Just had Rattray Old Gowrie

[shane1]

Not a huge fan. To my limited tastes, it is not bad but not great. The room note to me reminds me of cigarettes, I am used to English and Balkan blends. I think I may even prefer light aromatics to this. I bought this in 2014 and I remember not caring for it them so I figured I would cellar it. Six years later and it is only a little better. I am downsizing and need to take a look at my cellar to remove similar blends. For those with more experience than I, which blends are similar to old Gowrie? Here is most of my unopened cellar.

Tobacco Cellar shane1's summary pipe tobacco aging cellar

Tobacco Cellar shane1's summary pipe tobacco aging cellar. A tobacco cellar is a collection of pipe tobacco that is gathered by the discerning pipe smoker.

tobaccocellar.com

If I can identify them, I can start selling them off to get more english blends.

Thanks.

 

[TheWhale13]

I think that Solani Silver Flake (660) is quite similar to it, with a little less spice than Old Gowrie.

 

[shane1]

I think that Solani Silver Flake (660) is quite similar to it, with a little less spice than Old Gowrie.

Thanks, that one down

 

[captpat]

I like OG as well as Marlin Flake and HOTW

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

One of my favorites, especially with age. Not that similar to Solani, at least to me. That's why there's so many different blends, to match so many different tastes.

If you prefer English and Balkan blends, you probably aren't going to like Virginia dominant blends. If the OG started to taste like cigarette ash, you were probably smoking it too fast. Virginia blends are less forgiving that way.

 

[ofafeather]

Depends on whether you enjoy other VA blends. Bijou for example, I love, along with Orlik Golden Sliced. I never got into Old Gowerie, but depending on what you’re looking for these might be a miss as well.

 

[shane1]

One of my favorites, especially with age. Not that similar to Solani, at least to me. That's why there's so many different blends, to match so many different tastes.

If you prefer English and Balkan blends, you probably aren't going to like Virginia dominant blends. If the OG started to taste like cigarette ash, you were probably smoking it too fast. Virginia blends are less forgiving that way.

You may be correct but my cadence was pretty good. The flavor got better 1/2 way through the bowl but I think you are right about the Virginia dominant blends. Not crazy about perique either.

 

[Peter Turbo]

Red Rapparee and Black Mallory are nice Rattrays English blends. Too bad you didn't like OG, more for us I guess lol. Nice list, I have one similar going in Google Sheets that is in mega need of updating.

 

[shane1]

Red Rapparee and Black Mallory are nice Rattrays English blends. Too bad you didn't like OG, more for us I guess lol. Nice list, I have one similar going in Google Sheets that is in mega need of updating.

Yeah, I am updating mine today.

 

[johnbarleycorn]

I see very few in your cellar list that would be similar to OG.

 

[shane1]

I see very few in your cellar list that would be similar to OG.

Thank you. Just found of a tin Viprati. Going to get rid of that.

 

[shane1]

How do Golden Sliced and Escudo compare. Have not tried them yet but dont want to waste them.

 

[TheWhale13]

How do Golden Sliced and Escudo compare. Have not tried them yet but dont want to waste them.

Never had either of them but escudo is probably a bit darker and spicier. I don't really know how they compare to Old Gowrie.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

How do Golden Sliced and Escudo compare. Have not tried them yet but dont want to waste them.

They don't in my opinion, significantly different blends. Escudo is more of a gasification VaPer while OGS is a Virginia with a light sprinkling of Perique.

 

[Terry Lennox]

Many of the Rattray's VA's use Kentucky in the blend and so they are not to my liking. Can be sharper and stronger than initial expectations.

 

[shane1]

Many of the Rattray's VA's use Kentucky in the blend and so they are not to my liking. Can be sharper and stronger than initial expectations.

Agreed. I think that I am not a Kentucky fan.

 

[anotherbob]

second the smoking too fast. VA blends really need a slower approach. When people say it's just cigarette and ash what I hear is I smoked it fast. Where English are incredibly forgiving of pace and intensity (how hard you puff or draw or sip).

 

[MarcosEZLN]

I don't have a very nuanced palate, but I've always thought of Old Gowrie as Hal o' The Wynd lite. I've seen a few reviews agreeing with me, but YMMV.

 

[anotherbob]

second the smoking too fast. VA blends really need a slower approach. When people say it's just cigarette and ash what I hear is I smoked it fast. Where English are incredibly forgiving of pace and intensity (how hard you puff or draw or sip).

oh and also wanted to add that sometimes the raved about blends don't do much for me and sometimes I think yeah I see what the big deal is this is great stuff. Conversely there are a lot of gems that almost get zero mention.

 

[shane1]

second the smoking too fast. VA blends really need a slower approach. When people say it's just cigarette and ash what I hear is I smoked it fast. Where English are incredibly forgiving of pace and intensity (how hard you puff or draw or sip).

You are probably correct.