Robert McConnell Boutique Blend

I have smoked exactly one tin of Early Morning Pipe, and I have smoked at least 4 oz of Hearth and Home Daybreak. For a reason I can't explain, I never reviewed them. I am reviewing this on its own and not comparing it to anything else. My memory is a little fuzzy. The sample was sent by a friend in Germany. It came as a medium ribbon - roughly equal amounts of light tan, darker tan and black tobacco. Moisture level was good for me. The pouch note was smokey and slightly agricultural.

Smoked, this was pleasant. There is the smoky latakia and a slightly sweet with the Virginia. The orientals give it a sour note or two. I enjoyed this and found it a nice medium-mild smoke. It stayed lit well and did not leave a damp heel.

I enjoyed the sample and recommend it.

Oriental overwhelm aroma of fresh tobacco. There is pepper and smokiness in there. Smoke is creamy, sweet with gentle touch of full bodied milk. Moisture is accurate, burn till the end without dottle. Need fair amount of relights. Good oriental forwarded blend for all parts of day and all seasons.

Let me start by saying that while Early Morning was my first tobacco when I started smoking a pipe, I have never been a huge fan of it: I soon moved either to heavier Latakia mixtures, or to Virginia flakes, and I have never found a regular place in my rotation for EMP quite simply because it didn't fit a precise spot. That said, I have smoked it several times in the last 20 years.

This "clone", while still standing in that "no man's land" (not enough Latakia and taste for me), is a very good blend though. Yes, it might be unexciting, but there is finesse, balance, and it's a blend that could actually appeal to an experienced and jaded smoker.

The tin aroma is fantastic, very rich, ripe, sweet and smoky. I seem to remember that the original EMP from decades ago was even more intoxicating, deeper and richer, but I am not complaining. The smoking experience is actually quite close to that of EMP from the Murray era: maybe a tad lighter, smoother (in spite of being touted as a light blend, the original EMP had a certain richness/dirty character and rough edges), which is not bad if you consider what it tries to achieve (a blend for a morning smoke). Taste is not dominated by Latakia, it's actually quite subtle. Not wimpy, not flat, simply not a taste explosion: rather, a fine integration of rich ripe Virginias, fragrant orientals and a touch of Latakia smokiness. I am finding this definitely better and more satisfactory than Oxford Street (another light EM) in the same line of blends: it has more richness, more complexity, and lightness does not come at the expense of flavour evolution or sheer "presence".

For me, even if it won't join my regular rotation, it's a very well made blend: a bit lighter and easier than the Murray made Dunhill original, and certainly richer, more complex and obviously more satisfying than the flattish recent STG Dunhill/Peterson incarnations.

Another rebuild of one of the I think most sold tobaccos in the world. EMP. Like any of those clones I try to review it as a standalone.

Look in tin is nice. Ribbon cut with also flake shares from golden brown to black. I'd say it's 2/3 of golden and red VA and 1/3 of Latakia and Orients. Cold smell is warm fruity like orange jam with smoky notes on top. Very pleasant but dripping wet so that I dried out overnight. Packs well and takes flames easily as you would expect from an English.

Decent earthy and spicy Orients mixed with sweet citric Virginia build the base and a nice smoky lata taste stays on top especially when exhaled nasal. Tastes do not have ups and downs but stay there through the whole smoke. Kind of an all day English. Smokes cool and steady without much condensate. No relights needed when dried properly.

Pleasant and well blended leafs of good quality. Great for Latakia beginners. Disadvantages are also there sadly. Pricing is high and there's a mentionable amount of water you pay for. For me there could be a little more Latakia punch in the morning.

A nice English blend, lighter than Nothing Hill. A balanced mix where the Latakia, although it predominates, lets the oriental tobaccos and Virginias shine. To smoke at any time of the day.

The blend unfolds with the prominence of Cyprian Latakia, exuding a smoky, earthy, and modest sweetness that sets the stage. Complementing this lead, the Virginia introduces a subtle tanginess intertwined with dark fruit sweetness, offering a touch of earthiness. Virginia contributes a delicate tartness and hints of citrus and grass, playing supporting roles.
Enter the dry, faintly sour, and buttery sweet Turkish/Orientals, showcasing an earthy, lightly floral, vegetative character with a hint of spice and woody undertones. These tobacco elements engage in a gentle competition with the Virginias for attention. Strength-wise, it confidently resides a step below the midpoint between mild and medium, while the flavor boldly leans a couple of notches past the center. As for the nicotine content, it registers a couple of rungs above mild.

This blend maintains a cool and clean burn at a moderate pace, offering a consistently mild yet captivating interplay of sweetness and savoriness from start to finish. It requires an average number of relights, leaving minimal dampness in the bowl, and proves itself bite-free and non-harsh throughout the experience. The aftertaste is classic English but short-lived, as is the room note. By design, it\'s tailored as an all-day companion.

I must preface this review with my bias: when a blend includes Latakia, it should either feature enough Latakia to define the blend or boast flavorful supporting tobaccos to compensate. Otherwise, it runs the risk of being uninteresting and uninspiring. In this case, I find that coild be a little bit more of it and would be perfection.

This blend leans slightly towards its Oriental components, with the typical woody, sour, and subtly sweet notes that characterize Orientals.

As you progress through the bowl, the Orientals may become more pronounced, potentially leading to a touch of harshness depending on your cadence and smoking technique.