Rattray - 7 Reserve pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 36 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >
Patte	08/01/2010	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
"Smooth milk chocolate with a little refreshing mint" would be a good analogy. I found Red Rapparee boring. The different flavours blended together to one, too compact for my taste. Not so with 7 Reserve. I'm not much for Cavendish, but it's held back here and the Virginia and Oriental stands out more. Just enough Latakia to give this blend a refreshing coolness, without owerpowering the other tobaccos.
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Pipesrevisited	05/14/2010	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Tin- art: Simple, uncluttered. Very appealing to me - To put this in perspective: I don't like the tin art of Red Rapparee one bit... Tinnote: after heaving been opened for 2 months, pleasantly sweet, dark, earthy. Presentation: nice, short ribboncut, mainly dark brown and lots of black, with specks of light brown. Easy to light; producing lots of smoke, very satisfying. Taste: nice mellow and mainly a soft smoke but surprisingly a little bit harsh on the tongue...(although the tin had been opened for 2 months, moisture was perfect now) All in all a pleasant smoke but my tongue prefers Dunhill SM Mellow.
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Dubinthedam	03/10/2010	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I'm not a big Latakia man, but I found this to be solid, a light 'English' is often an under-appreciated thing, this blend fits that suit very well.
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SteelCowboy	01/25/2010	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I really enjoy Red Rapparee so I had high hopes for 7 Reserve. I found it to be somewhat bland. I enjoy latakia, but not in large doses so 7 Reserve's lack of flavor wasn't a result of a light dose of Latikia. I found to to be a nice ribbon cut with a pleasant tin aroma, but that's where my interest ended. I'll finish or blend the rest of the 100 gram tin, but I won't buy any more. Two stars as it may be a good intro English for some smokers.
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dogwood	12/05/2009	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
As usual rattray uses top notch tobacco in no 7. As a smoker who prefers virginia blends I like no 7 as a change of pace. Just enough latakia to give me a pleasant change of pace without over doing it. I think other reviewers have missed the point on No. 7. If you want a strong latakia go for a stronger blend. No. 7 delivers exactly what it promises- an english blend but mellowed for all day smoking. Rattrays always delivers expert blending and the best tobacco.
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DK	08/08/2009	Mild	None detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
Just prior to writing this review, I pondered the point of recommendations. To remain consistent with my other reviews, my recommendation is for how I liked it, but I'm not sure that's fair. I think tobaccos should be judged on their own merits and how well they do what they set out to do. This is a blend for the oriental/latakia beginner or for the smoker who wants a light, airy blend for all day. In that, this blend succeeds admirably. Yes, I find it dull and bland but not nearly as wimpy as Dunhill Early Morning Pipe, a blend close to this in lineage. The blend is just too lacking in personality, with its wisp of latakia and muted orientals. As with EMP, none of the component tobaccos really asserts itself here. And I think that's the point. I do not particularly care for this but for beginners and "all-day" smokers, this just might be the ticket. For those folks, this earns 4 stars. For me, two is more than enough.
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eamonclever	08/04/2009	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
This is a good all day smoke if you don´t like dunhill tobaccos, due to this special latakia smell. This blend has a light latakia smell coming out of the tin. If you smoke it, the smell is tolerable and not too overpowering. I like to smoke it in large bowls, lazing around in the homeoffice or with my books, a good drink or some tea, doing some paperworks. If I like a change of pace with this kind of tobacco I would prefer Squadron Leader, Old Dublin etc. But 7 reserve is by no means a pleaser. Easy to pack, easy to smoke, so a good reference for beginners or people who want to try a good english blend.
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Alguhan	08/04/2009	Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
This is a classic, simple and satisfying English mixture. Very easy to pack and smoke. You can puff it all day long if you like. Gentle and tasty. If you look for a stronger blend this one can dissapoint you. The latakia addition seems to be subtile here. The overall blend is nicely proportioned for my taste. As the other English blends I prefer it to smoke occasionaly.
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colt25314	04/10/2009	Very Mild	None detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
The quality of the leaf raised my expectations, perhaps, a bit too high. I found this to be exceedingly hot and in no time was suffering from a bad case of tongue bite. Although I did not detect any sort of casing or flavoring I find it hard to believe that an all-natural blend would burn this hot. Given that this is such an old and respected blend I was tempted not to review it as I did not want to offend. That said, it is, after all, only my opinion.
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hagen	01/29/2009	Mild	None detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
okay, i must rewrite my review almost completely. i wrote the first one about two years ago when i had just started smoking englishes etc., and i had no idea how spicy and interesting they can (and, imo, should) really be. i found the oriental leaf in 7 reserve quite interesting, and that's what they'll probably be to most va or vaper smokers. alas, now that i've tried a lot more of what's available, i find it rather lacking in character and strength. i'm sure it's a fine introduction to the realm of oriental tobaccos. it worked for me.
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mo	01/22/2009	Mild	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
I stumbled upon this blend by accident. I ordered 5 tins of HOTW and somehow Rattray has managed to tin this blend with a HOTW sticker on the tin. Smokingpipes.com stood by their customer and offered to send me my HOTW and said i could keep the tins of this stuff. This blend is probably the perfect example of an all day smoke. Just like it said on the tin. Unlike many other blends i have seen, it does not announce to be anything other than an all day tobacco. For that i give it full marks because it is perfect in that regard. As a relaxing sit down in the evening smoke, this simply is too dull and boring. I taste the Virginia with the Oriental and Latakia popping in and out from time to time. It is not complex and it does not try nor pretend to be anything other than an all day tobacco and should be rated as such. Mo, South Africa
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BriarChef	09/11/2008	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I must say up front that I do not have an "all day" tobacco. I can handle one tobacco for my first three bowls, which gets me through to lunch, and then feel the need for something different. That being said, 7 Reserve lives up to its tin description of being Red Rapparee's little brother. If there is Latakia lurking hereabouts, it does a great job of hiding. A bit here and there, but not a dominant seasoning. An Oriental-forward smoke, with a very solid Virginia base. Somewhat bitey at first, but only a brief nip. The Virginias are more light and toasty than rich and creamy, and play well with the Turks. I like it, but it gets boring after three bowls and leaves me craving Latakia. And nicotine.
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Pipe	07/02/2008	Mild	Mild	Medium	Tolerable
This stuff isn't too bad, Its a bit nippy on the tongue, Cannot detect much if any Latakia. Low octane Nicotine, moisture content seemed perfect for me, 2 lights , nice burn, tin aroma is fairly mild, not unpleasant, Room note is Ok, won't chase away your freinds, Price was right, won't break the bank, This would be great on a fishing trip or perhaps camping, Should go well with a nice Pilsner or Pale Ale. Probably won't buy it again, but a smoker can do alot worse
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Latakia	06/09/2008	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Very nice mild English blend that can be smoked all day. Reminded me of Rattray's Professional Blend (haven't tried Red Rapparee. Can not say what was different than Professional since it was a while back but did detect the similarity from my memory) Very moist when I opened the tin. Very nice burn with a white ash. Did not experience a tongue bit as some reviews indicate. Is a good change from a full latakia when needing a change or when one wants a bit more spice and oriental from a straight Virginian. Can qualify as a regular for me. On my second tin now and decided to add to the review. This is always a delight to smoke. It is a tobacco that qualitifes as an all day smoke. If I had to pick one blend and brand (which I never have to do since I keep a selection for different times,,,the joys of pipe smoking...but if I had to do this and was stranded on an island, this would be the one. I never tire of the taste and nothing sticks out to make it so special...just consistant and nice!
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SmokeKing David	04/06/2008	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
As mentioned by other reviewers, this blend is not a Latakia powerhouse. Instead, it is a fine mixture with its principle emphasis on Virginia and the Lat used as seasoning. I find this works best in a larger bowl. Govern yourself accordingly! SmokeKing David
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kenneth	02/29/2008	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
This review should be read in conjunction with my experiences with Red Rapparee. I have taken the liberty of pasting that review with my update for better clarification Somebody on the Red Rapparee page commented on this tobacco as being "like Presbyterian Mixture without the plum taste". They were spot on and to be congratulated, it was the plum note in PM which stopped that tobacco becoming my number one regular smoke. Red Rapparee from Rattray's is the answer to my long search. I have always liked English mixtures, Dunhill 965 was always my regular smoke, until that is, it became unavailable here in the UK. I have tried most of the other Rattray's offerings and find most of them very even tempered, nothing to write home about buy OK. RR is all together different. This is an update- I read reviews on 7 Reserve Medium and as you will note RR has the same constituents as 7 Reserve but 7 Reserve is blended for the all day smoker. I have tried 7 Reserve in the past but although agreeable and mild mannered it lacked something- the solution- blend it 60% 7 Reserve 40% RR. Perfect an all day smoke with a little more oomph. With regard to tongue bite, yes it can bite a bit if smoked thoughtlessly but given due respect I noted no bite, also good room note and decent outdoor performance- very highly recommended
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sentenza	09/14/2007	Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I think that this tobacco has a perfect balance between orientals and virginias,very easy to smoke and it can be smoked all day long. from my point of wiew it's one of the best rattrays tobaccos. Smoke is cool and tasty
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Ads	08/29/2007	Mild	None detected	Medium	Tolerable

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Xeneize	07/24/2007	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild	Tolerable
It is true that this tobacco is a mild version of Red Rapparee and it actually tastes like it for the first 1/4 bowl. After that, it becomes dull. The high quality Oriental blend turns into a flat English with no body whatsoever. Also, tongue bite is incredibly strong for a non-aromatic. I see no reason for smoking this tobacco with so many great options out there. Probably only good for a corncob when I'm short in time.
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SopwithCamel	12/05/2006	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
I grow weary of reviewers who don't smoke a tobacco on its own merits. If you want Pirate Kake, Penzance, or Nightcap, this is NOT it. However, if you have enough tastebuds left to enjoy a well behaved, tasty, top quality mild English blend, then pick up a tin and give it a whirl. This would make a fine introduction to Latakia, and is an excellent hot weather English. This loses a star because it is just too wet in the tin. For the premium price that is paid, one gets far too little tobacco, and far too much water.
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 36 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >