A Beautifully Aged Classic
September 05, 2026
Product: Rattray's 3 Noggins 100g
I recently opened a tin of Rattray’s 3 Noggins that had been resting in my cellar since the 1990s, and this was a real treat. Decades of age have transformed the tobacco. The Virginias have developed a deep, mellow sweetness with notes of dried fruit, old wood, earth and a touch of natural caramelized sweetness, while the smoky components have softened and integrated beautifully. Nothing jumps out of the bowl; instead, everything seems to have melted together into a wonderfully mature smoke.
What impressed me most was the elegance. The years have taken away any rough edges, leaving a smooth, cool and remarkably harmonious tobacco from beginning to end. There's something special about opening a tin that's been quietly aging for nearly three decades and discovering how gracefully the tobacco has evolved. A wonderful old Rattray’s blend and an experience I thoroughly enjoyed....Read More
First rattrays blend I’ve had and I’ll be back for more
July 11, 2026
Product: Rattray's 3 Noggins 100g
One of the first English blends I’ve had that matches up with what has been described to me from much more experienced pipers
January 16, 2025
Product: Rattray's 3 Noggins 100g
This is a Virginia blend spiced with just a little Latakia and other Orientals plus a bit of Black Cavendish to tie things together. The Virginias display a relatively smooth, full, and rich taste and the flavor of Virginias are the dominate feature. The Latakia and other Orientals act merely as spice elements and they're not at all intrusive; they're just simply there. I don't detect much from the Black Cavendish. This is an English blend only in the purist sense--it does contain some Latakia, but it's a restrained amount. I'm certain that this is a blend that will appeal to those Virginia lovers who enjoy the occasional bit of Latakia and/or Oriental spice to change things up just a little without departing far from a Virginia theme.
I would place the strength at about a 5 on a 10-point scale and the flavor is easily a 6. Overall, 3 Noggins displays good manners. This blend seems to be partial to pipes with straight or almost straight stems--it displays a strong preference for my old thin-walled BBB Apple Virgin....Read More
January 18, 2023
Product: Rattray's 3 Noggins 100g
4 yr old Jar note of tangy fruit, mild smoky, and sugar. The black, brown and tan ribbon tobacco is on the dry side, but soft. no prep needed. Burns moderate with few relights. The strength is medium to strong and nic is mild to medium. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium and fairly consistent, with notes of tangy citrus, earth, leather, bitter wood, lemon zest, smoky, toast, acidic, spice, orange peel, floral, sour, spicy, dry, a tart strewed fruit background note, and a peppery retro. Latakia is leading with Oriental/Turkish and Virginias supporting. Black Cavendish is a background supporter. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is good....Read More
July 19, 2020
Product: Rattray's 3 Noggins 100g
After reading some positive reviews, I gave this a try. None of the reviews describe what I found in this yellow can. Very bland; tastes like a cheap "big bag" blend to me. Perhaps I got a bad can, who knows. I'll be blending it with Carter Hall (gasp gasp) to make it worth smoking.
UPDATE: After a couple of weeks, I decided to give it another go. This time, it was like a rabid badger was attacking my tongue and nearby body parts. Usually, tinned tobacco gets better after awhile. Not this particular batch, I'm afraid. Deep sixing it....Read More