Rattray Dark Fragrant

Need some air before being smoked. It's cool, really cool tobbaco. But let it dry a little bit.

Happy puffin

My Dark Fragrant is pitch black tobacco. The description from the retailers catalogue said:"Dark Fragrant is a matured blend of Black Cavendish and dark brown Virginia leaf. The deep baking and roasting during manufacture produce a surprisingly mild yet excellent flavour. Dark Fragrant is recommended for breaking in a new pipe and its slow burning qualities make it a favourite with those who wish to settle down with a pipe." So this is what I got and reaaaally liked. It is the kind of tobacco to which I'd dedicate a pipe or two and I'd keep in my weekly (not daily) rotation. Balanced and interesting taste

A different cookie for sure, that one...The tin aroma is of molasses, figs, raisins and something like strong dark coffee. I could have sworn there was a topping added, but according to K & K website, there is none.

See, it has to do with the deep fermentation of the tobacco. Which is predominantly consisting of black ribbon cut tobacco with an occasional brown shade.

So this is Black CA with some perique, but just enough to be discernable with its peppery twist that enhances the sweet side of the CA.

Let the tobacco dry until it is dry before filling in your bowl, and don't stuff it too hard. It is kind of hard to keep lit and necessitates some relights.

Don't expect anything complex with this one. Smoke it quickly and it will be acrid. Smoke it slowly, give it some attention, and you will like the experience. It will encompass you to relax for sure!

Not a tobacco that will be part of my daily rotation, but I will regularly maintain my stock.

Definitively a keeper!

Regards, Davie

this is very good but i would not go so far as to rate it as good as Dark Star. it has a natural sweet flavor, packs easily due to being fully rubbed out, lights and burns well, and has a fair room note. i will smoke the tin completely to the end but i am not sure it is one i will seek out again.

That one was different! The casing must involve some cane sugars / molasses if I am not mistaken. A good smoke for those that like some orientals and some toping as well! I tasted a sampler and I can say that blend is in my list!

I've had this tin of dark Fragrant sitting on my shelf for about 3 years. I decided I needed to open it and give it a go.

Dark, moist (for VAs) tobaccos and a dried fruit aroma greeted me from the opening. The fruit wasn't specific to me, but it recalled plum more than raisin, and was muted. Stoved, fermented and aged is what my nose really seemed to sense.

The tobacco packed, lit and burned well, but it was a very damp smoke for me. The flavor was fine in my opinion - nice virginias and solid notes from the dark tobacco. I've always loved stoved VA, and this was no disappointment.The fruit aroma didn't really carry over onto my palate or the room smoke. The ladies and gents at the bar I frequent also found the smoke unobjectionable.

I'll gladly keep a tin of this about. I may let it set open a bit to lessen the moisture and see if I can attain a drier smoke than the ones I got from taste-testing. I'll need to grab a tin of Dark Star and some other stoved VA-based blends before updating this review.

Rattray's Dark Fragrant is a nice VA, however somewhat mild and monochromatic. It is mostly dark stoved VA's, almost cavendished, with some Oriental hiding in the background. The topping is subdued, but tastey. I've been enjoying this more than McC 5100, which has been a stand-by VA for me. This could easily be an all-day smoke if one were so inclined. I will likely buy another tin or two for the cellar. As another reviewer mentioned, I find it better when smoked in a large bowled pipe.

I smoked several bowls of DF in larger pipes. This evening I smoked it in a Dunhill group 4 size bowl and found it somewhat more robust in flavor. Not positive the bowl size makes a difference here, but think its worth testing out.

Upon opening the tin, you find a dark VA with a slight raisin aroma. This taste comes thru mildly the same but is overshadowed by the VAs and results in cool, mild smoke with no hint of a bite. Since it's a ribbon cut as compared to the flakes that I normally smoke, I find that it burns rather quickly but not hot at all. Pack it tighly to avoid relights. However, even by trying varying bowl sizes and air drying some of the tin , I could not eliminate the wetness @ the bottom of the bowl. Overall, an unusual VA blend with little change in taste throughout the smoke that you might enjoy.