Robert McConnell Mature
(3.40)
The new tin description reads: Manufactured from matured Virginia leafs from Africa and Brazil, as well as Oriental tobaccos from Greece and Turkey. A sweetish blend, rich in scent and taste. Flavoring: chocolate (according to K&K website).
Notes: For those who enjoyed the cut and leaf of the old (brown tin) Special London Mature, but would have favored more aroma, Robert McConnell now has an answer. Using what is, as far as we can tell, the identical ready-rubbed, high quality dark Virginia, this smoke is topped with a sweet, exotic star anise aromatic.
Details
| Brand | Robert McConnell |
| Blended By | |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | Virginia Based |
| Contents | Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Anisette |
| Cut | Broken Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild to Medium
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.40 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 25, 2018 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
Just as with about any other blend by Robert McConnel there are way too many different and contradicting descriptions... one says it's pure Virginia, one says VA with Chocolate, another one Va/Oriental with Anise, otehr one Va/Oriental with Chocolate... and so on... either way here are my two cents on this rather pleasing tobacco:
There's no chocolate in there whatsoever... I'm most sure of that! Anise/licorice could be included in the topping, which is rather fruity and sweet in tenor with a slight (but pleasant) sour nuance to it. I prefer airing the tin out for about a day, so the topping will evaporate a bit and the tobaccos to shine more. Once aired out for a bit, I also get a most pleasant bread-y and pastry-ish notes out of this, as well as a hint of Oriental spice and zing.
The ready rubbed mixture comes quite moist and stays moist for quite a while.. so 1 day of airing it out won't do it no harm... no surprise, when you take a look at the additives..~4g of Propylenglycol (PG) on 100g of tobacco... https://service.bmel.de/tabakerzeugnisse/index2.php?detail_id=104493&site_key=153&stichw_suche=mature&zeilenzahl_zaehler=1
I don't like the use of PG at all.. but the rather pleasing and "comfty", "Old-timey" taste makes up for that disgrace.. because the combination of the mild topping paired with the Virginia/Oriental tobacco foundation works like a charme for me and gives me a very "old-timey-feeling", like this is a smoke that would've been savoured decades ago. And in fact the recipe of this dates back quite a while, sadly I can't find the exact date at this moment, I'll hand it in later as I find it.
The Virginias are wonderful... rich notes of bread, earth and some grassy/vegetative qualities prevail, whilst also offering a smooth honey-dew undertone. The Turkish pairs just perfect with the Virginian leafs! It offers a smooth, yet full-bodied and exotic spice and zing to this blend, that makes this blend really interesting for me. Slightly flowery and even hints of ethereal oiliness. They really "grasp" into each other and are excellently accompanied by the mild topping, which reminds me somewhat of anise, but moreso of honey and I also perceive it as "somewhat fruity". Really pleasing, not too overbearingly applied it adds that "classic pipe smoking feel" to the blend, just as much as the pleasant, "pipe-smoke-ish" room note!
My first review on this gave 3 stars, but I'll up-rate it to 3,5 stars - only the high PG amount in this blend makes me hestitate to grant it all 4 stars... Despite the rather excessive use of PG in this blend, it has a lot of charme to offer and will not only please lovers of Virginia, but can also be a wonderful first step towards more natural blends when you're coming from aromatics. I'd consider this a "Semi-Aromatic". But also me, as a Burley-Boy, who enjoys some lovely Turkish/Oriental leaf in his blends finds great pleasure in this! For me this THE classical "pipe tobacco" as one thinks of, when haven't smoked the pipe before! Not solely aromatic, but also some nice tobacco foundation, great room note, pleasing and calming smoke.... grab a tin! 😉
|| Personal rating: 3,5-stars | Attempt of an 'obective rating' : 3,5-stars ||
There's no chocolate in there whatsoever... I'm most sure of that! Anise/licorice could be included in the topping, which is rather fruity and sweet in tenor with a slight (but pleasant) sour nuance to it. I prefer airing the tin out for about a day, so the topping will evaporate a bit and the tobaccos to shine more. Once aired out for a bit, I also get a most pleasant bread-y and pastry-ish notes out of this, as well as a hint of Oriental spice and zing.
The ready rubbed mixture comes quite moist and stays moist for quite a while.. so 1 day of airing it out won't do it no harm... no surprise, when you take a look at the additives..~4g of Propylenglycol (PG) on 100g of tobacco... https://service.bmel.de/tabakerzeugnisse/index2.php?detail_id=104493&site_key=153&stichw_suche=mature&zeilenzahl_zaehler=1
I don't like the use of PG at all.. but the rather pleasing and "comfty", "Old-timey" taste makes up for that disgrace.. because the combination of the mild topping paired with the Virginia/Oriental tobacco foundation works like a charme for me and gives me a very "old-timey-feeling", like this is a smoke that would've been savoured decades ago. And in fact the recipe of this dates back quite a while, sadly I can't find the exact date at this moment, I'll hand it in later as I find it.
The Virginias are wonderful... rich notes of bread, earth and some grassy/vegetative qualities prevail, whilst also offering a smooth honey-dew undertone. The Turkish pairs just perfect with the Virginian leafs! It offers a smooth, yet full-bodied and exotic spice and zing to this blend, that makes this blend really interesting for me. Slightly flowery and even hints of ethereal oiliness. They really "grasp" into each other and are excellently accompanied by the mild topping, which reminds me somewhat of anise, but moreso of honey and I also perceive it as "somewhat fruity". Really pleasing, not too overbearingly applied it adds that "classic pipe smoking feel" to the blend, just as much as the pleasant, "pipe-smoke-ish" room note!
My first review on this gave 3 stars, but I'll up-rate it to 3,5 stars - only the high PG amount in this blend makes me hestitate to grant it all 4 stars... Despite the rather excessive use of PG in this blend, it has a lot of charme to offer and will not only please lovers of Virginia, but can also be a wonderful first step towards more natural blends when you're coming from aromatics. I'd consider this a "Semi-Aromatic". But also me, as a Burley-Boy, who enjoys some lovely Turkish/Oriental leaf in his blends finds great pleasure in this! For me this THE classical "pipe tobacco" as one thinks of, when haven't smoked the pipe before! Not solely aromatic, but also some nice tobacco foundation, great room note, pleasing and calming smoke.... grab a tin! 😉
|| Personal rating: 3,5-stars | Attempt of an 'obective rating' : 3,5-stars ||
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 12, 2017 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Very Pleasant |
This is a nice and tasty smoke. The licorice topping is subtle but assertive. The tobacco is dark and comes Ready Rubbed. It's a bit on the moist side so I choose to dry it out for a good 30 minutes before I lock and load. There's nothing too exciting about this one but it never really gets boring. It's not a "sit and contemplate" smoke but more of a chore blend in my opinion and it sure beats the hell out of most characterless American aros. The nicotine is about medium so it will satisfy your nic cravings and the room note is very pleasant. This would be one of my choice smokes if I was worried about non smokers around me (which I never am) but I think most people will find the aroma to be quite pleasing. I will happily smoke both the tins that I picked up but once it's gone I don't think I'll be getting more. It's pretty much a "middle of the road" blend and average on every account but sometimes that's exactly what I'm wanting.
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