Wilderness

Wilderness is an English-Balkan-style blend McClelland developed together with Fred Hanna. The aim was to reconstruct blends from the 1960s and '70s using leaf available today; records indicate the blend carries nearly a dozen components and went through close to twenty trial versions before reaching its final form. Syrian Latakia forms the base, joined by a small amount of Cyprian Latakia; four separate Oriental varieties — Drama, Yenidje, Mahalla, and Basma — are then added.

It's an unflavored blend with high flavor intensity; over the smoky Latakia base, the Orientals' spicy, herbal, and faintly tangy layers can be picked out individually, and the tin note carries a smoky, wine-like earthiness. Aimed at experienced smokers accustomed to Latakia blends who want a complex Balkan structure.