for. I don't have the recipe with me, but when I get home I can PM it to you. Still not 5100, but about 3/4 there. Scottie is correct about the farmers moving on to other crops, as the feds no longer subsidize their farms for tobacco, and recent crops have been plagued with infestation and crazy weather. Farmers gotta eat, and so they shifted gears. There are a few still growing the sweet stuff, but it's more traditional than economical reasons, and certainly not enough for big blending houses to bother with.

 

[Timbo]

Thanks for the words of wisdom Ozzie, will have a play with mixing some vinegar and distilled water and following your instructions. I actually found Sutliff's other bulk red VA to be far nicer and closer to 5100.

Cheers all

Tim

 

[Mitland]

Was not impressed, came away with a cigarette taste in my mouth and the cob I smoked it in stunk like a pub ashtray. Have jarred it up and will leave it a fair while before poking that particular bear again.

That was my impression as well. Here's what I did to make it a bit better......

Give it a light misting of distilled water. Stir. Get it slightly past a Sam Gawith's Flake moisture content. Pop it in the microwave for about twenty seconds per 8 ounces. Immediately put in your tubular press and, well, press the snot out of it. Rest for a week under pressure. Remove from the press and jar it. Forget about it for a couple of months.

It'll be more mahogany looking. It'll be slightly sweeter. It'll never be 5100, but it'll be a lot better than when it showed up in the post....

I also made a topping mix of distilled water, vinegar and treacle to mist on it, which added sweetness and the twang McClelland products are known for. I don't have the recipe with me, but when I get home I can PM it to you. Still not 5100, but about 3/4 there. Scottie is correct about the farmers moving on to other crops, as the feds no longer subsidize their farms for tobacco, and recent crops have been plagued with infestation and crazy weather. Farmers gotta eat, and so they shifted gears. There are a few still growing the sweet stuff, but it's more traditional than economical reasons, and certainly not enough for big blending houses to bother with.

Hey Oz
Could you please post your "sauce" recipe to the forum?
I'm curious about how to make a better replacement for the much missed 5100. Is it better to use distilled vinegar or something like Bogg's cider vinegar?

Thanx
Mitland

 

[Ozark Wizard]

You bet! When I get home next weekend I'll post it.

 

[Old Nate]

Hey, fellas! This is good to see, someone needs to take up that slack and produce the quality McClelland was churning out. Hope this 515 is good!

 

[user 2027]

Got 8oz and ordered more after I lit it up

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