How is a "Scottish" Blend Different From An English?

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danimalia

Lifer
Sep 2, 2015
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San Francisco Bay Area, USA
All Scottish blends are English but not all English blends are Scottish?
I think that's right. LOL. Really, this seems like one of those designations that sparks a lot of debate. When I think of Scottish blends, I think of a light-medium Latakia blend with plenty of Orientals and some unflavored black cavendish. I'm guessing the name came from the Rattray's blends of this style (Red Rap, Black Mallory, etc.)

Sometimes, kitchen sink blends with a ton of different component tobaccos are called Scottish blends, too, though, regardless of whether they meet the above criteria. And then there's Scottish style flakes/broken flakes like Old Gowrie, Hal O' the Wynd, GLP Fillmore, McConnell's Scottish Cake/Flake which are Red VA-based with additional condimental leaf.

Does the entire thing stem from Rattray's an McConnell's?
 
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brunot

Might Stick Around
Jul 26, 2017
61
279
Slovakia
The way I see it, what makes the Scottish blends are the Virginias at the forefront.

The rest of the mixture is there to "spice up" the flavor and complement the primary, sweeter note; as opposed to the obvious (and desired) smokiness of Latakia in English blends.

Pfeifen Hüber — my favorite tobacconists, based in Münich — also feature a lot of in-house blends (both English and Scottish) where they also add some Black Cavendish. Makes for a really smooth smoke.
 
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blendtobac

Lifer
Oct 16, 2009
1,237
213
When I think of Scottish blends, I think of a light-medium Latakia blend with plenty of Orientals and some unflavored black cavendish. I'm guessing the name came from the Rattray's blends of this style (Red Rap, Black Mallory, etc.)

I agree with this also and MM965 falls into this category too. Then Davidoff confuses the issue with their Scottish Mixture which is flavored with Scotch.

Russ
 

BROBS

Lifer
Nov 13, 2019
11,765
40,026
IA
When I think of Scottish blends, I think of a light-medium Latakia blend with plenty of Orientals and some unflavored black cavendish. I'm guessing the name came from the Rattray's blends of this style (Red Rap, Black Mallory, etc.)

I agree with this also and MM965 falls into this category too. Then Davidoff confuses the issue with their Scottish Mixture which is flavored with Scotch.

Russ
what about MacBaren Scottish ?

I am of the opinion it doesn't mean there is latakia, but merely any condimental leaf.
 

chicagopiper74

Might Stick Around
Nov 17, 2019
54
180
Illinois
When I think of Scottish blends, I think of a light-medium Latakia blend with plenty of Orientals and some unflavored black cavendish. I'm guessing the name came from the Rattray's blends of this style (Red Rap, Black Mallory, etc.)

I agree with this also and MM965 falls into this category too. Then Davidoff confuses the issue with their Scottish Mixture which is flavored with Scotch.

Russ

Thanks Russ - I'm good with this. Little less latakia than English in general then?
 
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