Rattray 7 Reserve

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.

Tin note gives me the impression of hard smoked meat, the taste is very mild with hints of, you guessed it smoked meat. No tounge bite what so ever I would recommend it for very new smokers, as its very mild characther is unlikely to sting or burn

A very mild mixture. It’s perfect for someone who doesn’t mind a little latakia but doesn’t want it to dominate the blend. I usually prefer more flavorful blends but something about this blend is really pleasant, I like it. I detect just a hint of topping on this one, I can’t put my finger on what it is but it’s there. If you like Early Morning Pipe you will probably like this blend, though it’s even more mild.

Ok this one is not going to knock your socks off. It delivers what it’s intended for...an all day mild English. I will classify this in the same category as something like Early Morning Pipe.

I actually quite enjoy it as a first morning smoke with a cup of coffee or tea on a cold winter’s morning. Not complex or too heavy but just interesting enough to keep you engaged as you ponder what needs to be done on the day.

I was lucky enough to get a 10 yr old tin! So the review might not be fair . Anyways , I am the occasional English tobacco smoker . Latakia bomb is not my thing but I love this blend . It made me realize that i enjoy the mild English/ scottish mixtures a lot .This was the sweetest English I have smoked to date ! Woodsy , smokey but not very spicy from orientals . I will be getting more of this ! Very high quality leaf IMO !

Until about 10 years ago I exclusively smoked English Blends with good doses of Latakia; Escoterica Penzance, Margate, Pembroke, Charles Fairmorn Lancer's Slices, Squadron Leader and various GL Pease blends.

Then a light went on when I discovered Virginias, and smoked VA's only; with and w/o Burley and/or Perique; Escudo, Sam Gawith FVF, Hal o the Wind, Escoterica Stonehaven, etc.

Recently, I rekindled my interest in English blends, wanting to add more variety to the Virginias I'd been smoking. So I tried this 7 Reserve based on reviews and the blend content, hoping it would be a "lighter style" of English, w/o too much emphasis on Latakia. It hits the mark for me and these new goals. It's a very pleasant and interesting smoke, with just enough complexity to keep me entertained, w/o being overly laden with Latakia. The 7 Reserve creates nice room notes, and stays lit really well. Well worth a try for anyone looking to expand their arsenal of tobacco choices.

The description "all day smoke" is right on the spot. Easy to smoke all day cos you won't notice if your pipe lit or not. It is hard to believe 7 Reserve has the same ingredients as Red Rapparee but in different ratios though it smokes all cavendish to me. Should have rated "not recommended" but giving it "somewhat recommended" because it makes a solid base for blending latakia.

It would appear I have reached my limit as regards my (brief) foray into Latakia blends.

I have to say that Latakia's rich, dark, tarry attributes are lost on me and it is clear that I can take only minimal exposure to this tobacco such as in say, Gawith's lovely Navy Flake or the loose version, Rum flake.

This is a Latakia bomb. No doubt Latakia lovers some would argue otherwise, but this just explodes in your face. There's no subtelty that I can detect here, it just a full on Latakia blast that just doesn't go away.

It is so strong that it leaps out of the tin with no pretence at being anything else than a Latakia hit and the roomnote is just a dank fug that's reminds me of a railway yard from the 60's.

This clearly isn't the bend for me and if anyone wants to swap this tin - with only a few bowls taken out - for anything without Latakia in it, I'd be more than happy to oblidge.

7 reserve is quite a nice Scottish type blend in the medium-strong segment that offers no surprises but an impressively consistent smoke. I quite like the nice and simple tin design. Upon opening, you're greeted with rich, earthy tin notes, with hint of malt whisky, peat, allspice, and burning leaves. The cut seems to be a mix of ready-rubbed Virginia flake and ribbon cut orientals, Cavendish and Latakia. It is very easy to pack and light, and burns evenly and cleanly. Flavour-wise, it is amazingly consistent, hardly changes from start to finish. I can see the "all-day smoker" aspect. I sense notes of peat, English breakfast tea, phenol, malt loaf, treacle, and gingerbread with a slight sharpness from the Virginia, and I find the orientals slightly lacking in creaminess and richness. The room note is more than reasonable - for a Latakia blend! All in all a pleasant but not extraordinary smoke. I prefer somewhat more complexity. It could be an excellent introduction to English style blends, however, with the lightly Whisky flavoured Cavendish in the mix. Definitely worth a try, especially if you prefer consistent smokes and lighter orientals/Latakia.