Robert McConnell Scottish Blend

not a favorite or even close. note is good but burns harsh and too hot for me. I let this age in the tin for a year and it may be better when fresh. I puff a lot of Balken/English and this one gave me no pleasure. taste is subjective so are my reviews.

Parliano di una miscela originale, preparata dal 1848, rivista più volte ma sempre grande prodotto.

Apriamo la latta dall'inconfondibile colore verde e saremo accolti dall'affumicato del Latakia, ma non spaventiamoci, ad annusare bene sentiamo sentori terrosi del Virginia e il cuoio del Kentucky. Il ribbon è ben preparato, solo occhio a qualche occasionale costola della foglia. I colori hanno una bella tavolozza varia dei toni del marrone. Il tabacco è però umido, non da rendersi infumabile, ma questo è un tabacco che va sedotto, mettiamolo ad arieggiare un oretta o due, bello aperto, portemo poi apprezzarlo al massimo. Personalmente lo preferisco quasi secco, ma andiamo nel personale e fuori dalla degustazione.

La pipa migliore deve essere bella profonda, ampia; non deve essere una fumata breve. Accesa alla maniera antica: fiammifero lungo, osserveremo la vita propria del tabacco che si gonfia alla fiamma, si muove e crepita. Questo essere dinamico, mi affascina sempre, il nostro amico tabacco è un qualche cosa di vivo, dinamico che si agita, vive al repiro del fumatore e col respiro del fumatore regala aromi diversi, appaganti e diversi.

Il Kenticky appare subito, domina, carattere virile, maschio e deciso, ma questo sa essere controbilanciato dalle altre componenti, il Virginia subito addolcisce questa tonalità, un Viginia quasi mai fruttato, terroso ed erbaceo, gli Orientali fanno da contrappunto un contrappunto molto strutturato, corposo alcuni lo chiamano burroso da come l'amaricante avvolge la miscela, Il Cavendish è la parte dolce che sa fare il giro di danza giusto nel costruire una voluttuà unica, diverse da altre EM (si sempre nella famiglia delle EM siamo).

Il fumo, nonostante le componemti non è mai troppo caldo e respirato a fil di fumo riesce a donare ua fumata intensa, mai volgare. Occhio a non forzare il fumo la miscela si scompone e diventa aspra, volgare e non più piacevole. Va meditata, fumata per il gusto della fumata, non per compulsività, anche perchè non perdona e la botta ti arriva quando meno te l'aspetti.

Un tabacco invernale per antonomasia, non necessita per forza il pasto lauto per essere fumato, lo fumi per meditare, accompagnato o da un buon distillato secco (quello che ti piace di più) oppure un tea scuro.

Se si ha avuta la fortuna di assaggiare la Scottish di Davidoff, si nota un carattere più marcato, più English.

Il Kentucky fa la differenza, rende sicuramente un tocco in più che è quel sentore ci concia che fa maschia la miscela. A chi dedicarla? A quel fumature maturo che cerca la fumata meditativa, da estraniarsi dal mondo, dagli stress e poter essere accompagnato ed avvolto da una dolce compagna che sa sedurti, abbracciarti e avvolgerti in un amplesso sensoriale inebriante. Non è arrogantem ma è seducente.

Una nota negativa? Il prezzo, al solito che in questa nostra bella penisola il fumatore è un esssre da speremere.

Il voto? 4,8/5

Tasty orientals. It is a well balanced blend, with no flavor dominating the others. I recommend it for anyone who wants a full English. Quite floral. Not something I would smoke frequently however.

Like some here, my tin was lousy with moisture when I opened it. So much so that the paper disk covering the tobacco was wet and when i peeled it away nearly one half the contents were matted to it. Not an auspicious start. It was so wet that even packing the pipe and letting it sit for hours still only yielded me a steam bath-in-a-pipe. I could not attempt an assessment of it in that state.

Six weeks later, smoking, or trying to, a bowl a week, the blend began to show itself off although still too wet. I do not think this was from any PG treatment, just faulty packaging control. As time wore on and the blend finally reached smoke ready moisture I could begin to taste what is a pretty good Scottish (indeed!) blend made sweet from the mature Red Virginia and well seasoned with good Latakia. I did not taste any Kentucky but that does not mean it is not in there. It did sort of muddle together after mid-bowl but all in all, not a bad blend at all.

It reminded me very much of Cornell and Diehl's Star of the East although component-wise one would not expect so.

As far as ratings go from me: it started at 0 and worked its way up to just under three as it dried. Its price was a bit heavy especially when I can get bulk blends yielding similar experiences. But not all smokers have those options.

I was rummaging through my local cigar store's tinned tobacco and I happened across a tin of Scottish Blend. Interesting (I thought to myself). I know I have heard of it, but can't remember if what I heard was good or bad. I read the back of the tin: "Robust classic blend of virginia, latakia, turkish and perique." Kind of pricy (but then again everything at this cigar store is over priced), but it looked like it had been there a while; maybe it has some age on it. So I bought it. 15 bucks!@#$% This better be good.

First impression: I cracked the tin in the parking lot: Ketchup. That is a good sign. Very wet though. Surprisingly wet. This is going to take some drying time. I noticed that the blend has a sparing amount of latakia, but enough. When I pulled a pinch out of the tin to dry out, I noticed a little bit of glittery-sparkly stuff on the virginias. I wonder if that is because of the age of the tin? I have heard that that is a good thing, the sugar from the virginias, right?

Light up: I smoked it in my Dunhill Tanshell group 4, (It really seemed to like this particular pipe). I can definitely taste the Latakia, as this seems to be the flavor I always taste in the first charring light, but not very heavy. It only took two lights (which is normal for me) and then it stayed lit pretty well.

The first half of the bowl was very interesting. Very dynamic, as hints of sweetness, along with smooth, buttery, and sage-like notes billowed out of my mouth. You can taste the virginias, but they are sometimes drowned out by the other tobaccos. There is a healthy amount of perique as well (which probably gives it that mean nicotine punch).

The second half of the bowl really flattened out. I was surprised because initially it seemed so promising. I thought for sure that this was going to make its way into my regular rotation, but the longer I smoked it, the less impressed i became. Not that it was bad, it was just sort of, well, flat.

Overall: I have to give this one 2 1/2-2 3/4 stars. There isn't anything really spectacular about Scottish Blend, yet it has potential. It is a tobacco that I imagine will get much better with age. It may be a good blend to cellar for a few years and try again. I think if I had to compare it with something it would probably be close to Presbyterian, but it has been a while since I have had it. But don't take my word for it, try it for yourself. You may find Scottish Blend to be a very good tobacco.

Cheers!

***UPDATE***

I finished this tin over a couple weeks on my way home from work. I am starting to really like Scottish Blend. I am not one to have too many cans cracked at the same time, so I was committed to finishing this one until I could crack another. My tastes have been shifting towards the Va/per's in the morning, and English in the evening. As this was my only somewhat english blend for a little while, I was really satisfied with it. And the more that I smoked it, the more I realized that it is pretty nuanced. There are a lot of good flavors there, and I really like the roomnote. It kind of reminds me of emp. I have to bump this one up to a full 3 stars. But there are probably much better Scottish blends out there for the same price (which I can't wait to try).

Note: Crack the tin, and give it some time. It got better.

This is the kind of English blend I love...Scottish......not too heavy on the Latakia, a little Cavendish to sweeten things up, nice and creamy...another great blend from K+K in Germany. A little too moist in the tin but that's no major fault. This goes along with Solani's Eng Lux Mix as a great middle of the road English. That said it's sometimes closer to an oriental than a English Latkia, and also a bit too peaty to be called a true Scottish. A great subltle, creamy and sweet oriental/latakia blend.

Update

By God, this tobacco can sometimes be disappointing! There exists, unfortunately, a lack of consistence from one tin to the other.

As where my first couple tins proved an agreeable change of pace, and generated a nice room aroma, the second tin brought up an acrid taste and room aroma that almost made my eyes irritated...

For the sake of inconsistence, I must downgrade my original appreciation of this blend to two stars. A proof that even the best can make mistakes...

Original review 03/18/2008

A good english blend, different that the other standard ones. The black cavendish, all depending of its proportion from one tin to another, will bring up a sweeter taste that is welcomed, for it provides a change of pace for a traditional english. The first tin I smoked was heavier on the BL CA that the second one, thus the taste was sweeter.

The perique will let itself known in sporadical cycles, adding a kick to the whole experience.

SB does manage to maintain my interest. Not an all day favorite, but still regular in my favor.

An easy to fill and smoke blend, I would smoke this one in the wardroom while relaxing with a good pint of ale.

This is not a first bowl, "I Love It!" mixture. In fact, it seems almost unremarkable. Stick with it. It took me almost half a 50g. can before I began really appreciating this blend. The mixture of VA, PER, LAT and other Turkish is such that none overpower the others but produce a harmonious, albeit undistinguished smoke. There doesn't exist (IMO) a singular highpoint, instead there is just a good steady and enjoyable smoke. Althought the virginias, turkish and cyrian latakia make themselves known from time to time, I never found the perique. I enjoyed the blend in several different pipes and the thought that kept coming to mind was, "This isn't a bad blend." Well, it isn't a bad blend, far from it but it isn't a blend I would go running out to purchase again if I was getting low on it. I have another tin which is going to stay in my tobacco cellar for a year or so until I re-visit this blend. Maybe then I can say more glowingly positive things.

While there was nothing particularly wrong with my current tin of SB, it is significantly different from what it used to be. Before it was a moist (some say overly so) wonderfull Scottish blend, on par with Rattray Black Mallory and the various Cotton Scottish styles. No it is a very nice English with some Black Cavendish. IT has none of the depth and nuance it used to. The only thing I noticed that was different was that K&K had taken over production. I generally like their product, and hope they will get this back to its former glory. OK English, not so good Scottish.