Robert McConnell Scottish Cake

UPDATE 01/28/2018:

I wanted to let this one sit awhile and see how it went. I can't say I'd order this one again.

It's an odd one to me because it has a citrusy Va but there's something about the flavour that while it has flavour, it stirkes me as being shallow. It is also peppery from the perique way and I don't happen to be a fan of that. Combining citrusy with peppery just isn't my thing, but if you like VaPers you'll likely enjoy.

Prefer their Oriental blend much more.

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The tin note on this one is the most citrusy Virginia I've ever seen, so much so it makes me wonder if there's an adding topping of a citrus variety.

Flavour wise, it's quite unique. To me it is almost like taking a Va. flake like FVF or Capstan Blue and mixing it up with half HH Old Dark Fired and then add on some perique. (I don't think this blend claims to have any perique but it sure tastes like it to me as there is a peppery quality. It is something I always note because perique and I do not always see eye to eye.)

At any rate, what you end up with is a citrusy Virginia flavour mixed with the darker Kentucky type notes that come with ODF -- but the "dark stewed fruit" angle of ODF is taken over by the citrusy Virginia.

To be honest I'm still not quite sure what to make of it. I've found the first half of the bowl more enjoyable than the second half as I find it builds up to that throat feel that can come with Kentucky and the peppery notes as well, and these are things I'm not big fans of, unless I happen to pair it with coffee -- but to me a good blend should stand on its own; it shouldn't have to be augmented by something else to be enjoyable.

A word about the tin art. It's phenomenal. Love it. I'm almost tempted to cellar some of it just for the tin art. 😀

Anyway, I'm going to rate this one as "somewhat" recommended for me at this point, but it could change. I need to try it with some more drying time as I've found right out of the tin its a bit moist and can be difficult to keep lit.

I imagine this is one of those love it or hate it type of blends.

Ebay tin dated 1/12. Probably the best-behaved tobacco I've smoked yet. The leaf is a spongy, moist lump in the tin, and I adore the tin note: sweet feed, oats, raisins and hay. The mushiness of the tobacco lends itself well to my preferred style of packing, a fussy, modified Frank method. And mechanically, it's almost a perfect smoke. I didn't even use a charring light to get it up and running. The plug up top burned slow and steady, with a plentiful but wispy smoke that disappeared quickly in the fall wind.

Only problem is that it's boring. The oats and sweet feed disappear quickly and the perique comes rushing in, hot and spicy. Slowing down the cadence helps some, but I think age is not kind to this blend. The dominating taste is of burning woodchips, a bit of plum and smoke. The perique is just too much. I've smoked and enjoyed other mixtures with perique, so I don't think it's me, though I know I don't have much tolerance for the stuff. Maybe it is me. I loved the Virginias in here, and if there was a straight Virginia version, it would probably become my go-to smoke. As it is, the Virginias tempt me to dig deeper, but when I do, the perique rears its head and makes the experience go from great to passable.

Everything else was perfect: I got almost an hour out of two-thirds of a bowl and didn't have to relight once. The bowl never burned hot and the leaf never turned bitter- unless I pushed the perique. I liked the nicotine levels: just enough to feel something, with no queasiness or head spin. It's just me. I'm interested in trying a fresh tin, and would unreservedly recommend this to anyone with more tolerance for perique than myself.

This is another tobacco I just didn't get. It wasn't bad but nothing really shined out to me in it. In fact I found it plain boring. I tried this in several different pipes but just couldn't get this one to do anything for me. Perhaps I'll revisit this again in the future.

Soli Deo gloria!

I'm reviewing this tobacco again with my 2nd tin of this tobacco....five years later.

Presentation in the tin is quite a nice crumbled cake. Reminds me of the look of Hal'o'The Wynd. Smells figgy, earthy, dried fruit sweetness and a bit of hay. Its a bit wet in the tin, but that doesn't seem to detract from packing it, lighting it, etc...

Packs well into any of the several pipes I've smoked it in. Lights well with just one match. This blend seems to require some light tamping from time to time, but behaves quite well.

The smoke is also reminiscent of HoTW, but just by a little. It gives a nice amount of smoke with flavors of bread, earth, and the typical virginia hayishness. This smoke is only slightly sweet and I would even say it has a 'salty' flavor to it. Sometimes hints of cigar and spice come to visit the palate. It's an enjoyable smoke, but not as smooth (a bit more harsh) as HoTW and not as sweet. It's flavors are not overpowering and are quite pleasant to enjoy. It's a smoke that doesn't require a lot of contemplation and gives quite a kick. There is something about the flavor profile, specifically the finish, that is off-putting to me. I have a hard time putting my finger on it. There is an unpleasant sour note on the aftertaste that just strikes me wrong, otherwise I would rate this tobacco much higher.

Open the tin and comes out smell from vinegar and tobacco , in moist dark broken flakes. Needs to be dry some hours or else produce high temperatures and hot air without flavor . When is dry is much better , a soft sweetness from the red virginia , earthy from the kentaky and fruity from the perique all this compine from light topping . Produce many moist in the smoking . Good level nicotine is not strong is not weak . Interesting tobacco but not an all day for me .Is three stars for the taste but two stars for how is burning , in total 2,5 .

This is a decent blend. A ready rub more than a cake, this tobacco burns slow. Flavorwise, there is a lot of Virginia mid-range, and a bit of bass from the Kentucky. I find the perique a bit subdued in this blend. Overall, I think this blend lacks sweetness, and can be a little...hollow. There is an earthiness to Scottish Cake that is pleasant, but can be a bit overwhelming without sweetness to round the edges. All in all, a pleasant tobacco, but not quite a great one...

Nice presentation. Very mild tin note. Burns nicely. Without a doubt this is a quality blend. But it s somehow lacking in taste. You can definitely taste the virginia and the kentucky too. But the overall experience is a weak one. I give it two stars, because I find it a bit boring and not as strong as I would like for this kind of blend. Nevertheless, an all day smoke.

This is a good tobacco, but not so excellent as I read. First of all it isn’t a Va/Per but a simply top natural mixture Virginia/Kentucky. I really think there isn’t any Perique in it and even if there is a little pinch it is uninfluential. The taste is a classic Virginia Kentucky and nothing else. However, I believe there is something better in the market. I mean this is a quite good tobacco, but nothing more. If you are looking for a classic top natural mixture with basis tobaccos (without seasoning and flavoring and without Latakia) you have to orient yourself towards Peterson Irish Flake or Samuel Gawith Brown n°4. In my personal rating (from 1 to 10) my score is 7 and two stars.

This tobacco was ok to smoke, but nothing really stood out for me about it, so it is unlikely I will get it again.