Gonna Try A Scottish Blend

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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Oh brother. From the miasma of the web, this is one "definition" of a Scottish blend.

  • Scottish: oriental dominant, virginia secondary (or equal), latakia supporting
I've heard Nightcap and Bayou Night called Scottish blends, but I'm not convinced either is oriental dominant or equal to the Virginia. It may be a term without a solid definition. It just sounds good.
 

irishearl

Lifer
Aug 2, 2016
2,146
3,762
Kansas
Oh brother. From the miasma of the web, this is one "definition" of a Scottish blend.

  • Scottish: oriental dominant, virginia secondary (or equal), latakia supporting
I've heard Nightcap and Bayou Night called Scottish blends, but I'm not convinced either is oriental dominant or equal to the Virginia. It may be a term without a solid definition. It just sounds good.
You've forgotten the cavendish component. There's an old thread here where Russ Oulette stated that was his definition, (oriental, Virginia, latakia and cavendish). My favorite of that genre would be C&D Stratfordshire. Recently picked up 8 oz awaiting my attention.
 
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anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,678
29,396
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
You've forgotten the cavendish component. There's an old thread here where Russ Oulette stated that was his definition, (oriental, Virginia, latakia and cavendish). My favorite of that genre would be C&D Stratfordshire. Recently picked up 8 oz awaiting my attention.
that Cavendish really does something great in those blends. It seems to smooth things out with out removing any of the definition.
 

lochinvar

Lifer
Oct 22, 2013
1,687
1,632
Try the Scottish blends from the Scottish brand, Rattray. Rattray has four in its lineup, all using the basic mixture of Virginia, Latakia, Oriental and Black Cavendish, in different proportions.
-Red Rapparee- Focuses on the Orientals...heavily
-Black Mallory- Most balanced
-3 Noggins- Sweetest of the four
-Highland Targe-Latakia is the king
 

sasquatch

Lifer
Jul 16, 2012
1,683
2,862
Try Scottish blends from a Scottish brand. Yeah. I mean, so simple. Rattray's or McConnell. Black Mallory is the most Scottish blend there is right now. If you can find the Scottish Blend (not the Flake and not the Cake, which are both great, but not "Scottish" mixtures) from McConnell that's for real too. But hit one of the Rattray's, Highland Targe, Jock's, Red Rapparee, Black Mallory, 3 noggins you'll get the idea.
 

lochinvar

Lifer
Oct 22, 2013
1,687
1,632
Try Scottish blends from a Scottish brand. Yeah. I mean, so simple. Rattray's or McConnell. Black Mallory is the most Scottish blend there is right now. If you can find the Scottish Blend (not the Flake and not the Cake, which are both great, but not "Scottish" mixtures) from McConnell that's for real too. But hit one of the Rattray's, Highland Targe, Jock's, Red Rapparee, Black Mallory, 3 noggins you'll get the idea.
I forgot about McConnell. If their copy is true, McConnell's Scottish Blend may be the first iteration of the style.
 

dcon

Lifer
Mar 16, 2019
2,636
21,489
Jacksonville, FL
For the longest time, the archetypical Scottish, defined as a mix with oriental, Virginia, latakia and cavendish), was Dunhill 965. I'm still working on my Murray's made stash and have no idea if the STG version is up to snuff.
@mingc has the correct answer. Saying that all McConnel‘s or Rattray’s mixtures are Scottish blends is the equivalent of saying that, all C&D blends are “American“ blends. Just because a blend originated in or is produced within a certain country does not mean it is “of” that particular named genre.

The key “must“ component is the VA based cavendish, but it should be as described.

I always find it humorous that, folks believe that there is no true definitions to blends. These things used to be treated as route. Marketing and “expertise” have usurped tradition.
 

judcole

Lifer
Sep 14, 2011
7,149
32,920
Detroit
"Scottish blend" is, of course, a marketing term, like "English" or "Balkan", with no precise definition, and used on this side of the pond more than in the UK, I think.
Years ago, in the old Yahoo Pipesmokers2 newsgroup, I asked what made a blend "Scottish".
The late Joe Harb commented that when he had traveled in Scotland, he asked a number of tobacconists to sell him what they considered their most "Scottish" blend. The blends he was sold were closer to Mac Baren Mixture Scottish Blend than to anything mentioned in this thread. puffy
 

ofafeather

Lifer
Apr 26, 2020
2,769
9,044
50
Where NY, CT & MA meet
I think as others have mentioned the term is whatever someone feels like at the movement. Most agree that it contains Latakia. That’s about it! The 2 I’ve heard most commonly are that it’s a Latakia blend where no one component stands out. The other is that it’s a Latakia blend with cavendish.
For the longest time, the archetypical Scottish, defined as a mix with oriental, Virginia, latakia and cavendish), was Dunhill 965. I'm still working on my Murray's made stash and have no idea if the STG version is up to snuff.
I agree with 965. Mine is still jarred bulk from 2000. Delish!
 
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