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 - 9 of 9 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 10, 2012 | Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant |
This is one of the Robert McConnell tobaccos that I keep returning to, with or without hiatus. The base is red-bronze VAs, with a hint of Red VA Cavendish (not black Cavendish) in a cross between broken flake and ribbon texture.
This works best in a small to medium briar bowl, and smokes fine without relighting; the burn is smooth and cool, and the taste is refreshing. There is a notable top dressing, which I liken to citrus and honey, meshing well with the VAs for what I call a 'fairy cake' taste, and a pleasing aroma for your company.
Nevertheless, the top dressing is there; if you are a purist, you may not enjoy this straight-away, but I took to it quickly, although I was somewhat misled by the name. I originally procured some years back expecting an English, and was shocked and disappointed, but quickly overcame this with an appreciation for what it is, rather than how it's named.
The flavour and intensity build as you enjoy a bowl, but if you use too large a pipe, you may get more than you desired. I find that it has a bit of a kick, and makes a good evening smoke to relax, or a pick-me-up in the morning, and works well as an after-supper delight.
It is also an excellent sweetener for refreshing a soured pipe. Many a pipe that has become too 'ashy' for me has recovered quickly after building a slight cake with this blend.
I believe it to have a twinge of Red VA Cavendish, adding to the sweetness without ever being dominant, like a whisper in the dark. Otherwise, the Red VA base is predominant, and the coppery qualities of that leaf are shadowed and muted by the confection-like aromas that it produces.
This is another of my regular-rotation blends, and despite the fact that it is dressed, you may find it a quite appealing addition to your cellar. Aging here, is not required, and a green tin smokes as well as two-year, which I presume is due to the topping and Red VA Cavendish. I have had a four-year that was just about the same as a fresh tin, so cellaring is neither mandatory, nor really beneficial, unless you stow it for a decade or more, in which case, it will likely mature further, but may become softer in the process.
As I enjoy the Nicotine hit, I prefer it fresh.
I do not find it apt for a clay, as there is little moisture to absorb, and the cut makes it burn too hot in that type of material. Briar is the best bet here, and a medium-sized bowl seems to best suit this cut and texture.
Overall, it is a pleasant, anytime smoke, with enough of a kick to keep you alert and is complex-enough to keep it interesting; the flavour builds in strength as you smoke it, and it is also a delightful blending base. I often mix a bit of it with some bright VA and Syrian leaf for a complex English, however as it is only available in a tin and not in bulk, this becomes a costly process.
if this was available as a bulk, I would use it as a primary component in some mixtures.
This works best in a small to medium briar bowl, and smokes fine without relighting; the burn is smooth and cool, and the taste is refreshing. There is a notable top dressing, which I liken to citrus and honey, meshing well with the VAs for what I call a 'fairy cake' taste, and a pleasing aroma for your company.
Nevertheless, the top dressing is there; if you are a purist, you may not enjoy this straight-away, but I took to it quickly, although I was somewhat misled by the name. I originally procured some years back expecting an English, and was shocked and disappointed, but quickly overcame this with an appreciation for what it is, rather than how it's named.
The flavour and intensity build as you enjoy a bowl, but if you use too large a pipe, you may get more than you desired. I find that it has a bit of a kick, and makes a good evening smoke to relax, or a pick-me-up in the morning, and works well as an after-supper delight.
It is also an excellent sweetener for refreshing a soured pipe. Many a pipe that has become too 'ashy' for me has recovered quickly after building a slight cake with this blend.
I believe it to have a twinge of Red VA Cavendish, adding to the sweetness without ever being dominant, like a whisper in the dark. Otherwise, the Red VA base is predominant, and the coppery qualities of that leaf are shadowed and muted by the confection-like aromas that it produces.
This is another of my regular-rotation blends, and despite the fact that it is dressed, you may find it a quite appealing addition to your cellar. Aging here, is not required, and a green tin smokes as well as two-year, which I presume is due to the topping and Red VA Cavendish. I have had a four-year that was just about the same as a fresh tin, so cellaring is neither mandatory, nor really beneficial, unless you stow it for a decade or more, in which case, it will likely mature further, but may become softer in the process.
As I enjoy the Nicotine hit, I prefer it fresh.
I do not find it apt for a clay, as there is little moisture to absorb, and the cut makes it burn too hot in that type of material. Briar is the best bet here, and a medium-sized bowl seems to best suit this cut and texture.
Overall, it is a pleasant, anytime smoke, with enough of a kick to keep you alert and is complex-enough to keep it interesting; the flavour builds in strength as you smoke it, and it is also a delightful blending base. I often mix a bit of it with some bright VA and Syrian leaf for a complex English, however as it is only available in a tin and not in bulk, this becomes a costly process.
if this was available as a bulk, I would use it as a primary component in some mixtures.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 21, 2011 | Mild | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
What a pleasant surprise!
I have tried numerous Virginia blends over the years without much enjoyment. They are either too cigarette-like or taste like burning grass clippings.
A few matured Virginias have been promising (the best being Samuel Gawith's Best Brown Flake)so I have continued searching for a blend that would be an occasional diversion from my usual English blends.
I had a tin of Special London Mature on the shelf for several years, being leary of yet another disappointment, let alone a flavored one!
I find this to be quite enjoyable. The tobacco is either a coarse ribbon or a thoroughly broken flake. It does have a somewhat chocolate cherry note in the tin, quite pleasant but not at all evident in the smoke.
Instead there is a warm slightly nutty and quite satisfying flavor, medium bodied and not too heavy with nicotine.
In the cool autumn we are having this is proving to be the tobacco equivalent of comfort food.
I have tried numerous Virginia blends over the years without much enjoyment. They are either too cigarette-like or taste like burning grass clippings.
A few matured Virginias have been promising (the best being Samuel Gawith's Best Brown Flake)so I have continued searching for a blend that would be an occasional diversion from my usual English blends.
I had a tin of Special London Mature on the shelf for several years, being leary of yet another disappointment, let alone a flavored one!
I find this to be quite enjoyable. The tobacco is either a coarse ribbon or a thoroughly broken flake. It does have a somewhat chocolate cherry note in the tin, quite pleasant but not at all evident in the smoke.
Instead there is a warm slightly nutty and quite satisfying flavor, medium bodied and not too heavy with nicotine.
In the cool autumn we are having this is proving to be the tobacco equivalent of comfort food.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 16, 2002 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Very Pleasant |
Now this is a nice blend! I have smoked multiple bowls of this stuff all in one sitting, which is a bit unusual for me. It has just the right amount of everything a pipe smoker could want, and I really think you will enjoy it.
This one has character. It is lighter in flavor than many all Virginia blends and doesn't fatigue the palate. The Virginia leaf is exquisite, and the blend packs well and smokes easily. Just a really nice all-Virginia tobacco.
This one has character. It is lighter in flavor than many all Virginia blends and doesn't fatigue the palate. The Virginia leaf is exquisite, and the blend packs well and smokes easily. Just a really nice all-Virginia tobacco.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 03, 2007 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Mild to Medium | Very Pleasant |
A very nice Virginia blend with a slight taste of what I would describe as nutty blend of pecans. London Mixture packs quite easily, and I have had no problems in keeping it lit.
This tobacco stays quite flavorful & mild quite close to the last 1/3 of the bowl, and displays a nice steel ash at the bottom. Unlike other blends this does not leave residue within your pipe bowl, nor does it leave a bad scent in the bowl either.
The room note to this is very mild & pleasant, as my fiancee can attest to. She describes it as "the scent of the woods in the fall".
On a side note this tobacco goes very well with a cup of coffee.
All in all, I would heartily recommend this blend to long time VA lovers or to someone new to VA blends.
This tobacco stays quite flavorful & mild quite close to the last 1/3 of the bowl, and displays a nice steel ash at the bottom. Unlike other blends this does not leave residue within your pipe bowl, nor does it leave a bad scent in the bowl either.
The room note to this is very mild & pleasant, as my fiancee can attest to. She describes it as "the scent of the woods in the fall".
On a side note this tobacco goes very well with a cup of coffee.
All in all, I would heartily recommend this blend to long time VA lovers or to someone new to VA blends.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 29, 2009 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant |
I came home from a 7 hour driving trip and looked over my tins for an evening smoke after dinner. This blend was my choice and I am happy to say that I was not disappointed. First of all, it was consistent throughout and and the flavor and taste was quite satisfying. Because the tin had been in my collection for a while, it was sufficiently dried and there was no need to relight. I enjoyed the flavor, the taste, the plumes of full and satisfying smoke as I smoked my pipe. Good stuff--perhaps my favorite Robert McConnell mixture. I recommend this any time of day. It is amazing the variety we can choose from as pipe smokers.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22, 2008 | Mild | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
UPDATE 22 August 2008
After three days of the damp tissue and twenty four hours "Recovery" time, this tobacco now smokes splendidly, even though many would consider it "very moist", I must admit, it is on the very edge of what even I would call "worth putting a match too", it still burned well with no bite all the way down to the bottom, no dottle, when it stops smoking, it's gone !!! no need for a relight and a nice dry bowl. This is joining the ranks of "Must have in rotation" a well earned fourth star.
I recently bought several tins of tobacco which I have not tried before, some I have read about here, others, because they took my fancy and were to hand.
That said, SLM was one and this was the first one I looked at on tobacco reviews as I opened the tin, I was greeted with wax paper that had a motled effect, similar to the foxing one finds on some very old fine books. This rang a warning bell that the tobacco might be to dry.
The tobacco came in a brick and as I teased off sufficient to load my pipe I noted that the moisture content of this was minimal. It was then that I tried to savour the tobacco aroma, and beleive me, tried is the operative word, for at this point in reading the reviews, I had arrived (all to late) at Tantric's obeservation, who graciuosly suggested that the aroma may not appeal to the English nose.
Ye gods, how right you are Sir, were I to be asked for an opinion, I could only describe it in a most soldierly manner and as this sight is also used by ladies, I shall refrain, other than to say "I am blessed with a poor sense of smell"
During the course of the bowl the tobacco both delighted and changed in character for me, at first I knew I had a good, well behaved smoke that was going to be mild to medium with no bad habits, I wasn't quite sure of the pleasant flavours I was experiencing, and just as I thought I knew what they were, the whole character seemed to change again, in the end I gave up trying to fathom exact flavours and simply enjoyed the smoke.
Later that evening, I again fired up and thouroughly enjoyed.
However, today, third bowl, I noticed that the tobacco was realy dry as I went further into the brick. I can only assume that the moisture had long ago evaporated as it permeated to the surface and stained the wax paper, thus the foxing effect, (I am most careful to gently squeeze the edges of the tin lid to ensure I can hear the tin sanp shut when closing) for this bowl, unlike the others, which had burned slow and cool, was as noted by pixi 106, "Burned like a house on fire" and hot at initial light up, this I put down to my puffing but even with a serious slow down of smoking, the effect diminished little and within a very short time, I was left with just ash, no dottle which I hate.
I have now applied the damp tissue to the tobacco in order to re-hydrate and hopefully will be updating to a fourth star in the not to distant future.
After three days of the damp tissue and twenty four hours "Recovery" time, this tobacco now smokes splendidly, even though many would consider it "very moist", I must admit, it is on the very edge of what even I would call "worth putting a match too", it still burned well with no bite all the way down to the bottom, no dottle, when it stops smoking, it's gone !!! no need for a relight and a nice dry bowl. This is joining the ranks of "Must have in rotation" a well earned fourth star.
I recently bought several tins of tobacco which I have not tried before, some I have read about here, others, because they took my fancy and were to hand.
That said, SLM was one and this was the first one I looked at on tobacco reviews as I opened the tin, I was greeted with wax paper that had a motled effect, similar to the foxing one finds on some very old fine books. This rang a warning bell that the tobacco might be to dry.
The tobacco came in a brick and as I teased off sufficient to load my pipe I noted that the moisture content of this was minimal. It was then that I tried to savour the tobacco aroma, and beleive me, tried is the operative word, for at this point in reading the reviews, I had arrived (all to late) at Tantric's obeservation, who graciuosly suggested that the aroma may not appeal to the English nose.
Ye gods, how right you are Sir, were I to be asked for an opinion, I could only describe it in a most soldierly manner and as this sight is also used by ladies, I shall refrain, other than to say "I am blessed with a poor sense of smell"
During the course of the bowl the tobacco both delighted and changed in character for me, at first I knew I had a good, well behaved smoke that was going to be mild to medium with no bad habits, I wasn't quite sure of the pleasant flavours I was experiencing, and just as I thought I knew what they were, the whole character seemed to change again, in the end I gave up trying to fathom exact flavours and simply enjoyed the smoke.
Later that evening, I again fired up and thouroughly enjoyed.
However, today, third bowl, I noticed that the tobacco was realy dry as I went further into the brick. I can only assume that the moisture had long ago evaporated as it permeated to the surface and stained the wax paper, thus the foxing effect, (I am most careful to gently squeeze the edges of the tin lid to ensure I can hear the tin sanp shut when closing) for this bowl, unlike the others, which had burned slow and cool, was as noted by pixi 106, "Burned like a house on fire" and hot at initial light up, this I put down to my puffing but even with a serious slow down of smoking, the effect diminished little and within a very short time, I was left with just ash, no dottle which I hate.
I have now applied the damp tissue to the tobacco in order to re-hydrate and hopefully will be updating to a fourth star in the not to distant future.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 25, 2008 | Mild | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Very Pleasant |
First, if you hadn't noticed the tin or a previous reviewer - this is actually Special London Mature (not mixture) and further the tin label states Fine Cut Tobacco. That is to say it is a fine (size) slice rubbed out, as opposed to a shag or medium or broad.
Second, with no offense intended, the name hasn't changed for a long time and it is most definitely a Virginia Cavendish. All VA and prepared in the English Cavendish style of stoving with some casing, but I don't believe anything more than some naturally derived 'simple syrup.' For this reason I believe O'Connell originated the term 'London' as not to confuse it with an 'English' blend that would presumably contain latakia, but at the same time pay homage to its English VA Cavendish roots.
I find this tobacco a delightful change of pace when something mild but not insipid is my choice. Then its a coin toss between this and Rattray's Brown Clunee. While Clunee is broad cut broken flake, they strike very similar chords for my palate.
Chords, in the sense that this may not be complex in that it is a singular varietal, but there is a richness in this mature VA that is very satisfying and all the while ... mild. Also, the sweet nuttiness that others have observed is my opinion as well, however, I do think it is the something special about the processing, because it doesn't taste like flavoring. Just an assertive sweetness that does not linger on the palate or in the pipe. I've enjoyed this tobacco for a long time and was surprised that I hadn't reviewed it. Very nice indeed.
Cheers,VC
Second, with no offense intended, the name hasn't changed for a long time and it is most definitely a Virginia Cavendish. All VA and prepared in the English Cavendish style of stoving with some casing, but I don't believe anything more than some naturally derived 'simple syrup.' For this reason I believe O'Connell originated the term 'London' as not to confuse it with an 'English' blend that would presumably contain latakia, but at the same time pay homage to its English VA Cavendish roots.
I find this tobacco a delightful change of pace when something mild but not insipid is my choice. Then its a coin toss between this and Rattray's Brown Clunee. While Clunee is broad cut broken flake, they strike very similar chords for my palate.
Chords, in the sense that this may not be complex in that it is a singular varietal, but there is a richness in this mature VA that is very satisfying and all the while ... mild. Also, the sweet nuttiness that others have observed is my opinion as well, however, I do think it is the something special about the processing, because it doesn't taste like flavoring. Just an assertive sweetness that does not linger on the palate or in the pipe. I've enjoyed this tobacco for a long time and was surprised that I hadn't reviewed it. Very nice indeed.
Cheers,VC
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 28, 2014 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is a delicious straight Virginia. Pure, natural, dark Virginia this is the ideal tobacco for straight Virginia lovers. What can I say… This tobacco is superb, the crowning moment of Virginia. Great. You can also use it as a blending tobacco, to produce (by yourself) luxury mixtures, but I prefer it straight, to enjoy the excellent sweet taste of this tobacco. In my personal rating (from 1 to 10) my score is more than nine and four stars.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2013 | Mild | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
When i open the tin for the 1st time i think this blend is for handrolled cigarette, the cut is very smooth and small like others handrolled tobacco and i dont read the notes at the tin if this blend is shag cut. I really like the nut flavor and a very light citrus smell at this blend. Is really good to make my pipe chamber smells better.
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