Rattray Professional Mixture

This blend is if anything, even milder than 7 Reserve. If you are looking for a big, flavorful outdoor sort of smoke this will probably not impress. However I like to puff slowly in the evening while reading or watching TV and I find this to be an extremely smooth, cool and yet satisfying blend. Easy to pack in different size bowls and stays lit while generating good smoke volume.

Very well balanced mixture. Not strong but tasty. Latakia is barely present so it adds a bit o Spice but It doesn't hurt. Very natural too. No added flavoring. All the day mixture

I've smoked on and off this mixture (probably somewhere in the vicinity of 5 or 6 100 gms. tins), but I haven't had it in a long time. I believe this is a very reliable smoke: nothing spectacular, but very comfortable, light, with an intriguing interpay of sweet-sour and bitter.

The presence of Rattray's excellent Vriginias is there, which accounts for that "raisins, dates & port" aroma that Muddler reports. The Latakia (could it be Syrian?) is very subdued and "silent", but does provide that toasty-bitter backround, and the Orientals provides de tasty sourness.

However, I do find this mixture to be on the light side. For my palate is difficult to grasp the full flavor, so I tend to over puff, which inevitably leads to a hot pipe and a bitten tongue. Smoke this one with care, and it will probably reward you with an elegant, though somewhat muted, smoke.

I wouldn't go out of my way to get hold of this mixture. But it's good to know it's still out there. A nice, quiet smoke from Rattrays, always good for those seeking a natural tobacco experience.

A friend of mine gave me a generous sample of this along with the tin as he jars his tobacco. From the yellowed appearance of the plastic lid this looks like it has some age on it. I cannot remember where or when he bought it. I have had this for several weeks and just now got around to trying it the other day. The tin note has a nice “clean” smell to it along with and this is a poor choice of words “minty fragrance”. Obviously, there is no mint topping but this does not have the typical Latakia smoky smell to it. Maybe it is from the Orientals or Black Cavendish. One other reviewer described it as a perfume note. This was definitely lacking in the Latakia department. Other adjectives from reviewers are boring, subdued, mild, spicy, bitter, …… This one is okay but another one that I believe is really not sure what it wants to be when it grows up.

Update: 7/3/21, I rarely if ever change my ratings because that would open up a Pandora’s Box as time and tastes evolve. I had some of this still left in the tin and wanted to finish it off. This morning, I smoked a bowl and thought, okay, mild but not too bad and decided to read some reviews. When I saw mine, I thought it must be a typo as I do not recall rating this a one star. I stand by most of my review from smoking out of the newly opened tin but have decided to bump it up one star and with a few months of open air so to speak it is not bad. As for the rest of my ratings they can stay as is. It is all subjective anyway.

This has been a constant companion for me through the years; my "go to" pipeweed when nothing else sounds good.

As others have stated, it's a perfect ribbon cut, packs well, burns clean and dry with a nice grey ash (and some darker bits which I assume are some of the orientals). It has a nice gentle note of sweet, spice and a hint of licorice on the palate. Toward the end of the bowl the flavors seem to stay fairly constant, with little bite. I am a rather fast puffer, but this blend stays cool to the end for me, leaving only a few unburnt shreds at the bottom. (I tend to not be a dottle-smoker).

I am smoking this particular bowlful in a Family era Sasieni Four-dot "Ruff-Root" King Size (apple shape), likely to be post-WW II.

I purchased this tin several years ago, opened it and smoked about two bowlfuls, then put the tin in a storage bin when I went into one of my non-smoking dormant periods. It was left to dry out in the tin with the lid on it and languish for about 3 years. I was recently bit by the pipe bug again, and pulled this tin along with several others out of the storage bin and gingerly spread the dry ribbons on a sheet of waxed paper, misted it with distilled water and sealed it in an air-tight container. The result is the resurrection of an old friend.

A great blend of Latikia, Orientals and Virginia tobacco. When I want a mild taste of Latikia but do not want to go all the way down that smoky path, this blend is perfect. Packs well and leaves a beautiful grey, light ash. No tongue bite and a smooth smoke. Room note is wonderful...not totally Virignian, not totally Latakia. Like to break in my pipes that will be used with a combination of different tobaccos with Professional Mixture. Haven't had any of the other Rattray's but because of the skillful blending of this mixture, can tell they know what they are doing. Not sure how it will age but soon to find out by buying a tim and stashing it away for awhile. Very relaxing and description above is very appropriate. Very non-pipe smoker friendly and think it will be appreciated by others around my pipe. Will be a regular in my stock.

It is my pleasure to join the reviewers of this fine tobacco that found the subtle complexity, delightful taste and fine aroma to be very enjoyable. I am one of those that truly enjoy a fine blend with Orientals, including Latakia. The blend of moderate strength delivers much more than the maker?s modest promise.

The cut easily packs in any sized pipe and burns to a mottled fluffy ash. In fact, smoking this tobacco just above a smolder is the way I get maximum satisfaction. It burns cool, smokes dry and leaves a very pleasant room note. While it?s not mentioned in the blending notes, I believe it to have a modest amount of unsweetened black Cavendish that rounds out the aroma and smoothes out the Orientals.

I believe this to be a milder blending of Accountants mixture which I equally enjoy, but usually after a meal, where this blend is fine anytime. My other Rattray?s selection is Jock?s Blend. If there is an additional topping in Professional Mixture, it eludes me. I have smoked tins of different age, and I have never been disappointed in any of my trilogy of Rattray?s, regardless of the country of origin of the blender. This blend is composed of fine tobaccos, blended superbly and the tins are great storage as well, with a plastic cover that makes a good seal. I'm in complete agreement with the other reviewer's comments about the perfect balance in this blend. Highly recommended.

Cheers, VC

I have just finished a 4 oz. tin of this blend and recommend it highly for those looking for a mixture to smoke all day. I have smoked Rattray's Professional Mixture in a variety of my Stanwell pipes, all bents, and have not enjoyed a mixture in a long, long time as much as I have this offering. I have found that the tobacco packs very well in which ever pipe I have choosen. The mixture lights with ease and burns very well leaving a whitish-gray ash. This tobacco seems to smoke clean to the bottom of the bowl with a minimum of re-lights. I have been complimented on the room note of Professional Mixture. Other non smokers have found it to be very pleasant and not the least bit offensive. It has been my experience that there is no "after-taste" with this blend. While smoking, there is a hint of Orientals but they certainly are not overpowering. Rattray's Professional Mixture will be re-ordered and will become one of my regular mixtures that I keep on hand.

Exploring Rattrays extensive selection of mixtures, I came across this. Not the most well known blend, but very pleasant if a mild, fruity mixture is what you're after.

The tin aroma is sweet and fruity. I have to add, not in the sense that it's cased with flavourings but a natural fruitiness which presumably comes from the Virginia and Cavendish. I'm getting unsulphured dried apricots, yeast, bread, a little sweet spice and the barest hint of Latakia smoke, only if I look for it. The leaf is largely ribbon, with a little pressed and rubbed, mostly tan and brown and a smattering of black leaf.

It lights with ease, burns dry and evenly without bother or gurgling and doesn't leave much dottle. The flavour is gentle, fruity, sweet and has a touch more Latakia taste than is given away by the tin aroma - still quite subtle though. There's some yeasty fresh bread flavour and a charcoal hint from the Latakia, there must be the barest pinch of Orientals here, but perhaps contributing a hint of sour astringency as we get through the bowl. This isn't strong in flavour or nicotine, but smoked gently the flavour is quite pleasant.

Charles Rattray certainly did develop a wide selection of these "Scottish" mixtures, all with Cavendish, but the range of flavours is impressive. I do now enjoy milder mixtures, and among these, few have such a fruity character as Professional Mixture. Well worth a try for the fans of mild, natural mixtures.