I may have solved my 'socially acceptable blend' problem - McClelland Vanilla Ice!

[JCinPA]

Well, I am definitely a traditional English blend guy, no doubt about that. I've gotten a couple of the most popular burley blends (Tobaccoreviews.com) like Solani 656 and pipesandcigars butternut burley, and that just doesn't do it for me and folks around me are not too fond of them, either.

Capt Black is always popular with the non-smoking crowd, but does not please me, either. I tried mixing CB 3-1 with Dunhill Standard Mixtuer Mellow, and while that made me happier, mixing an English with Capt Black does nothing for the crowd, no help there. I tried MacBaren Vanilla Cream and that is a crowd pleaser for sure, but is simply too boring for me. What to do?

Well, tonight I popped the lid off a tin of McClelland Club Blends: CORPS Vanilla Ice, and WOW! I think my problem is solved! It only has 3 reviews at tobaccoreviews.com, but all positive. I actually enjoyed this and think I could make this my crowd pleaser without adding anything to it! I loaded right out of the tin, though I thought it might need some drying, but it burns very dry as is, even in my new Pipa Croci which has not yet been broken in. I've decided the Pipa Croci flame billiard will be my 'Sunday go to meetin pipe'.

I'm not experienced enough to pull this out of a tobacco myself, but I agree with a reviewer, there is a hint of butterscotch in this stuff. It is mild, but complex enough to keep me interested throughout a bowl. Well, half-bowl anyway, still breaking in that pipe. If I were a betting man, I'd put money on this being a real crowd pleaser, although I have not tested it with anyone yet. I think I'm done with my compromise blend for smoking around others and can go back to concentrating on what really pleases me.

Anyone else had any experience with this stuff? If you are a vanilla smoker you really should try it, I think it's outstanding for the type. Air cured cavendish and virginia, ribbon cut. Amazingly, NO bite at all, and though I thought it would need drying, it smoked dry right to the bottom of the bowl right out of the tin.


P.S. Later edit: I don't want to sound too wildly enthusiastic about this, I'm still not an aromatic smoker, I just dislike this less than any other I've tried thus far in my quest for a crowd pleaser. I'm mainly curious to see if anyone who has had experience with this one has found a vanilla blend they like even better. I'm only excited because I feel this may end my chore of smoking stuff I don't really enjoy to find my crowd pleaser.

[haiku44]

why hasn't anyone said anything yet!

[Argonaut]

I was waiting for someone else to post it! I thought about it yesterday and just couldn't do it. Ice, ice, baby!

[JCinPA]

Hahahahaha!


Well, I don't love it, but it is (so far) the least boring 'socially acceptable' blend I've found so far. I'm being drawn ever deeper into the traditional English blends. I just want to find ONE aromatic I can smoke in public which I will never smoke alone. Just ONE! This one sucked a bit less than the others I've tried.

I was very surprised MacBaren's Vanilla Cream is so highly regarded. But I suppose it gets rated on the review sites by those who actually like aromatics, not folks like me.

[73mountaineer]

why hasn't anyone said anything yet!

I was waiting for someone else to post it! I thought about it yesterday and just couldn't do it. Ice, ice, baby!

This Vanilla Ice is never socially acceptable

...and I thought about it too, but couldn't bring myself to do it either

[oc_in_fw]

why hasn't anyone said anything yet!

Because a lot of us are trying very hard to forget.

[Kentos]

I dunno, every time they play his song all the old people migrate to the dance floor and commence cutting the rug!

Maybe cause its dark and no one can see you in da club.

[Argonaut]

The "Old People" probably think it's the David Bowie song getting ready to start!

[Uncle Jackie]

Anyone else had any experience with this stuff? If you are a vanilla smoker you really should try it, I think it's outstanding for the type. Air cured cavendish and virginia, ribbon cut.

I really am not a fan of cavendish so I tend to not buy blends with a high proportion of it. God knows I've tried to like it though, I really have.

[joshua1970]

The "Old People" probably think it's the David Bowie song getting ready to start!

Baaahahahaha

I recall an interview when Vanilla Ice first came out when he was asked about 'stealing' Bowie/Queen's beat' and Ice was like

"Naw man, it's an infuence, sure, but mine's different....see their's goes: 'Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun' and mine goes 'Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun -tissss' "

<still makes me giggle>

back to the subject, never smoked the McC blend... the only real aromatic (not cased mind you, but full blown aromatic) that I smoke is Dan Tobacco's BLUE NOTE

talk about a lady catcher!!!

[joshua1970]

a side note, many of my deer hunting friends swear by smoking either vanilla or apple aromatics while hunting...

???

[JCinPA]

Well, I put something together for my son that actually is not too bad! After having one bowl out of each, I mixed the remainder of the full tins of MacBaren Vanilla Cream (3.5 oz tin) with the remainder of the tin of the McClelland Vanilla Ice (Please ... no mas! ) and about a 1/4 measuring cup of Dunhill Early Morning Pipe and 1/4 and 4-5 flakes (can't remember) of Solani 656 Aged Burley.

Shook it all up. Not objectionable to me, and I think it has a very pleasant room note. I'll have to get some opinions over the weekend. But at least it is something I can actually enjoy. A little. Smooth, not hot, no bite.

I'm really loving the Dunhill 965, Frog Morton on the Town, Larry's blend and Penzance. I think the aros are always something I'll do under duress, never by my self. But my boy seems to like them.

[Uncle Jackie]

Though I am not really an aromatic fan, every once in a while one just really hits the spot. I don't know why, it just does. It is for that reason I have an issue throwing tobacco out. I might not like a cherry blend, (for example), but 6 months down the road, it just kinda calls my name. Then I'm good for another six months or so.

[joshua1970]

and aromatics tend to please the public far more than a balkan or a Mature VA flake -

hehe just had a memory of 1792, the tonkin flavoring nearly cost me a date!

[oc_in_fw]

Though I am not really an aromatic fan, every once in a while one just really hits the spot. I don't know why, it just does. It is for that reason I have an issue throwing tobacco out. I might not like a cherry blend, (for example), but 6 months down the road, it just kinda calls my name. Then I'm good for another six months or so.

I very rarely eat sweets, but sometimes a bowl of Ben & Jerry's just hits a spot.

[JCinPA]

True! I may like it every once in a while. I'm trying to work up the nerve to try a cherry blend.