Black Mallory (British Collection)

Black Mallory is a classic English blend in Rattray's British Collection line. Latakia, Oriental leaf, and black Cavendish are added to a Virginia base; it is a ribbon cut. The Latakia proportion is pronounced enough to define the blend's character, and its smoky, incense-like taste is felt from the first bowl to the last.

It is medium in strength but high in flavor intensity. It lights easily, requires no extra effort to keep lit, and leaves a taste that lingers long on the palate after smoking. It carries no flavoring. It suits smokers familiar with Latakia-heavy English blends, as well as those curious about the style who don't want too harsh a starting point. The Rattray name draws on the Scottish pipe-tobacco tradition; the brand's tobaccos are produced today in Germany.