St. James Woods (Personal Reserve)

St. James Woods is a Virginia-Perique blend in McClelland's Personal Reserve series. It's presented as broken flake; the red and stoved Virginias are mature and full in flavor. The Perique share is considerable, and the blend's name itself nods to the St. James parish in Louisiana, the region where Perique is grown.

Despite the high Perique share, the plum-and-spice side sits in harmony with the Virginia sweetness; on the other hand, its intensity can feel overwhelming if smoked day after day. Letting the tin rest a few days after opening settles both moisture and flavor. Suited to those wanting a medium-strength, unflavored, intensely sweet-spicy Virginia-Perique. Production ended in 2018.