Robert McConnell Maduro
(2.38)
One of the original blends from 1848. Rich Dark Virginia and Carolina Mature Leaf blended and pressed in steam ovens produce this unique dark mature tobacco, according to the sailor men method called "Carottes". Surprisingly mild and very slow burning. No latakia.
Notes: McConnell's Maduro is a blend of deep, dark, heat pressed Virginias with perique and a Navy rum top note. A black cavendish made from various burley and Virginia tobaccos is rounded off with a whiff of perique (K&K Website).
Details
| Brand | Robert McConnell |
| Blended By | Kohlhase, Kopp und Co. KG |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Perique |
| Contents | Black Cavendish, Burley, Perique, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Rum |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | Germany |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Mild
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
2.38 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 11 of 11 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 11, 2001 | Very Mild | None Detected | Mild | Pleasant |
Pouch Aroma: Yum! A lovely spicy-sweet aroma which makes my mouth water. It doesn't smell like a sticky-sweet black cavendish, and it has more of a Virginia tone than Burley; it reminds me of Rattray's Black Virginia or Dark Fragrant.
Appearance: This is about 95% deep brown/black, with a few light flashes of medium brown - no golden pieces at all. The cut is mostly what looks like broken up cavendish cut with most of the tobacco being in 2mm x 3mm pieces.
Packing and Lighting: Due to the cut, this packed quite well into an old Charatan 'blast straight Dublin which also has a nice wide draft hole - I may have to be careful to avoid a little bite.
The initial light gives me a surprisingly un-sweet flavor - there is a smooth creaminess like semi-sweet chocolate (not tasting LIKE chocolate though) and the smoke is rather thin-tasting at first. It was a little difficult to get a full burn on the top as it wants to light primarily in the middle, but three lights got it going to my satisfaction
Exposition: Now, underneath the initial flavor I'm getting a very light musty and spicy flavor and aroma that promises to be interesting. It's similar to the undertone that I get from Rattray's Hal o'the Wynd, but not as sharp or pronounced. This isn't a good tobacco for inattentive smoking though - I find myself having to pay more attention to tamping and keeping the burn even that I would prefer. This isn't necessarily a /bad/ thing though - there are times when I want to concentrate on the act of smoking. This tobacco is a little one-dimensional for that kind of treatment though - it tastes good, but there's not much going on.
The Story: I'm thinking this might be best smoked outdoors in the fall when I take my evening walks. The burn will be helped along subtly by the wind, the flavor enhanced by the fall humidity and the aroma would mix well with that of damp leaves and the smell of rain. Sitting here at my computer on a warm summer morning, it's just not a wonderful experience. It's not bad, but I know it could be better.
The flavor is deepening some as I approach the halfway mark, and that certainly helps with my enjoyment some - but I keep looking for other flavors to peek out and mingle with the sweetness and the advancing musky molasses taste. Even a smidgen of Perique would be a nice addition!
Denouement: I've found myself having to work hard to avoid a tendency of this tobacco to bite my tongue, as I think I'm unconsciously trying to pull more smoke volume and flavor from this. I think it'd go better after dinner as a dessert smoke, perhaps with a cup of Darjeeling tea. As my first bowl of the day with strong black coffee it's just not working for me.
The complexity never increased very much, and the flavors remained basically the same - only deepening as the bowl burns down. The nose, or smoke emanating from the bowl, is nice and leathery but that's the only really compelling aspect. I'll try it next in a wider bowl, as this Charatan has a rather tall thin chamber and that may be keeping it so one-dimensional.
Pros: Mild, easy to smoke once you get a good burn going (which takes a while), and a rather innocuous and ephemeral room note. This would go well with light, astringent drinks and after a flavorful meal as a nice rest for my palate.
Cons: Lacking in complexity, very light flavor, and not an attention-getting smoke. I'd smoke this more out of respect for those around me than for my own enjoyment.
Appearance: This is about 95% deep brown/black, with a few light flashes of medium brown - no golden pieces at all. The cut is mostly what looks like broken up cavendish cut with most of the tobacco being in 2mm x 3mm pieces.
Packing and Lighting: Due to the cut, this packed quite well into an old Charatan 'blast straight Dublin which also has a nice wide draft hole - I may have to be careful to avoid a little bite.
The initial light gives me a surprisingly un-sweet flavor - there is a smooth creaminess like semi-sweet chocolate (not tasting LIKE chocolate though) and the smoke is rather thin-tasting at first. It was a little difficult to get a full burn on the top as it wants to light primarily in the middle, but three lights got it going to my satisfaction
Exposition: Now, underneath the initial flavor I'm getting a very light musty and spicy flavor and aroma that promises to be interesting. It's similar to the undertone that I get from Rattray's Hal o'the Wynd, but not as sharp or pronounced. This isn't a good tobacco for inattentive smoking though - I find myself having to pay more attention to tamping and keeping the burn even that I would prefer. This isn't necessarily a /bad/ thing though - there are times when I want to concentrate on the act of smoking. This tobacco is a little one-dimensional for that kind of treatment though - it tastes good, but there's not much going on.
The Story: I'm thinking this might be best smoked outdoors in the fall when I take my evening walks. The burn will be helped along subtly by the wind, the flavor enhanced by the fall humidity and the aroma would mix well with that of damp leaves and the smell of rain. Sitting here at my computer on a warm summer morning, it's just not a wonderful experience. It's not bad, but I know it could be better.
The flavor is deepening some as I approach the halfway mark, and that certainly helps with my enjoyment some - but I keep looking for other flavors to peek out and mingle with the sweetness and the advancing musky molasses taste. Even a smidgen of Perique would be a nice addition!
Denouement: I've found myself having to work hard to avoid a tendency of this tobacco to bite my tongue, as I think I'm unconsciously trying to pull more smoke volume and flavor from this. I think it'd go better after dinner as a dessert smoke, perhaps with a cup of Darjeeling tea. As my first bowl of the day with strong black coffee it's just not working for me.
The complexity never increased very much, and the flavors remained basically the same - only deepening as the bowl burns down. The nose, or smoke emanating from the bowl, is nice and leathery but that's the only really compelling aspect. I'll try it next in a wider bowl, as this Charatan has a rather tall thin chamber and that may be keeping it so one-dimensional.
Pros: Mild, easy to smoke once you get a good burn going (which takes a while), and a rather innocuous and ephemeral room note. This would go well with light, astringent drinks and after a flavorful meal as a nice rest for my palate.
Cons: Lacking in complexity, very light flavor, and not an attention-getting smoke. I'd smoke this more out of respect for those around me than for my own enjoyment.
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