Quote Originally Posted by c.ortiz108 View Post
Thanks, Pete - another really interesting post. I tried a search on TR for blends with coumarin and they don't even have it as a category. Only about 10 have tonquin, and most of those are SG or GH.
Quote Originally Posted by c.ortiz108 View Post

What's your opinion of the K&K versions of the McConnell blends? Do they hold a candle, or even have similar flavor profiles? I've only had the Original Oriental and it's one of my favorite tobaccos so far (out of the merely dozen or so I've tried).

I was really interested to read about Elephant & Castle and your posts about it in a thread I found on another forum. Are you still blending, and do you have any recommendations that might be along the lines what E&C produced? Sounds like some pretty amazing blends!

Another reason I like latakias is that my dad smoked them, so to me it's what pipe tobacco is "supposed" to be. I've always liked smoky stuff in general, like Islay whiskies, smoked cheeses etc. My burley and VA uncertainties might be party due to being a former cigarette smoker. The VA I've enjoyed most so far was Firedance Flake, which is odd since I thought I didn't like strong aros.

(Sorry for threadjacking guys, but I wasn't sure what kind of new thread to start since we're touching on a lot of topics here - hope nobody minds).
Hi Chico,

I believe that coumarin is now banned in many (all?) consumable products and I don’t know of any tobacco manufacturer that has used it since McConnell closed their doors in 1989. Tonquin seems to be part of the Gawith (both incarnations) family recipes.

I think that Kohlhase does as good a job as they can. They’ve never had the access to the quality of leaf that McConnell obtained nor do I feel that they have the expertise. I’ve smoked perhaps 8 Kohlhase Rattrays mixtures and it seems that they work from a common base in the English/Balkans so they’re less distinct entities than what they were previously. Kohlhase appears to use a top sauce but I don’t know what it is. I like them enough to have a few pounds cellared but I won’t smoke McConnell branded mixtures because that hits home emotionally (I did love them).

I’ll bump the thread on Elephant & Castle. I did a lot of blending in the 1970s and 80s and mostly made useful blends for the store but the best were certainly E&C. Three of the seven mixtures were mine but none of them could have been made without the collaboration of Ken McConnell. I’ve dabbled with blending recently, may do some more but I don’t like what I’ve made although @EmperorZurg was kind enough to assist with a lovely tobacco press (not for flakes) that gives me courage. I know the formula for E&C but the tobacco stocks are so much changed since 1989 and I lack Ken McConnell’s superb ability to blend based on the changes in leaf. I do have some coumarin.

Strange how much emotion there is in the aroma of your dad’s tobacco. I think it’s true of us all as evidenced by my not smoking McConnell branded mixtures.

I just opened a tin of Samuel Gawith 1792 Flake from 2000. It’s in splendid condition, lovely crystals on the flake and the tonquin still quite potent if not as bright as in a new tin. I’d say that the tonquin is even more imbued in the smoke than when new.

Pete