The second tobacco in the Pipe Smoker’s Forum “2t2m” review is Rattray’s Red Rapparee. Originally produced in Scotland, this tinned pipe tobacco is now made in Germany and sold round the world.
It is a “medium English” blend. Cracking it open and giving it a smell really shows this off as you get the smokiness of latakia balanced well with the smell of orientals.
It doesn’t smell overly oriental, with the smell of Heinz 57 sauce like you get with some other manufacturer’s blends. Instead the smells meld together nicely and create a fragrance that is characteristically English. It’s a solid sensation.
The tobacco is tinned rather moist for an English blend, but I had no trouble keeping it lit and smoking it down to a fine, grey ash. It was a pleasant smoke, with none of the smokiness of the latakia overpowering me. It was a delicate balance, but the flavors showed off the Virginia and oriental tobaccos quite nicely.
Because of the moisture and the fact that I didn’t let it dry out, the smoke was a bit hot and it did bite. I blame that on user error and won’t hold it against the tobacco.
While I appreciated the flavors and how they played off each other and thoroughly enjoyed the smoke, there wasn’t anything that really “wowed” me with the tobacco. I’d prefer a bit more latakia coming through the taste instead of just the smell, and something a tad drier out of the tin, but this isn’t by far a bad tobacco.
Overall I can sum this blend up in a few words: mild, pleasant, and solid. It’s one I’ll likely come back to and cellar to see how it matures with age.
I give Rattray’s Red Rapparee an 8 out of 10.
