Rattray Hal O' the Wynd
(3.38)
"A pure Virginian tobacco of a most unusual share of strength". This is a strong, sharp aged red Virginia blend that will perk you up quickly.
New tin description: "Hal O' The Wynd" is an unusually strong Virginia-based mixture. Fire-cured Kentucky is added to a base of a variety of Virginias and Perique completes this mixture. It is then pressed and finally rubbed by hand.
Notes: The booklet inside the tin says "A full-bodied Virginia tobacco with a slight sweetness and extremely pleasant smoking characteristics. The name comes from that of the armourer in the novel "The Fair Maid of Perth" - a man who had "a most unusual share of strength". In the German decription is written: "und einem Hauch wurzigem Perique" that means: "and a touch of spicy Perique".
Details
| Brand | Rattray |
| Series | British Collection |
| Blended By | Kohlhase, Kopp und Co. KG |
| Manufactured By | Kohlhase & Kopp |
| Blend Type | Virginia Based |
| Contents | Kentucky, Perique, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ready Rubbed |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin, 100 grams tin |
| Country | Germany |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium to Strong
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.38 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 231 - 240 of 271 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 05, 2009 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Got a tin of this. Straight out of the tin, the tobacco is extremely moist, but I had to try it anyway. The tastes I get are the typical coffee taste of aged flakes, such as Full Virginia Flake, but also a spicy taste of red virginias. It's sweet, but not overly so. I've had a couple of bowls so far. Both were steamy from the high moisture content, but unlike Esoterica Tobacciana's Stonehaven, there was a lot of flavor even when very wet. I set some aside to dry; perhaps I will find this a four star blend then. Surprisingly no tongue bite, but I think I've either grown immune or it's a delayed reaction; every night when I brush my tongue it stings like a terrible case of tongue bite times the amount of bowls I've smoked that day. More to come.
UPDATE: Dried it out and had a much more pleasant smoke. It's not better than Full Virginia Flake, but different. It tastes like an aged McClelland 5100.
UPDATE #2: Even more dried out, it tastes exactly like Prince Albert. I love the tin design, but for $15 I honestly expected a lot more from this highly rated blend. If it was cheap, I'd go ahead and give it three stars, but because it's so expensive, I have to give it two.
UPDATE: Dried it out and had a much more pleasant smoke. It's not better than Full Virginia Flake, but different. It tastes like an aged McClelland 5100.
UPDATE #2: Even more dried out, it tastes exactly like Prince Albert. I love the tin design, but for $15 I honestly expected a lot more from this highly rated blend. If it was cheap, I'd go ahead and give it three stars, but because it's so expensive, I have to give it two.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 14, 2009 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
As a smoker of Virginias exclusively, I find this blend to be arguably my favorite Rattray, though I would rank Marlin Flake as equally good for different reasons.
Certainly, Hal O' the Wynd has a more complex character as it burns than does Marlin Flake. HOtW starts off as a very light, fruity smoke, mellowing and deepening significantly during the latter half of the bowl. The distinctive fruit palette remains but becomes much richer as the bowl burns. Natural tobacco notes also become more pronounced later in the smoke.
I found that if I paced the smoke I didn't get any of the bite that some people find unpleasant in Virginias, but then, as I mentioned, I smoke Virginias exclusively, so I 'm used to nursing the tobacco leisurely by default.
In my Rattray rotation, I find HOtW and Marlin Flake commanding my attention about equally, while Old Gowrie's distinctive and predominant grassy notes make that blend far less appealing for my taste.
This is an excellent blend, as others have affirmed. If you find you like it, I recommend Marlin Flake as a less complex but equally satisfying smoke.
Certainly, Hal O' the Wynd has a more complex character as it burns than does Marlin Flake. HOtW starts off as a very light, fruity smoke, mellowing and deepening significantly during the latter half of the bowl. The distinctive fruit palette remains but becomes much richer as the bowl burns. Natural tobacco notes also become more pronounced later in the smoke.
I found that if I paced the smoke I didn't get any of the bite that some people find unpleasant in Virginias, but then, as I mentioned, I smoke Virginias exclusively, so I 'm used to nursing the tobacco leisurely by default.
In my Rattray rotation, I find HOtW and Marlin Flake commanding my attention about equally, while Old Gowrie's distinctive and predominant grassy notes make that blend far less appealing for my taste.
This is an excellent blend, as others have affirmed. If you find you like it, I recommend Marlin Flake as a less complex but equally satisfying smoke.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 21, 2008 | Medium | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
95 reviews counting mine and rates 4 stars ! I smoked a few bowls when I first opened the tin and didnt find that is was too good. Six months later , I can tell you that this is a very good tobacco. Great flavor , sweet with deep notes . I can not add more than the previous 94 folks did . Buy some , let it sit for 6 months or so . Well worth the waite
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 18, 2008 | Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
After 2 tins of HOTW, I can confirm (to myself) that this is the most complete pipe tobacco that I have smoked. Several Months ago I bought FULL VIRGINIA FLAKE, STONEHAVEN,LONG GOLDEN FLAKE, BEST BROWN and some more blends (from the most reviewed and top ranked in this web), and after smoking them daily, MY PREFERENCE (without doubts)is HOTW.
Full Virginia Flake and Stoneheven are also very good but I don't still enjoy smoking them because of their humidity. They have been packed in a jar to get old and fermentation in the drawer.
Five Stars for HOTW!
Full Virginia Flake and Stoneheven are also very good but I don't still enjoy smoking them because of their humidity. They have been packed in a jar to get old and fermentation in the drawer.
Five Stars for HOTW!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 10, 2008 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
Fantastic smoke. Ribbon cut ( I prefer flake). Great virginia taste. I usually smoke this or SG FVF. Can not say enough good things about this blend. As with all virginias smoke it slow or it will bite you, but if you are smoking it fast enough to bite you are not getting the full flavor of this blend. Let some age you will not regret it.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 21, 2008 | Strong | Mild to Medium | Full | Pleasant |
I told myself i would not review this tobbaco because it would be redundant! So many good reviews ! Well deserved too. If they were bringing Vincenzo to the firing squad today and asked him for his last smoke preference Hal O the Wynd In anypipe would be the request! I would not even sweat till I was finished. Thats today gentleman and I will keep searching for better Va! With the dollar weak or euro strong either way it's high! if you like Va"s get some vincenzo ! If your in front of a firing squad get as much as you can ! The state pays !
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 07, 2008 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
Much has been said about this baccy so I'll keep this brief. This baccy needed a little drying time, but packed well, lit well, produced a good volume of smoke, I felt as though the smoke was substantial and something I could get my teeth in and the aroma was excellent...caramelized, sweet hay-like. This didn't bite me at all and I did some fast puffing to see how it would react. 3 stars even though I'm more partial to burley/va blends.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 30, 2008 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
UPDATE:
it's a little sad to revisit this classic, after having become acquainted with the few british virginias left. too many additives, too little taste.not exactly bad, and perhaps in a few years i may upgrade it again, when i open the tins i've stored for aging.
03-20-07:
warning: this is a very good tobacco, but it is not for the beginner or the careless smoker!
tin aroma isn't that obvious, but it's classical pressed-and-rubbed-out red virginia: a little sharp, a little malty, slightly raisiny-sweet.
taste is similar, really, though much more powerful. it has a lot of edge, which i like, and is prone to tongue burn. no problems if smoked slowly, though. the winey and elegant sharpness recedes during the smoke, and the maltyness comes to the foreground.
i do find it kinda difficult to keep it lighted all the way to the bottom, and the last few minutes are not always a joy... still, a high quality tobacco.
it's a little sad to revisit this classic, after having become acquainted with the few british virginias left. too many additives, too little taste.not exactly bad, and perhaps in a few years i may upgrade it again, when i open the tins i've stored for aging.
03-20-07:
warning: this is a very good tobacco, but it is not for the beginner or the careless smoker!
tin aroma isn't that obvious, but it's classical pressed-and-rubbed-out red virginia: a little sharp, a little malty, slightly raisiny-sweet.
taste is similar, really, though much more powerful. it has a lot of edge, which i like, and is prone to tongue burn. no problems if smoked slowly, though. the winey and elegant sharpness recedes during the smoke, and the maltyness comes to the foreground.
i do find it kinda difficult to keep it lighted all the way to the bottom, and the last few minutes are not always a joy... still, a high quality tobacco.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 21, 2008 | Medium to Strong | Very Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is another stop in my search for the perfect Va. blend. The search will go on (most likely forever.) I always wonder if the next one is "the one". I found that this blend is a little grassy, semi sweet,and a fairly strong Va. tobacco. The tobacco is nicely cut, easy to load, and light after a little drying. This blend can be HOT, and bland if hurried. Sip slowly and you find it a very decent smoke. How good is it? I have enough faith in it to purchase several 100 gram tins to cellar. I think it will mellow with age. and probably moveup a notch. For now I rate it at * * *
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 14, 2008 | Strong | Very Mild | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Surprsingly, I didn't enjoy Hal O' the Wynd at all!!!!
I found the tobacco annoying in smell and in taste, it was irritating my eyes and my nostrils...and my wife didn't approve at all the room aroma, she disliked it - she said the smell was irritating.
The flake is not that dark, I bought it first in bulk, it was a totally different tobacco, very dark with almost a strong coffee aroma, that was about 10 years ago, and it was very enjoyable, so when I saw it on Smokingpipes.com, I said Atta boy, let's order it! But here is a good proof of how a bulk and the original are so different...I preferred the bulk version a lot better, which had a cappucino aroma and tasted pure matured VA tobacco.
The tobacco in the tin is definitely red VA, but it's not dark at all, and the taste is irritating to my senses...I don't know what is was, maybe a bad batch...it happens, but I am not ready to retry it for a good while, I was truly disappointed, especially after all the praises I read about this Bakkie....
Such is life. Somewhat recommended.
I found the tobacco annoying in smell and in taste, it was irritating my eyes and my nostrils...and my wife didn't approve at all the room aroma, she disliked it - she said the smell was irritating.
The flake is not that dark, I bought it first in bulk, it was a totally different tobacco, very dark with almost a strong coffee aroma, that was about 10 years ago, and it was very enjoyable, so when I saw it on Smokingpipes.com, I said Atta boy, let's order it! But here is a good proof of how a bulk and the original are so different...I preferred the bulk version a lot better, which had a cappucino aroma and tasted pure matured VA tobacco.
The tobacco in the tin is definitely red VA, but it's not dark at all, and the taste is irritating to my senses...I don't know what is was, maybe a bad batch...it happens, but I am not ready to retry it for a good while, I was truly disappointed, especially after all the praises I read about this Bakkie....
Such is life. Somewhat recommended.
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