Robert McConnell Original Oriental

let me help you out here. If you want to know what a tobacco is like on this site. Read 5 or 6 reviews .not all of them. Then you will get a feel of weather or not the reviews you have read will help you decide on a proper choice for you. The Original Oriental is in my opinion one of the finest oriental/ English blends ever made. All tobaccos in this blend truly work in perfect harmony. A few blenders around today should grab a can of this and give it a good try.Who knows? You may learn something. And for my other pipe smoking friends out there. Smoke. And peace to you.

The blend that I currently smoke and also my first ever Robert McConnell. Very complex aroma and nice oriental taste. The Latakia is not powerful, added only for complexity. The taste is offered mainly by the sweetness of Virginia and the spiciness of the Orientals with the Cavendish added to temper the strength. A real symphony of aromas. I love it! It will always be in my collection.

Revised review 2016-3-5 I guess tastes change from when I first tried this 5 years ago. I now find this a very" creamy" Oriental forward blend. Most of my experience with a blend of this type comes with some heat, but not this one. I don't know if it is the Cavendish or Latakia that tames this one , but neither show themselves in the taste. In smoking this blend back to back with EMP , I find them very similar, including the cut.

I believe that I will be stocking up

McConnell calls this blend "Oriental" without much more detail because the experience of this smoke is as simply put as the name describes. It is a very pure, un-messed-around-with, oriental blend that any tobacco purist who does not like heavy additional flavorings will enjoy. This blend is done in a very traditional English fashion. It has a great spicy-satin taste that doesn't bite and a mild room note that seems to somewhat match the taste.

Oriental is my second favorite blend. This blend has a robust quality and an excellent balance of flavors. It is the most complex blend I've ever tasted. From the first puff to the last there is swirl of flavors varying in sweetness and pungency. I can see why some reviews here have rated it unfavorably if the smoker was expecting a classic English blend with overpowering latakia content rather than a balanced blend with latakia being used to compliment the Turkish and oriental leaves. It makes a great nightcap along with a snifter of cognac. It seems to favor thick walled briars and it likes to be savored slowly. It rates a solid 4 stars.

This is simply superb and a wonderful change-of-pace break from category blends such as VAPERs, straight VA, and Latakia-dominated blends.

The Latakia in this blend is nicely restrained but it dances in and out - no question - while the remaining Oriental leaf dominates, not the Latakia or proported VA.

Like SirLoirn noted below, if there is any VA actually in this, then its minimal. This is an exotic smoke and if you pay atention and go slowly you will be well rewarded.

Oriental slowly reveals itself as you move down the bowl. Out of the tin, as usual, I dry mine for at least 24 hours in open air. After that, it readily takes to the flame and has excellent burning qualities - it's very easy to keep this blend smoldering once its been properly dried.

It does indeed develop into a spicy/peppery finish (close to bitey), as noted by SirLoirn. Again, exotic comes to mind with subtle incense aroma perfuming the air. Minimal nicotine makes this a fine evening smoke.

I have dedicated a pipe to this blend - it's refreshingly unique in a crowded field of me-too offerings.

I purchased a tin of Robert McConnell Oriental on impulse after visiting my local tobacconist and spotting the bright yellow tin on the shelves. The tin aroma is one of mellow tobacco...attractive, sweet and nutty. Visually, this Oriental is made up predominantly of black and tan ribbons, but you will also find - scattered here and there - occasional olive green strands that give it an interesting look. I smoked this in a Peterson System #314 and this RM offering lit easily enough to produce a creamy, blue hazed smoke. The taste was cool, light and surprisingly refreshing, though it did intensify a little further down the bowl as the smoke progressed. I think this makes a good, any-time-of-the-day smoke, though if you're looking for something more complex from your tobacco it will disappoint. However, I quite enjoyed it for its simplicity and light touch. I will be keeping a tin of this around for an occasional change of pace or for when I need to refresh a jaded palate. Three stars.

Update 06/07/2006: I have just finished a second tin of this excellent Robert McConnell offering. It has certainly grown on me and now has a regular place in my rotation. A bowl full of Oriental first thing in the morning is a great way to start the day...upgrading this from three to four stars.

This blend, along with Squadron Leader and Wellauer's English are my "all day" English choices. This has nice spicy aromas from the Orientals and enough Latakia to add some weight and maintain interest. I smoke this in the morning with coffee and before work or on the weekend when I intend to smoke several bowls. It benefits from some drying out, like many tobaccos, and is most enjoyable once the tin has been opened for a while. It burns well right to the bottom and leaves a nice dry ash.

In agreement with much of the favorable posts... It's an honest 'oriental'. I probably have smoked Balkan Sasieni moreso...but both are very simular ie. like coke and pepsi. I get confused by the terms 'Oriental' 'Balkan' and 'English'. I've heard Balkan S. described as really being an 'English'. On Robert McConnell's label it says 'The Original Orient'...but on the back of the tin it says 'traditional English Mixture.' When one takes into account that 'Robert McConnell'(very english sounding name) is made in Germany...and that Balkan Sasieni is made in Denmark(not the tobacco of course but the company blending it) then one is further confused... At any rate I like the stuff ie. latakia and virginias with a little 'orient'. I would say RM has perhaps a tiny bit more 'orient' flabor than BS...and that BS is stronger in regard to nicotine...but that BS has a slightly milder room note. I smoke the RM in a peterson harp that is dedicated to BS and RM... The flavors are so close...pipe selection and the way one stores the tobacco - might tip the balance in regard to preference. I like RM's tins better than do the tins of BSasieni.