Who Else Loves Old Gowrie?

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shaneireland

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 14, 2014
135
924
Conway, SC
www.smokingpipes.com
I‘ve read that K&K took over production around 1990.
This is accurate. McConnell's in England (who took over Rattray's production in the late 1970s, I believe) closed down in the late 1980s/early 1990s and K&K then took over their entire portfolio.

I've smoked tons of Rattray's from all three periods and it's all excellent! I love the stuff I have from 2000-2010 (when Arango took over distribution from XYZ) and it's perfect right now, IMO. Of course the stuff from the 70s and 80s ain't bad...
 

briarbuck

Lifer
Nov 24, 2015
2,293
5,581
I have one "Blended by" tin, and a few a "Blended for" tins in the basement. Always have one of the 3 Rattray's open.

It does get better with age, but it's pretty spectacular fresh as well.
 

BeardonBoards

Lurker
Jan 12, 2021
29
75
Cleveland, OH
What is the suggested age range on these Rattray's? MF, OG, and HotW?

Stand corrected on Marlin Flake, looked back through my memory, and MF has a deep sweetness to it. When first opening any of the 4, pop the metal lid and let it sit with plastic lid for 2 - 3 weeks. Magic.
I find this interesting. Is this something I should make a more routine part of my plans for smoking most flakes?
 

pantsBoots

Lifer
Jul 21, 2020
2,341
8,866
What is the suggested age range on these Rattray's? MF, OG, and HotW?


I find this interesting. Is this something I should make a more routine part of my plans for smoking most flakes?
I've got some Old Gowrie I'm working through from 07. It had to be rehydrated, but bounced back fairly well. I believe the 3 can age for many years, with it all coming to personal taste as to how long
 

DAR

Can't Leave
Aug 2, 2020
355
1,114
Tiburon, California
To put it street level......... Rattray's is really an incredible bunch of tobaccos. Old Gowrie is my favorite of the bunch but I really have no complaints about any of them. Leave me alone, in the right mood, with any of the Rattray's blends and I can call any one of them a "favorite". And that isn't something I can say about any other brand....... Mac Baren comes close but that's a totally different world from Rattray's.
 

Worknman

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 23, 2019
980
2,868
After sitting on a tin for a year, I finally got around to trying OG. Very nice blend, burns exceptionally well. I think this sort of broken flake is the best cut for a tobacco as far as burn characteristics, it reminds me of C&Ds broken flakes.