Anniversary 1977-2017

Anniversary is a blend McClelland released in limited numbers for its founding anniversaries. The first batch was produced for the firm's 25th year in 2002 in roughly 3,000 tins, reissued in 2005 and 2010, and the fourth batch, stamped 1977-2017, was prepared for the 40th anniversary. Its contents hold red and stoved Virginia along with Cyprian Latakia; the cut is ribbon.

On opening the tin, a light Latakia aroma stands out; the tangy tin note seen in the brand's other Virginia blends isn't pronounced in this product. In the smoke, Virginia's sweetness dominates, with Latakia giving a measured woody-herbal background; citrus and faintly spiced touches appear at the start, closing with a tangy-spiced finish. Strength is light-to-medium at first, rising to medium as the smoke proceeds. It produces plenty of smoke and tends toward tongue wetness with frequent puffing; given the low Latakia proportion, it's considered suitable for aging.