Rattray's: Brown Clunee vs Old Gowrie vs Hal O' Wynd

[MCJ]

I know that all three of these Rattray's blends (Brown Clunee, Old Gowrie, and Hal O' Wynd) use the same ingredients (Virginia, Perique, and Kentucky) in different amounts. My question for those here with more experience (and more highly developed palates!) than myself is: Any estimates on approximate percentages of the component leafs for each of these 3 blends? Thanks!

 

[Swiss Army Knife]

Ah the age old debate. For my tastes Brown Clunee is far away the "pepperiest" of the three. HoTW seems to be the most balanced.

That said at one point I mixed up the lids for the jars of OG and HotW and I'm not 100% sure I didn't mix them up!

 

[MCJ]

Yes, I know that the comparisons/contrasts (and debate!) between these 3 blends goes way back. Also believe (at least from the reviews on tobaccoreviews.com) that the "recipes" for each may have changed over the years with some slight shifts in positioning back and forth among the three. What I hope to learn (from those who may have smoked one or more of these blends from recent years) is some ballpark estimate of what might be the respective proportions of leaf ingredients (% VA, % Perique, % Kentucky) in each to help get a better feel for the degree of respective differences. I know palates differ and opinions are subjective, but it's worth a shot to ask.

FWIW, the only one of the 3 that I have any experience smoking is Brown Clunee. Was lucky to pick up a good supply of that recently and really like it. Haven't been able to find any Old Gowrie or Hal O' Wynd anywhere to do my own side-by-side smoking comparison against, unfortunately. The only other "VaPerKen" I have tried is Savinelli Doblone D'Oro, but only a small bowl or two of that some time ago so can't remember it too clearly other than say I also liked that blend and think it had a bit more Kentucky if my memory serves?

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Doblone D'Oro has significantly more Dark Fired than any of those Rattrays blends.
All 3 are light on the DF. I've always found Old Gowrie the closest to being mostly Virginia leaf.

 

[gervais]

I cant comment on brown clunee, however HOTW and OG are excellent blends.

I guess that didn't really answer your question. Sorry!

 

[MCJ]

Thanks, Brian. (I actually got my 1-2 sample bowls of Doblone D'Oro from you along with that Dunhill shell briar I purchased from you...) Yes, my recollection was that the Doblone D'Oro had much more Kentucky in it but I never trust my memory 100% unless I can do a direct side-by-side and be absolutely sure. What I'm eventually trying to get to is a rough idea of the blending percentages of the various Rattray's "VaPerKens" (as well as Savinelli Doblone D'Oro) so that I can experiment a bit and come up with a home blend recipe or two tweaked for my moods and able to be made with some of the more readily available tobaccos on the market.

 

[MCJ]

No worries, Gervais! Glad to hear that you enjoy HOTW and OG. Not to get off topic, but I personally have enjoyed almost every Rattray's blend I've tried (Brown Clunee, Red Rapparee, and Black Mallory all have places in my current rotation). The only Rattray's blend I didn't much care for was Marlin Flake (which most people seem to love); that one just didn't seem to have much flavor to me. Just picked up a tin of Highland Targe, so that will be my next Rattray's blend to give a try...

 

[Terry Lennox]

Brown Clunee is the mildest of the range. It has the least Kentucky. Which is why it's the only one I go for.

 

[judcole]

Any perique in HotW or OG (I have not smoked Brown Clunee) has to be very much a condiment - a whisper. One never heard anyone talk about perique in those blends 20 years ago.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

I've smoked all 3 of those Rattrays at various points, and I've done a bit of blending in my years.
I actually do more blending for cigarette mixtures than pipe mixtures.

Depending on the strength and particulars of the condimentals, I couldn't imagine the perique and DF leaf in any of those blends to exceed 10-12%.
I could be wrong but to my taste and memory, there ya go.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

For me, Brown Clunee is a bit boring, seems like a straight Virginia. HOTW is the other end, some Perique and a fair amount of DFK. I like OG the best, primarily Virginia to me with condiments of Perique and DFK. I don’t care about percentages of each leaf, I only care about how it taste and how they play together.

 

[TheWhale13]

Old Gowrie is the tastiest to me too. I don't know why really but Hal O The Wynd tastes more muted compared to the former.

 

[MCJ]

Thanks, guys. From what BlueGrass Brian said, looks like I have a starting point at least (baseline 10-12% Perique and same percentage for Kentucky) to try a home blend. I do notice the Perique in Brown Clunee and like the amount in it, but thinking I might just amp up the Kentucky a bit in my home blend to see how that tastes. A good project for the Fall months...

 

[gervais]

No worries, Gervais! Glad to hear that you enjoy HOTW and OG. Not to get off topic, but I personally have enjoyed almost every Rattray's blend I've tried (Brown Clunee, Red Rapparee, and Black Mallory all have places in my current rotation). The only Rattray's blend I didn't much care for was Marlin Flake (which most people seem to love); that one just didn't seem to have much flavor to me. Just picked up a tin of Highland Targe, so that will be my next Rattray's blend to give a try...

Funny to hear you say that regarding Marlin flake. I feel the exact same, and thought I was alone!

 

[gervais]

One of my deepest pipe smoking related regrets in life was getting rid of a large portion of my OG and HOTW. Now they seem to be rare as hens teeth.

 

[eljimmy]

Brown Clunee was definitely too mild for me. Curious to see what the overall opinions are on these. I will have to revisit the 3, it's been a while.

 

[MCJ]

Funny to hear you say that regarding Marlin flake. I feel the exact same, and thought I was alone!

I almost didn't post that comment, since it seems everyone else loves Marlin Flake! LOL

 

[MCJ]

One of my deepest pipe smoking related regrets in life was getting rid of a large portion of my OG and HOTW. Now they seem to be rare as hens teeth.

Indeed. That is why I originally posted this thread -- trying to come up with some starting point on developing a home blend or two (made from more commonly available component leafs) for the Rattray's factory mixes that just aren't in-stock anywhere...

 

[workman]

It's interesting that the blends we smoke are experienced so differently. I've smoked all of those, and Marlin Flake, which I don't care for at all. It's the cavendish, hot air mostly, that makes it so bland.
To me, HoTW is totally superior. It's a flavor bomb, well balanced, tangy, a little sweet and with almost none of the bitterness that most va/pers develop towards the end of the bowl. The Perique is very much a condiment, noticeable more in the way that it enhances the tanginess in the virginias than in itself.
Old Gowrie is furthest away in my memory. It was good, quite similar to HoTW, but I remember a slight nutty flavor that I associate with burley and don't care much for.
Brown Clunee is one of the blends I'm smoking currently, my first tin of it, and it seems to have much more perique in it than the others, maybe except Marlin Flake, which also has it in abundance. Too much perique for me, as it overpowers the virginias with a peppery quality the goes bitter in the last third of the bowl.
It's not bad by any means, only not good enough to make me want more of it.
I'm not a blender and haven't a clue about percentages and stuff.

 

[mortonbriar]

Sometimes I tell myself I am going to pour out and measure exactly 10 grams of a favourite blend, and then using tweezers carefully divide the leaf into it's separate piles and remeasure for a ratio...but I will never actually get round to doing it.