Beautiful, dark blend. Ribbon cut tobaccos pack easy, light easy.

Smooth, creamy (almost oily), mellow smoke. Light Latakia on the palate, Orientals assert themselves throughout the bowl. Leather and dusty notes wrap around the sweetness of the Virginia. That old penny scent is translated to the flavor as well.

Overall - subtle and elegant, flavorful and refined, sweet and savory, rich, old leather and beach bonfires in the salty sea air. I still prefer Red Rapparee myself, but Black Mallory is a very fine, rich, sophisticated smoke. This one has to go on the favorite list too.

Definitely worth a try - JRCigars online has Rattray 100gm tins for $10.95 before tax & shipping.

Update: Immediately after writing this review just I went and smoked a bowl of BM. To be honest, maybe I'm being a bit harsh. There is flavour present, it's not that salty and it burns well.

Indistinguishable from 7 Reserve for me, looks, smells and tastes pretty much the same, which was disappointing as I was hoping for a bit more flavour/strength from this one. Strangely salty in the mouth, a bit like oysterized seawater, maybe it's just me. Comes in a 100g pot so I guess I might learn to love it, or at least appreciate it.

I wouldn't call this a Full English; not enough Latakia for that, but rather a milder Medium blend. As far as the smoking of Black Mallory goes, it's very smooth and you can tell the sweetness of the Orientals, as they really tame the Virginians in this mix. The spice of the Latikia is present, but isn't overwhelming in any way.

The smoke is a bit thinner than I like, and doesn't have the creaminess that I enjoy with a fuller Latakia blend. However, this is a personal preference only. The smoke is enjoyable and I found the sweetness of the Orientals really plays out well. In fact, the oddity of the Orientals (in that this is my first mixture that had them) threw me off for a few bowls. I couldn't tell what it was that I was smoking at first.

I think this is a blend for those who would like to experience what an English mixture is. It seems a bit more on the Oriental side than the Latakia, and produces a smooth, sweet smoke with a hint of spice.

I've found through smoking this and other mixtures that I enjoy LOTS of Latakia and that Orientals tame the smoke down too much for me. It's still a great blend for smoking, despite my personal preference. I'd recommend others give it a try. It certainly has a large following and a great reputation.

As a change of pace from my usual tobacco diet - which is almost non-Latakian - I’m working through RR & BM at the same time.

I’m old enough to have met both of them say twenty years ago, at the beginning of the sunset of the UK made brands (BSOM, BS759 and BSVa10 passing from tins to pouches), and they were absolutely top EM’s.

My current tins have been waiting me unsealed almost one whole year. The inner discs are still semi-wet, but tobaccos have just dried out the heck of their exaggerate moisture (the heaven knows how much PG they put in…).

Anyway, they stuffed fine into a couple of Dunhill’s group 5 bents and have to say they light & burn very easily.

They are brothers, out of any doubt.

RR is offering a supremely smooth-like-silk smoke, sweet & spicy & biscuity. The Orientals take the main seat, perfectly accomplished by the Virginias (light & red). Just a trace of Latakia in the very background, and some almost-non-flavoured Black Cavendish to round off the edges. Strength is medium, body a bit over that. Intriguing and savoury, I may completely understand the smoker who chooses RR as his all-day smoke.

Where RR is more Oriental forward, BM is more on the Latakia instead. A drier but still sweet blend, darker, mustier and stronger than RR. More on the interplay between Virginias and Latakia. Again, the Black Cavendish does its job. The room note is of course less acceptable by the wife… In my memory BM used to be a truly fuller EM than nowadays.

The brothers are pleasant and satisfactory, that’s for sure. What retains me from giving 4* is the PG soaking treatment, which causes the smoke being a bit aggressive to my palate.

Rattray's best offering!

A litttle air time and your ready to load, smokes without a bite down to a grey ash and all flavours playing nicely together.

Not as tasty as Red Rapparee, but worth the purchase of the odd tin here and there.

Some have noted a subdued Latakia element in Black Mallory, while I found the leaf to be in the front at all times. I'm not accustomed to Cavendish in an English mixture, but I did note a creaminess similar to that of 965, which also contains the leaf (Black Mallory contains the black variety, while 965 Cavendish is brown. There is no mention whether the Cavendish is Burley or Virginia based, or whether sweeteners have been added in either instance). There is a slight nuttiness here, perhaps owing to the Burley based Cavendish. It works, and adds a nice depth to the sweetness of the Virginias. I've stated before my inability to single out the Turkish/Oriental leaf, and I will say the same here.

This is a full mixture, beyond that of something like Westminster yet more restrained than Nightcap. I found myself smoking back to back bowls of Westminster and Black Mallory in an attempt at comparison, and found that I favored Black Mallory in complexity and strength.

I had no problems with relights, as an aggressive smoker who likes to tamp frequently. The burn rate was exceptional.

Black Mallory finishes strong, building toward the end of the bowl and imparting a strong taste on the palate. I wouldn't suggest smoking this in the company of others, as it can be overwhelming to the senses. To those who enjoy strong, full English mixtures, I believe you will find Black Mallory an exceptional blend, one in which the Cavendish provides a unique element to the standard English. I plan to keep this in my rotation, and confess to almost smoking this religiously upon cracking the tin. I can picture a daily rotation of FVF, Black Mallory, and University Flake.

Recommended.

Someone else called this one refined and I would have to agree.

Everything about this one is great and if you are considering an English to try this one is a good start.

How to describe it? Its flavors are very light, but its texture feels rather more substantial. Another reviewer called it "luxurious," and that word may be apt. It's well-heeled, restrained, silky smooth, forgiving, obliging, and agreeable.

The Latakia is apparent in the tin, but is harder to detect once a match brings it to life. The Latakia quietly provides a round, full texture, but only in the background.

It's smooth, easy, and an agreeable companion. Other than a notable taste of citrus, no flavor cries out for attention. Leaves a sort of waxy aftertaste that, while odd, isn't off-putting.

I like it.

**UPDATE** I have Had more experience with it...and I love it! Four Stars.

The smoke is mild to medium, and relatively creamy to be fair. I can taste the orientals and latakia, and would call this a somewhat recommended middle of the road English.

Odd one for me... Maybe a bit of time is required to marry a better relationship of taste and flavours, and to rid me of that damn tongue issue!

Don't let the tin language about "dark" and "full-bodied" throw you off. Yes, there's a good portion of Latakia here, but it is significantly mellowed by the Cavendish. It's a very approachable and fairly mellow blend considering the ingredients . . . smoky-sweet and easy on the tongue, even when you get aggressive with your cadence.

You may consider this a light aero. The Orientals and the Viriginias are somewhat obscured by the casing, which is sweet. Still, it is a pleasant if not complex smoke -- a nice cordial after a meal. It goes well with a glass of bourbon and provides a complementary dash of "Sweet Vermouth" when so paired.

Some compare BM to 965 or Westminster. To me, all three are leagues apart. My Mixture 965 contains Cavendish, but that's where the similarity ends. Westminster is like London Mixture with more punch -- which itself is Oriental forward and contains no Cavendish.

I'm raising my initial review by a star, because I am in a good mood and BM is well-behaved. I don't own a Peterson System pipe, but this would be an ideal blend for it because it can condensate.

Dark black with streaks of chocolate brown, this is the heavier companion to Red Rapparee in the sense that the tobaccos are the same. However, the quantities of each are different, and the result is a heavier, richer smoke with fewer subtleties than RR. It smokes cool and sweet and has a hearty flavor that goes well after dinner... or after a big lunch. This is one tobacco that demands a relaxed state in order to appreciate its robustness. No limp wrists in this blend. Since Dunhill 965 has made itself scarce in the U.S, this will take its place in my rotation, next to Red Rap. Very sensuous tobacco with great rich flavor.

If you like full flavor and depth, this is one you can't afford to miss. The K&K version may be different than the older one, but it stands on its own.

I came from cigarettes and always liked black tobaccos like Javaanse Jongens Sterke. This mixture however is extremely satisfying, nice natural aromes, awesome spicyness. i totaly like it.

The blend has a nice proportion of good tobaccos. The strength is fit to my taste, it does not overhelms and I don't seek for a richer smoke. My normal and slow puffing cadence makes a good, satisfying smoking with this blend.

Lights easily and it no need to effort for keeping it lit.

It has a delightful Latakia taste which remains on palate for hours after finishing the bowl. This is an elegant English mixture. Highly recommended.