Robert McConnell Special London Mature
(3.39)
A natural ready rubbed dark Virginia with a nut like bouquet.
Details
| Brand | Robert McConnell |
| Blended By | Kohlhase, Kopp und Co. KG |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | Straight Virginia |
| Contents | Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ready Rubbed |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | Germany |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Mild
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Extremely Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.39 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 2002 | Extremely Mild | Extremely Mild | Very Mild | Pleasant |
Like many English/Scottish tobacco houses, McConnell´s name is now a German enterprise. How has this affected the original taste of the house blends is difficult to tell. Judging by the Cohlhacs & Kopp rendering of Rattray´s tobaccos (by the way, it is the same house that now produces McConnells?), it seems some of the Continental versions tend to follow the traditional processes and produce something very similar to the ?real thing?. Though I have never tried this particular tobacco before (i.e, the original McConnell version), I must say it is a wonderful, smooth matured Virginia, with a very subtle nut topping that virtually disappears by the first third of the bowl, leaving a very mild and velvety flavour, a kind of lighter version of the bygone Sobraine?s Virginia Reserve.
It should be noted that the actual name of this weed, according to the tin, is Special London Mature (fine cut tobacco). The tin depicts a mid XIXth Century street scene (it could be London, Copenhagen, or Edinburgh for that matter), very much in concordance with the type of illustrations one finds in other McConnell, Radford or even Larsen tins. Dickens, anyone?
Dark and medium brown broken flake, the aroma in the tin is very fresh and enticing (I wouldn?t bet this is something the traditional British pipe smoker actually appreciates), not entirely sweet, but fruity, nutty and woodsy. I don?t find it necessary to further break apart the broken flake, but pack it as it is right into the bowl. It lights quite easily and burns cool and slowly. I have smoked this in a well seasoned Savinelli Roma bent apple (a pipe that has only known Virginian tobaccos), and was instantly gratified by a non biting, very mild tobacco. It does seem to lack some personality and body, but as a mid-afternoon smoke it is excellent. The room aroma is very civilised (not at all an aromatic in the artificial sense of the word), and my wife is always greatly impressed by the discreet elegance of the aroma (she is now a non cigarette smoker). All in all, a very nice and mellow smoke, light and easy, that can equally be enjoyed by both, aromatic and non aromatic smokers, especially if looking for a change of pace.
It should be noted that the actual name of this weed, according to the tin, is Special London Mature (fine cut tobacco). The tin depicts a mid XIXth Century street scene (it could be London, Copenhagen, or Edinburgh for that matter), very much in concordance with the type of illustrations one finds in other McConnell, Radford or even Larsen tins. Dickens, anyone?
Dark and medium brown broken flake, the aroma in the tin is very fresh and enticing (I wouldn?t bet this is something the traditional British pipe smoker actually appreciates), not entirely sweet, but fruity, nutty and woodsy. I don?t find it necessary to further break apart the broken flake, but pack it as it is right into the bowl. It lights quite easily and burns cool and slowly. I have smoked this in a well seasoned Savinelli Roma bent apple (a pipe that has only known Virginian tobaccos), and was instantly gratified by a non biting, very mild tobacco. It does seem to lack some personality and body, but as a mid-afternoon smoke it is excellent. The room aroma is very civilised (not at all an aromatic in the artificial sense of the word), and my wife is always greatly impressed by the discreet elegance of the aroma (she is now a non cigarette smoker). All in all, a very nice and mellow smoke, light and easy, that can equally be enjoyed by both, aromatic and non aromatic smokers, especially if looking for a change of pace.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 16, 2002 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
The can actually says SPECIAL LONDON MATURE, not "mixture". This is not a BLEND at all, of course: it contains only ONE kind of tobacco (mahoganny Virginia) and to compare it to an English mixture with Latakia is a bit like comparing Charlotte Russe to kippers: pointless and mindless.
In our dumbed-down world, use of language not being what it once might have been, certain labels are applied with little reflection or discrimination. "London", "English Breakfast Tea", "Russian Caravan"??what do these things mean, other than a merchant's little hookline to the semi-educated? It's a bit like giving Spanish onion to somebody who wanted Spanish fly.
When the late Mr Alfred Dunhill of London, U.K., titled an English mixture with Latakia his "London Mix", he was suggesting something recognisable and accepted, as well as capitalising on the centrality of the British capital to Englishry in tobacco-blending?a marketable centrality, to be sure.
But what do Herren Kohlhaas & Kopp mean by "London Mature"? How would that be different, say, from..."Cincinnati Mature", or..."Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Mature" or "Düsseldorf Mature"? What is so recognisably and acceptedly "London" about mahoganny-coloured Virginia tobacco in a can?
Whatever these enterprising German gentlemen with perhaps something like a working knowledge of English may have meant, they have certainly managed to juggle reality for the Confused, insinuating their humble little mahoganny Virginia in with some of the oldest and best known and recognisable English blends, with which it has nothing whatever in common. Proof that you need only mention apples in order to sell oranges to idiots.
And how IS this little mahoganny Virginia, say you? Perfectly amiable, though not exactly memorable.
In our dumbed-down world, use of language not being what it once might have been, certain labels are applied with little reflection or discrimination. "London", "English Breakfast Tea", "Russian Caravan"??what do these things mean, other than a merchant's little hookline to the semi-educated? It's a bit like giving Spanish onion to somebody who wanted Spanish fly.
When the late Mr Alfred Dunhill of London, U.K., titled an English mixture with Latakia his "London Mix", he was suggesting something recognisable and accepted, as well as capitalising on the centrality of the British capital to Englishry in tobacco-blending?a marketable centrality, to be sure.
But what do Herren Kohlhaas & Kopp mean by "London Mature"? How would that be different, say, from..."Cincinnati Mature", or..."Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Mature" or "Düsseldorf Mature"? What is so recognisably and acceptedly "London" about mahoganny-coloured Virginia tobacco in a can?
Whatever these enterprising German gentlemen with perhaps something like a working knowledge of English may have meant, they have certainly managed to juggle reality for the Confused, insinuating their humble little mahoganny Virginia in with some of the oldest and best known and recognisable English blends, with which it has nothing whatever in common. Proof that you need only mention apples in order to sell oranges to idiots.
And how IS this little mahoganny Virginia, say you? Perfectly amiable, though not exactly memorable.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 08, 2009 | Mild | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Special London Mature came in the pictured 50grms tin, the inner packing is a (stained) wax paper lining.
K&K declares this to be a blend of dark and aromatic (wurziger) virginia flake mildly topped with chocolate. Whichever the topping is, IMHO this is not imparting anything so heavily, it just adds a "colour" to the blend.
My tin was waiting cellared a couple of years or so.
Unlike Red Virginia, the cut is quite rough. I have felt a further rubbing-out unnecessary, just rolled some tobacco into a ball and loaded in the pipe.
After the charring light (SLM is easy to start), the smoke is mild and a just bit stingy with a pleasant citrusy note over a substantially nutty aroma. It soon does compact into a thick smoke with nice volume. Nutty/salty is the combination I would say about the aroma. The smoke is remarkably refreshing and never hot nor aggressive.
The strength is mild with occasional reinforcements. The body does never reach the medium mark.
In some way I'm noticing a comparison with Olsen's B93, or thinking to a milder and more fresh brother of Rattray's Old Gowrie.
I'm frankly satisfied with SLM, and will store a couple of tins for aging.
K&K declares this to be a blend of dark and aromatic (wurziger) virginia flake mildly topped with chocolate. Whichever the topping is, IMHO this is not imparting anything so heavily, it just adds a "colour" to the blend.
My tin was waiting cellared a couple of years or so.
Unlike Red Virginia, the cut is quite rough. I have felt a further rubbing-out unnecessary, just rolled some tobacco into a ball and loaded in the pipe.
After the charring light (SLM is easy to start), the smoke is mild and a just bit stingy with a pleasant citrusy note over a substantially nutty aroma. It soon does compact into a thick smoke with nice volume. Nutty/salty is the combination I would say about the aroma. The smoke is remarkably refreshing and never hot nor aggressive.
The strength is mild with occasional reinforcements. The body does never reach the medium mark.
In some way I'm noticing a comparison with Olsen's B93, or thinking to a milder and more fresh brother of Rattray's Old Gowrie.
I'm frankly satisfied with SLM, and will store a couple of tins for aging.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 03, 2009 | Mild | Mild | Mild | Very Pleasant |
Opening the tin I stiffened with fright: my nostrils were invaded by the smell of chocolate-covered cherry brandy, I was afraid of facing a heavily flavored tobacco! After airy tobacco, I loaded my pipe and fortunately the original topping has almost vanished, in effect the flavoring of this tobacco is rather cloying but fortunately it is very ethereal (especially the smell of cherry liqueur) so vanishes lighting the pipe and letting emerge the elegant structure of this blend. SL is a mild tobacco in any sense: mildly chocolately, mildly tangy, mildly nutty, slightly bitter-sweet-salty-spicy and a bit yeasty. Surely this blend is not composed of only Virginia but is present some Burley and/or Cavendish (not only for aroma, taste and flavor but also for the good body despite low nicotine), SL offer a smoke smooth and sufficiently cool, no bite to the tongue and only a few relights, for me is a very suitable tobacco for this season and recommended for beginners too.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 03, 2008 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
Edit: Dec 08
This blend smokes right on the edge of rough, as I find certain Burleys do (MacB Burley London). There is also a characteristic bitterness all the way through which I suppose might go with a cup of coffee.... but really, I would like a bit more sweetness either in the leaf or in the casing, a la Dark Twist.
Currently preferring Scottish Flake as a smoother, sweeter smoke. Still suspect similar base tobaccos but there is something burley-ish about this weed that I don't especially like.
Nov 08 I agree with a lot of Pseudonym's comments. There are a lot of very subtly flavors here, carried on a full-bodied, fairly gentle smoke. There's something old-timey about this for me - I got to thinking of living in the woods.
Room note is neither nutty nor spicy - I was expecting something a little more like a glass of egg nog from the tin description. The room note has almost a burley sweetness to it, similar to Navy Flake, for instance.
I suspect I have a very recent tin - no mottling of the paper wrapper evident.
A decent if none too challenging smoke.
The more I think about it, the more I suspect this is Scottish Flake with a tiny bit of top dressing on it. Not a bad thing.
This blend smokes right on the edge of rough, as I find certain Burleys do (MacB Burley London). There is also a characteristic bitterness all the way through which I suppose might go with a cup of coffee.... but really, I would like a bit more sweetness either in the leaf or in the casing, a la Dark Twist.
Currently preferring Scottish Flake as a smoother, sweeter smoke. Still suspect similar base tobaccos but there is something burley-ish about this weed that I don't especially like.
Nov 08 I agree with a lot of Pseudonym's comments. There are a lot of very subtly flavors here, carried on a full-bodied, fairly gentle smoke. There's something old-timey about this for me - I got to thinking of living in the woods.
Room note is neither nutty nor spicy - I was expecting something a little more like a glass of egg nog from the tin description. The room note has almost a burley sweetness to it, similar to Navy Flake, for instance.
I suspect I have a very recent tin - no mottling of the paper wrapper evident.
A decent if none too challenging smoke.
The more I think about it, the more I suspect this is Scottish Flake with a tiny bit of top dressing on it. Not a bad thing.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 11, 2008 | Mild | None Detected | Very Mild | Very Pleasant |
Tin: Sweet, oats, and dull natural syrup scent, perhaps molasses-sorhgum. Brown-mahogany. The tobacco is a rubbed out flake, leaving a thick ribbon product. It comes wrapped in a neat paper package. When rolled into a ball, if slowly falls back apart.
Packing & Lighting: Packed without too much trouble, and stayed lit, with one relight.
Aroma & Taste: Nice, pleasant, unoffensive; not sharp, harsh, or tangy. Faintly sweet. Not much character. The bowl has a sweet scent. Light gurgle.
Nicotine: mild
Romm Note: light, pleasant VA scent, almost nonexistant.
Overall: The main feature was that this tobacco had no unpleasant qualities, but also lacked much of any distinct qualities. This compares to Samuel Gawith's Full VA Flake but does not have as much depth. 3 stars for being unoffensive.
Packing & Lighting: Packed without too much trouble, and stayed lit, with one relight.
Aroma & Taste: Nice, pleasant, unoffensive; not sharp, harsh, or tangy. Faintly sweet. Not much character. The bowl has a sweet scent. Light gurgle.
Nicotine: mild
Romm Note: light, pleasant VA scent, almost nonexistant.
Overall: The main feature was that this tobacco had no unpleasant qualities, but also lacked much of any distinct qualities. This compares to Samuel Gawith's Full VA Flake but does not have as much depth. 3 stars for being unoffensive.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 11, 2002 | Very Mild | Very Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
A good quality matured virginia, with a pleasant nutty taste. This is a flavored tobacco--but if I wasn't told that by the label I would never have guessed. I would have just thought that the creamy nuttiness was just a characteristic of the maturing process.
A pleasant, well behaved tobacco requiring just a bit of rubbing-out prior to packing. Lights easily, burns like a house afire, but doesn't bite at all. It's most likeable quality is its inoffensiveness: if you are looking for a pleasant "public" tobacco, give this a try.
A pleasant, well behaved tobacco requiring just a bit of rubbing-out prior to packing. Lights easily, burns like a house afire, but doesn't bite at all. It's most likeable quality is its inoffensiveness: if you are looking for a pleasant "public" tobacco, give this a try.
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