Robert McConnell Original Oriental
(3.30)
The Oriental Mixture has been part of Robert McConnell's range since the beginning of the 19th century, making it one of the company's oldest products. It consists mostly of Cypriot, Turkish and Eastern Mediterranean bright tobaccos, which are blended together with bright leaf from Carolina and Red Old Belt from Virginia over a whole week. Carolina Black Cavendish is then added, resulting in a balanced, medium strength blend that will delight friends of expressive pipe tobacco in particular.
Details
| Brand | Robert McConnell |
| Blended By | Kohlhase, Kopp und Co. KG |
| Manufactured By | Kohlhase & Kopp |
| Blend Type | Oriental |
| Contents | Black Cavendish, Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin, 100 grams tin |
| Country | Germany |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.30 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 51 - 60 of 109 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 05, 2023 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Tin note is very interesting! When I opened it, it first came a fermented smell, with some peat and some herbal notes. However, after I jarred it for one month, the tin note was sweeter, with some flowery notes and a bit of incense from the latakia. Quite a bit difference, that shows how much a tobacco can change after it is left to ‘breathe’.
The tobacco is a bit too dry for a freshly opened tin, but judging by the way the tobacco was stuck to the cardboard inside the tin, I think it was quite moist in the beginning. This also made me curious, also because it had some sugar on it, so I looked at the date just to find out that this tin is from... december 2014! So it’s 9 years old. It’s a nicely cut ribbon, darker in color, with lots of black ribbons followed by brown and dark gold.
When you light it, it stings so bad that I need to put it down and try another match. After it’s lit, it tastes sweet and spicy, herbal and woody. Sweet as some honey plus sweet fennel, and the sweetness combines with spice as it was cloves and coriander. The herbal taste begins from something like rosemary (also a spice) to green tea. Then, it becomes more woody, smoky. Indeed, it has some flowery notes specific to the orientals used by Robert McConnell, and a bit of spice. A very interesting combination of flavors right from the start. Spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, coriander, anise, fennel, licorice dominate, being accompanied by the sweet, smoky, incense-like latakia. Some wood notes are present in the background as well. I find this to be bold and rich in flavor, with lots of notes to discover and enjoy. I’m truly impressed! Progressing through the bowl, I even stumbled upon some chocolaty, cocoa and hazelnut notes. Why and where they come from, I don’t know, because it doesn’t have burley. But they are there.
While writing the review I was reading the other reviews here and I was impressed that others detect that same notes as I do, which is not always the case. It’s rare that I would agree 100% with another review, but reading PipeDragon’s and Lochinvar’s reviews, I can say I totally agree with them. I wrote it before reading them and it was a surprise to see I’m not the only one detecting the same notes. Also, Lochinvar is right, it does resemble Presbyterian, even at the tin note. After many years of pipe smoking, I started to appreciate this type of blends. I didn’t really enjoy Presbyterian, but now, looking back, I think I might get another tin to give it another chance. Our palette and taste evolves in time.
It’s a good burner, even if it stings, it doesn’t bite and it doesn’t get hot and it stays lit easily. Room note is pleasant to tolerable. It does smell like an incense-latakia, but it’s sweeter rather than peaty and smoky.
Note: Not to be confused with Original Orient from Robert McConnell. This is Original Orient[al] not Original Orient. The other one is for blending.
The tobacco is a bit too dry for a freshly opened tin, but judging by the way the tobacco was stuck to the cardboard inside the tin, I think it was quite moist in the beginning. This also made me curious, also because it had some sugar on it, so I looked at the date just to find out that this tin is from... december 2014! So it’s 9 years old. It’s a nicely cut ribbon, darker in color, with lots of black ribbons followed by brown and dark gold.
When you light it, it stings so bad that I need to put it down and try another match. After it’s lit, it tastes sweet and spicy, herbal and woody. Sweet as some honey plus sweet fennel, and the sweetness combines with spice as it was cloves and coriander. The herbal taste begins from something like rosemary (also a spice) to green tea. Then, it becomes more woody, smoky. Indeed, it has some flowery notes specific to the orientals used by Robert McConnell, and a bit of spice. A very interesting combination of flavors right from the start. Spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, coriander, anise, fennel, licorice dominate, being accompanied by the sweet, smoky, incense-like latakia. Some wood notes are present in the background as well. I find this to be bold and rich in flavor, with lots of notes to discover and enjoy. I’m truly impressed! Progressing through the bowl, I even stumbled upon some chocolaty, cocoa and hazelnut notes. Why and where they come from, I don’t know, because it doesn’t have burley. But they are there.
While writing the review I was reading the other reviews here and I was impressed that others detect that same notes as I do, which is not always the case. It’s rare that I would agree 100% with another review, but reading PipeDragon’s and Lochinvar’s reviews, I can say I totally agree with them. I wrote it before reading them and it was a surprise to see I’m not the only one detecting the same notes. Also, Lochinvar is right, it does resemble Presbyterian, even at the tin note. After many years of pipe smoking, I started to appreciate this type of blends. I didn’t really enjoy Presbyterian, but now, looking back, I think I might get another tin to give it another chance. Our palette and taste evolves in time.
It’s a good burner, even if it stings, it doesn’t bite and it doesn’t get hot and it stays lit easily. Room note is pleasant to tolerable. It does smell like an incense-latakia, but it’s sweeter rather than peaty and smoky.
Note: Not to be confused with Original Orient from Robert McConnell. This is Original Orient[al] not Original Orient. The other one is for blending.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 2021 | Mild | None Detected | Mild | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Creamy but light. Any time of the day including all day smoke. Goes down smooth and easy. Very pleasant taste and scent. Highly recommend this Balkan Oriental blend.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 28, 2021 | Mild | Mild | Mild to Medium | Very Pleasant |
Yes this is a great tobacco but you have to let it mature properly. I smoked a 5 year old tin and it was sublime, I bought a new one and it’s just a decent smoke. So make your stock.
Pipe Used:
Calabria pipe
Age When Smoked:
5
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 14, 2020 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
This is my kind of balkan/latakia/english or whatever you care to call it. This blend is virginia heavy and latakia light. The orientals used are more citrus sour than noxious tire fire, and are quite prevalent making this a proper Balkan IMO. Rounding out all the hard edges on this is the right amount of cavendish.
Because of these properties I find this to be both a good warm weather and cold weather smoke. This is more than a theory as I had the chance to test it out under both conditions. It comes at a nice moisture content and the ribbon cut made for easy packing. It burned well with no issues and was easy on the tongue.
I am between three and four stars on this one, but decided to hold it to three as I still prefer a few others to this one, in particular, EMP, Squadron Leader, Cotton 1&2, amongst a few others in this lighter balkan category.
Because of these properties I find this to be both a good warm weather and cold weather smoke. This is more than a theory as I had the chance to test it out under both conditions. It comes at a nice moisture content and the ribbon cut made for easy packing. It burned well with no issues and was easy on the tongue.
I am between three and four stars on this one, but decided to hold it to three as I still prefer a few others to this one, in particular, EMP, Squadron Leader, Cotton 1&2, amongst a few others in this lighter balkan category.
Age When Smoked:
5 years 6 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 30, 2019 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
I hold a tin of this with so much expectation... When I opened, It was bone dry. But still smokable, and is still possible to see that this was a great misture.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 02, 2019 | Mild | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I can believe I have managed to get a tin of this. Robert McConnell along with Rattrays, F&T have become kind of hard to get ahold of. Knock on wood, I'm surprised Ashton isn't getting that way too since they are all produced by K&K.
I absolutely love to tin aroma. It's a smokey and leathery tin note with fermented dark fruit. Very unique and different. There isn't much complexity to the flavor profile. It's smokey, leathery, and sweet. I don't pick up on the orientals. As I've found with most blends that contain black cavendish, it give a aged quality to the flavor. Not much spice and no noticeable nicotine.
This blend reminds me so much of Boswells Northwoods and most of McCellelands English blends but with a shade or two more of depth. I might stock on more of this but it depends on if availability will allow me.
I absolutely love to tin aroma. It's a smokey and leathery tin note with fermented dark fruit. Very unique and different. There isn't much complexity to the flavor profile. It's smokey, leathery, and sweet. I don't pick up on the orientals. As I've found with most blends that contain black cavendish, it give a aged quality to the flavor. Not much spice and no noticeable nicotine.
This blend reminds me so much of Boswells Northwoods and most of McCellelands English blends but with a shade or two more of depth. I might stock on more of this but it depends on if availability will allow me.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 08, 2017 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I've smoked this tobacco 2 years ago, so I should definitely try this again. Still I cannot forget the feeling of a flavorful warm bread when smoking it. Oriental seems to me a pleasant, mild tobacco with delicate and calm character. I've really enjoyed this blend, and strongly will recommend it especially to new pipe smokers getting to the latakia and non aromatics.
Pipe Used:
briar, meerschaum
Age When Smoked:
fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 16, 2016 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
I have smoked this in the past; at least a decade ago. I recall liking it then.
Whether I've changed or the blend has, I suspect the first, I now find that there's a slight sweetness to this blend, and some other English/Scottish blends from K&K, that just doesn't work for me. I presume from the Cavendish? There's an after-taste that lingers in the same manner as an artificial sweetener.
If you get along well with other K&K blends that include Cavendish, I'm sure you'll enjoy this one.
Whether I've changed or the blend has, I suspect the first, I now find that there's a slight sweetness to this blend, and some other English/Scottish blends from K&K, that just doesn't work for me. I presume from the Cavendish? There's an after-taste that lingers in the same manner as an artificial sweetener.
If you get along well with other K&K blends that include Cavendish, I'm sure you'll enjoy this one.
Pipe Used:
Various briars and a Falcon
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 14, 2015 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I first started smoking McConnell tobaccos in the late 1960's and Oriental Mixture was one of my favorites...While this version is not too close to the Original, it is a very good smoke. It is a light Balkan and its flavor and consistency remain well above average throughout the smoke...This could serve as an all-day smoke for some but I rather enjoy it in the fall and winter most often. Since it is a light Balkan, I smoke it at any time of day and generally in a larger size pipe. It certainly meets my overall expectations, therefore I highly recommend it and further recommend it to anyone wishing a solid light Balkan.
Pipe Used:
gp 3-5 size
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
current production
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 19, 2015 | Mild | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
A really delicious oriental - soft and sweet, with a delicate but discernible spice. Quality leaf is used here. A little similar in some respect to FMATP. Lovely flavour profile and goes well the morning coffee. No tongue bite at all, even with relatively fast puffing. Recommended.
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