McCranie's Red Ribbon, Vintage 1996

Red Ribbon is McCranie's shop's first tinned blend and its best-known product, produced for the shop by McClelland. It's an unflavored, single-varietal red Virginia, and since each tin is made from North Carolina leaf of a single harvest year, the year appears on the label. The 1996 batch is among the earlier releases in this vintage series. The leaf is fermented and rested, then tinned as ribbon cut; color ranges from bright yellow to dark brown. Its character rests on dried-fruit tartness, dark sugar sweetness, and a yeasty depth from aging. It's often linked to the same maker's well-known red Virginia cake, and, per records, this batch carries a darker profile owing to its single-harvest basis and longer rest. Nicotine satiety is moderate, but its intense flavor and sugar load call for a slow smoke. The series ended when McClelland stopped production in 2018.