Rattray - 7 Reserve pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
< PREVIOUS Showing reviews 41 through 47 of 47 reviews of this tobacco
Beer	08/31/2004	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong
Like its companions Accountant Mixture/Jocks Mixture/Highland Targe/3 Noggins, I think that this blend has too little latakia and orientals and has a dull taste. Really, it's quite boring and gray. Anyway, this is probably the best of the bunch as it's quite decent to smoke throughout the whole day: for example it doesn't have the mouth-drying heaviness that 3 Noggins has (while being almost equally weak flavored), and doesn't turn bitey and nasty as Jocks, or as boring as Accountant (well, almost...). It burns quite well, being cut in a nice way and not too moist: sometimes it may be fine to smoke such a light EM, when you don't want something that catches your attention. While unmemorable and eneventful, it's quite balanced and at least smokable, alternately sweet and smoky... albeit in a light way. So, dull or simply a subdued exercise in understatement? I'll leave the judgement to you: I won't buy it again, but if I had to save one from the above mentioned Rattrays, this would be the one as it's the most pleasant and "middle of the road"
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
CaptnDan	08/11/2004	Mild	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
7 Reserve is billed as a light blend suitable as an all-day smoke. I have to agree. It starts off fairly spicy, but before the 1/3rd mark the Virginias kick in and tone down the Oriental spice, even taking the lead from time to time. From that point, everything settles down and you are in for a relaxing smoke that is easy to enjoy. The room note is relatively mild. There are no surprises, 7 Reserve is well behaved. The Latakia is what I would call ultra-mild, and stays well off in the background from beginning to end. The finish is unremarkable; the smooth flavor just slowly fades away. I smoked it very well dried, and when I was done, the pipe was nice and dry. Burns clean and dry, never any hint of a bite. A little light for me, but not something I would avoid.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
chaplikc	02/16/2004	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
To me this is a very good light to middle english. It is soft and round and just full of flavor. For some who are usualy into heavy english blends this may be to soft or mild. The tobacco in this blend is of very high quality and burn rate is very good. The latakia in this blend is present but not as assertive as some of the other english blends in this line. I love to smoke this when I am in the mood for a mild to medium english blend. Very good and highly recomended.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
kcook	02/02/2003	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable

Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Tantric	09/20/2002	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong
I would say this is a strange tobacco. In theory this is a milder version of Red Raparee, designed for the constant and not the intermittent smoker. In fact it is the exact opposite of G.L. Pease?s Renaissance. I tried it some years ago, when looking for a change of pace from the Latakia based mixtures I usually smoked (London Mixture/965/Balkan Sobranie Original). The tobacco is indeed very good, savoury, piquant and easy to smoke. It comes ribbon cut, but it doesn't exactly follow the usual composition of an English blend. There is of course Latakia and Virginia, but the stronger accent is on the Turkish. The Virginias used are of a very tame nature, and the Latakia (Syrian I believe) is very discreetly applied. Though I did like its flavour and its burning rate, the overall structure of the mixture seemed to me a bit on the dry side, making it rather harsh at the end. I found it had a somewhat astringent effect: it produced an itchy feeling on the palate and it made me very thirsty (a perfect excuse to wash the flavour down with one or two pints of Murphy's!). I also felt it lacked the roundness and depth of other English mixtures, as if something was missing. As a result, I never really felt satisfied with its flavour, wishing for more but at the same time weary of its desiccating effects. Not really an elegant and refined smoke, and IMO definitely not an all day smoke. An interesting Oriental experience, but would not classify it amongst the best English mixtures.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Noorrmm	01/29/2002	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Appearance: A mostly light and medium mixture, with a small amount of dark leaf present. The cut is mixed ribbon and random pieces. Aroma: Lots of Virginia base, with a moderate amount of Turkish and just a little Latakia The aroma seems to be primarily that of Virgnias, with a smaller amount of condiments. Packing: Packs easily in most pipes, group 3 and up. Lighting: Lights easily, this seems to be true of most Rattray Oriental blends today. Initial flavor: The Va comes across first, but not too assertively. The Turkish adds a fair amount of flavor soon after, and the Latakia stays slightly in the background.. Mid-bowl: A classic Mild English/Oriental blend. I would classify it as considerably milder than medium (3.5 or 4 on a scale of 10,), but a gentle beguiling flavor. No gurgles noted. The Va, Turkish and Latakia continue to be the key players. Finish: Well behaved right to the end, leaves a gray ash and nothing else. Summary: Considerably lighter than Red Raparee, somewhat lighter than #3 Noggins. Also somewhat heavier than Dunhill Sd. Mild. A very good first pipe, or an all-day smoke in warm and/or humid weather.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Jon Tillman	03/26/2001	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Tin Aroma: Very light, almost non-existant. Almost a metallic sort of tinge to it. This is, as advertised, a medium strength English blend. Nothing outstanding about it, but nothing conspicuously missing either. There is a hint of spiciness here, just to keep it interesting. Not out in front spiciness, just a little bit of tickle the nose spicy. Definately a blend that one could smoke all day without a problem. I have been searching for a few blends such as this recently, and am glad to have found something from Rattray's that fits the bill, as I quite enjoy most of their offerings. This is perhaps the least 'interesting' of their blends, and that itself is what is interesting about it. whereas other of their blends have one standout quality overall, 7 Reserve is so well-balanced that it becomes hard to pick out any one thing about to focus your attention (or review) on. No overtone flavors of chocolate or dates or raisins, no spicy perique madness, just an english tobacco, like a mellow friend that you can just share space with, conversation not necessary.
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