Rattray Brown Clunee

Basically a matured Va with a slight anonymous flavouring additive that is barely there. I can't taste perique or DFK in this.

It's a straightforward, very mild smoke that is trouble free and burns without attention. Jakob K's earlier review seems on the mark to me, tho I wouldn't be quite as harsh. Yes, it is quality leaf. It is sweet and mild but rather one dimensional. Would be ok as an everyday tobacco if price isn't an important factor. Somewhere between 2 and 3 for me, but I'm going to mark it as 3 because it fills a niche.

This ready rubbed or broken flake is of a medium to dark brown colour, and the relatively small pieces of tobacco feel rather moist.

The tin note is dominated by a grassy, haylike Virgina scent that is complimented by a subliminal honey sweetness.

In order to fill my pipe I like to make small balls of tobacco, which I use to stuff the bowl rather loosely. After the charring light I level out the ashes before applying the true light.

Besides the typical tangy sweetness of the Virginias, there are also some citrussy notes and once again a disinct honey aftertaste, which makes me wonder if there's a topping. If you don't pay enough attention, this tobacco will tend to burn rather hotly. So don't draw too eagerly on your pipe, and tamp down the ashes regularily. Fortunately, this will not impair taste or sting your tongue.

The room note is sweetish and rather pleasant.

Edit: I was a bit harsh with this one. More than half-way down the 100g tin, it's grown on me and there's definitely a nice sweetness in the smoke. Don't expect a VA with body, but this is a quality tobacco in its own category (light VA).

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Disappointing. Has basically the same tin aroma as Hal of the Wynd, but the similarities end there. Lacks body, flavour, depth and complexity. Almost becomes a chore to smoke. I hoped it might be a decent morning Virginia, but it isn't. Golden Glow by Samuel Gawith or Golden Sliced by Orlik are far better examples of a Virginia-based tobacco that is both mild in nicotine and flavourful.

Another nice blend from Rattrays. "Lighter" in all departments than Marlin or Old Gowrie and thus an easier puff away smoke. Needs a biggish bowl and I pack it without rubbing out. Easy to light provided it has been well aired and one match light possible. Here comes my permanent objection to the practice of Rattrays: this blend as well, has way too much humectants, it can be actually moist even if it is open for a year! I don't get tongue bite from it, but then I smoke Virginias all the time so probably have my way to tackle this. As for the Perique, there must be very little in there, its probably the "strength" one feels toward the end of the bowl.

This is a beautiful smoke that needs some preparation in order to bring out it's wonderful qualities. I loaded a bowl directly from a freshly opened tin and paid the consequences with a taste that was one dimensional and bland. Then I took enough for a bowl and rubbed it out and left it to dry for half an hour. The difference was amazing. The flavor was nuanced and delicious. The virginia was in the forground with the burley there for support and coolness. The perique peaked out with frequent little bursts of subdued spiciness. This is a beauty that can only get better and better. Light nicotine and almost no aftertaste. 3 stars for now, but who knows. Love those Rattray virginias. Intoxicating in the tin. Delicious in the bowl.

Update: I've found that the flavor is best rubbed out , dried out and packed loosely. I love the way this tobacco burns: just smoldering, without large plumes of smoke. Providing the tastiest experience I've ever had from a predominately virginia blend. This is a 4 star blend and one of my top 5. I love puffing on this while at my computer. I find it calming. What a gem for those of us who still believe that less is more. Update Nov. 2015: The tin aroma is better than ever and the cut is now a ribbon, when before it was only partially rubbed out. Tastes better then ever.

Brown Clunee comes in ready-rubbed form, though there are going to be some larger pieces of broken flake in the tin. In appearance, the tobacco is a fairly uniform medium brown color, with a slightly acetic aroma usual for a Rattray Virginia, and only a slight bit high on moisture content. I found that with about 20 minutes of drying time the tobacco could be rubbed out a bit more, and had reached a very satisfactory moisture level. The charring light reveals the excellent quality of the blend. Once lit, the flavor is light and relatively mild – especially when one is used to Hal O'The Wynd – but also very satisfying. Though not as sweet as some Virginia blends, the flavor is rich, a surprise given the description of “mild” for this tobacco. Easy puffing is advised early in the bowl to guard against bite, but otherwise, this is a tobacco to sip and savor, like a fine whiskey. By mid-bowl the flavor deepens a bit. The level of sweetness rises even though the likelihood of tongue bite seems, to my palate, to lessen. The complexity of flavor also increases, with a creamy undertone to match the sweet overtone, both going with a fine, earthy Virginia flavor. Toward the last third of the bowl a lot of nuance develops, making this a tobacco worth savoring to the very bottom. The taste becomes a mingling of fresh grass, raisins, and creamy hints of vanilla. The original sweetness remains, and the level of nicotine asserts itself at this point; some smokers may experience a bit of nicotine head at the end of the smoke. I would recommend Brown Clunee enthusiastically to those new to Virginia tobaccos, and happily to those who have already discovered the pleasures of Virginias.

I am normally a burley fan but I was given some of this blend in a trade. I also tend to be a fast smoker but this morning I was in no hurry, I brought out my rusticated bent Italian pipe that is on of my best pipes and I don't smoke it daily as it is a real showpiece. But I knew it was dry and had no shadow in it. So I filled the bowl, sat out in the gorgeous day we are having an along with tea, I spent two hours savoring this blend. All I can say is WOW! It is a virginia so I made sure and sipped it slowly and it gave me a mellow, sweet, delicious smoke and really made my morning. It was great with black tea. It had the fresh cut hay aroma, and it had a lot of flavor so I never wanted to puff fast at all. I could see this could be a tonque biter, but it never did for me and I smoked a very large bowl of it at one sitting, burning all the way down to a fine white ash. I will want more of this one and that is saying a lot for me. Simply put, it was not complex but was delicious and I am already wanting to return to it for more. Three star because I had to relight several times. Really should be a three and a half.

This is a rubbed out Virginia flake with colors ranging from very light to dark brown. The tin aroma is a combination of dark raisin, prune, faint chocolate notes and the vegetal fragrance of dried sweet clover, the barn-smell of good Virginia tobacco. Clearly, some sweeteners have been added to provide a distinctive flavor. The tobacco arrives a bit on the moist side. As a regular Virginia flake smoker, I am inclined to let Virginias dry a bit, but I decide to take a chance. Because of the moistness I am careful not to pack too tight. It takes a charring light, a tamp and a relight to get it going. I am somewhat surprised that the tobacco burns well despite the moisture content. The smoke starts out with that familiar Virginia tingle on the tongue that warns of a bite lurking. But I am a naturally slow puffer and sip the smoke along. The taste is a naturally sweet Virginia flavor. The draw appears to be just right and delivers plenty of smoke. It is not overly sweet; I taste no raisins, no prunes, and no chocolate, just Virginia tobacco that has had its natural sweetness lightly enhanced. On the one hand, I am somewhat disappointed because there is no unique flavor as promised by the tin fragrance(I was hoping for a Three Nuns experience). On the other hand, I am pleased by the straightforward taste of Virginia. The hint of a bite subsides about a fourth of the way down the bowl, and the flavors remain consistent throughout. This is a good smoke for a Virginia flake lover. It is reminiscent of SG Best Brown, the undisputed king of Virginia flakes, but just a bit too sweet and lacking the depth of tobacco flavor. This is comparable to some of the McClelland Virginia flakes, a little sweeter, a little kinder to the tongue, and without the vinegary tin aroma. All in all a clever treatment of Virginia tobacco. I do not think I will include it in my regular rotation, but will keep it on hand for a change of pace. I recommend it highly to the Virginia flake smoker. Paddy

Very green and grassy, significant sweetness. Slight floral perfume, maybe lilac or similar. Easily enough here to keep me from getting bored. Not quite a 4, but it's close

Mid bowl I'm getting a little more of the perique, a slight fleeting fetid note and some tart fruit.