Tobaccos Rattray - Red Rapparee (British Collection)

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3025)	2014-03-25		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

The fermented red Virginia has little tart and tangy dark fruit, sugary sweetness, and offers the bready, earthy, woody qualities one expects. It's the lead component, but not by a lot. The Orientals offer some spice, dry sourness, wood, floralness, earth, smoke and strength without strong arming the other tobaccos in a secondary position. The Cyprian Latakia provides smoke, earth, and light woodsy sweet notes as it plays a little below the Orientals. The sugary black cavendish is a middling player, and is unsweetened so there's no vanilla taste here. It's mostly a condiment. There's a little sugary topping as well. The nic-hit is just past the center of mild to medium. The strength and taste levels are medium. No chance of bite or harshness. Well balanced with enough contrast to make it an interesting, repeatable smoke. Burns clean and cool with a very consistent flavor from top to bottom. Leaves very little dampness at the finish. Requires an average number of relights. Has a lightly lingering, pleasant after taste, and much stronger room note.

-JimInks

61 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Croaker (13)	2009-06-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Based on strong endorsements from this web site, I purchased this as one of several "oriental" blends. I searched for the merits of a Virginia-Turkish blend: an English without latakia. I opened the tin and instantly detected the earthy smell of latakia in a ribbon-cut blend. The tobacco was a bit moist out of the tin; however, it was dry enough to stuff and light immediately. To my unpleasant surprise, I noted the unwanted light latakia which, nevertheless, failing to add any real flavor to a particularly flat blend. Still, Red Rapparee exhibited good burning characteristics and never bit my tongue despite my quick, abusive, smoking in search of flavor. I put the tin away and attributed the good reviews to that Latin expression concerning arguments about preferences.

Months passed and I found myself with a dozen-odd half empty tobaccos tins. Thrift demanded that I finish at least some of the half-full tins to justify my next internet order. And so I picked the Red Rapparee tin -- it had the most tobacco left -- and selected a pipe. I filled a large-bowled pipe to combat the expected flatness, a silver-spigot billiard, and sat down at my computer.

The months-old Red Rapparee produced some of the best smokes I have enjoyed. I don't know how the transformation from flat to great worked: more oxygen, a larger bowl (others have noted the tobaccos' sensitivity to pipes), or a bizarre change in my preferences. What I do know is that Red Rapparee is a wonderful light-medium Balkan. I found a somewhat sweet and tangy Virginia base countered by smooth orientals; the latakia was a light condiment which augmented the whole smoke with a leathery richness. Red Rapparee is perfectly blended. Every time I smoked this I was completely absorbed by the flavor and nicotine. This has more nicotine than many similar blends.

If a blender charges a lot for blend I expect a lot. I'm quite stingy with stars. I strongly recommend this to any reader: I hope someone might enjoy this as much as I.

61 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-07-08		Medium to Strong	Medium	Extra Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have been happily lurking at the edges of this website for well over a year now and through it I have discovered several blends which I otherwise would not have tried. Foremost amongst these is Red Rapparee.

I write this, my first, review as a long term (25+ years) pipe smoker, usually savouring blends with at least some latikia in them. I regularly try new blends and when a parcel of Red Rapparee arrived the other morning I selected a suitable pipe (an old GBD Rhodesian which I regularly smoke latikia-heavy blends in), gave it a good clean and opened the tin. The nose was nothing out of the ordinary (a bit like Dunhill 965), so I loaded and lit up, and sat down to work on a book chapter I was writing(being an academic by trade), expecting nothing out of the ordinary. I was wrong.

The complexity of Red Rapparee snuck up on me and, though absorbed in my work, it became apparent that the flavour was changing perceptably over time, going through at least three 'evolutions' from the top to bottom of the bowl. I stopped writing and just smoked... The flavour was ultimately very complex, 'oak smoked' and satisfying. I certainly tasted the pleasing salty/sour overtones which another reviewer noted. Straight from the tin it burned fully to ash. I can really not ask for anything more. My only fear is that it will 1) distract me from my work, and 2) make me sideline indefinitely my (still loved) tins of 965 and Squadron Leader!

44 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2014-06-04		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is an excellent mixture. The tin note is a sweet fermented fruit scent with a delicate smokiness underneath. Overall it's a touch too moist from the tin and without some dry time it smokes a bit steamy. The cut is reminiscent of blends like Margate, with long stringy-thin ribbons that could almost be considered shag.

As far as flavor goes, Red Rapparee is chock full of subtle spicy flavors and has a slightly bitter warm bread-like quality to it. The smoke is exceptionally cool and smooth, and it's lighter in body than I expected.

Like any good English the flavor of Red Rapparee builds nicely as the bowl progresses, and a sweet mustiness appears around the mid-bowl point. This is accompanied by a more assertive spiciness that's quite delectable. The Latakia is done to perfection and lends buoyancy to an array of light VA and oriental tobacco flavors that are primarily sweet and warm in tone.

I really like this blend and it works on a lot of levels. It's mild enough to smoke any time, yet despite being lighter in body it still has enough flavor and complexity to make it a great option for when I am craving something that has a bit more going on.

I should also mention that Red Rapparee makes for a superb morning blend. Frankly this is everything I was hoping Early Morning Pipe would be. Every so often I smoke a blend that has a truly remarkable end bowl flavor, RR is one of them. It's easy to see why this mixture is such a classic.

33 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Noorrmm (192)	2001-08-01		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Let me start out by saying that this was one of my favorite blends for many years. The others were Rattray's Black Mallory, John Cotton's #1 Mild, and Sobranie's Virginia Flake. I was devastated when Rattray was taken over by a Danish company who proceeded to change all the blends to Danish style. Recently, I had heard that the new owners had restored the English style, and had to try it again. They seem to have hit a Home Run.

Appearance: Generally short, slightly fine cut ribbon with about 40% red/brown leaf, 40% dark and 20% lighter leaf. I could not determine if all of the dark leaf is Latakia, or if some of it is Dark Cavendish. The blend was just a bit moister than I prefer, but was smokeable right from the can.

Aroma: The aroma is that of a fairly full English/Oriental blend, rich and smokey but not particularly spicy. The blend seems to be well matured, so that individual components do not jump up and shout out their presence. In other words, they all play well with others. I remember RR having a slightly more piquant aroma (almost like a touch of vinegar), but this could be owing to the German method of steaming their tobacco to take off the rough edges. The aroma reminded me somewhat of Black Mallory (can't complain about that).

Packing: This is a fairly fine cut, so it packed easily in any size pipe that I tried. I tend to use the "drop a pinch and tap the side" method for non-flake blends, and it works very well with this one.

Lighting: The blend lit easily, taking a char readily and starting to smoke before tamping. A quick tamp and relight and the pipe was ready to enjoy.

Initial flavor: The flavor was right up front, full bodied and dense tasting. Nothing too subtle about it, the rich sweetness of red Virginia balanced the smokiness of the Latakia, and the spicy Oriental stayed slightly in the background. Slow puffing gave me nice layers of flavor, one or another of the ingredients always popping up to remind me of its presence.

Mid-bowl: The flavor stayed consistent through the second third of the smoke, continuing to yield a variety of delightful impressions. There was absolutely no gurgle, or trace of steam to contend with, and it remained cool to the tongue.

Finish: There was a slight intensification of the flavor and strength at the bottom of the bowl, but it never became harsh or wet. It burned to the bottom with only a few relights at the end, leaving a fine, darkish gray ash which clung to the sides of the bowl.

Tried in the following pipes: Because of nostalgia and reputation, I passed on the cobs and went right for a Castello Sea Rock KKK #31. This was a perfect choice for the blend, but this pipe burns everything well. Next pipe was a large GBD Prehistoric Billiard which has not been fully broken in. After letting the tobacco air out for about 30 minutes before loading the pipe, I got the same results. Ditto for a large Becker & Musico Apple. So far, I haven't tried it it any group 3 or 4 pipes, the blend seems to want a larger bowl.

Summary: This is a wonderful tobacco, but not necessarily the Red Rapparee of old. It appears to be just a bit richer than the original, but not overwhelming. It is not a blend for "all day" constant puffing, but I would recommend it for quiet moments at any time of day, weekend mornings with a good cup of your favorite coffee or tea, taking a walk, listening to good music, etc! In other words, I plain LOVED it.

30 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-02-19		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Not much to add to the other reviews. I consider this to be one of the very few "genius blends" and deserves a place atop the pinnacle with the likes of Escudo and Dunhill 965 - not that this tastes like those two.

The only real thing to add is the cellaring aspect. I now buy this in bulk but I've also cellared a couple of tins that have been simmering for several years. It ages like the masterpiece it is. A few years on this blend takes it to the ambrosial level where if you were only a latakia/oriental smoker, you'd need look no further.

The House of Rattray created the perfect oriental blend and KK&C continue that fine tradition. Four stars is not nearly enough.

26 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kashmir (21)	2013-07-25		Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Full	Strong

Rattray's Red Rapparee does indeed contain Latakia. This is the blurb that accompanies the tin on the little round booklet: "A charming, perfectly balanced dark mixture of Virginia tobaccos, Orientals, Black Cavendish and a luxurious quantity of Latakia. The ash is pale grey and similar to that of a good cigar. A wonderful spicy mixture". Note: RRR does NOT contain cigar leaf, but DOES contain a "luxurious quantity of Latakia". Hope this clarifies things for all those preceding reviewers who detect cigar leaf, or who detect Latakia but are surprised it is not listed by Tobacco Reviews above in the blend composition. Typo I presume. I have gone through the better part of a 100g tin now, and, being a certified Latakiophile, I think I've found my Holy Grail. I consume a pound a month of Star of the East and Westminster. Also quite a bit of London Mixture. And I clench pipe and sip slowly for a flavorful cool smoulder. RRR does not disappoint. The addition of Scottish Cavendish to RRR reminds me a bit of Dunhill's 965, but here the flavors are much more pronounced than in 965. I can see a slight lineage to Black Mallory, but RRR has a greater Oriental component to it. Shades of chocolate covered salty pretzel indeed, as previously stated. Add to that a dollop of saddle leather and beef jerkey and at a slow cadence this blend really sings. No diminution as the bowl progresses either. The blend holds its flavor profile strongly all the way to its ashy end at bowl's bottom. A word of caution, this blend is very pipe sensitive. I've found the best results in narrow billiard and chimneys, about group 3 to 4 in size. Wide pots do this blend a disservice. The slower the smoking cadence the stronger the flavor profile here. A very fine blend. Can't wait to see how it ages. A four star recommendation.

23 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2076)	2014-08-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Rattray - Red Rapparee.

The initial aroma I find great, it's quite a raw tobacco smell with a slight citrus hint in there too. The blend is really impressive in the moistness, I just know it will give a pleasing burn!

Igniting is really simple because of the moistness and once lit the burn is very consistent, needing hardly any re-lights whilst leaving a pale cigar like ash. The temperature of the smoke I find great, I would describe it as medium in that department. Flavour now: awesome! I would, by no means describe this as a Lat-bomb, more of a "well rounded" mixture that allows all of its constituents to shine. The Latakia isn't unnoticeable, it seems to me to be just the right amount of smokiness. The Black Cavendish's sweetness is again spot on, not too sugary or gloopy, in fact just the right amount of it! The Oriental sourness comes through at a great volume , not tongue twisting but a good quantity of scintillation. The Virginia is pleasantly noticeable all along, a decent and steady orthodox hay note, but again, not at all pre-eminent. The Vitamin N is unequivocally great: satisfying and not disappointing nor stomach churning . The room-note is again lovely: not too much, not too thick and a good detection of all the tobaccos. The only negative is this one does tend to bite me a little so I find gently sipping this one to be an expedient tactic, but of course we all vary for that so the bite is merely a subjective point!

I find this one to be the quintessential "all day" smoke: not bland, boring, strong, overpowering, or sickly at all. In fact it's a very steady, satisfying and easy tasting smoke!

Four stars.

Pipe Used: Comoys Elegance

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoke King

19 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2002-06-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I used to smoke the Red Rap all the time as I loved the combination of the components and heavenly smell the burning leaf produced. I do really enjoy many of the McConnell's era Rattray's blends and the wonderful flavor of Red Rapparee stuck like glue when K&K took over production. Great Virginia, nice Orientals, fragrant Latakia and backbone building unflavored Black Cavendish combine to make this a quality tobacco all the way.

Pipestud

17 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	moniker (217)	2014-08-10		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Perth-blended Red Rapparee was my first staple pipe tobacco. There was wailing and gnashing of teeth when word came down that Rattray was out-sourcing their US allotments to Robert McConnell. And now I am reviewing this version of RR from Kolhase und Kopp. Who knows for sure if I even really remember the older versions; but if I do then original RR was somewhat stronger, and zestier, with more individual swagger from its varietals, and without “incense” from its Latakia. But That was Then, and This is Now. Here and Now, the tobaccos in a popped tin of K&K RR smell quite melded, along with some overripe dates and apricots, some anise, and maybe a drop or two of spirits (fruit schnapps?) added, for good measure. The Latakia smoke scent is only forward for the first minute or two, then the fermented, earthy, lightly stoved VAs and the loamy, exotic Orientals come to the top, as ever, with the sweet-and-sour Cav hanging back, still holding hands with the Orientals. Lighting up, the new lot remains more of-a-piece than the older stuff, as I recall. The aromas and the flavors still coincide with my idea of a medium English, with “enough” well-tempered Latakia, and well-developed, TOP Orientals rising just over tasty, earthy, and sweet-enough red VAs, which, though hardly limp-wristed, are not so piquant and assertive as before. I can’t say I well remember the original Cav, except it was never the star; nor is it now. Somehow, it seems to add body, though, and I do like the sweet-and-sour effect that works a treat here with the mellow-but-still-spicy and slightly gamy Turkish/Oriental leaf. In fact, each and every tobacco in this blend plays an important part from beginning to end, which, after all, is the idea of a blend in the first place (,non?). One interesting “effect” sported by today’s RR: Though the aromas are well aligned with the tastes as both develop, they are not perfectly aligned, and at any given time there can be a mild, fleeting sort of smell/taste “discord”, like jazz chords, as it were; nothing over the top, in keeping with the new RR’s overall smoother profile and “traditional” aesthetic; but nice, IMO. The ribbons light and burn down fine for me right out of the tin, if they’re packed and tamped authoritatively, as ever. Strength is just over mild, and tastes are medium. I still like the room note a lot; however, my wife never let me smoke it in the house, Then or Now. Aftertaste is the best of the smoke, only sweeter, and it trails off with a sweet, smoky, slightly metallic quality, still sweet & sour, with a slight, bracing bitterness, overall. RR still develops very nicely in a jar over time, as ever (though differently now).

Perhaps it’s not really helpful - or realistic - to try to compare memories of old, bygone blends to today’s versions. Fortunately, despite the changes, RR has survived basically intact. It was and it remains an exemplary English blend, with real, Old School quality, balance, and smoke-ability. Among the changes, there might be just a smidgeon of something non-tobacco in there now; but it "works", IMO, no harm, no foul. Withal, we’ve got to round the fractions here, and what remains of RR is still good enough to net 4 stars from me, and this more because of than despite the ever-growing ranks of “adequate” medium English blends. BTW, RR is one of only a few “mild” pipe tobaccos that satisfy me, albeit I’ve been known to go back for seconds, sooner rather than later.

Pipe Used: various briars; generally larger bowls

Age When Smoked: fresh from the tin to 8 months in a jar

Purchased From: Liberty Tobacco

Similar Blends: Contrast to GLP Kensington.

15 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Greekpipesmoker (201)	2017-04-13		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

This blend once opened has a strong sweet aroma.dark compoments incline a smoking pleasure and so it is!.comes out a bit moist.can be smoked as it is or dried out a bit.the flavours were the same to me.packs and lights ok.while smoking the real warrior comes out.orientals are the main players,red virginias and latakia come as second players.woods,leather,coals,spices ,dark fruits and sweet notes are combined to a complex and very satisfying smoking experience.some times i got some cigar notes.burns slow and cool.no harshness and biting.the nicotine level is medium.the room note is somewhat unpleasant wich is the only bad i found about this blend.burns to total grey ash.not an all day smoke.indeed this is an enhanced version of 7 reserve.i totally recommend this blend.

Age When Smoked: Straight from the tin

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	oldcodger (74)	2014-05-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

A Rapparee was an Irish (not Scottish!) highwayman. I have no idea what a Red Rapparee was (or is). But Red Rapparee pipe tobacco is the flagship blend of Rattray's of Scotland. Rattray's has not been produced in Scotland for many decades and now comes from Kohlhase Kopp and Company in Germany.

In the tin RR comes as a fairly fine short ribbon of varied colors--dark, tan, and light. A base of not particularly sweet Virginia and unsweetened dark Cavendish is enhanced with Turkish/oriental and latakia. The manufacturers assure you that this is a "luxurious quantity" of latakia. It isn't. The latakia lurks in the background of the taste.

The Turkish/oriental is absolutely front and center. The relatively small latakia component allows the room note to be pleasant enough as not to annoy any but the most persnickety of non smokers.

Before burning to a dry, white ash, the mixture exhibits some variance in taste. The orientals are always present. The Virginia/Cavendish varies in intensity. The latakia also varies from clearly perceptible to barely perceptible.

Some veteran pipe smokers grouse that Red Rapparee is a far different tobacco now that it is produced out of Scotland. Although I was a pipe smoker in that era, I never smoked the Scottish version. I have smoked the English produced version that predates the current manufacturer. I detect no great difference between the two that I have smoked. I find this to be a pleasant and rewarding smoke, worthy of full attention while consuming a slow burning pipe full.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Eulenburg (193)	2002-06-15		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

RRR was for many years?along with NIGHTCAP?my standard evening choice. Rather Stoic-tasting red Virginia is married to very abundant Latakia by a couch of Turkish condimentals, all flavours providing a very large spectrum of taste. It is a potent tobacco, not for grannies. If your chosen post-prandial drink is Amaretto or Southern Comfort, you will not enjoy RRR. If you like harsh, peaty single-malt whiskeys, or fiery Armagnac, this is your blend: it will keep you from dozing off at the dinner table, that's for sure!

To be perfectly candid, I enjoy extreme tastes, or highly-flavoured food, less than I used to in my [non!]salad days. Eulenburg is much more likely to smoke a Virginia flake washed down by some very smooth cognac nowadays. But this is still One Of The Greats.

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pryhosm (248)	2018-04-05		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tin note is sweet, tangy Virginia's with smokey Latakia in the background. Stuffing your nose in the tin and breathing there for a minute or 5, you get some spicy and woody orientals. This is one of the most interesting and unique tobacco blends I have encountered. This is best in a large bowl but good in all. I am not sure what I was expecting but this wasn't it. The red VA and Orientals are the stars of this show. There is a tanginess and earthiness the underlie the entire smoke. It is really great. There is also spiciness and bready and malty flavors that are backed by a sweet smokiness from the Latakia. There is something else...a flavor I cannot name, and I have tried, that is there maybe a mustiness almost like good mushrooms that is there especially on the retrohale. A one of a kind blend for Balkan and Oriental lovers alike.

Pipe Used: Briar's and cobs

Age When Smoked: fresh tin

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	leadtungstate (2)	2014-07-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This is a tobacco purchased in 100 gr box and smoked as it came out without drying. I smoke it using Peterson pipes with a 9 mm filter.

I am a not so experienced pipe smoker who prefers the taste of English blends and I usually smoke Dunhill's EMP, MM965, Nightcap, Davidoff's Royalty. I find Red Rapparee having an excellent taste that I find most superior for my taste at least with respect to any other tobacco I have tried. One particular feature that I like is that for some tobacco's I find that I always need to drink something to wash my mouth to prevent that sour tongue feeling after a while. RR is smooth and I find it that I could smoke it without that. The only negative feature that I find is that it burns quite hot or at least hotter than other blends like EMP. I definitely recommend it, it is an excellent tobacco.

Pipe Used: Peterson SH Mycroft; Peterson Darwin

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: Geneva Davidoff shop, Switzerland

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-12-29		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Full	Pleasant

The end is not nigh, the end has come. This tobacco is, quite simply, a masterpiece.

The first thing I noticed was the quality and natural sweetness of this blend. The smoke is bright, smooth and bursting with flavour. You can tell from the first sniff of the tin that this smoke is going to be something special, and all the way from the charring light to the dottle, it does not disappoint. There are many different flavours in here, which seem both to sing out as individuals, yet work together as a team. The Latakia is definitely used as a condiment, a spice. It is mild and yet noticeable. I might describe this tobacco as "spicy" in the same way that cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice are spices without being hot. The smoke has a very fine bite, which seems to serve almost as pepper on a meal - to awaken the pallet to the rest of the flavour.

The description mentions a fine cigar, and I know what it means. Especially during the first half of the bowl there is a hint of something resembling the finest Cuban cigar. Not overpowering, little more than a suggestion, and perhaps only in the sidestream smoke.

Sweet, aromatic, dynamic and captivating. This is not just a tobacco, it is a dance. It is a symphony. In terms of 'mixtures', this is the grail.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DeathMetal.org (231)	2021-11-03		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Strong

Summary: a Scottish mixture closer to Balkan levels of Orientals, this blend provides a depth of flavor.

A solid Scottish blend -- an English with Cavendish added -- presents a spicy gingerbread flavor, like "My Mixture 965," but by upping the Orientals and Latakia, "Red Rapparee" delivers a stronger and darker take on the English more like "Nightcap." As with most of these, the Latakia flares first at the touch of the flame, but then the strong Virginia flavor comes out, but the Orientals balance it and the unflavored Cavendish flattens it out, making a blend that has no single identifiable dominating flavor. Instead, like a Hieronymous Bosch triptych, this blend delivers a solid note of Virginia-Latakia with details constant emerging and interacting. The Orientals give it a spicy undertone and the Cavendish imparts an almost floral quality. Like most of the Kohlhase & Kopp production, it has added sugars and is cut to a fine ribbon following the Dunhill model, which makes for a nice easy burn. It came slightly wet out of the tin, but lights perfectly at that moisture level and provides a great deal of flavor without letting the Latakia clobber everything else.

Age When Smoked: 6+ years

Similar Blends: Peterson - Nightcap, Peterson - My Mixture 965, Peter Stokkebye - English Luxury (No.17), Cornell & Diehl - Star of the East.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Seanv (35)	2019-12-06		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Great looking blend in the tin. Lots of thick chunks and some springy ribbons. Arrived a touch moist for me so about half an hour of dry time was needed. Aromas of Latakia, sweet Orientals and earthy Virginia's. This smells and looks great. The pack is easy and the light is taken well. Initial flavors are silky smooth Latakia and oriental notes. The Virginia's are tart and present throughout the bowl. The Latakia is truly a background player . The Orientals and Latakia work in perfect harmony maintaining a smooth silky smoke. The burn rate is slow and even, until a fine ash is all that is left. This can be an all day smoke but I prefer to save it for when I have time to thoroughly enjoy it.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Berthold (4)	2014-03-29		Medium	None Detected	Full	Very Pleasant

I'll get right to the point: This is a remarkably pleasant tobacco with a full oriental flavour without the slightest hint of harshness, even if smoked quick and hot . It really is quite extraordinary and has become my favorite blend after only a month of smoking it.

The can I bought is brand new, fresh packed by Kohlhase und Kopp. So if you would go out and buy a can of Red Rapparee right now, this is what you would get.

Pipe Used: various briar pipes

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: http://www.pipe-shop.net

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LiterarySmoker (143)	2021-06-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I was walking and browsing my local pipe shop one day and saw a tin of Red Rapparee on the shelf and based on all the good stuff I had heard about it recently I decided to give it a try. I always look up tobacco reviews when I get a new tin of anything so I was pleased to find that this was a Scottish Mixture, which means it is Virginia forward, which is what I love about Draquer and Son's Blaorgowrie. I've heard it said that Scottish mixtures are VA forward, English Mixtures are Latakia forward, and Balkans are Oriental forward and that is the definition I mostly accept. The world of Latakia is broad and doesn't always stick to standard definitions.

The tin is very old timey and simple. There isn't much of a tin description either. When I first opened my tin I found a nice ribbon cut tobacco with a good mix of blacks and browns. The tobacco came moist enough for my liking without being drowned. The tin note smells of sweet, hay-like Virginias, tangy, herbal Orientals, and soft, leathery and smokey Latakia. It has a very nice aroma to it. This blend is easy to pack, and easy to light. It keeps its light fairly well.

The smell transfers into the taste in some very appealing ways. The Virginias are up front giving me a delicate sweetness, citrus, and grassiness. The Orientals follow, with herbal, floral, and incense notes. The application of Latakia is light but effective, adding smoked leather, and creaminess to the experience. Sweet and herbal, grassy and smokey, a good example of what a Scottish Mixture can be.

The taste is a medium. There isn't anything here that wants to overpower you. The strength is a solid medium, great for a cool or a warm day. This tastes lovely in a large bowled pipe. The room note is typical of an English blend, but it sort of reminds me of the smell of Presbyterian Mixture.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Hercules Bulldog

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: B&M

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tschenyinkoh (51)	2018-02-12		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

Yes, Rattray always makes the best Scottish Blend in the world.

It teaches mediocre American blenders how to add the Black Cavendish.

Old classic legend, solid four stars.

Pipe Used: churchwarden

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: 100g tins from smokingpipes

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stefanos (222)	2017-03-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Mixed cut, mostly red and black ribbons with a few pieces of broken flakes and some brighter ribbons which are rather long, so while packing is generally easy, some care must be taken for these longer ribbons. Aroma from the tin is smoky and woodsy – typical English -with a light fruity note perhaps from the Turkish tobaccos. Moisture is just a little bit higher than perfect, so I’d recommend an approximately fifteen minute taking out of the tin and spreading before jarring.

Latakia is definitely present – sweet and woodsy - but here center stage is held by the naturally fragrant Turkish tobaccos. I guess more than one leaf is used, as I sense sweet (could also be the Cavendish), fruity and sour/tangy/salty Turkish tobaccos at the same time. This to me is a Turkish forward (Balkan one might call it…) blend par excellence. Especially until at least mid-bowl. Then on the taste becomes more toasty/bready like the red Virginias becoming more prominent.

Strength is on the mild side of medium with good burning behavior. I find Red Rapparee delicious. It is a complex blend with its interplay of sourness and tanginess from Turkish with woodsy smokiness of the Latakia upon a sweet Virginia/Cavendish base and what’s more it develops while smoking at least in medium to larger bowls.

If I had to characterize Red Rapparee with one word it would be its Turkish tanginess which I really love. On the minus I could count the (subjective) fact that in some pipes (not all) it is a little sharp and produces (to me at least) a minor tongue bite. Also it burns a little fast. However it’s one of the tastiest Turkish-forward English blends I have ever smoked.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	gladi8tor96 (143)	2015-08-18		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This blend in the tin reminds me of Black Mallory but a step lighter in color than the previous. One can smell less latakia as well, though it's definitely present. More red virginia sweetness entices the nose from the tin with this blend as well, giving hints of bread, earth, with a bit of hay and tang.

Packed very easily into the pipe and lit well. It remained lit and behaved itself wonderfully. Flavors of smokiness and earth tones balanced against the spice of orientals and natural sweetness for the first 1/4 of the bowl. After that the latakia dies down and the virginias, cavendish, and orientals take center stage. Flavors of natural sweetness, not overpowering, with some bread and earth with the balance of spice and incense, but ever so subtle.

This blend doesn't bite and has a wonderful finish. I'm a fan. It reminds me of a mid-day smoke similar to Meridian (since both have red va's and less latakia as their other sibling (Black-Mallory & Quiet Nights). An enticing and enjoyable blend that I will keep around for years to come.

Pipe Used: Billard, Corn-Cob

Age When Smoked: New from store

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: G. L. Pease - Meridian (Old London Series), Rattray - Black Mallory (British Collection).

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Smokedinacob (10)	2014-06-29		Medium	None Detected	Full	Strong

Red Rapparee, at least the only version I have smoked (K, K, and Co) comes in proper uniform fine ribbons. This alone endears it to me. The cut makes the tobacco extremely easy to work with. It is a good mixture, which means it has lots of diverse flavors that are pleasing because they both contrast and support one another.

If I were to posit that English mixtures contain four basic flavor elements present in some particular character, strength, and proportion to one another (coffee stout, campfire, cinnamon/spice, and incense), AND that Dunhill's London Mixture has these four in precisely equal proportion, then I would also say that Red Rapparee is balanced heavily to the coffee stout and campfire points of the compass in comparison. It is rich, sweet, and complex, with chocolate, coffee, and woodsmoke flavors dominating, although there is a little spicy twang detectable. I think this flavor profile is common to most of the blends that have the word "Balkan" associated with them.

Pipe Used: cob

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smoking pipes

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	L'Italiano (231)	2014-04-30		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Classical English mixture. It doesn't excel, but it has no defects. The wish and the will are to realize a perfect English mixture, but really underneath it is still the same old thing. Mild in strenght. In my rating (from 0 to 10) my mark is 7 and two stars.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2014-01-13		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Nice balance between the Orientals and the Virginias with the Latakia in a supporting role providing some depth. Flavors are quite rich and spicy with ample sweetness. A nice, enjoyable medium bodied smoke.

Pipe Used: MM Freehand, MM General

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-05-21		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

This one just didn't thrill me. Sure, I'm coming from the English side of the aisle, so missing out on the Latakia punch was a bit disappointing. I do like orientals and aged or otherwise-cured VAs, but RR just ... didn't. Tin note was indeed sour, almost vinegary. Packed fine in my Peterson, but the tin note was already setting me in a bad frame of mind. I lit it up and there were the sour O's and the brassy VAs, and I kept wishing for some creamy Latakia to hold it all together. Maybe I like my VAs aged and sweet and crystalline, or maybe I just had my head in the wrong channel that evening, but I really didn't like it. I've since enjoyed other OVA blends like Peterson's "Irish Flake" (really good, but not outstanding) and CAO's "Midnight Ride" (now THAT's a blend.) I jarred up my RR for some basement time and will give it another whirl as summer comes along - but for now I can only give it 2 stars. It seems a bit lacking, and I've had better OVA mixtures. As Dalton says, "Opinions vary."

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Steerpike (150)	2005-11-18		Medium	None Detected	Full	Strong

Splendid stuff! Spicy, musty, rich aromas drift up as you open the tin, with just a hint of smokiness. I can spend ages just smelling ths stuff before I get round to loading a pipe. The red and brown ribbon cut packs with ease if you tease the strands apart a little first, and a single match will kindle it with no trouble, which surprised me considering that it is packed quite moist.

The flavour is dominated by the orientals, savoury, spiced and delicious. A hint of sweetness is provided by the virginias and there seems to be an elusive smokiness somewhere in the background. It has been suggested that this blend contains no Latakia, but I suspect there may be some fired leaf in there. In any case, this is not like miost of the Latakia dominated English blends, the stronged characteristic is the orientals.

The aroma, too is rather different to most English mixtures, very pungent but without the campfire smell. Rather pleasant I think, there are probably those who would disagree.

Personally I like to smoke this stuff quite moist. There was a time when I carefully dried all my English mixtures, as it made the Latakia taste stand out. Orientals definitely work better a little moist, so don't risk loosing this blends seductive complexity drying it out- If you have trouble keeping it lit, just light it again, it doesnt suffer for it.

Highly recommended. To everybody.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tantric (321)	2002-10-04		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Very Strong

Red Raparee is undoubtedly a great tobacco, albeit a bit powerful. Very pungent, its Latakia/Oriental components tend to overwhelm the Virginias, which IMO barely touch the flavour registers. Visually the tobacco is very attractive, and it is easy to pack and light. However once you take a couple of puffs it snaps at your taste buds, producing quite an hypnotic effect. In a way it has the same density of the old Balkan Sobranie Original Mixture, but it is less sweet and rounded. To me it tasted at times almost salty as well as sweet and sour, with a very penetrating tanginess, similar to certain Chinese dishes from the Shezuan region. Strong and potent, it is a smoke that demands all your attention, and I find it advisable to be seated---and with a full stomach---when smoking it.

The aroma of Red Raparee really got me into trouble with the LSW, who has never liked the scent of Latakia mixtures, but found this one completely unbearable (I was propelled out of the house in order to finish the bowl, for not even the opened windows, which I invoked as a palliative, seemed to be enough to dissipate the smell). It took ages to finish that bowl, and by the end of it I felt transfixed. My taste buds, my palate, my clothes and hair were all suffused with one of the strongest Latakia/Oriental smells I can remember, which lasted for days! I do not know if Rattray?s use a particular type of Syrian Latakia, or if they also use the Cyprian variety, but boy is this stuff ?heavy? (in the 60?s sense of the term). Compared to RR, My Mixture 965 seems a medium tobacco and Squadron Leader, pale.

All in all, a very peculiar smoke, full of flavours and complexity, which is very enjoyable for Latakia/Oriental smokers, but should be approached carefully and IMO smoked only from time to time.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jonno51 (11)	2021-02-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I returned to pipe smoking about a year ago, after a 40 year layoff.

I was therefore smoking new tobaccos in brand new pipes. As a result my voyage of rediscovery was a compromised one. While I waited for the cake to build up, I made a few decisions on pipe types and shapes. Churchwardens weren't for me, neither were corncobs. I haven't tried meerschaums yet but I am a convinced fan of 9mm filters. Matches are my preferred form of ignition, I have a Zippo but only use it on the rare occasions when I smoke outdoors.

Regarding tobaccos I quickly rejected aromatics, then blends without latakia and eventually settled on Scottish mixtures i.e. the classic latakia/virginia/oriental with the addition of English type cavendish. I also bought a cheap pasta press and made discs of pressed tobacco form each new 50g tin I purchased. Pressed hard over 4 or 5 days the 4 ingredients above meld as the cell structures break down. A bit of warmth helps the process so I leave the press near the central heating boiler. I keep the discs in Mason jars. I am now smoking tobacco that is at least 6 months old and pressed into hard discs which I crumble out before each smoke. Compared with straight from the tin the difference is as chalk and cheese. The flavour is vastly improved, tongue bite is non existent and one light is often enough to see me to the end of the bowl. I cannot recommend this process highly enough.

I can now rank my favourite Scottish mixtures as follows:-

1. Red Rapparee 2. Tree Mixture 3. Old Dublin 4. Black Mallory

In reality I only purchase the first two, and 90% of my smoking is of Red Rapparee.

RR is beautifully balanced with just enough of each component, without any one ingredient predominating. The nic hit is low (I don't inhale but I felt the nicotine from MM 965 for instance, as I did from Erinmore Mixture) and it is just a really good tobacco. I raise a glass to Charles Rattray, a blender who knew exactly what he was doing.

Pipe Used: bent briars, varying bowl sizes, all 9mm filtered

Age When Smoked: 6 months

Purchased From: Barbers of Harrogate

Similar Blends: Tree Mixture, Old Dublin, Black Mallory.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (396)	2021-02-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

Like the exclamation written by astronomer Jerry Ehman after receiving a truly unique radio signal from deep space on August 15, 1977. This one is "Wow!". I was able to smoke some of this great blend dated Aug 2020 this evening with my Café Mocha and found this blend to be excellent. Something my jaded taste buds could really enjoy. This is considered Scottish due to the Cavendish but most upon tasting it would think “English” I would assume like I did. Nor did I notice a red tinge to the cuts of tobacco as described, mostly black, brown, and light brown. This one has the taste of other blends I have smoked but cannot name them off the top of my head. Though my description may be lacking this is one that I appreciate being able to try as it was a nice sample from a fellow piper. After 187 reviews I can see its popularity.

Pipe Used: Peterson's Dublin Poker

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cargohold (14)	2020-04-27		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

When I came to revisit this tobacco after several decades, I expected a different flavor profile from the original blend made in Perth, Scotland back in the day. Indeed K and K's version is definitely lighter in body compared to its Scottish namesake, different but not inferior. The German version a bit lighter and a bit more Oriental forward than the Scottish version, one of the differences being the presence of Cyprian latakia as contrasted to the Syrian latakia used by British blenders in the old days. However this is not to downgrade the modern product, it is quite good, similar in character to Dunhill London Mixture, which alas, is apparently gone forever. A previous reviewer stated that the modern Red Rapp is flavored as evidenced by his government's analysis may be true, but the assertion that is has to be factual because the government says so may give us a bit of a window into how this Americans natural distrust of such authority defines a key difference between the two cultures. Be that as it may the present version of Red Rapp is worth a try, 4 stars standing on its own merit, regardless of what name is on the tin.

Pipe Used: Dunhill LB, Dunhill ODA Bulldog

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: cargohold

Similar Blends: Dunhill London Mixture, Robert McConnells Oriental Blend.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Aurorasofautumn (38)	2020-04-23		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

After having made some critical comments on Marlin Flake as well as Old Gowrie I am happy to move on to my review of Red Rapparee, which is an utterly delightful tobacco.

As the other previously mentioned baccys, Red Rapparee also seems to contain some flavoring according to the following webpage of tobacco additives, which is run by the German state and thus factual: https://service.bmel.de/tabakerzeugnisse/index2.php?detail_id=104660&site_key=153&stichw_suche=red+rapparee&zeilenzahl_zaehler=2

I do not have any problems with that as long as it does not overpower the tobacco but enhance it and this is exactly what happens with Red Rapparree.

I smoke this baccy throughout the day but get the best experience out of it early in the morning with a cup of English Breakfast loose leaf tea with a splash of milk. It is an amazing combination of flavors. Red Rapparee is a slow starter that sneaks on you only after the first few drags. It starts with sweet nuances from the VA in the foreground and progresses to incorporate more and more notes of exotic spices while remaining fairly mild and refined. The growing complexity of this blend as the bowl progresses offers me unparalleled joys but never becomes tiresome.

In short, this is one of my all time favorites and I cannot recommend this tobacco too much. Just try it our for yourselves.

4 out of 4 stars

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Harry_Callahan (14)	2018-10-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Well..If I was allowed only one pipe tobacco, Red Rapparee would be it. I think the secret in this mix is the Black Cavendish because it mellows out the Latakia and Orientals. So if you are looking for an EM that isn't so strong on the Latakia-Oriental side with a natural sweet background, this could be for you too. This my personal opinion because I'm a newbie

Pipe Used: Gasparini Arpege

Age When Smoked: weeks

Purchased From: Bollitopipe Turin Italy

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Swiss-smoker (87)	2016-11-04		Mild	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

On my latest Pipe Club meeting a fellow-member offered us one of his treasures: a RED RAPPAREE of 1974. He carefully kept the tin sealed and cellared for 42 years! Of course, this old-timer is appreciably different from a new one. Pleasant tin note and perfect moisture.

RR is a mild English Mixture. Ageing obviously mellowed the blend. No peaks, no rough edges, just like a soft pillow. Well balanced, not digging deep though, but still offering a complex aroma palette. Each tobacco can easily be identified. Latakia plays a reserved role, accompanying the mild-spicy, rounded-off Orientals. All outstandingly harmonious. The natural tobacco-sweetness has become really delicious through ageing. And there is also this quaint, hidden, kind of soury, outmoded taste, so typical to real vintage blends. What a wonderful experience!

Age When Smoked: 42 years !

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	initials SG (29)	2015-10-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

What a treat! I can't think of anything bad to say about the tobaccos or how they've been blended. Red virginias that I have smoked have ranged from brightish and sweet to darker and richer. I love 'em all - the reds here are smack dab in the middle, which is perfect for this medium english and add a nice fruitiness that weaves its way through the smoke and complements the cavendish. I'm a big fan of orientals, so the fact that they are forward in the mix and of excellent quality is also a huge plus. The latakia is used more as a condiment, which lets the other tobaccos shine and shine they do. I think both latakia lovers and those who aren't fans can appreciate this blend.

Refined and smooth as silk to my palate. Just a little bit rich, but subtly so. I can smoke this all day.

Room note is pretty decent for an english. Well, the sidestream is incredible, and I get positive comments about its smell from nonsmokers, anyway; but then again most people I run into love the smell of pipe smoke in general, so...

As an aside, the effect of humidity and elevation doesn't seem to be discussed much, but as I found out recently, Red Rapparee tastes even more amazing at 8,500 feet in the high alpine. Crisp, like biting into a red delicious apple.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (632)	2013-03-08		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I struggled between 2 and 3 stars on this, but deferred to 3 due to the quality of the leaf and perhaps a bias on behalf of myself with respect to Rattray.

I had always assumed this was a standard Scottish/Latakia mixture and was surprised to see that it did not contain Latakia, or perhaps a small amount as some contend. It does taste somewhat smoky to me, but that may be due to the oriental varietals used. Whichever orientals are used, the combination tended to run the blend a little dry and sour to my tastes, but at times there were zesty citrus notes that I found enjoyable. Overall of the 100g, I can't say I had too many bowls that were great.

RR is not a go to tobacco for me and I doubt I will ever repurchase it; however, it is quality balkan with shifting flavor profiles that keep it interesting. Anyway, I am not sure how helpful this will be to anyone but myself but it is my two cents.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	who broke my clay pipe? (70)	2012-06-08		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

RATTRAYS RED RAPPAREE 50g round tin.

Popping open the 50g round tin,the tin note is slightly reminicent of 'Punchbowle' a sort of smokey/light creosote with a fermented mango sour fruit pickle.

Appearance of tin contents is a tan/gingery brown for the main, with some bright lemon flecks,dark brown flecks,and the odd small broken flake traces. Mainly a fine ribbon short cut/rough cut.

Inhaling through the as yet unlit pipe for a guess taste, i get a dryish, woody oak sherry barrel, tangy-tan tobacco clue,which tastes like a serious medium weight tobacco, not dissimular to Petersons Irish Oak at this point actually.(I had been trying a new tin of Irish Oak just before this trial).

Lighting up i immediately get a slight herby onions from the oriental/or turkish within.No applied aromatic properties are in this,it seems like a strait natural tobacco and the fruity tin aroma may just be an accidental scent of the natural ingredients.

The strength picks up after the first 1/4"inch of combustion to deliver a vegetable soup tang akin to minestrone,,,swede?,,leek?,,vegetable stock?,, winter vegetables? which have maintained their natural raw rooty earthy mineral soil/tannin tangyness...

Comparisons at this point are somewhere between Dunhill LONDON MIXTURE,Robert McConnels's 'The Original ORIENTAL',but not quite as smokey or herbaceous(at this point).

Quite fullish taste,it doesn't taste airy,empty or gappy where i need to argue with it,or want to fill a taste gap,but light enough like an approachable soup compared to a full bloating vegetable stew(alegorically speaking of course).

I can't say i am blown away, but that doesn't mean anything is wrong,its just that the more brands i smoke,i feel i have met this one before and that it exists within certain quintessential discovered pillars i am already familiar with,and doesn't for me on this occasion offer any real new novelty.

Its a sensible smoke actually and what it says is interesting but not unique in this stage of my smoking exploration, but confirms like a 3rd oppinion of what i already think i know regarding what "Oriental" means as a type of pipe tobacco. When i rest the pipe for a moment i get a slight raw white cabbage finish in my mouth. It tastes mature and well fermented,age cured and leathery.

The nicotine maybe stronger here and obove medium(i have already been caning some Irish Oak before this test and am already nicotine filled,i suddenly got that warning cough which i don't think comes from Red Rapparee alone,but it has enough power here to be a finisher if i dont watch out!).

Without checking the ingredients my guess is Oriental/or Turkish with darker aged mature Virginia's,some earthy Burley body in the background which keeps the other dynamic duo in check and cools things down.

No bite,although it gets tangy in an onion/garlicy way. Yeasty-ish with sage and onion (paxo stuffing mix)... Being simular to a few contempories i already have ,its something i will reach for when i am in the general mood for an oriental like it,or when one or the other brands due to some hypothetical, unfathomable, atmospheric conditions (or just contempt from familiarity from overuse) is not delivering any novelty factor.

I am one who does like to do side by side test smokes of simulars for a comparible 'variations on a theme' in identical pipes.

Red Rapparee is not an underdog in anyway,just not a front man;its sort of enigmatic,reserved,smooth,quiet,mysterious,private, but with a full presence of pensive content like a silent teacher. (yet i could probably say that of my other oriental blends really).. It seems up there with the best of them..

Savoury is a better word,and that tannin tangyness;think of the tang of blue stilton cheese minus the cheese factor,slightly astringent,maybe a challenge but not unpleasant,earthy and real. Onion soup,salted butter,it melts in the mouth like a knob of warm butter. Truffle?

After pipe ;it leaves a memory in your mouth akin to having eaten a tangy salad of onions,spring onions,radish, that is felt and fades over a couple of hours.A complimentary food would be a ploughmans lunch(can't think of a drink really but jamesons scotch blended whisky has a certain tang factor).

Bubble and squeek,Irish colcannon,butter fried cabbage and herbs-it comes accross as a vegetarian smoke.It has a slight soap factor ala 'Wrights coal tar soap'which is the baccy and not an applied lakeland-esque essence, or result of curing with burned fragrence woods,its just an accident of natural occurance.

Just checking 'Tobacco Reviews.Com' for a compared oppinion, i know now why i chose this tin to try,its because of the 'red virginia and oriental' curiosity. This contains cavendish but its not really tasted, and this baccy is not really that sweet.The cavendish within is probably not a particularly sweet type, and may explain why i thought i was tasting burley in the mix. Oriental leaf is apparently unsmoked latakia anyway, so it might explain why there was a slight familier smokey association when sniffing in the tin.

I have tasted red virginia in Petersons Sherlock Holmes before and i think of sweet floral red onions. I wanted tangy and got tangy.

Its nearest taste competitors in my rotation are 'Dunhill London Mixture' and 'Robert McConnel ORIENTAL'. I have jarred this tin already in a kilner jar because i have no idea at this point how long i will take to smoke it (i have about 50 baccies on the go at the moment and am doing pipe and baccy combination trials to find the best mates.)

UPDATE;2ND DAY Comparison Trial 3x Vintage Duncan Delta pipes side by side test, with Red Rapparee, Robert McConnel ORIENTAL, Dunhill London Mixture. The short story:-

'Red Rapparee' is more salty buttery smooth than 'Oriental'.

'London Mixture' is a milder, smoother operator; 'London Mixture' feels slightly milder than the others and implies a slight touch of the smokey latakia in a condimental ghost sence,possibly due to the milder virgina or lesser quantity oriental baccy in the mix so that the spice factor seems augmented in the overal balance.

'Oriental' and 'Red Rapperee' have more of the herb garden factor with Oriental having the more significant herbal bias.

All three are within a gnats cock of eachother when smoked side by side in near identical condition pipes as a standard TBH, and could on a different day taste like one another.

So ;strengths of nuance differentiation:-

London mixture;- more spicey. Oriental;-more herbacious. Red Rapparee;- more salted buttery.

All three have that slight 'wrights coal tar soap' taste but are not smokey in a bonfire latakia sence,more closer to the grilled herbs taste.

I can't be arsed to pick a winner because they are equal substitutes in my mouth and either satisfy the oriental urge.

I would easily buy Red Rapparee again if i ran out,more for the red virginia than anything,even though its more imagined than tasted probably,and doesn't taste much different overal compared to my other Orientals already. It burns quite cool and slower than average. Creats a bit of wet in the moisture trap which needs wiping out a couple of times a session which might creat gurgle in a conventional briar maybe (if you don't pre dry it before smoking).But it smokes ok and dry in this pipe and down to a completely burned fluffy ash.

Worth 3 Stars ,its up there with other good medium orientals.

Similar Blends: Dunhill London Mixture. Robert McConnells ORIENTAL..

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2010-01-25		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Every so often a tobacco comes across my pipe that it's love at first puff. Many tins later the love affair remains. I find it "somewhat" like Early Morning Pipe. I generally smoke this fine blend as the first pipe of the day. It's smooth and creamy with beautiful Orientals setting the tone. Red Rapparee is slightly sweet and somewhat complex. I enjoy it most in a smaller bowl. Highly recommended!

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	willie b (37)	2022-10-24		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable

maybe the first English type blend I smoked in recent years as my palate developed. called a Scottish blend. really good stuff and I keep several tins of various sizes in the cellar. even though I have moved on from this I still come back from time to time for a bit of change. others have given an accurate description. just a really top-notch smoke.

Pipe Used: Peterson system

Age When Smoked: fresh and aged.

Purchased From: tobacco pipes

Similar Blends: many English/Balkan blends and Scottish..

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	raybrown55 (45)	2021-11-02		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Can't believe this has no flavoring added, I sense distinctly a ginger-like topping throughout each bowl; not that I dislike it, it serves instead to distinguish this tobacco among the crowded class of english mixtures, and the quality of the leaf used is excellent, as always with Rattray's. So it won't probably replace my favorite english blends in my normal rotation, but I think I will revisit it from time to time...

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Unk.Benj (11)	2021-01-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

One of the first blends I've ever smoked was the EMP. Though on revisits to EMP, I found it to be a lacking alot of flavour, compared to heavier, more full body blends.

The red raparee is a step up from the EMP, providing much fuller tasting notes. It's sweetness translates more into aftertastes of floral essences for me. A solid, solid 4 stars. Must be my new favourite blend

Pipe Used: Dunhill Bruyere White Spot

Age When Smoked: Brand New

Purchased From: Turmeaus/C.gars London

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Burn-A-Briar (7)	2020-03-31		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This mixture ticks all of the boxes for me! It's full of flavour, nuance and intrigue.

The tobacco comes as a neat and extremely colourful ribbon cut, and as your eyes are feasting, so are you nostrils: the tin note is sweet and sour all in one - a foretelling of what is to come when one puts a flame to the leaf.

The charring light provides one with a sweet toasty flavour; sip on this until it dies down before relighting your pipe. The true light creates a spicy, almost sour smoke which should be expected from an Oriental forward blend such as this. Far from putting me off, this flavour draws me in and I tend to puff at it enthusiastically until it develops a distinct sweetness. This sweetness is not quite that which one would associate with Virginias and so I accredit it to the Cavendish, which makes a fine addition to the blend. The interplay between sweet and sour makes Red Rapparee sublime (if not a little distracting if one is attempting to get on with something while they enjoy a smoke).

The bottom of a bowl gives a more robust smoke and at this point I sometimes notice a bite of sorts. Not of the tongue, more the roof of my mouth. This bite, which I'm sure is personal to every smoker, would be my only criticism of Red Rapparee. It is one of only two tobacco blends (at the time of writing this review) which have given me a near uncontrollable desire to refill my pipe and smoke it all over again. It has become a firm favourite of mine!

Purchased From: Robert Graham 1874

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	1/2 (17)	2019-12-07		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This one was recommended to me by Sol Cigar shop in Oslo. I happened to be in the city for one day and the store was recommended to me by a fellow member of the Norwegian pipe smoker community.

This tobacco is quite Nice, especially If you like English and Scotish blends. The flavours are distinct and pleasant, the aroma is one my wife noted as quite pleasant (no Wonder as I tend towards English blends) The tobacco burns Nice and cool. All in all, a very good tobacco to enjoy with coffee or cognac

Pipe Used: Dagner

Age When Smoked: New from store

Purchased From: Sol Cigar as

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ynrozturk (62)	2017-03-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I'll just go ahead and say straight off the bat that this is a very, very nice blend. Earthy, warm, and packed full of flavor. The Latakia is present (Cyprus Latakia, I'm guessing - Syrian tends to be sweeter), the Orientals are present, and the Virginia gives a nice sweet backbone to the blend. Never burns hot, never bites. A very well behaved mixture.

Tin note is earthy and sweet, and the moisture out of the tin is absolutely perfect. Lighting and maintaining is also easy as can be. Light, tamp, light, then forget about it.

It's one of those blends that you can just enjoy without thinking about it too much. However, if you want to focus on it, there are plenty of subtle nuances you can pick up.

Very enjoyable tobacco indeed, I'd buy it again. Not quite enough oomph for me, but still very, very enjoyable, high quality tobacco.

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Local tobacconist

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	NobbyR (79)	2015-06-29		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Red Rapparee is a medium brown mixture with a share of dark, almost black tobaccos. It's a fine ribbon cut that feels rather soft, but not too moist.

The tin note is dominated by the smokiness of the Cypriotic Latakia it contains.

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.

To me this is a typical English blend. As far as taste is concerned, the peat fire smokiness of the Latakia and the floral spiciness of the Orientals are in the forefront with a distinct tangy sweetness of the Virginias and the Black Cavendish always in the background, which make Red Rapparee a mellow smoke. The tobacco dosn't require much attention, however, it should be enjoyed with leisure. As long as you smoke it coolly, there's no tongue bite whatsoever. It burns down evenly. leaving some greying, dry ash.

In spite of a certain sweetness from the Virginias and the Black Cavendish, the room note is quite fumy.

Pipe Used: Rattray's 110th Anniversary, Parker Prince

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Local Tobacconist

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DoomDealer (9)	2014-08-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Red Rapparee ... I have no idea what 'rapparee' means, nor how it's pronounced correctly, but what I DO know is that this is about as close to perfect as it gets when it comes to a classic English/ Oriental blend.

Medium strength but with a full aroma. Complex and well behaved, this has pretty much everything you could want from an Oriental. Great stuff that will always be in my rotation.

Pipe Used: Peterson, Aldo Morelli, Ermanno Elite

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Brucciani Ltd

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Redd (117)	2013-10-25		Strong	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Good Blend nothing out of the usual. Latakia level good. Oriental up front. Smokey & Musky a good thing. But the blend goes flat half way through the bowl. A bit to moist

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2013-03-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I smoked Red Raparee back in the 1970s. It was not a favorite then because it never stood up to Balkan Sobranie on Dunhill's. However, back then, it had a good strong English edge to it. The new German version is very flat to my taste. Not bad but not really great either.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	AlexL (26)	2012-08-22		Very Mild	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Here is one more in the endless row of "English" tobaccos. It's not bad, but I will not buy it again: there are more valuable alternatives in this class.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Thbg (29)	2012-06-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I know enough to know that this is really quality tobacco.

I also know that there is waaaaay too much perfumey oriental tobacco in here for me to enjoy it.

I rolled the dice when I bought this knowing I don't really care for blends that have oriental as the main component. Keep that in mind if you are like me.

thbg

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-04-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

On paper, reading all the reviews here, this should have become a favourite of mine. But in factual smoking it just bores me. I cannot find any fault with this but it took me 4 months to smoke not even a third of the tin.

A friend of mine is now finishing my tin as it has become his favourite tobacco but for me: 2 stars.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Steden (100)	2009-09-03		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I reviewed RR a few weeks ago, but it was a bad review because I did not smoke Latakia for several days so the desire of Latakia has influenced my opinion. Now, after trying again RR, I can confirm that is a mixture with a fine flavor and the taste is interesting even a bit edgy, but the thing that disappointed me is that the mixture gets too hot and for me the coolness (especially for a EM) is one of the most important things ..... too important to be able to recommend to you RR.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-09-30		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I enjoy red rapparree very much. Most Tobaccos I do, as I avoid pipe tobacco and cigars that seem to be revolting as we all should. To some this may sound arrogant but it is not. It is realistic. Don't smoke crap and for the sake of all that's holy avoid cigarettes. They will kill you! Never mind that they taste and smell like poo. Smoke Cigars, Smoke Pipes, and good cigars and good pipe tobacco at that! Especially pipes!!! Anyway, I am done with my rant and am probably preaching to the choir. Red Rapparee is delicious. It has some nice middle eastern tobaccos, a bit of virginies and a spot o' the tasty all time favorite latatkia. A good all around smoke, though my wife does not like the room note of this... no not at all my precious. Still this stuff is awsome. I like it as much as Hal O'the wynd even though it is so ridiculously different from it that a comparison is absurd. Another good blend from Rattrays, or the German Co. that blends this tobacco. Right tasty stuff!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-03-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Tin: Mostly bright, light-brown medium-to-long ribbon cut, some black, short ribbon, with a minute amount of olive medium-cut ribbon. I don't perceive a red tinge. Has a musty, raisin smell akin to McCranie's Red Ribbon.

Packing & Lighting: Easy to pack, gravity feed with tapping, then compress the top. Lightly moist, but the tobacco is easily rolled into a ball, but is not sticky. RRR requires no drying time. Lights easily and stays lit. No moisture problems at all; afterwards, when cleaning the pipe, there is only a little condensate left in the stem, none in the bowl. As an aside, if you were concerned about the tin description advertising, I wouldn't associate this good pipe tobacco with any aspect of a cigar.

Taste: Part of the way through the bowl, I was reminded of Dunhill 965, having a smooth quality akin to the cavendish in 965. I would say this is better than a comparable McClelland; not rough, sharp or harsh, retaining a spicy tang element as one signature component.

A quality tobacco that begs to be repeatedly tasted in short, rapid puffs. This elicits the qualities of a fine tobacco: soft balance of a cavendish, creamy, velvety, gentle sweetness, vaguely smoky.

In the starting blocks, it displays the prospects of a sharp, tangy VA, but soon settles into a splendid, multi-faceted experience: cool, dry, and clean. After getting past the tang at the top of the bowl, RRR has me constantly trying to savor the taste: vaguely sweet, musty, smoky.

Aroma: a soft, medium-strength tobacco, not pungent at all, vaguely musty, with perhaps a chocolate complexion. Nothing pungent, harsh, or strong about it, I would list it as mild to medium in all aspects, the epitome of ephemeral and eternal.

Having just finished a tin of McCranie's Red Ribbon, I'll compare it to Rattray's Red Ribbon. RRR has red ribbon, but the tin aroma is where the similarity stops. Past the top of the bowl, RRR has none of the tang and sharpness of MRR. RRR is a soft, mellow, sweet, musty, elusively smoky, piping experience. It burns clean and the bowl only gets hot right at the finish.

Nicotine: Medium, but not persistent. The quality of RRR is on par with Dunhill SM Medium or 965, except that RRR does not give the nicotine fix SMM is capable of.

Room Note: The nice soft scent of sandalwood, diminishing exponentially at bowl's end.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RCUSElder (244)	2004-10-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

10-07-04 This review is based on a 2 year old tin

Appearance and tin aroma: Medium cut ribbon, lotsa light leaf, a smidgin of dark latakia. Smells delightfully oriental.

Packing and Lighting: easy, moisture was perfect out of tin, although I like to let the tin degas thoroughly before smoking.

Initial Flavor: Surprise! I was warned that this was a heady blend, but it is a delightful medium oriental blend.

Mid-Bowl: Nice, round mellow flavor. The orientals in this are delicious.

Bottom of Bowl: A slight build up in strength, occaisonal sweet notes pop in and out. Ash is grey and dry.

Overall: This is a nice change of pace blend for me. I much prefer it over Black Mallory due to that blend being boring IMO. This blend was not as rich and strong as many of my fellow pipesters warned me about, but is a complex, mid-strength blend.I had no poblem with tongue bite with this one. It may be due to the fact that my tin had a few years on it.I will be sure to keep a few tins in the cellar for those times a want a nice oriental blend.

Rating: 4 out 5 points.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	The Old Man (19)	2021-12-19		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tin note - blue cheese sour and smokey - similar to Trafalgar! This is really a Balkan with some black cavendish. (So, I guess it's a Scottish Balkan?!)

This blend smokes and tastes exactly like the tin note - sour with a nice Latakia hit. Burns very dry and super clean. Some brief drying time required out of the tin/jar - about 30 mins. The cut is short ribbons and small pieces, so easy gravity feed, light tamp and go. Burns great to a powdery white ash. No noticeable nic hit.

After almost 5 months in the jar, this blend has aged quite well, increasing in both strength and character. Its definitely a solid Medium Balkan blend now. Exotic Orientals with plenty of Latakia. Burns slow and cool. No hint of tongue bite but it does have some pleasant sharpness from the Orientals. Nice Latakia aftertaste with a hint of sweetness.

Red Rapparee definitely lives up to its reputation as a genuine classic although it's not as sweet or rich as Black Mallory (which I prefer).

Age When Smoked: Fresh to 5 Months

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lager (53)	2021-08-01		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I agree with croaker on this one as some age and air improves this blend. But beware, this will dry out pretty fast after you open the tin. I bought this and Black Mallory at the same time. I favor Black Mallory over this as the ingredients while much the same the amounts are different. This to me is an oriental foward English in the mid-range of strength and flavor as where Black Mallory is fuller and sweeter. This would be a good intro to English blends for the new piper and someone wanting to venture into the world of English blends. K&K uses quality leaf and knows how to blend. My only complaint is avalibility. Almost every Rattary blend is constantly sold out? Also forget G&H and Samuel Gawith sold out never in stock? Would you guys please, please ship some to the states?

Lager

Pipe Used: Savs, Petersons

Age When Smoked: new to 2 months

Purchased From: Smoking pipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	GergelyAdam (10)	2021-05-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Red Rapparee. Tin note is reminiscent of matured serrano ham spiced with a little extra smokyness. Attention! This tobacco can disrupt (more precisely stop) working effectively. I can only imagine creative brainstorming while smoking this. It burns easily and cool. In the first half, Virginia effectively adds the sweet, Orientals the spicy, and Latakia the bitter smoky flavors. Yet the taste is a consistent. None of them comes forward, but rather takes turns balancing out each other, stimulating the whole tongue. This makes it very exciting and completely attracts people's attention to smoking. In the second half, Virginia’s sweets are pushed little bit into the background, but the Orientals add multiple flavors. Smoke volume is moderate, but it is not pungent, it's just good. Nicotine is not dangerous in my opinion, it can be puffed up all day. Just don't be surprised if we don't have a productive day, but existing in zen state. Highly recommended!

Similar Blends: Rattray - Black Mallory (British Collection).

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	The Great Mungulor (8)	2021-03-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Upon the first light, the spicy orientals were immediately noticeable. The smoke was lovely and thick and the flavours were instantly at the forefront - the flavours being a mild oriental spice, deep and sweet virginias and a hint of leathery, smoky latakia. The latakia was very well balanced against the spicy sweetness of the prevailing tobacco strains. The ash was a clean, white dust and the smoke itself was thick and flavourful. It did not bite (despite smoking fervently), but left a pleasant tingling spice upon the tongue. This is a very good blend, fairly strong in nicotine and a very delicate balance of flavours.

Pipe Used: MM Corn Cob

Age When Smoked: New from tin

Purchased From: GQ Tobaccos

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tomcat (213)	2021-02-12		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Unnoticeable

Red Rapparee - I opened a 1 year old can of RR a couple of months ago , smoked a few bowls and was not impressed at all . I jarred up the rest and put it away . I’ve read about how tin to jar + time really makes a big difference in a blend so I gave it a try . It has improved greatly . Fruity sweet Red Virginias, spicy delicious Orientals and the Lat is just right . The Cavendish is acceptable and sugary sweet . Sweet, sour and salty contrast , very nice . It’s more traditional English than Balkan and a fine one at that . I say 4 star English or Scottish I guess

Pipe Used: Large bent billiard was best

Age When Smoked: 15 months

Similar Blends: McConnell 7 Reserve.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pipeclubsi (17)	2020-06-16		Medium	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

After being more than satisfied with Black Mallory, I had to try it's close rival. This blend has got all one can need and expect from a quality brand. It does offer full aroma of it's fine mixture of natural tobacco but is still a surprisingly mild smoke. It burns really good and makes a rich smoke that plays around the palate to a smoker's great pleasure. I miss some spiciness perhaps, some sort of top edge to it. I usually drink strong Bock beer that numbs my mouth, so that might be the reason for it. My wife hates the smell, so I never smoke inside.

Pipe Used: Stanwell Hexagon

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: Dreier Graz Austria

Similar Blends: Black Mallory.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pipelicidad (26)	2019-12-01		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is a very nice tobacco. As many reviewers have noticed, this is an oriental-forward blend, although the taste is very balanced. Very pungent, some slightly leathery notes, with some nuttiness and tanginess. I have the impression the latter are the orientals-latakia input. There is some virginia-oathy properties every now and then. Almost no sweets spots. The best way I can describe this blend’s profile is as very intense without being heavy. Perfect combustion. The room note might rub some people the wrong way. Similar to Gawith’s Skiff Mixture, but the latter is milder and more floral.

Purchased From: Mysmokingshop

Similar Blends: skiff mixture.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Falliver (42)	2019-06-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Another sample from my local tobacco specialist, offering an expected dark and bright leaves and delivering woody, spicy, and grassy notes. It is of perfect moisture, packs really well, and lights simply.

Once lit, it stays lit, and delivers sweet Latakia-woodiness, whilst the Virginia offers sweet and grass like notes. The orientals too dances on the palate with spicy notes, prevalent with pink peppers. The two former bring the most distinctive notes to the smoke, which is is of a slightly more than medium body.

All in all, it’s a good smoke, offering a fine introduction to Latakia.

UPDATE

Reading the other reviews now, the woodiness seems to be prevalent in Orientals as well, (proving my novice), but meaning the tobaccos intermingle well with each other.

Pipe Used: GL Lillehammer 10

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Sol Cigar Oslo

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2016-08-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Medium-strength E.M., with a full note of incense (must smoke slowly and as cold as possible to appreciate), spicy at the beginning, earthy and more smoky during the second half, and a little leathery at the end (nicotine is, for the most part, in the last third). One of my preferred E.M., and without a great amount of nicotine.

Pipe Used: many briars

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: local tabacconist

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	THROATHIT (38)	2016-02-24		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Great flavour, I am a Rattary fan it has to be said and love the marlin, gowrie and htw, The red rap follows on in the tradition of good quality red vg with spice and fruity zest a plenty. This provides the fore taste to this brilliant English tobacco. the orientals and latakia just flow in with ease and the whole smoke just melds around your tongue until you exhale and just go straight back for more of the thick lush taste.

With any blend balance is key to enjoying it and this is by far my favourite English I have smoked so far with the smokey latakia taking a back seat but still singing I'm here all the way through the smoke. If I could give this ten stars I would.

Pipe Used: stefano exclusive briar

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: g q

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ATW (110)	2015-12-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I get a hint of flavor kind of similar to Dunhill 965 but for the most part it lacks in flavor after the first 1/4. It also bites me and burns hot. That's probably why it lacks in flavor because my taste buds get fried so quickly with this stuff. I jarred it up but I'm not getting my hopes up. It's already aged about a year so in 6 more months if there is no change then I'm throwing this one out.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	krg1000 (183)	2015-07-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This blend really hits it out of the park for me. The various components come together to form a blend that, for me, really says what a mild English is supposed to be. It comes out of the just opened tin a bit moist to some I am sure, but a little drying time will solve that. It lights easily enough and stays lit with little extra effort needed. The smell in the tin is just wonderful, as is the room note. This seems to burn on the slower side of things, which is fine with me. The more time to enjoy this fine blend, the better. When you work your way to the bottom of the bowl, there is a fine ash left with little else mixed in. The nicotine level is on the light side for me. All in all, highly recommended when its available in your neck of the woods.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Otis56 (31)	2014-12-05		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable

The virginia and orientals are in perfect harmony in this blend. The Latakia is a supporting role. Not to much, but for myself not enough. It packs easy and smokes perfect. But it will bite if you puff to hard. It has a very nice floral smell with a smoky overtone. Medium in strength. I like the blend but it is just to mild medium for myself. Peace.

Pipe Used: Ashton billard

Age When Smoked: 5 years

Purchased From: 4 noggins

Similar Blends: ?.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tilley4 (16)	2014-07-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Being relatively new to the world of pipes, I wanted to start with a blend that I smoke a lot of and this is as good a place as any....

Out of the tin, this tobacco needs a few minutes to dry as it seems to steam quite a bit if I don't....

I reach for this one when I am looking for a medium bodied English that I don't have to think about... delicately spicy with touches of the Orientals shining through here and there...

My wife isn't a big fan of the aroma on this one but I find it to be quite pleasant ... nothing offensive at all...

Pipe Used: Cob

Age When Smoked: 6 months

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pipe-junky (10)	2013-05-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

While i like blends with orientals i don't care for this one. After puffing on this one for about 5 large bowlfuls. i find the taste of the orientals over powering. its starts off soft then gets stronger as you smoke it.I can't find anything else taste wise in this smoke. room note is the same as with most latakia blends. you either like it or you don't. This is not one i will revisit, and would gladly trade this off.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TK Pipe (101)	2013-02-04		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Rattrays Red Rapparee… Not much to add about this old favorite that has not already been said by many others, except I found this blend different enough in flavor, when compared with my usual domestic VA blends that IMO anybody that enjoys such blends, that has not tried RR could be missing a winner. Personally if found this stuff a bit too strong, not so much its nicotine level, but with its aggressive almost aromatic (German style} flavor. For me a single bowl of RR is about all I can take before it's taste becomes overwhelming. So for my day to day choice I find myself reaching for a milder, smoother and less ARO like blend and saving RR for a change of pace smoke. So when it comes to VA. blends my “go-too” tobaccos probably will rarely include this one.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-11-18		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Delicate tan, black, brown, and olive short cut ribbon with a pleasantly fragrant tin nose of pungent orientals and smoky latakia with just a hint of sweet virginias.

According to the blender (Kohlhase & Kopp) of the tin on which this review is based, Red Rapparee is:

"A classic blend of spicy latakia, distinctive cuts of virginia, dark cavendish, and a healthy dose of orientals" (Klassischer Blend aus würzigem Latakia, unterschiedlich geschnittenen Virginatabaken, dunklem Cavendish und einem deutlichen Anteil Orient).

Quite wet in the tin (recent production), but dries quickly due to the fine cut. Packs and lights like a dream, immediately revealing a spicy top note which persists alongside a range of tangy, almost sour, flavors which meld nicely with the bright tasting virginias. Although it does make its presence known from time to time, the latakia clearly plays second fiddle here. The cavendish does seem to add some texture to the blend, but not much else.

Red Rapparee is, by my estimation, a fine oriental blend which deserves careful and measured consideration. It does have a tendency to bite, although this perhaps due to the youth of this particular sample. Should improve with age.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lochinvar (78)	2008-11-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Red Rapparee is my favorite tobacco, bar none. As long as it is around, I will be a happy camper. This is The Oriental mixture. While it shares many characteristics, it is not a Balkan, though a mere handful of Latakia, and it would be a Dreadnought of a Balkan. The Virginia and Orientals marry well, giving a sweet, pungent aroma. The flavor is very dry and citrusy, like a spicy bitter orange. Although many claim there is no Latakia in RR, I pick up faint background notes here and there, but it never comes to the fore. It just adds its leathery notes and a little oak smoke, then stands in the back of the room. It has a thin cut, packs well, and burns well, needing few relights, and I am usually to the bottom before I know it, the flavor never going sour (or more sour anyway). It is very close to Smoker's Haven Exotique (by Germain), but comes at perfect smoking moisture. This is one of only two mixtures I have dedicated a pipe to.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-06-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Two words: crazy good!

My all time favorite tobacco (wait, did I say that about MM965?). For the English/Oriental lover. Has teensie bit of latakia (if any at all), but full of great Orientals. The delish VAs create sweet, woodsy overtones, balancing with the spicy/smokey aroma from the Orient.

Smokes/packs great, hardly a re-light needed. Smoke starts out amazing but gets even better and complex (stronger with darker and salty/sour overtones)towards mid-bowl and bottom.

Recommend letting a fresh can "breath" (unseal and cover with plastic lid) for a few days, although not absolutely necessary, however I find it somehow brings out the flavors/aroma. Has satisfying amount of nicotine, in the mid range. Could smoke this stuff all day long, regardless of season. Where is that desert island? I have found the tobacco!

Red Rapparee powerfully reminds me why I gave up smoking cigars.

Rating: 97

-- Robert, "Mr Grabow", Bonsall Calif.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-04-14		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

A SUPERB oriental mixture from Rattray's.

For the record, I bought the bulk version, the only version available in Canada. It is most probably different than the tin, so until I buy the tinned version, these are my impressions.

Contains barely any Latakia, but remains a very rich, satisfying smoke. Extremely tasty, and the advantage is that you can smoke it in company without the dog starting to howl to death and scratch at the door, trying to escape.

Nice red shades, partially loose cut and ready rubbed, mixed with some brown and a small proportion of black leaves. Ideal moisture level.

Packs extremely well, lights oh so well, burns ideally. Rich Oriental taste alterning with the rich red VA, occasionnal hints of Latakia.

Wow! Here's a good occasion to pour myself a scandalous amount of Balvanie single malt 12 years...

Past half bowl, the tastes get stronger, but not overwhelming. Nice- and I have my Balvanie to smooth it down.

Man, such a nice change from the Latakia blends.

Bravo to Rattrays.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dubinthedam (133)	2008-04-13		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A classic oriental, superior to EMP, more complex and changing, as always...well done KnK and Rattray's.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-03-06		Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable

"ÜPDATE"...7th/03/2008. After storing approximately 10 Ounce's of Red Rapparee,away in a rubber sealed jar for 5 year's.I finally popped open the lid and had a smell of the content's (Which was heavenly) I rubbed just enough out and filled one of my Peterson 14 Bent Pipe's. As soon as the flame touched the inner top of the bowl and I took a small slow draw on my pipe "I WAS IN HEAVEN" The moisture content was absolutely 100% Perfect,the taste absolutely divine!!! I slowly sat down in my arm chair to really enjoy and concentrate on every beautiful draw with this pure delight. (No tongue burn what so ever,and the blend had perfectly absorbed the very best that each tobacco blend was in it,and had to offer leaving no question's of "If only" At all. It's perfection now in it's own right. I'll try very hard to make this perfect blend last,as long as possible. It's absolutely wonderful. "HIGHLY RECOMMENDED" =============================================================November-2003.Red Raparee. A most enjoyable smoke that is full of flavour.Light's easily & behave's very well, though a suggestion of a bite,if puffed to fast! If you enjoy red Virginia's or Oriental's,then this is worth a try as a combination of both.I can imagine a great improvement,if left to age.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-03-02		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Tin: Mostly bright, light-brown medium-to-long ribbon cut, some black, short ribbon, with a minute amount of olive medium-cut ribbon. I don't perceive a red tinge. Has a musty, raisin smell akin to McCranie's Red Ribbon.

Packing & Lighting: Easy to pack, gravity feed with tapping, then compress the top. Lightly moist, but the tobacco is easily rolled into a ball, but is not sticky. Lights easily and stays lit. No moisture problems at all; afterwards, when cleaning the pipe, there is only a little condensate left in the bowl. Taste: Part of the way through the bowl, I was reminded of Dunhill 965, having a smooth quality akin to the cavendish in 965. I would say this is better than a comparable McClelland; not sharp or harsh, retaining a spicy tang element as one signature component.

A quality tobacco that begs to be repeatedly tasted in short, rapid puffs. This elicits the qualities of a fine tobacco: soft balance of a cavendish, creamy, velvety, gentle sweetness, vaguely smoky.

As an aside, if you are concerned about the tin description advertising, I wouldn't associate this good pipe tobacco to any aspect of a cigar.

In the starting blocks, it displays the prospects of a sharp, tangy VA, but soon settles into a splendid, multi-faceted experience: cool, dry, and clean.

Aroma: a soft, medium-strength tobacco, not at all, vaguely musty, with perhaps a chocolate complexion. Nothing pungent, harsh, or strong about it, I would list it as mild to medium in all aspects, the epitome of ephemeral and eternal.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-02-29		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Somebody on this page commented on this tobacco as being "like Presbyterian Mixture without the plum taste". They were spot on and to be congratulated, it was the plum note in PM which stopped that tobacco becoming my number one regular smoke. Red Rapparee from Rattray's is the answer to my long search. I have always liked English mixtures, Dunhill 965 was always my regular smoke, until that is, it became unavailable here in the UK. I have tried most of the other Rattray's offerings and find most of them very even tempered, nothing to write home about buy OK. RR is all together different.

This is an update- I read reviews on 7 Reserve Medium and as you will note RR has the same constituents as 7 Reserve but 7 Reserve is blended for the all day smoker. I have tried 7 Reserve in the past but although agreeable and mild mannered it lacked something- the solution- blend it 60% 7 Reserve 40% RR. Perfect an all day smoke with a little more oomph. With regard to tongue bite, yes it can bite a bit if smoked thoughtlessly but given due respect I noted no bite, also good room note and decent outdoor performance- very highly recommended

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-02-22		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

If you like strong tobacco that burns hot, fast, and dry, then this is for you. The moisture content right out of the tin was extremely low, and the superfine cut means no matter how you pack it this stuff burns like tobacco dust -- make sure you've got some serious cake in your pipe, or you're going to be tasting wood.

If, on the other hand, you prefer a long, slow, leisurely smoke that's not going to kick you in the seat of your pants, then this stuff is so NOT for you.

Good flavour -- fruity at the top, malty and sweet at the bottom. But the burn characteristics and the strengths make this a one-star tobacco for me.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Xeneize (275)	2007-08-06		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

This tobacco is hard to match. The equilibrium between Virginia and Oriental is perfect, providing a consistent experience from top to bottom.

It tastes like top quality Virginia-Oriental-Latakia, although they say it has none of the latter (Update: the more I smoke it, the less I believe it).

The DGT is delightful, and shows how outstanding the Virginias in this blend are. Even in the background, they are mainly what makes this tobacco so remarkable.

If not the best Oriental mixture, one of the best.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	AL (26)	2007-02-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

For me Red Raparee is an excellent example for an Oriental blend, I use this blend as my benchmark for a Full Oriental. In my mind Rattrays uses a ribbon cut with this blend, it does not appear to me to be a broken flake. I have found that the bulk and tin versions to be nearly identical, with the bulk delivered a little dryer. The blend is consistent from one tin to the next. I smoke one pipe full of this daily, usually mid-day, occasionally as a first smoke of the day on a clear pallet. On opening a tin, I find this tobacco to have a light aroma, to me it mostly smells like tobacco. It is a blend of lighter colored Virginias and Orientals ribbons; I find no dark tobacco in this blend. My guess is that the Oriental is a Turkish tobacco. I do enjoy Latakia blends but find no Latakia component in this blend. Red Raparee comes well mixed and I have found no stalks, stems, or other unwanted items so far. As little as three months of aging makes a difference with this blend, it just gets better with time, the Oriental mellows and the smoke is more pleasurable. Currently I have a mix of tins and bulk, about five pounds. I use this tobacco in a medium sized bowl that has been dedicated to Red Raparee. My Raparee pipe has had a couple years of daily use with this blend and has taken on a signature of Red Raparee enhancing each smoke.

Loading Red Raparee is easy; light up is likewise very easy due to the cut. I gently tamp throughout the smoke. An Oriental for me has tartness. Other Oriental blends that I smoke have a mild or less noticeable tartness with the Virginia playing more of a role in the blend. This blend is tart unlike the others, the percentage of Oriental is either higher or the leaf is exceptional in this respect. Some smokers may think that Raparee is giving them a sharp bite and I would imagine that not everyone would enjoy this tobacco. After lightup and a few minutes of gentle puffing, this blend settles down. For me the Orientals are the main player, quite powerful, and stay in the spotlight until nearly the end of the smoke when the Virginia kicks in a little for a wonderful finish. I personally do not get a big hit of nicotine from this blend. This blend produces what my wife calls a neutral room aroma compared to some of the other blends that I smoke. In my experience Red Raparee burns down to a fine powdery light gray ash. Recommended for those smokers who enjoy a predominately Oriental smoke.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sasquatch (90)	2006-12-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

A huge full Dunhill-esque English this is not. It is however, a delicious blend, perfectly proportioned, and one that shows you don't have to have a great wad of latakia (or any) to have a really flavorful natural blend. Orientals lend a tea-like quality over the sweet virginia base, and it works for me. A little less leathery and plummy than Presbyterian, and maybe just a touch woodier and spicier.

I don't know if the reviewers who pan this got a bad batch or what, but I can't imagine giving this less than 3 stars.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-12-19		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

This was my first English/Oriental blend of character and strength. Not too long ago, I finished a can that I'd let sit for 10 years and the age had made it even more enjoyable. Certainly, the old 'blended by' stuff was great but the newer 'blended for' material is also noteworthy - just a little different. This is a robust blend whose treatment of the virginia leaf is unequaled in any other except for it's big brother Black Mallory. Sweet and musky, it burns clean and has several notes of flavor that would suggest a latakia. The fragrance from the tin is rich and opulent, one that boldly proclaims what is yet to come. You best learn to smoke this one slowly, not just for the flavor but it will turn on you if you're impatient with it. Have fun with this - I certainly have for many years.

Meerschaum Man Smoking a circa '42 Koncak Rhodesian Meer

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-02-22		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I was hesitant to try this blend, but boy am I glad I did! Now TAD has taken over and whenever I see it, I have to grab a few tins -- heck, for each tin of this I've smoked, I bet I've bought 3! Very nice combination of Va's and orientals -- some say no latakia, some say heavy latakia -- I'm not sure, I jsut know that this is a bright, yet somewhat rough blend. I like its roughness. I gind this blend tastes best in tall slender pipes -- I have two skinny dublins that come to mind. It needs some drying before loading, and keep pipe cleaners handy. Care needs to be taken in puffing cadence but not as much care as if this were a straight red VA. This is similar to Penzance in taste to me -- though lighter in smokiness, but richer in the VA column. (Of course the cut is drastically different.)

Great blend. Higest marks.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Beer (345)	2004-09-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Ok, how do you approach to reviewing a legendary tobacco? With reverence, but also with the will not to lose one's objectivity. The tin appearance and smell clearly scream "English blend", with the fine cut, pungent smell and brownish/reddish/dotted black look typical of some Dunhill tobaccos. Yes, the comparison is not far-fetched: I found several similarities between Red Rapparee and Dunhill's Standard Mixture Medium. Of the two I have a slight preference towards Rattray's blend, which I find a bit less sweet and more balanced between virginias and Latakia. It lights well, burns well (a bit too fast and hot if you don't take some care) and leaves a very fine light ash which doesn't encrust the pipe. Flavor remains very distinct throughout the whole bow. If it didn't tend to burn my tongue more than some other of my favorite English blends, it would be a very nice all-day smoke. A very good tobacco, maybe less personal and distinctive than some other blends, but of very respectable quality.

2012 Update: After several years, I must say that this tobacco has remained the same... although my tastes have got more refined. Yes, I think that there are SEVERAL better English blends around, and Red Rapparee probably has a bit too much cavendish for my taste, making it seem a bit flat and dull at times while with a certain peculiar fullness of body and "roughness" in the back of the palate. Anyway, it still is the best Rattray mixture with orientals together with Black Mallory: all their other ones are insipid stuff. And it still is very decent and enjoyable, if you like the style and take care to dry it a little bit before smoking.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pippifein (7)	2023-03-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

It's a really fine tobacco that is very well balanced. The baselines are very good Virginias, then there are the Orientals and the Latakia. The tobaccos are so well coordinated that no one takes the lead, first the Virginia is in front, then the Oriental, the Latakia never pushes itself to the fore, but rounds off this balance again and again. This results in a very lively play of aromas. For Latakia lovers it is probably not equipped with enough Latakia, but its very good balance and depth of aromas still make it worthwhile. I also recommend this tobacco to smokers who tend to avoid Latakia, and especially to newcomers.

Pipe Used: Il Ceppo

Purchased From: Local Dealer

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JaWiBr (452)	2023-02-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Tin note of sharply sweet ripe fruit, smoky, and spices. Tobacco is black, dark brown, and a little light brown ribbon cut. Moisture content is good, though some may want to dry it a bit. Burns slow with a few extra relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild to medium. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium and somewhat consistent, with notes of spices, toasted bread, smoky, mildly incense, dry wood, leather, sugar, floral, spicy, acidic, musty vegetation, herbal, tangy citrus, sweet, sour, savory, orange peel/zest, a tart stewed dark fruit mildly bitter background note, and a peppery retro. Virginias is leading with Black Cavendish, Oriental/Turkish and Latakia supporting expertly. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

Pipe Used: James Upshall Smooth Acorn (4) (P) (FH)

Age When Smoked: 4 years

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Antonello Zugaro (7)	2022-02-02		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Tabacco di ottima qualità... Più un Balkan che una English Mixture. Predominanza degli Orientali sul Latakia. Dolce ed equilibrato somiglia vagamente al Dunhill Aperitif. Il Cavendish non si sente ( per fortuna) ... Sospetto che sia Cavendish di tipo inglese (Virginia pressati e trattati con vapore piuttosto che Burley sottoposto a casing). Sia per novizi che per esperti. Tabacco di qualità.

Pipe Used: Ganci, Amorelli, Ser Jacopo, Foundation

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Matel (6)	2020-08-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This review will be just short enough to bring up my favourite's English blend rating!

The only point I want to make is the colour. Not a single strand of anything similar to red. It's just dark. As such blend should be.

Pipe Used: Butz-Choquin Captain 70, Vauen's rhodesian

Age When Smoked: Two years old.

Purchased From: Sherlock trafika, Warsaw, Poland

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lingo (39)	2019-04-27		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a very mellow one. Mellow at smell, at touch when you pick it, mellow smoke and a mellow roomnote. I am sure the Cavendish/Oriental play is essential here, and RR is absolutely the first tobacco I suggest when somebody wants to drive the Latakia road (other is Red Lion by Rattray’s).

It is a comfortable smoke, even for those less accustomed to EMs.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	KahveDelisi (73)	2017-12-02		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

The name Red Rapparee suggests something adventurous and wild. However, in my case, a monocle-wearing baton carrying Englishman with a handlebar mustache in his late twenties popped out of the tin, and I offered him some bergamot tea. He has been talking about his uncle's ivory business overseas ever since.

Similar Blends: Dunhill - My Mixture 965.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kreisi John (4)	2016-04-02		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Quality mild allround smoke with a sweet bite of Latakia. Not for all, but a good choise for a beginners and for those who doesnt like rich smokes. Very sugary aftertaste. One streets I wear this.

Pipe Used: Savinelli 2614, Danish billard (Holtorp)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CubanPiper (13)	2016-03-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I was browsing the shelfs and found this tin. It must have been sitting in there for like ten years, the tobacconist doesn't even orders this brand any more. I opened the tin, smoked a bowl and thought it was ok. After a month or so in a mason jar it has change for the better. It is now tastier, and somewhat sweeter. The virginias and the orientals are the main players here, the latakia is in there somewhere. It smokes and tastes good, but I would not call this an english.

Age When Smoked: about 10 years

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	wandyhee (16)	2015-10-09		Mild	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

My favourite latakia blend alongside Drew Estate Meat Pie. Better price as well, fine cut, easy lit, smooth, plenty of smoke, fine ash. everything is perfect with this tobacco.

Pipe Used: Golden Gate Bent Apple

Age When Smoked: New in pack

Purchased From: romeogift.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Llewellyn (9)	2014-10-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Sweet with a little tang. Cannot puff heavily without a little discomfort, but very tasty all the way through. This and Dunhill's Early Morning Pipe are a favourite morning or mid-day oriental smoke.

Pipe Used: Standard

Age When Smoked: 3 years

Purchased From: Cupojoes

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	gam86 (49)	2014-03-14		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Strong

Unfortunally the cavendish used caused me a great throat irritation. I would say is not reccomend for "sensible" throat. Nevertheless I would reccomend you to try it if you want to star an English Modern Mixture Journey.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmokeDawg (82)	2014-01-24		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Oh my what a wonderful blend! Now I know why you see this on back order from several major tobacco websites. I taste the Rattrays style virginas like Hal o The Wynd. It's the same sweetness and flavor but with the added orientals and cavendish it goes complex and adds much depth to this flavor able blend, it's anything but boring. I can find no fault with this blend. My highest rating of four stars easy.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CTS (138)	2013-12-24		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

Sweet and tangy, intermittently transforming back-and-forth with a sour and salty combination. Although I don't know about burning "with the spontaneity of a fine cigar", it certainly consistently delivers an excellent peppery and smooth retrohale, similar to a fine cigar. It also required no relighting. I guess this could well explain tobacco spontaneity, in a cigar context.

Pipe Used: Bjarne Churchwarden, Savinelli, Cristiano

Age When Smoked: unknown (does anyone know how to crack the codes?)

Purchased From: The Briary, Homewood, AL one month ago.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2013-07-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

This was an odd smoke. Sort of confusing to my sense of taste. Tasted as though the Va was not present and there was just a weak presence of Orientals. This just wasn't enjoyable, too soft, too weak...smoke with little to offer aroma or taste-wise.

Smoke in peace all.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LoneRider (24)	2012-07-27		Medium to Strong	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I smoked Red Rapperee back in the '70s when I first srarted smoking pipes. This is most definately not the same blend. Rapperee had a distinctive aroma, not quite like anything else. That's not to say that the new blend is terrible; there's just not anything great about it. It's mild and rather forgettable. Oh, how I wish I had a time machine!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Katharsis (39)	2011-12-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I picked up a fairly aged tin of this at my local tobacconist. It was the only one in the store, it was bulging, and the sales guy said it had an inventory tag from the previous ownership. All good signs. :) So, keep in mind this is an aged tin review, and I've never had it non-aged.

Wine-like, as others have said, is a good description. Some say latakia, I say no latakia. I understand why people would say that, though. The orientals in here are fairly smoky flavored, and, as a friend pointed out, latakia IS oriental/turkish, just prepared differently over smoke. I'd say the VAs dominate, but the Ors and the Cavendish definitely add a very smooth, sweet, and delicate finish to it all. This one is a winner in my book. Tin smell is a bit more smoky than the actual flavor is, but overall pretty accurate to the taste.

I'm also not sure what people are talking about with Perique. This blend has none, nor can I pick up anything close -- no stewed fruit or black pepperiness of Perique.

Also, if you're like me and don't like Cavendish, don't let that turn you off. I barely pick up on it, and it's used to smooth this blend, not give it a Cavendish taste.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2011-06-28		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Boy oh Boy, this brings back memories , I just tried again after 45 years and I don't think it has changed. Mostly Orientals out front and a hint of sweetness from the Virginia, nice. It's not my first choice with a Balkan/ English , I find it a little bland and a little harsh. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I find this hard to keep lit when slow sipped so I find myself puffing harder than I think I should. I got a tin of Black Mallory coming and my memory from 45 years ago says I will like it better, we will see?

Updated9/21/11 : This really benefited from a few months left to breath in a closed tin, drying has really made this easy to pack ( I like the ribbon cut) and stays lit at a sip ( easy to over tamp while smoking and cause a blockage). I still find it spicy during the first 1/3 of the bowl, but the flavor is a great Oriental, creamy not sweet, maybe even a little bitter . I think this will continue to improve with more cellaring. The best can do is 2 1/2 stars

Updated 12/13/11_ What a change with cellaring , smooth, salty, creamy flavorfull no spicy heat 3 1/2 stars I'll buy more

Updated- 2/20/13 - Wow, I've had this cellared for about 14 months and it is wonderful. Creamy, fruity, intresting spice scent ( like Chinese 5 spice) and smooth ( traces of hot spice gone), . I stocked up on more , this knocked Dunhills London blend out of the rotation.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tripjoker (65)	2009-11-22		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This is one of the Rattray offerings that I do tend to like. It's a bit on the light side for my tastes and is not a regular in my rotation, but a worthy tobacco nonetheless.

The virginia and oriental interplay here is really well done and the result is true harmony. Nothing is overdone. If you concentrate, you can pick out the different leaves as the bowl progresses. But nothing hits you in the head and screams at you. I tend to like that in this blend.

For me, a little drying time has always been necessary to avoid a hot steamy smoke. My tins have always had a good seal and the factory moisture has always been intact. A good all day smoke if you are into the lighter side of tobacco. A nice occasional smoke for me.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dk-piper (25)	2009-09-16		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is my first "English blend". One of the best burning tobaccos i've had so far.

...tastes a little soapy, moldy, oily, smoky. Almost like an old sweaty sock.

I guess i had to get used to the latakia in this blend. (on the backside of the tin, it says that it has a good amount of zypriotic latakia in it) is the latakia causing this soapy taste? But to my surprise i find myself smoking this blend all the time. There's something to it. It's very smooth, burns excellent, and once in a while a hint of cigar-flavour comes through, backed up with a subtle sweetness. Still, i don't know what to think about this soapy, smoky, oily taste, which comes through once in a while. I guess this is why some pipe-smokers do not like blends with latakia in it. Nonetheless a great blend. This tobacco tastes like a fancy oriental bazar. Meaning, that it's very flavourful...your taste buds wont be bored, that's for sure.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-04-18		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Preface: I have been smoking Dunhill Standard Mixture Medium for near-on 30 years, believing that it has no equal anywhere on earth. But it is gone now, and so I begin a quest for my Holy Grail: A substitute to replace the standard on which all English tobaccos are based:

Red Rapparee is a good, complex tobacco. A rarity, it stays interesting throughout the bowl. But for my preferences, it lacks the richness and full-body of SMM that I crave. Reducing the Orientals, and upping the Virginias & Latakia would be more in line with my preferences. If the German translation indicating Cavandish is correct, this would also account for the lack of body.

Tin moisture is perfect (moist), burns well, too well actually, quite fast as a matter of fact.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Frosty (29)	2007-12-22		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Strong

I am officially in LOVE! I am a new reviewer, and this tobacco has been so expertly described already that I will simply relate my experience. First, I am only now exploring the world of Oriental/Balkan/English blends, so here goes. Upon opening the can, I was greeted with strong fruity, smokey, heady aromas. I packed this gently into a 1/4 bent poker with a straight walled chamber and gently played the match over the tobacco. Oh boy! I was completely knocked out by the flavors! First came the plummy flavors, then I swear I tasted apricots, then plums again, then a riot of fruity, smokey flavors which have been described better than I could by other reviewers. The fruity flavors diminished around 1/3 down the bowl, and the Virginias peeked out to look around, in perfect balance with the Orientals. The Virginias really develope at this point. The hair on the back of my neck stood up! I tried this in a variety of pipes, but for me it really soars in a straight wall chambered pipe. I find this to be satisfying in the nicotene dept, and was in a trance when the bowl was finished, both from the nicotene and unbelievable flavors. I only smoke outside, but I can imagine the room note would be subject for unsolicited comment if smoked inside. I am now scrambling to raise funds to stock my cellar with this. I just love this! I can't say enough good things about Red Rapparee!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tacoeatingzebra (37)	2007-11-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This tobacco is one of a kind. Not a ton of latakia here. I would call it Early Morning Pipe Plus, but where EMP is my least favorite Dunhill blend, Red Rapparee has oomph and flavor torque that EMP lacks to make it more enjoyable. This is a new favorite and I love it in a Ferndown canadian that suits it just perfectly. Also I would compare it favorably with Presbyterian Mixture, though without the plummy perique like flourish and more of a cigarish bass note.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-08-31		Mild to Medium	Strong	Full	Tolerable

I have smoked this blend for years and I actively seek it out. Flavor is unmached. The brand is like that of a long defunct mixture called State Exprees (yes, they made pipe tobacco). Sadly I find red hard to procure for some reason.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RMBittner (66)	2007-06-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A full-strength oriental/Virginia blend that, due to the red Virginias, can edge toward harshness but which nevertheless offers a satisfying smoking experience for the lover of oriental tobaccos. That's me: I do love orientals. And while I might be inclined to smoke a smoother blend (like Presbyterian Mixture, for example) more regularly, I am always going to keep a tin of Red Rapparee on hand.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	drdave (17)	2007-05-24		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

After smoking many cans of this in the last coupe of years it needs to be downgraded to two stars. I really wanted to love this weed again, but sadly, it's a ghost of its former incarnation. Inconsistent blending and it lacks the oomph and variety it used to have. 2 stars As mentioned in another review (Dunhill's Standard Mixture Medium) I'm smoking pipes again after many years of neglecting them. In those old days, one of the favorites was Rattray's Red Rapparee, so then: In his "...Booklet on Tobacco Blending", Charles Rattray wrote about Red Rapparee, "It is of no use whatever to those who merely puff." Maybe what he meant by that, in my very subjective experience, is that Red Raparree is a good strong smoke when puffed, but when slowly sipped it reveals an entire universe of flavor; the tangy virginias are always at play in the background as the blend starts out with a deeply exotic incense-like taste, at mid-bowl developing a wonderful smoky fullness, late in the game becoming subtly sweet and finishing in a melange of all the flavors with a dash of salt. It's definitely different than it was in the days of old, with a less tart taste, but it is still absolutely one of the greatest tobaccos ever blended by the hand of man. There is nothing shy about this stuff, it comes right up to you with a great strong shake. Right now I'm looking at my 45 briars lined up in their racks and thinking about dedicating 43 of them exclusively to the Red Rapparee.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-03-15		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Rattray's Red Rapparee is a Virginia/Oriental par excellence. The wonderful complexity of this blend is the thing that keeps me coming back to load up yet another bowl. In short, the varitiels used in Red Rapparee work together, complimenting each other, combining to create a creamy smooth smoking experience. In the tin and while smoking, its aroma is sweet, musty and rich. It burns cool, dry and clean. While the initial flavor is dominated by the delicious Orientals, the natural sweetness of the Virginias lingers in the background as a rich full smokiness develops. Some say this blend contains no Latakia, but the main character in this show is the Orientals and the aroma is quite pungent. Red Rapparee always satisfies. In my opinion, one of the finest Virginia/Orientals available today.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-02-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

This is still a classic blend. Recently, I opened a 50g tin and found the condition of the tobacco more to my liking than the 100g tins. The tobacco was drier, and very easy to pack and light (after 15 minutes drying time). Like many heavy virginia tobaccos this could burn hot if you are not careful with your smoking technique. Unfortunately, very few people will like the room note of this blend.

Update Feb. 2007 One month later and I've been smoking this regularly. I enjoy it much more after experiemnting with the right moisture. I think it is Rattray's current best offering. The virginia's in this tobacco do have a rich and sweet taste and smell nice while burning. It's style truly is a Virginia/Oriental. However, Red Raparee is a much more Scottish/English character than other virginia/oriental mixtures such GL Pease Caravan or McLleland's Virginia NO. 24. These are not even close to Red Raparee

I smoke this tobacco because it makes me think of Scotland, and because it is unique and delicious!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-02-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This has become my favourite hot weather English (or should that be Scottish?) mixture. I swear there is a modicum of Latakia in it but I may be wrong (certainly my tin has a small sprinkling of dark tobacco that smells to me like Latakia). No matter - what you get when you light up is a wonderful citrus like sharpness of Virginia backed up with delightfully perfumy Orientals. The flavours are not "compressed" but weave in and out during the smoke in separate strands. While being light in character Red Rapparee delivers a "fullness" that is most satisfying.

On a warm evening a pipe of Red Rapparee and an ice cold Pilsener or hop-laden India Pale Ale make a fantastic combination.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	OleFattGuy (27)	2006-05-23		Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

My tobacconist claimed that this was the best tobacco. Period. I didn't believe him at first and not being an authority follower, I carried on with my excursions into aromatics and other. After half a year or so I had worked my way full circle and stood in front of the desk ordering a tin of RR. My tobacconist with a very smug smile said: "Oh, already?" Slightly irritated at him, or maybe at myself I brought the can home and put it in my cabinet, muttering something or other. That night I ventured into a new world of pipe smoking. This was by far the best. Tobacco. Ever. I had to stuff another pipe and smoke it. And a third one before my mouth started to melt away. I have since experimented with two other Rattray's blends and they are somewhat alike, there is an unmistakable Rattray's taste to them, probably due to the high class Virginias that comprise Marlin Flake and Black Mallory. Buy this. Smoke it. You'll be happy you did.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-04-13		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

RR is my first go at a VA/Oriental and what a trip it has been. I'm halfway through the tin, and I keep wanting more. The wonderful complexity of this blend is the thing that makes me keep wanting to load up another bowl.

I haven't smoked enough of this to notice many of the subtleties mentioned by other reviewers, but I have smoked enough to know I need to cellar some of this stuff, for years to come.

The Cut info should probably be updated. I have only seen RR cut in ribbon. Maybe it is available as a broken flake elsewhere?

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-03-13		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

One of my all-time favorites. I love the quality, balance, complexity and firm strength of this blend?s components. The Virginias, Orientals, latakia, and unsweetened cavendish work in perfect concert creating a creamy, velvety, etouffe-like smoking experience. With each puff, you taste a proportional, well timed gentle sweetness, saucy spiciness, and delightful smokiness. Also, the blend has a very unique saltiness toward the end of the bowl which adds another taste sensation. When the saltiness begins, coddling the blend with further gentle puffing adds further complexity and character to the savory mix. The salty trait gives this blend a nautical feel that transports me to a creaky old galley or a dark smoky pub in a foggy port-of-call. I find it is best after dinner with cocktails or coffee/tea. The blend is always immensely satisfying, and so much so, I only smoke it once per day or so.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipepundit (168)	2006-02-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

The English satirical magazine Punch reviewed Red Rapparee some time in the Seventies and rated it the best tobacco in the market - this compared to the Balkan Sobranies, the Dunhills and the Sullivan Powells. I learnt of the tobacco from that review and acquired a fair quantity from a Cambridge tobacconist. Enjoyed it, but preferred others.

Coming back to it after several years I can attribute the gap only to an insufficiently sensitive palate thirty years ago! This is a splendid concoction that teases and tickles rather than promote repose. I taste the red virginias first and then the ensemble begins to develop into a multi-faceted taste and flavour experience. Kaleidoscopic.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-01-13		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

To date, RR is my favorite of Rattrays blend,(though havent tried HOTW yet). A nice mild-medium mixture, soft ribbon cut,though a touch moist out the tin. Wonderful fragrance upon opening and packs well. For me the taste of the orientals shine when not too dry. It is a tobak that seems to DGT`s well too as I smoke this many times on long trips in the car and sometimes have frequent relights during the journey.The Va`s and oriental are well blended together providing a very satisfying smoke that does not have too many highs and lows. A nice flavor alway down to touchdown! Many times not realizing you have smoked all the tobacco remaining untill dumping of the light grey ash. Will have some in the hangar for future trips!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spike (296)	2005-10-07		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

This blend is known to be a classic. I don't know if the R.R. I bought was of the revamped, Danish style or what but I find it to be uniquely harsh compared to any other English or Oriental mixture I have ever smoked. My tin is about a year old now. I come back to it from time to time in hopes my tastes had matured or the tobac has aged to a more usable state, but it hasn't happened yet. My advise to experimenters is to sample a pinch before you buy. At the rate I'm consuming my 100 gram tin it will last me the rest of my life.(10-09-2004)

Update: With more piping experience and a caveat, I am upgrading my rating to four stars. It is still too strong in flavor for frequent use but as a first or second pipe of the day it is a wonderfull tobacco blend. It is also much better to smoke it very slowly and just barely keep it lit. (10-07-2005)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-08-31		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

RRR is the epitome of complexity and paradox: bright, heavy, ephemeral and eternal. What to reach for if you want an English Oriental Virginia.

This always seems to work best in a Savinelli 611 KS, Blast or Roma; it's equal parts London Mixture and Escudo. Smoke this for the exquisite flavor and the smoke that curls out both the bowl and the bit.

This holds up beside Balkan Sobranie - one of the greats.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sasha (228)	2005-07-29		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Medium English blend at its best, Red Rapparee is a true classic, in the line of Dunhill Standard and Balkan Sobranie O.S.M. This one is more turkish-oriented than the other two, but nice balanced. A fine all-day smoke.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Paddy (127)	2005-06-17		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Patience is rewarded. I recently decided to visit a tin of this old friend which had been sitting quietly in my basement for over 12 years. The color and art work on the tin were slightly different from the more recently purchased tins of RR sitting alongside it. The tobacco was compressed, and I had to dig it out as I transferred the contents to a bail top jar. From the initial light, this was a treat. The red Virginias had aged to the point where they had absolutely no harshness and no bite, but provided tremendous backbone to the blend. The taste of the Virginias was natural, rich and deep. The latakia and orientals had also matured, eliminating any rough edges. This is hefty English blend at its finest. I believe the quality of the tobacco in this blend is extraordinary. I would describe the smoke as substantial and solid, smooth and spicey. As with a few of the old classics, there is nothing quite like it. And you need a few tins on hand, patiently aging, just for peace of mind. Most highly recommended. Paddy.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-06-07		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Rattray's Red Raparee is a tobacco with multiple personalities, and one that may make a poor first impression (as it did with me). After reading the posted reviews, I decided this one was worth a try. When I opened the fresh tin, I began to wonder if I'd made a mistake. The tin aroma had a distinctively unpleasant smoky sourness to it, and the tobacco itself was damp and greasy. The first smoke wasn't all that impressive either; it had a somewhat bitter undertone, was reluctant to stay lit and tended to bite a little too much. I thought maybe some drying out might help, and it did. Now that the tobacco is on the dry side, it burns smoothly and rarely needs a relight. The sour smell in the tin, the bite and the bitter taste are gone too; this is a pleasant, easy-smoking mixture. I like it better with each pipeful; it's a nice relaxing smoke. The choice of pipe seems to take on extra importance with R.R. too; I prefer it in a full-bent Peterson Emerald. This is becoming one of my favorites, and is definitely worth a try-- but let it dry out a little first!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	bumbum (20)	2005-05-22		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I recently bought a tin of "Red Rapparee" at my usual tobacconist's, just in order to try somthing new. It is a mild mixture (seems like I'm in the minority here) and pleasant, but nothing more. I miss the kick from the Latakia and the Perique, but the Virginia is smooth, gentle, and fine. And there is a touch of Oriental, which I love. As a pipesmoker definetely preferring the stronger mixtures (My Mix. 965, Paul Olsen's Blue Queen and King George VI) I will probaly smoke "Red Rapparee" in the morning - it is too "flat" and mild for me in the afternoon and in the evening. Bumbum.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-01-16		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Despite the fact that I do not generally care for Virginia/Oriental blends (unless they have loads of latakia involved too), this is a fine tobacco! It develops into a rather full aroma and flavour (an understatement if I've ever uttered one), but it's actually quite gentle on the tongue and palate.

The only problem I noticed with this blend is its moisture content. For my first bowl, I made the mistake of not allowing a bowl's worth to dry before loading up. I had problems keeping the tobacco lit and there was a lot of gurgling in the pipe. Subsequent bowls were allowed to dry a bit before smoking, and this alleviated that problem all around.

Full-flavoured, but not so high in nicotine as to make the smoker feel queasy. A worthy tobacco recommendation.

ADDENDUM, 01/16/2005: I have smoked quite a bit of this tobacco since the review above was written. If anything, I appreciate the fine qualities of this mixture more and more with each additional pipefull. Excellent stuff!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2004-12-18		Medium	None Detected	Full	Strong

Where Black mallory is sharp,and seems to sit on a cliff above the sea, RR is mellow. The Red Virginias involved here are relaxed and have a flavourful sourness to them that plays along with the orientals so lovingly. I smoke my RR in an Ashton xx,pebble grain. The taste is relaxed,mellow and exotic all in one. A fine smoke.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2004-11-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

RRR is a great blend, it packs easily in all but the smallest pipes, it lights easily, burns well (sometimes no relights required all the way to the bottom of the bowl), the taste is well balanced for a medium english, and it has just enough kick.

This will become one of my personal top 5. The play of the V/L/O together is amazing. Toasty, spicy, creamy, meaty; like a good lamb curry. NOV04

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2004-08-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

I have to confess, unlike some others, the name of this one is not what attracted me. In fact, I had no idea what it meant. (I looked it up) Red Rapparee is what I will refer to as the ?parent? blend of a series of three ? 7 Reserve and 3 Noggins being the other two. RR is the heaviest of the three.

The flavors in RR are indeed quite like those in the other two blends, just much more so. Like the other two blends, the Oriental leads of the opening act, and tones down quickly. The charring light and the first few puffs can be a bit harsh, but this is temporary. The biggest difference I noticed was that the Latakia comes out right after the charring light in a much more pronounced way. The Virginias have enough backbone to show themselves amongst the heavier flavors.

I have to say that this is my favorite of the three. I liked the Va strength in 7 Reserve, and the touch of Latakia in 3 Noggins was good. Red Rapparee tastes to me like a combination of the other two - accentuating the best features of each, and then giving the flavor wheel a few turns upward.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2004-05-29		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

For me, thing about Rattray's is that you tend to like their blends or you don't because of the distintive flavor and sharpness of taste. Personally, I found it good for a while, tasting sharp like a burgandy, but lacking that certain fullness. If you are into virginia blends, this will certainly be a must stopover, at least once, as it's a distinctive flavor in a rather packed field. For the jaded, the sharp sweetness could be a nice change of pace. The oriental tobaccos a times seem overwhelmed by the virginia here, but in my opinion, the kind of virgina this company uses has always been what set it apart. Also, you tend to have to buy it in 4 oz. tins, so if you've got a lot of tobacco to smoke if you find that it's not to your taste. Many tobacconists keep open tins for samples, see if your's has one so you can try it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2004-03-18		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I have tried several Rattray's blends and never been disappointed. Red Rapparee was no exception. The ribbon cut blend was perfectly hydrated in the tin. The aroma was such that I immediately wanted to throw another log on the fire and relax. It packed and lit well. The flavor was exquisite English. A nice full blend with a balance of sweet and spice. It was very much a blend for reading a book. You want to take your time and savor this one. Not an all day blend but and end of the day blend. The room note will likely not please the spousal unit. That being said it is a very well recommended blend.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2004-03-08		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

Mostly light and medium brown ribbon mixture with a spattering of black from Latakia, Red Rapparee from Rattray's is a dream-blend for the lover of Oriental leaf. It provides medium complexity and quite a bit of richness.

Latakia plays third fiddle and that only softly. Spicey and floral-scented Turkish leaf leads the orchestra, with some stout Viginia leaf second in-line providing flavor. The Turkish tobacco is truly mouth-watering.

Having smoked this for a year now, I conclude for myself that RR is best as the last pipe of the day. My tastebuds are overwhelmed by the Turkish tobacco after a medium or larger size bowl.

This blend really did nothing for me in a pipe smaller than a group 4, and it did too much in a group 6 or larger.

The initial moisture content of this blend subdues its excellent burning qualities and taste.

This is edgey stuff that can burn one mercilessly if puffed carelessly, and even with thoughtful care, my tongue is ready for a night's rest. Nonetheless, not too much on the market compares with RR for Oriental leaf lovers.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2004-02-16		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is a fairly stout english blend. If you do not like a fair wallop of latakia I would probably avoid this. Even though the latakia content seems high, I do not think that it overwhelms the blend- it just sits towards the front. This does not smoke smooth but it is not harsh either. It does smoke fairly cool as I experienced no bite or excess heat from this blend. This is a quality english blend that I like to smoke when in the mood for a fairly heavy english blend. I would consider this better than average but not superior in its genre. Recomended to the latakia lover. Worth a try.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2003-10-09		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I must admit that Rattray's Red Raparee was the tobacco that made me fall in love with English mixtures, so I hold this first crush close to my heart. I was also relieved to find other Englishes that did not bite the hell out of my tongue and mouth!

To me, the bitey red virginias are what sets this blend apart from other English blends. It is not that the VAs jump out at you, but rather that they meld with the other flavors (including a healthy dose of orientals) in a unique way. This is a fairly harsh smoke for an English blend, in contrast to its more refined brother Black Mallory. But the harshness is managable with careful smoking and the reward is a unique tangy experience.

I have since "graduated" to more latakia-laden blends, but I keep coming back to the RR for it's special character. I should also add that my current tin is about 3 years old and it seems to have mellowed somewhat during that time, though it has lost some of the edge that I appreciate.

I used this tobacco as a first smoke in a new CAO meerschaum a few nights ago and it was a thoroughly rewarding experience. Where the cigar analogy comes in, I will never understand. Cigars and pipes, though I love them both, are quite different experiences.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2002-12-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I bought the tin of Rattray's Red Rapparee at my local JR Tobacco outlet. I hadn't smoked this blend in years. When I opened it at home I noticed a strong, pungent odor. I'm not sure which was more powerful, the Turkish or the latakia. The leaf was ribbon cut with shades of brown ranging from medium to almost black. A little bright Virginia could be seen mixed evenly throughout the tin.

For my first pipe I chose a big Barclay Rex straight grain apple. I filled the bowl to the top and lit it with paper matches. At first the taste was innocuous. This quickly changed with the flavor coming through. It was rich, full and smooth. I smoked the bowl halfway through before I had to relight it at which time I received a burst of flavor. The flavor was consistent as I smoked the dottle down to a tight greyish-white ash. As I cleaned out the pipe I noticed a rich odor pervading the room and I liked it. I imagine this is how the sitting room at 221B Baker Street must have smelled.

Following this experience, I chose a calabash to smoke this blend in. As was expected the blend was more tame in this pipe. The flavor increased as the inner bowl tapered down. Overall, I preferred the consistent smoke provided by the straight-walled briar. Therefore, I chose a pot shape for my next pipe, an old Peterson. The pot is not my favorite shape and this is not my favorite pot, but I enjoyed this smoke. The bowl was cooler to the touch as I smoked this than the apple's bowl, which surprised me. Usually, it's the other way around.

The next pipe was a large meerschaum rhodesian. The blend exhibited a dryer smoke and nuttier flavor in this pipe, very enjoyable. It was the best smoke I had in this pipe in recent memory. I followed this with a couple of small briars, a Donegal billiard and a panel marked Strasbourg. The petite Pete provided a consistent smoke throughout, which is a testament to the cut of the leaf and the thoroughness of the blending. The smoke was a little hotter than in the larger briars, but just a little. The panel was a little less flavorful, but that is typical for this particular pipe.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2002-10-15		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This tastes very similar to GLP Samarra to me. Smoking immediately upon opening highlights the red virginia, while smoking after airing reveals much more of the oriental character of this. This is a blend that grows in flavor over the course of the bowl, and hits the deep point that I find characteristic of good English style blends. This is a good, complex English that lends itself well to large bowls.

As with all Rattray blends, it is important to distinguish the era of the tobacco. This was purchased by my retailer in Summer of 2001 and does not appear to have a lot of age on it earlier than that.

October 2002.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2002-10-02		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

I tried one can of Red Raparree a long time ago in my college days at a time when I almost exclusively smoked Balkan Sobranie or Crown Achievement. My recollection was that I liked the flavor, but that there was too much bite from the Virginias for me. My recollection was that the tobacco itself was somewhat lighter in color than most English or Scottish mixtures. So, XX years have passed and I tried it again and liked it much better. RR does have a unique tang to it that sets it apart from run of the mill strong Latakia blends. I wonder though if now that it is blended by C&K if it is different than the original. My recent try of Rattrays Accountants Mixture told me that some of these changes were not good at all. The current production of RR is darker than my memory of that previous try.

That all being said I now like RR, but only as a change of pace. I cannot think of any well known tobacco to compare it to. Suffice it to say that RR is a very good English/Scottish mixture with a somewhat spicier than usual flavor and good burning qualities once it is dried out a little.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2002-09-16		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

I first tried this because of an article that I read in P & T magazine. The article was an interview with James Galwey regarding his love for the flute and pipes. In the interview, he stated that one of his favorites was Red Rapparree. Whoa! With a name like that it has to be good! So I ran out and bought some. I was won over with the very first bowl. Bob Runowski has compared different blends as full orchestras and others as 4-piece chamber quartets. This blend would qualify for the former. It is quite complicated, with many layers that come forward as you procedd down the bowl. At first there is a pronounced latakia presence with a good amounbt or orientals as support. This takes the edge off the powerful latakia used in this blend. As you get near mid-bowl you sense the virginias beginning to assert themselves. The red VA can get sharp if you get too aggressive with htis blend. But if you take your time with it and smoke it at a leisurely pace you will be rewarded with a wonderfully satisfying smoke.

My wife does not like this at all. She says it has the aroma of "burning tires" and she will generally leave the room. Ahhhh. Perfect.

Gretchenm my German Shepherd hates the smell but loves the way it smokes. She gives it a 4.5 out of five. I love it and smoke it generally as an after dinner smoke.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Albion1956 (42)	2002-06-21		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

The name has always intrigued me, and I have always wanted to try it. Well I did, a mixture as they say, Latakia, Va.'s, cavendish, orientals. The usual fare. Came moist, as most Rattrys do, so it aired out some. Packed fairly easy, and charring produced a taste melange of a typical english. Not bad mind you, but, oh well I guess I was dissapointed. The tobacco smoked well enough, and did not bite, burned to a fine grey ash to the bottom. I would put this tobacco in a catagory of 5, nothing outstanding, I guess I have become jaded, or maybe my palate is more refined? A reccomended tobacco for someone trying new blends, or perhaps a constant for it's admirers. Maybe later?

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BostonPipe (84)	2002-06-20		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Not really too much I can add on to Noorrmm's review, accept to say I agree with his measure of this blend. This is a blend that I keep an ample supply of. I agree with his statement that there is a slight loss in edge, however, it is still a wonderful smoke. Highly Recommended.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	NEWMAN (305)	2002-06-15		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

Although I normally prefer Va flakes, this expertly prepared blend offers an interesting change of pace. However, I find it much too intense for all day or even multi-pipe smoking. After dinner, it's a joy but I use a small bowl pipe for a short smoke. It's too strong for my tastes > 10-15 minutes. Most don't enjoy the room aroma of the Latakia and orientals so this is an outdoors smoke. The taste is a different matter; a nice balance of consistent flavor in an English blend without any bite. The ribbon cut and moisture content make it easy to pack, light and keep lit even with slow puffing that really brings out the flavors.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ithian (14)	2023-03-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Red Rapparee is what you get if you mix My Mixture 965 and Presbyterian Mixture in a ration of 60:40. Basically it tastes like 965 but with more Orientals. Or like Presbyterian but with a good dose more Latakia.

As such, not too much stands out to me here as this blend is reminiscent of 2 very trusted and beloved mixtures. And I could have a very similar experience just mixing those two on my own when I feel like it.

2.5 stars. It's a great blend, but not one that stands out. At least to me.

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	TonePipero (4)	2023-01-30		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Viene con la humedad perfecta y se puede cargar y fumar tal cual. El aroma en frío es predominantemente latakiado, pero con un fuerte aderezo especiado y balsámico que viene indudablemente de los orientales. Y olé. Lo compré precisamente buscando eso, una mezcla que me diera un punch de orientales y es justo lo que ofrece este tabaco, pero te lo ofrece suavemente envuelto en un rico envoltorio de virginias, latakia y cavendish. Una mezcla inglesa perfectamente equilibrada, donde los orientales llevan la voz cantante y la latakia les sigue de cerca, en un segundo pero muy importante plano, aportando profundidad y complejidad. Los Virginias se perciben ligeramente, haciendo de eje vertebrador y dando cohesión a la mezcla. Personalmente no detecto el cavendish, pero puede que esa sea su mayor virtud, ayudar a hacerlo todo más suave y redondo sin dar la nota.

Es un tabaco espectacular, intenso. complejo, rico y sabroso. Sabe a especias, libros antiguos, inciensos, ceniza, romero, madera, barniz, chimenea, brasa, carbón, cuero, hojarasca, campo recién llovido, otoño, pino, salinas, etc.

La mecánica de la fumada es perfecta. Prende bien y quema homogéneamente hasta el final, no deja residuos. Fuma solo. Es como un tipo duro pero amistoso. Un cani que cae bien. Un pit bull bien educado. Un Mike Tyson que en vez de darte un puñetazo, te da una palmadita en la espalda y te susurra: estoy en tu equipo. Sublime. 4 estrellas!

Pipe Used: Varias

Age When Smoked: Directo de la lata

Purchased From: Cava de valdelagrana

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	krog (20)	2021-09-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I smoked the tobby right out of the tin and it wasnt a pleasant experience, Even the smell out of the tin was bad. Well, it was really harshy and the taste was just awful. I’ll give it a try next year. Tobby will be maturing for that year and we will see. The other opinions are really good so you can expect an edit. But smoking right out of the tin is not a good idea.

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum corn cob

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: tobacco shop

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rustedrailsmokes (293)	2018-09-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I received a sample of this in a TinSociety.com box.

Tin/Bag Note: Def some smoke/spice from the orientals, an interesting looking blend with various colors waiting to jump into the pipe. Tobacco in my sample was ready to go without any prep time.

Smoke: The orientals in this one were really pleasing to me. I liked the balance it has with the Virginias. As it burned the taste moved from one to the other in a quite pleasant way that actually had me concentrating to see what taste came through next. Not strong to me at all in Nicotine and I could see this being a regular smoke.

Pipe Used: Oceano Canadian

Age When Smoked: Unknown

Purchased From: TinSociety.com Box

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	Kribbage (32)	2017-02-14		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I have heard from numerous sources that the current Red Rapparee is not the same as it once was, and I would have loved to try it back then to really see what the fuss is about....ah well....since I cannot, or will not pay an outlandish price for an old tin, I must say the current edition suits me just fine. A nice smokey smoke from a legendary company. Burns exceptionally well in a large bowl without getting the Lat- bomb effect coursing thru my stomach. Maybe the old stuff was good, but time marches on friends...try some of the new RR. I DO NOT THINK YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED.

Pipe Used: All types

Age When Smoked: A 2 year old unopened tin

Purchased From: Jon's Pipe Shop, Champaign, Illinois

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	Fife&Drum (34)	2017-01-08		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I have to say this is very similar to 965 but to me a notch darker in flavor. Like the new 965 it is a little harsh on the tongue but not bad. Still, not as smooth as I'd hoped. The room note, however, is much nicer than 965. I like this slightly better than 965, and give it three stars, but it doesn't appeal enough to buy again. Many other Englishes out there better.

Age When Smoked: New tin

Purchased From: Davidus Cigars

Similar Blends: Dunhill 965.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jorge Soler (202)	2015-06-06		Mild	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This is a ribbon cut easy to pack tobacco, but the tin will benefit from some drying time. When I bought it I wasn't all too sure whether it had any Latakia in it or not, but it has. Not that I was disappointed to learn about it, but I guess I was more focused on exploring oriental tobaccos when the idea to buy some popped up in my head. Anyway, the Latakia content is minimal, I dare to say, so it is still possible to separate what belongs here, what there and to what extent. As for the Cavendish tobacco, I was kind of expecting it to give the whole thing a somewhat sweet and mellow dimension, but it is so much in the background you can hardly notice it. The Latakia tobacco seems to flare up at times as you progress in your smoke, but this might as well be due to the fact this mixture is not presented in flakes. Funny though it might sound, despite my initial concerns, it is still possible to explore the oriental side of it, which adds sort of a fermented tinge to it very similar to a cigar (though the Cavendish tobacco might be playing a part in this too). Precisely, I guess they call this tobacco "Red Rapparee" because of its somewhat cigar leaf qualities, being the "red pike" a metaphor for the cigar itself (a Rapparee was a pike welding Irishman during the Irish Confederate Wars). Even the fine ash it produces will draw upon that. Overall, I found this mixture quite tasty and intriguing enough to keep me wondering and wanting more of it. I will give this tobacco a 3 star rating, which is not bad at all.

Pipe Used: 22mm size bowl

Age When Smoked: ?

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Monopod (26)	2014-04-14		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

This was my first venture into Rattray Country. Not particularly a Latakia person although I'm definitely ten generations (at least) English, I've yet to understand where the term " English Tobacco " has it's origins. My Grandfather smoked Redbreast, ( with dried elderflowers.) All his contemporaries smoked over the counter brands such as St.Bruno, Digger, Erinmore, Bulwark, Walnut, and I don't recall the distinctive aroma of Latakia anywhere as a child.

My first tobacco, introduced by a senior Geordie at work when I was an apprentice draughtsman, was Four Square Blue . I don't know where the blend went, ( Dobies ? )but I will always remember the aroma unleashed from my first tin. It also had a distinctive smelling "gravy" too, as I was soon to find.

Red Rapparee had a very distinctly similar nose when I opened the tin ...... but whoever can carry an accurate nose and palate for many years is better than me.

Having said that I found an instant affinity for this tobacco blend, reinforced by the first fifty grammes consumed. I mulled it over whilst continuing my usual Condor, and also another "trial" tobacco which is not the subject of this text.

Then my next trial, Black Mallory, which I thought from other jottings on this site should deliver some similar traits and "extra " strength.

Well obviously we all have differing senses in all respects, otherwise tobacco blenders wouldn't need to make so many alternatives.

I thought to go back to Red Rapparee having sampled Black Mallory, which I thought from other's findings I may prefer, being not as strong as BM.

As usual, I tried to hasten the consumption of the blend that I liked least, so I set out to consume 100g of BM.

As I progressed, I became aware of a similarity with music ....... being another of our "subjective" human senses. I was finding that Black Mallory was putting in extra extra harmonies that Red Rapparee had set a strident chord for previously. I liked RR. but BM. was going into overdrive, adding dimensions only hinted at with RR.

Suffice it to say that it was the RR. that was finished first, and going back to BM., I was finding that RR. was (for me) the stronger and more robust taste, whereas by dint of going straight from one to the other, whether truly subjective, having smoked more BM. I find that it suits my tastes more comfortably. The nuances slip from one to the other very smoothly and subtly, making for me the best Latakia mixture I have yet smoked a significant quantity of.

Now, what does one term as an English tobacco ?? Is it what tobacco a typical "Englishman" smokes, or what an "English" blender creates ??

Pipe Used: Many and various

Age When Smoked: From tin

Purchased From: Greens of Leeds ( UK)

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JustinCarcerated (99)	2013-10-11		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

100 gm tin aged one year (in my cellar). Tin note sweet for an english, pleasantly tangy.... The moisture level is perfect, when compressed its still the slightest bit sticky. Smoked in 3 pipes, find longer stems better, mid sized bowls. This baccy burns relatively fast, 25 minutes of a well packed pipe (german method) to ash. No tongue bite, good smoky latakia burn, but thinner in volume than say NC or Legends. The Cavendish along with the red Vas does something special to this blend-sets it apart somehow. Odd as this sounds, it shares something in common with Penzance, I taste it in the finish, the persistent coating left post bowl that I get with Penzance. My intent was to smoke a few bowls and can the rest, but I believe I'll smoke it all and cellar somemore. Highly recommended.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2013-07-03		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Having an old cedar chest full of various pipe tobaccos aging in mason jars for the last 12 years has made for some superior smoking enjoyment. This batch, 2004. The virginias are sweeter and rounder. The orientals are very leathery and right up front. The mellow sweetness of the virginias mixing with the orientals is akin to chocolate covered salty pretzels. Outstanding.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-08-18		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

No more to say about RRR perfect all day smoke if a wee bit mild for me. If you like orientals give RRR a try

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TW (38)	2012-08-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Not much to add to other reviews really. A very pleasant, fine-burning, not overpowering oriental blend. If there's any huge proportion of Latikia in here I'd be surprised - the taste is of Turkish/oriental tobaccos nicely offsetting the Rattray-style Virginia notes with subdued latikia flavours.

Recommended as a good, pleasant all-day tobacco.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-06-02		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is, if i can say, a character blend.Youn can't forget the moments and in which occasions you have taste it. It's a balanced Latakia-english blend. Why didn't I order it this time??? This is maybe the reason i did not put 4 stars.

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	SmokingMySav (9)	2012-04-17		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Everyone have their own idea of perfect English blend and this is mine. A high quality smoking mixture, perfect everyday smoke if money is not an issue. If it is, I recommend trying Stokkebye Proper English, a blend tasting very close to Red Rapparee.

I will not repeat what others have said about this blend, just wanted to add my high recommendations to the list. If you like Dunhill's Night Cap or 965 - you must try Red Rapparee, it's better than the aforementioned tobaccos.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-03-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

A lot has been said about this excellent OR, so I will not add too much besides saying it is a marvelous smoke.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-02-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Rattray's Red Rapparee, It burns in the pipe with the spontaneity of a fine cigar.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-10-08		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Red Rapparee is something of a crossover between an oriental and a vaper-blend. It is really neither and both. There is definetely enough oriental leafs and the tin smells like a traditional british mixture. But when it is smoked the red virginias dominate. I can not detect any Latakia but I think it contains a small amount of Perique. It is a great smoke, burns fast and evenly but without any bite. A certain acid taste and tingle on the tounge but this comes from the rather potent red Virginias and the Perique. I will certainly buy this blend again but it is a bit bland for my taste.

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	Tee-dub (48)	2011-09-27		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

The blenders call this a 'medium English,' and call Black Mallory a 'full English.' I don't know what is meant by either description, unless it's the amount of Latakia.

If there's Latakia in this blend--and I believe I can smell Latakia in the tin--it so subdued it's almost undetectable. Mostly this is a balanced, measured mixture of Orientals and Virginias, along with unsweetened Cavendish.

The flavors are light and interesting, and the Cavendish sort of softens the edges of the red Virginia, adds a little heft to the texture. Slightly sweet, slightly spicy, and easy to like.

It burns rapidly, so a large bowled pipe is called for.

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	the_german (309)	2011-09-18		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Red Rapparee. I wanted an English blend, and both Kohlhase, Kopp & Co.' web site and the tin said they'd been lavish with the Latakia. Opening the tin, I get a serious whiff of Orient and VA, but they must have hidden the Latakia somewhere; there is no smokiness to speak of in the tin. The ribbon cut is easy to handle and maintain. Lighting up gets me VA and Orient tastes; sweetness and some spice, but still absolutely no Latakia in there. I wonder where they've mislaid it. That leaves me with a still very nice VA/Oriental blend with a good, satisfying taste and enough Nicotine to keep me interested. Clean burn, no leftover moisture -- good for those who want to get off aromatics without going straight into the English corner, or those who want to take a break from Latakia blends.

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	brotherofbriar (5)	2011-08-29		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Although I have read comparisons between Red Rapparee and Black Mallory, they are totally different blends in my opinion. For a start I cannot detect any latakia in RR, though some swear there is a pinch lurking in the background. Red Rapparee is best described as enigmatic. Fruity, yes, but not in any overstated way. The red virginias predominate, enhanced and sweetened by the cavendish. The orientals provide a nice sour spicyness, not dissimilar to perique. There is a hint of sweet oatmeal cookies running in the background, and a good measure of green peppers, yet every time you smoke this delightful blend you'll fail to put your finger on it. Enigmatic is the word. Sweet and spicey, burns perfectly, full bodied and robust yet the smoke is strangely thin. A classic tobacco that provides a new experience everytime. I would suggest this might appeal as much to VApers as to fans of cavendish and orientals. Latakia lovers may look elsewhere, but don't make the mistake of overlooking this delicious blend. You may just be suprised by what you find.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-08-06		Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Great tobacco. Fruity and spicy. Sweet. Medium strength.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-08-01		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Appearance is a medium to dark brown rough ribbon. Tin smells of dried fruits, deep spice, and musty room. Tastes lightly sweet, deep, profound, not very smoky.

Some reviews say Red Rapparee is based on Black Mallory. It is the other way round.

My tins have some age (4-6 years), and I've never smoked a "new" batch. A tobacco by which I judge others. My standard and constant friend. Contemplative, rich, satisfying. There are times I wish there were more of everything in this blend, but then it would not be such an easy companion.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-06-06		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I was lucky enough to have had some Rattray's back in the late 80's and it was wonderful stuff back then. My tin of the current production is equally wonderful. Smokes great right out of the tin and burns to a fine grey ash. If you haven't had the pleasure yet, try some next time you order or visit your local shop.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-04-24		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Although I had heard of RRR for some time I just no tried it as I had received a tin for my birthday. I can honestly say it was one ofe the best B-Day gifts I have received. It is a pure joy to smoke,very satisfying and complex.

Several reviews have used the word "symphony" and it is an apt analogy, as every element in RRR complements each other.

I HIGHLY reccomend this!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tom Servo (58)	2011-03-29		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Pop the top on Mr. Rattray's RRR and you're greeted with a beautiful balance of spice tobaccos and warm malty Virginia. The complex aromas of a well blended English tobacco. The smoky, creosote twang of Latakia is here in force, the sweet & sour Orientals swirl around the oatmeal raisin cookie undertone of the Virginia. Packing is a breeze and the stuff burns pretty well with little maintenance. Lots of medium bodied smoke, I experienced no tongue bite. A nice user-friendly English blend.

I often pick stronger English & Balkan blends myself. But this little medium blend is a study in balance, and really surprised me with it's complex, sweet character. All the elements are there, and in the right proportions, maybe a little more strength to everything would be better, maybe it wouldn't, but this stuff is really great. A new addition to my favorites.

I noticed in some of the reviews, discussion of cigar leaf in this blend. There is none, it's a fairly straight-forward English blend. I think this confusion comes from the tin description “It burns in the pipe with the spontaneity of a fine cigar.” This simply refers to how slowly and evenly the tobacco will allegedly burn in the pipe.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-01-27		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This blend has been one of my favorites since BaIkan Sobranie was allowed to die. It has no latakia but the taste and aroma seemed somewhat similar. I recently opened a forgotten can that I've had since the mid 80s. What a surprise! The strength obviously had decreased, however the taste, complexity and sweetness far surpassed what I've come to expect from this blend. It is quite frankly, the most wonderful tobacco I've ever smoked. I only wish that I had aged more over the years. Rattray has my permission to use this review in any advertising (if they continue to advertise in these puritanical times).

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-01-24		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Having just started pipe smoking and developing a taste for non-aromatics, I was led to this mixture from some of the reviews on this site. I have to say I really enjoyed this right out of the tin. It has a wonderfully sweet and mellow taste and smokes really well. No relights were required and a fine gray ash with a tiny bit of dottle were left. I am going to add this into the rotation.

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	Skando (203)	2011-01-02		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Red Rapparee & Black Mallory.

As a change of pace from my usual tobacco diet - which is almost non-Latakian - I'm working through RR & BM at the same time.

I'm old enough to have met both of them say twenty years ago, at the beginning of the sunset of the UK made brands (BSOM, BS759 and BSVa10 passing from tins to pouches), and they were absolutely top EM's.

My current tins have been waiting me unsealed almost one whole year. The inner discs are still semi-wet, but tobaccos have just dried out the heck of their exaggerate moisture (the heaven knows how much PG they put in…).

Anyway, they stuffed fine into a couple of Dunhill's group 5 bents and have to say they light & burn very easily.

They are brothers, out of any doubt.

RR is offering a supremely smooth-like-silk smoke, sweet & spicy & biscuity. The Orientals take the main seat, perfectly accomplished by the Virginias (light & red). Just a trace of Latakia in the very background, and some non-flavoured Black Cavendish to round off the edges. Strength is medium, body a bit over that. Intriguing and savoury, I may completely understand the smoker who chooses RR as his all-day smoke.

Where RR is more Oriental forward, BM is more on the Latakia instead. A drier but still sweet blend, darker, mustier and stronger than RR. More on the interplay between Virginias and Latakia. Again, the Black Cavendish does its job. The room note is of course less acceptable by the wife… In my memory BM used to be a truly fuller EM than nowadays.

The brothers are pleasant and satisfactory, that's for sure. What retains me from giving 4* is the PG soaking treatment, which causes the smoke being a bit aggressive to my palate.

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	SergentPepper (5)	2010-12-29		Mild	Mild	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

I received my tin 2 hours ago and smoke my first RR bowl, listening to Robert Schumman as I read once again each and every review about this... Masterpiece. Yes Sir,it is. Not enough to say it burns cool: this tobacco is just like Steve McQueen: the king of cool ! Two amazing things about this work of art: balance and nicety. Too many reviews talk about Latakia presence: just a very little pinch in the background. On the other hand, the way they made Orientals (Greek) and Virginias work together is a symphony. Wonderful stuff: simply the best tobacco I've ever smoked.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-12-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Very nice, refined, good vitamin N. Delicious but different than Black Mallory...

No need to go for Gl pease when there is Rattray's available. Ready to smoke, never biting, never harsh, smooth and rich. By far superior and less expensive!!!

I wonder how the original Rattray's were like! Heaven!!!

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-12-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Very nice, refined, good vitamin N. Delicious but different than Black Mallory...

No need to go for Gl pease when there is Rattray's available. Ready to smoke, never biting, never harsh, smooth and rich. By far superior and less expensive!!!

I wonder how the original Rattray's were like! Heaven!!!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-10-23		Medium to Strong	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I think it's a tobacco with "almost" the same aromes than special latakia flake, very spicy, but not so good. A tobacco that smokers should try one time.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-10-08		Very Mild	Mild	Mild	Unnoticeable

Red Rapparee is good but I tend to be partial to latakia in a mixture (i.e, Balkan Sasieni, Old Ironsides). With that out of the way let me give my thoughts on this blend.

Upon opening the tin I'm struck with a slightly fruit and floral aroma. Flavor is mild and makes for an all day or relaxing smoke with VA and orientals working closely together.

Previous reviewers describe a tangy to lemon quality in the taste and I agree. Orientals, though, in the mixture are sedated but they do work well with the VAs.

I would not kick this one out of the rotation but its not a go to smoke; however, I do smoke several bowls one right after the other, when I do smoke this one. Go figure! It will not wear you out or ply you with loads of nicotine and it doesn't bite.

If I had to rank this one among some other blends in my current rotation, I place the Balkan Sasieni first; followed by Old Dublin a distant second, and tight on its heels is Red Rapparee.

BTW, I smoked this in a Peterson's Army #120 and a cob. The Army is a go to pipe and "jack of all trades" briar [dare I say this pipe is kind of beat-up, but it smokes like a champ. Suffered from burn out when I found her, but I repaired that so "she" can stay with me a few more years]. I test the first bowl of a new blend in a Country Gentleman cob and it did very well then moved to the Army.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-10-06		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I find this a perfect blend for those who like the spicy, astringent taste of Oriental tobaccoes without wishing to go for the really full, Latakia-dominated blends. I have read that some find it somewhat flat. To me it appears rather pleasantly reserved, sober but with a delicate and really beautiful note that is felt in the aftertaste and in the nose rather than the mouth. It is true that this is not your taste-bud blaster, but it is an excellent everyday smoke that leaves you relaxed and refreshed - it is surely not going to knock you over backwards. Besides, it burns extremely well and evenly from top to bottom and leaves a pleasant taste on your tongue afterwards. I think it is true that it goes really well with a small bowl. I love my RRR as a blend that fits nearly all moods and occasions. Not complicated, but very rewarding nevertheless.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-08-13		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

A perfectly-proportioned blend of the pungent richness of Orientals, the brown sugar sweetness of the red Virginias, a whiff of that Cyprian smokiness, and a name that is an homage to pike-wielding Irish outlaws - what more could I ask for?

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-07-14		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A perfect blend of sweet red virginias, sprinkled burly, moderate latakia, and generous orientals... this well rounded English blend has it all really. It is sweet, earthy, musky, and spicy all at the same time. I love it.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-07-01		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Lights and burns extremely well without hassle. I find this blend to be very subtle, but flavorful and intriguing, very well balanced blend. Leaves the mouth with a chewy nougat flavor. This blend is also smoky (is there latakia in here?). When the exhale is released through the nose there is a slight floral note. This will be in steading rotation.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pseudo Nim (128)	2010-03-18		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Nice Red Virginias with Orientals, a few sour notes, but pleasant enough. This reminds me of a slightly stronger or more robust Irish Oak.

This is only my second tin, nice to pick at from time to time when you want something different from virginia / latakia / perique.

Enough taste and flavour to keep it interesting without being overpowering to the point of "Armchair Required" to contemplate the various flavours.

Lights easy and burns clean. A good change of pace but not one that I would stock up on. If your feeling a little adveturous, and you have the coin to spare, then by all means, give it a try.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-11-14		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

An excellent Balkan/English. The Orientals are up front, supported by the Red Virginia, Latakia and Cavendish...with sweet, spicy, and creamy notes.

Red Rapparee has a propensity to be moderately harsh, with a fine bite, so it must be smoked with thoughtfulness. I had to re-hydrate my tin, and it smoked significantly better afterwards.

Highly recommended.

A companion infusion: pints of Bass Black and Tan.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Old Puffer (42)	2009-08-24		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

I have seen references comparing this blend to a light version of Old Gowrie, but I can't find much resemblance, if any. In the tin I received, I also can't find any reason to call it 'red', it is just a mixture of very dark oriental and what appears to be standard brown Virginia. To me, it is a good, solid representative of a medium English blend.

As received, RR was a little too moist and had to be dried out in the tin with the lid off for 4-5 days to pack and smoke properly.

The cut is easy to pack and light and after 1 false light, stays lit and burns all the way down without fuss leaving a nice dark, dry ash. Smokes cool and without bite. Leaves no bad after taste in the pipe or on the tongue. Taste, while unexciting, is a very pleasant, ongoing compromise between Virginia and Latakia without either one attempting to dominate. One thing I really like is that the Latakia is not overpowering.

While I can't call RR one of my favorites, I certainly will keep it around and order more when depleted. It is a very friendly smoke and I can't find anything to hold against it. A good, solid, pleasant smoke any time of the day or night.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-08-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is a delight to smoke, even when you're not too focused on the actual smoking. I found that it accompanied a mushroom foray very well. The virginias and orientals/latakia (?) vie for dominance, piquing your tastebuds with sweet, spicy, and creamy notes. I didn't mind the occasional minor bite because it was never overwhelming and most likely it was caused by the smoker trying to keep his tastebuds dancing!

You know what to expect in terms of flavor, but you don't know when the shifts will occur. It lights up very sweet in a corn cob pipe. The light up flavors are not too harsh and are a joy in and of themselves. I never realized how good this tobacco actually was until I smoked it out of a fresh corn cob. It's not so heavy and some may consider it predictable, but it has a very nice interplay of flavors. Flavors intensify at the bottom of the bowl, but it burns consistently to the end.

It pleases me to know that this tobacco has kept well in its tin for about 3 years. It's a tad dry but in a lot of ways just perfect. A beautiful tobacco to look at (reds & blacks), and I have nearly a whole 100g tin left to enjoy.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-08-03		Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

If you are a fan of English blends here you go. If you are not, here is chance for a good try.

Packs and lits very easy. It surprised me with its balance. When I thought that I'm having a natural sweet smoke, the orientals took the main appearance offering a delightful spicy experience. I could swear that the blend has also a pinch of perique. But no, it doesn't. It offers a strong finish so that I prefered little bowls for this blend. Even with those little bowls, I've enjoyed this tobacco more than an hour smoking experiences.

I can't smoke the English blends every day, any time. Once a week maybe, after a good dinner, I enjoyed this blend a lot. I will surely buy more when I will have enough appetite to smoke some good English Mixture.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JLong (36)	2009-06-24		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I was given a sample of this by a fellow poster on the puff forums. This is good tobacco. I'm sort of a nut for the master blaster blends like Mississippi Mud or Old Ironsides. I need a break from that stuff however and Red Rap fills the bill quite well. Definately something to smoke in the morning with that first cup of coffee. The two go together hand in hand.

There is some Balkan like creamyness to it. The sweetness and spicyness is pleasant and natural. I can taste the cigar leaf which adds to the flavor. It's a full bodied tobacco with a good dose of nicotene. We ain't suckin air here.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-06-22		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

Upon opening the tin one is hit with a spicy sweet fragrance that deceives the senses. It almost smells like an aromatic. Let it sit a bit! The fruity aroma dissapates a bit. Upon resting a bit one is left with a smooth cool medium English blend. More complex than other fine blends, a medium ribbon cut, well burning and very tasty!

Its a winner!

The sweetness on the Red Virginias combine so flawlwssly with the smoky orientals. This is an unsung hero of the Finest English blends!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-04-27		Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

RRR a tasty oriental blend! A good change of pace for my usual med/hvy English smokes. Loads easy in the pipe. Lights easy and stays lit. Gray/White ash - smokes dry. A little sharpness at first light - quickly settles down to a great smoke. Fresh tin moisture was about right - dried it about 30 mins., this to me smokes/tastes better somewhat dry. I guess it would age well, but its great now! It does seem to get better once the tin is opened for a while - more O2. I see a number of reviews as a comparison to Black Mallory. I do not see a comparison they are totally different to me. I enjoy both at different times.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-04-12		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

RR a lot like Black Mallory, but I like BM more. Burns well (when dried out sufficiently) & is tasty. I will buy more to age. If you like your English with the Latakia toned down, try this. You'll like it.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-02-22		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I enjoyed this Tobacco in a small Group3 Dunhill EK. When I was halfway through the bowl the luxurious taste of the extra fine Virginias and Latakia really hit me. I loved it the more I smoked it and it was great right down to the bottom of the bowl. The Group3 Dunhill EK usually smokes pretty hot but this blend did not burn hot in my pipe at all. If anything it burned evenly and as I indicated it was tasty right down to the bottom of the bowl. I ordered it because of the many recommendations of past reviewers and because of this I can't thank them enough.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-02-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Nice oriental blend. I think a tobacco like this should not be smoked in a latakia dedicated pipe, as the latakia amount is minimum here (if any, I'm still not sure, maybe just a pinch I guess)... this blend's complexity and subtilness demands for a specially dedicated pipe.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-02-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I have little to add to the paeans unfurling as you scroll down the screen. RRR is superb. Perhaps it doesn't develop so much as you go down the bowl, but it is to Orientals what Squadron Leader is to English: a benchmark. Plus I love the name (which, I suppose, only underscores the comparison with the English!):

RAPPAREE, n., An Irish pikeman or irregular soldier ? . Hence: an Irish bandit, robber, or freebooter. "We have been alarmed with a report that a great body of rapparees is up in the county of Kilkenny."

(The Red Rapparee himself is a character in a 19th. c. novel, Willy Reilly).

The reason I review it, however, is to give a word of warning. More than any other blend I've tried, RRR varies from pipe to pipe. In a biggish half-bent Dublin it's amazing (I guess it likes Ireland); in a smallish straight billiard (a nice one, too) it's terrible, hot and bland. In short, if you're trying it for the first time, you might give a it a shot in a big bowl.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-02-12		Medium	None Detected	Full	Unnoticeable

This is one of the finest blends I have smoked; a very tangy/sweet combination, similar to Dunhill's 965. I will be smoking this regularly from now on. VERY smooth, VERY tasty!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	orka (66)	2008-12-15		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

This is actually a re-review. In the old one, which really isn't important enough to leave intact, I remarked upon it as being flat and unexciting and I lamented its lack of complexity. I'm unsure as to why - perhaps I simply had the misfortune of getting a bad tin, perhaps something has changed in the recipe, maybe I should've tried it in other pipes, or perhaps my preferences has changed since then. All, or a few of those statements may be true - I know for a fact that I these days do like englishes, and in particular those leaning heavilly on oriental components, as for the rest, I can only speculate.

So, in short, coming back to this blend leaves me with quite a different impression.

For the sake of this review I decided to get a new 50g tin (rather than using an old one I have cellared), and when opening it there is a nice, sweet and slightly pungent fruity aroma. Not much evidence of latakia in the tin-note, instead it seems more to carry the cavendish component. Either that, or there may be some sort of topping present - or maybe it's just the usual sugar thing, either way it doesn't appear to make its way through to the smoke.

I did not pick up on the latakia whatsoever while smoking the earlier tin, that I can recall, but while smoking this new one it's clearly evident to me, and it lends a shade of creamy earthiness to the blend. There is also a vast array of tanginess going on here, intermingling with rather peculiar sweet notes that doesn't really strike me as VA-hay or grassiness, but something else - perhaps attributed to some of the oriental components. The turkish is also very much present in RRR and to me registers as a "high" note on the taste spectrum, a little bit like a minty note - different than the turkish I find in London Mixture, Standard Mixture or Scottish Flake (one that to my surprise beat me over the head with turkish and deep, bassy red VA notes). It also has a rather airy body, and I do wish there would've been a little more substance to it. That's just a personal thing, I guess, and not necessarily something bad. Otherwise there is a nice interplay of sweet, dry herbal, earthy and some mildly astringent flavours and plenty of complexity to discover - it's one of those blends that I tend to find different nuances in every time I smoke it (which is rare, and also pretty fun).

So, with this in mind, I am changing my rating up to "recommended", or three stars, if you will. This is a nice blend, but not perfect as to be deserving of four stars, simply because it is a little like others have remarked upon - it isn't the easiest tobacco to smoke, and it is a little sharp on the tongue, especially during charring, and it can easilly turn a little flat if you don't puff very gently on it, But on the other hand, pipe tobaccos are usually best when just gently puffed, right? Especially those that tend to be a little more complex. It's also quite evident that this blend contains tobaccos that are pretty green when tinned - I'm unsure exactly how long you should wait before opening, but about a month, as I did, is clearly not enough. I think alot of the sharpness can be attributed to the red VA's young age. By my estimation at least 6-12 months would be a minimum before this opens up and starts showing what it's really about. There is also something to be said about airing it; do take care to air it, if it's fresh. For me it becomes pretty good when aired for 30-45 minutes, almost to the point of becoming crisp to the touch is just about right. I also like to pack RRR a little tighter than I do with other blends - not much, just a little bit.

It burns very well, not unusually fast, but at a slow and steady pace, and as advertised, it really does leave a fine grey ash with nearly no dottle. Now, I'm old enough to know that this doesn't really mean anything, it's simply a myth of virtue. But I suppose it's nice to know you're not "wasting" much of the tobacco.

This is also an excellent blend to pair with spirits. If you are so inclined, do try it. For me it has almost come to the point of beating a fine cigar to go with the cognac. I've never had much luck with pipe smoking and drinking before, but with RRR, it's really good. It's also a good way of slowing down the pace - let it smolder along while you swirl the snifter and savour the taste and aroma and then return to the pipe, taking a gentle puff and watching the condensation slowly rise is a beautiful thing. Not only does it add another dimension to the smoke, but it also works to counteract some of the sharpness of the tobacco while enhancing other flavours.

As for the room note. I'm usually not very sensitive to the aroma of tobaccos, but RRR really doesn't smell very good. Perhaps it's an acquired taste, but I'll put it down as "tolerable". While I don't flee from the room after smoking, I do take care to air it out properly directly after smoking RRR... and I have sympathy for significant others dreading the sight of the green tin for this very reason.

So, in conclusion, I do recommend Rattray's Red Rapparee. And if you happen to dislike it at first, don't do what I did and dismiss it completely. Let it sit for a while, go against your instinct and buy another tin and let it age, or try it in another pipe and see if that changes anything - use a large pipe (group 4, or there-abouts), and if possible, dedicate a single pipe to it, at least as long as the tin lasts. Chances are you'll discover a new, and perhaps unexpected favourite this way, just as I did.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-12-05		Medium to Strong	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

One evening, at the Beer Academy in Chalandri, Desperado, brought this smoke in order to try it. After so many beers and sausages, whatever we had to taste, it would look good.

So I bought two tins of 50 gr in order to be sure. Virginia, Oriental and 100% a very distinctive dose of Latakia which offers an extra sweet flavor in the mixture. It fills in, the bowl easily, it turns on difficult, it burns very slowly, dry till the end. Nice, very nice I would say.

But it didn?t give me this extra feel in order to place him among my top smokes or at least among those that I will definitely buy again. Of course I have one more tin which when I will smoke it too, I may change my mind. The perfume around, very neutral.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-10-02		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Tolerable to Strong

An uncle of mine gave me a tin of this for my birthday in June. He gives me a hard time because when we go fishing I always bring along a pouch of Borkum Riff or some other drug store brand because when I'm fishing I'm to preoccupied to actually think about what I'm smoking. When I want to sit and actually enjoy and explore a smoke I wait till I'm at home after work when I can unwind and get lost with no interruptions. Anyways 4 months later I finally opened the tin. The aroma was interesting kind of a musty, slightly fruity smell. Is there latakia in this? This is my first journey into the land of Oriental/Virginia blends. I'm a big fan of OG but I haven't tried any oriental blends, that I know of anyways. I like latakia in moderation and try to stay away from heavy latakia blends because I can't taste anything other than that. So I loaded up my Dublin and gave it a whirl. The first thing I tasted after lighting was the latakia and it was quickly replaced by the orientals and the virginias. The trio played tag in my mouth halfway through the bowl then mellowed into a alightly sweet virgina oriental mix. I was honestly amazed by this stuff and very thankful to my uncle for introducing me to it. I like to smoke this blend when I'm relaxing with a nice scotch and good book.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-09-18		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

we have a winner this month, this is a tobacco i'd probably never try if it was not our clubs tobacco of the month. it says its a medium english on the back of the tin, (i shy away from heavy english blends) i don't know why, to me it's an oriental blend. can't lie this stuff smells awfull, the mix of latakia even tho it's very minimal and the sour smell of the orientals just doesn't work for, smells a lot like presbyterian mixture to me. thankfully this stuff tastes pretty damn good. red rapparee (RR) is oriental dominated, you only smell the latakia in the tin and taste it for the first few minutes of the bowl, the virginia's peek through mid bowl and give off a ever so slightly sweet hay taste to go along with the tart and smoky, (not lat smoky) orientals. RR, burns very cool and dry, you cant make this stuff steam up no matter how hard you try, it stays lit as well, i need very few relights for this blend. i think RR smokes best in smaller bowls, it does pack a punch and can overwhelm your palate if you plan on smoking something else later. 3 outta 4 stars

tip; if your like me and not a fan of the tin aroma, leave it out in the open for a few hours, cuts the smell in half.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-09-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Somewhat in the genre of London Mixture, Durbar, Presbyterian being an Oriental/Virginia mixture with emphasis on Oriental. This may or may not have Latakia in some measure, but I find it to be very subtle, if there at all. I find I can smoke it in hot/humid weather, where Latakia blends leave me flat.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-06-19		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

After trying the "trinity" from Rattray (HOTW-OG-MF) I decided to go off of the Va. reservation. While this is a high quality blend, it has not tempted me to give up my love affair with OG HOTW etc. I guess my taste at this time do not appriciate the wonderful world of Orientals as much as in the past. Not a "throw away" so I will revisit this one from time to time, but for now it will be an occasional treat. Rate

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-02-06		Medium	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable

UPDATE: blast it, another blend that pales somewhat compared to the real stuff. well, i'll return to my cellared tins in a couple years... END UPDATE

as i'm getting more into orientals/balkans/englishes, new wonderful vistas open. for me, red rapparee has been a revelation.

tin aroma: matured, fermented virginia, earthy fragrant orientals and probably the faintest whiff of latakia.(edit: quite a bit of latakia, i now believe)

perfect moisture level, easy to light. and the taste/aroma! this is splendid! sweet and tangy virginia, spicy orientals that really sing, and again perhaps a smidgen latakia. lots and lots of nuances weaving in and out. burns steadily to a dry ash without any problems. i don't see it as more than medium strength, though.

i love hal o' the wynd, and i believe it's the basis of this one - but the whole is a lot more than just it's components. true tobacco synergy.

i never tasted it in it's perth days, and only vaguely remember it from one macconnell era tin long ago. neither have i, as paddy, tried a vintage tin. but, i believe that this version of red rapparee may be splendid for aging as well as for immediate smoking.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-02-06		Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

This stuff is weird. Taste-wise, it could be a cousin of Penzance, except it's powered (to change the metaphor) by a 4 cylinder red virginia engine rather than a 6 cylinder latakia one. The orientals are rich and floral. There might be the barest hint of latakia in the mix, or it could just be my imagination. At first it seems like the virginias are all but undetectable, but then (as usual) halfway through the bowl they sing. I will have to disagree with many of the reviews on this page and say that I think I can detect a light floral casing besides the orientals (of course I could be wrong, but like Greg Pease said, virtually all blends are cased with something). I would also call RRR ribbon cut, rather than broken flake. I bought the 100 gram tin and I've been picking stems out of it constantly. It burns well with an hour or two's drying time.

I am surprised to read reviewers' complaints about this blend's pungency and rough edges. I started smoking mine right out of the tin, and I find it quite smooth and mellow. I like it during the day when I'm in the mood for something a little different from my usual regimen of virginia flakes, or at night when my addled taste buds aren't quite up for going nine rounds with Penzance. All in all, a nice, solid smoke. Right now I can see myself trying out something different when my RRR runs out, but I will probably miss it badly when it's gone.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-01-19		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Illinois has recently outlawed smoking in bars, so the room-note is based on the reactions of only two people (i) my wife, who loves the scent of RR even in the house, and (ii) a vehemently anti-smoking friend of my sister, whom, at the very moment she exclaimed "what is that [exquisite] smell", was railing against cigarette smoking. The tavern patrons over the last year that I smoked all expressed appreciation. Anyway, such is life. Red Rapparee is the quintessence of an English blend--or Scottish blend, I don't care. It is spicy, smoky and sweet, in that order. I enjoy Old Gowrie, but this blend does not emphasize the "Rattray Virginia" taste of that or similiar blends. Buy a few cans before the anti-freedom persons sell us all out. The cut is rather finer than GLPease or McClelland, which causes the tobacco to stay lit better, IMO. (Though I do like Abingdon and 2035.) If I was not hell-bent on finding the perfect pipe tobacco, this would probably be it. I give K&K four stars for this exquisite tobacco, and God help them if they discombobulate it.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-09-29		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Rattray is really a great company for offering a good amount of tobacco for a great price. I got this 100gr tin from Jr's for 9 bucks. Unfortunately it wasn't that much of a winner for me. This blend is very mildly seasoned with latakia and the VAs didn't really announce themselves...so I was left with an Oriental blend that had a nice gentle floral flavor and really not much more...for me, not what I prefer. It had good burning properties though there were a few stems. This is advertised as a medium English, but I think not. This would be a good blender with more full English mixtures or for those who like a very mild English/Oriental.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2004-11-15		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

Like many others, the name is what initially attracted me to this one. Good tin aroma and appearance. Easy to pack.

I really like the tanginess of the orientals in this one. I smoke it in the car on my way home from work. It is a nice way to pass the hour drive.

November 2004

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2004-09-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

September 2004

I purchased this blend believing that it would be more heavily influenced by its Latakia component, and although I am a big Latakia fan I was not at all disappointed with the predomincance of the Orientals and Virginas. To the contrary, I found this to be a fascinating tobacco. The Latakia was present immediately upon fireup, but then dropped into the background in deference to the complexity of the Turkish. The tang of the Virginia was present throughout, and given my propensity for fast smoking it nipped my tongue a tad. No biggie, though; I thought it was a terrific blend and will definitely keep a tin around.

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