Rattray Black Mallory

Rattray's best blend IMHO. The description states that the basic tobacco is broadly akin to those of Red Rapparee, but that's not exactly how it comes across to me. From my smoking perspective, the only kinship to Red Rapparee is that they both happen to be Englishes, and that's where the similarities end.

Red Rapparee is a much stronger blend, and not quite as flavorful. Some may consider me crazy, but I kind of liken Black Mallory to G.L. Pease's Renaissance. There appears to be a noticible Syrian Latakia presence in this blend, giving it a buttery, nutty flavor.

Unlike Red Rapparee, this medium blend works well as an all day tobacco. While it has only average lighting qualities, it does burn clean and dry. The flavor is consistently good from one bowl to the next. If you happen to like English blends, this may be one you can be loyal to.

This Rattray's Tobacco is el Supremo of the Rattray's line of fine tobaccos. I should also say that this glorious mixture and Dunhill's London mixture are my Desert Island choices. Made up of some really naturally sweet Virginias which are stoved and unstoved that marry so well with fine Turkish and Cyprian latakia. I believe there is another type of leaf in the mix as well but cannot put my finger on it. The cut of the tobacco is narrow ribbon. The taste is full and has an edge like looking over a cliff at the wind swept sea. The fullness of the latakia with the Turkish, Virginia interwoven into the silky heavy clouds of smoke are an english fanciers delight.Enjoy this tobacco while sipping a good smokey single malt Scotch Whisky, its a real treat in taste.

Rattray- Black Mallory

Opened today, and received it in the mail, about 5 days ago, tin reads spicy Latakia two different Va’s blended with black cavendish and Oriental.

Upon first opening I smell the Latakia and the spice, some sweetness come through and I get a nice earthy smell.

The taste upon first light is a slightly sweet spicy smokey flavor, and it continues throughout the bowl, a particularly good Scottish blend, which I am quite fond of so far.

Enough Latakia to satisfy but not overpower with a little sour that works well with the spicy sweet components, I let this dry for 30 minutes as it was relatively wet upon opening.

Nic hit is medium, smokes relatively cool, depending on your cadence this blend could get hot without appropriate drying.

I would recommend this to the seasoned English smoker as it offers something slightly different and to those who may be first starting with “English blends” after only enjoying aromatics.

Will add this to the cellar when I can find it again.

Curious, I observed that the best way to smoke is in a meerschaum pipe or in a falcon pipe with a cup covered with meerschaum. Not compacting too much can be loaded directly from the tin. It does not go out but it is better to avoid re-ignitions because they embitter the flavor. At the beginning the Latakia appears next to the Black Cavendish that gives a very intense sweet note, followed by the oriental attack. The Virginia is in the background amalgamating everything. If you smoke at low temperature that sweet smoke harmony stays well almost to the end. If the smoke is rushed, the taste of the smoke is ruined. Smoke slowly, I do it with coffee in the morning in winter. It looks a lot like 123 Mixture by R.Lewis IMHO. It is not smoke for the whole day, but you have to smoke it at least at breakfast.

My go to tobacco since MacBaren HH Vintage Syrian is not available here anymore and when I feel fancy enough to buy it (it's only sold in really pricey - in comparison - 100g tins around here). I've not been able to buy Red Raparee around here but when I tried it abroad, I can now second the notion that the two go along great (Red being a hint less complex but interesting for different reasons). As for this tobacco: The Latakia is prominent but not overwhelming, the other components fit in rather nicely, it burns evenly and not too hot in the right pipe (I've found it prefers bigger bowls to really shine). The only downside is that the Cavendish is a hint too sweet for me and the Orientals are a bit less spicier than I thought them to be on my first try from what I was told on here and by acquaintances, but it doesn't really harm the experience much. What it doesn't do is give me the needed hit, I've found myself sucking on the pipe like a toddler on his bottle when I was not careful on the first dozen bowls. I have become used to that though and have made it a habit to smoke others for the N-hit and just smoke Black Mallory for the pure enjoyment, which works kinda well. All in all it's the best of its genre I have found without having to resort to order MacBaren HH VS online, which is legally questionable and a general pain in the arse in this country anyway.

Strength: Mild to Medium. The tobacco itself is silky and mellow to smoke and as someone with my tolerance you don't smoke it for the nicotine, really. Not necessarily a bad thing, just adding it for people who are used to stronger blends.

Flavoring: None detected. The Latakia and the Orientals do their thing well enough to make any kind of topping unnecessary. If there is any flavoring, I have neither noticed it nor do I care.

Taste: Full. Cavendish a hint too sweet for me, Orientals could use a bit more spiciness, but oddly specific personal preference aside, the taste is awesome still. Accompanies whatever else you do with your taste buds pretty well, and due to the silky and mellow smoke it doesn't really "alter" other tastes, just enhances or contrasts them by a neat dose of Latakia smokiness. Lovely stuff.

Room note: Tolerable to Strong. While I personally, as a card-carrying Latakia hound, would put Very Pleasant just for the heck of it, this is called the wife rating for a reason, and my SO hates the stuff (as do some friends). It doesn't stink up the place as much as others of the genre, but most certainly not for lack of trying.

Overall Rating: three stars. keep in mind that is a rather good score for me, I only 4-star tobaccos that have pleased me in every way possible, the details that made me not give 4 this time are minute to the common reader of this review and based on personal preference. Can recommend it to everybody who enjoys these kinds of blends and doesn't mind a little less strength.

EDIT: I have been asked by acquaintances (whom I told about finally reviewing this tobacco on TR.com) and I'll tell you what I told them: This review of course concerns the Kohlhase & Kopp version; I have tried the original quite a few years prior to this one (talking about decades here, Rattray's is produced in Germany for more than 20 years now iirc) and yes, it would have maybe warranted 4 stars, but as memory is a fickle thing and I can't get my hands on any vintage tin to accurately review it here and now, take that info as you wish though. Even if the latter were the case, Latakia loses much of its appeal with (that much) age so why bother in the first place. All rambling aside, K&K are doing an excellent job; don't think of this edit as a bad thing, just added it because I've been asked.

This is a decent smoke, nice, mellow, sweet and smokey. A very well balanced blend and nice to smoke with a cup of coffee at relax time, not too powerful or overwhalming, just at the right balance so this blend have it's own character that each composition had "married" so well to build the taste and flavor of the smoke. The tin note is good, smokey and herbal scent smells so good when first open the tin. Is nice to pack and is not difficult to keep the light. Burn so well at my pipe and not make my pipe too hot. Smokey taste with the nice sweetness from the cavendish follows with little bit spicy and earthy from the orientals taste so good at my palate. With medium strength I really enjoy a pleasant smoke and not worried about the tongue bite. Just sip it slowly, with proper pack the draw is easy to make a great smoke and for somewhat, when I smoke this blend, it reminds me with the McClelland's Old Dog and Dunhill MM965, I found the similar sweetness and taste at this blend.

The thing I love about Rattray's RED RAPPAREE is precisely its lack of smug Dunhillian smoothness, its fieriness, its peaty drama, its dour highlander theatricality. Wonderful to smoke while you guzzle your dad's expensive single-malt. (Glorious old memory!)

Black Mallory is much more "English" in its demeanor nobly bland. It's a lovely old English smoke alright, but I find it kind of staid. One might as well be smoking Dunhill Standard Medium, you know?

On opening the tin there is a grassy sweet smell that is fairly complex. It then converts into a smokey aroma. You can certainly smell the main components, sweetness from the cavendish, grassy notes from the Virginia and the smokey spice from the Latakia and orientals. Very nice smell

The Latakia is certainly there when you start to smoke but it is not over powering. It’s a nice compliment to the blend. You start to get the broad sweetness come through after the mild smokey flavour. You then get the grassy and fermented spice come through which is very pleasant. Over all a very nice tobacco, first time I have tried it. I was outside with quite a breeze so my pipe was burning a little hotter than normal and this did not effect the flavour at all. Very stable burn and not harsh. Consistent flavour throughout with a nice after taste and beard 🧔 note.

I will smoke some more as the week goes on but I would say this is in line with Peterson early morning pipe, Ashton Consummate Gentlemen with the sweetness being similar to Ashton Artisan blend. This would be a good starter English blend.

I still have no idea what it means to be Scottish (tobacco-wise), regardless, this potent mix has all the exciting gunpowder to excite the senses. The tin opens to a wonderfully heavy Latakia and Oriental spice (reminiscent of other great English blends: Frog Morton, 536, Plum Pudding, Bengal Slices), which always remind me of the smell of blood in a less-than-well done steak. Savory, unapologetic, deep, and cured leather all come to mind.

The mix hits about every shade of brown and leaf imaginable, sliced up into a nice bouncy, thin cut that fires up without a wait. Took a few relights to get rolling, but once it settled down and the smoke perked up, you get a nice meaty strength session that focuses (for me) on the Latakia without being a charcoal fest. The Oriental pops were present, but not as loud as the initial aroma. The Virginia kept it all together I suppose, but any nutty earthiness was buried below.

Like other Rattary products, Black Mallory was a top notch product. It delivered strength/nicotine without knocking you on your rump, but still put a few hairs on your chest for the effort.