John Cotton John Cotton's Numbers 1&2 Medium (re-release)

(3.32)
John Cotton's Numbers 1&2 is a smooth blend of Virginias, a variety of Orientals and Cyprian latakia for a balanced, enjoyable, all-day mixture.
Notes: John Cotton's Nos. 1 & 2 was a staple for many pipe enthusiasts until it disappeared in the eighties. Through careful research and sampling vintage tins, which jogged the memory of master blender Russ Ouellette, this smooth and smoky blend has returned for a whole new generation of pipe lovers to try. This is a mild to medium-bodied blend of ripe Virginias, fragrant Orientals, spicy Turkish leaf and latakia. There's enough latakia to let you know it's there, but the marriage of the Cyprian leaf and the various Orientals produce an exotic flavor, and the Virginias add just the right amount of sweetness for beautiful balance. John Cotton's Nos. 1 & 2 can be enjoyed anytime, and will never overwhelm the palate.

Details

Brand John Cotton
Blended By Russ Ouellette
Manufactured By Lane, Ltd.
Blend Type English
Contents Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Ribbon
Packaging 1.75 ounce tin
Country United States
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.32 / 4
8

9

2

0

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 19 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 19, 2015 Medium None Detected Medium Tolerable
The very smoky, woody, floral, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia is the star component, but this is not a lat-bomb. The bright and red Virginias offer some tart and tangy citrus, a lot of tangy dark fruit, earth, wood, bread, mild grassiness, plus a little sugar. They play a support role. The earthy, woody fragrant Orientals offer herbs, vegetation, light buttery sweetness, touch of spice and sour in a supporting role as well. Has a moderate nic-hit, and is medium in strength and taste as the name states. Well balanced, rich and creamy smooth with some complexity, it burns clean, cool, and even with few relights. The very consistent deep sweet and sour, floral campfire flavors never weaken, and there’s no dull or harsh spots to be found. Won’t bite, and barely leaves any moisture in the bowl, so you can burn it down to the last strand of tobacco. The pleasant after taste is short lived. Has a tolerable camp fire-like room note, and produces a large volume of smoke. Not quite an all day smoke, but it’s repeatable during your smoking day. It's not a faithful match.

-JimInks
27 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 13, 2015 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
The first of 5 samples, and thanks to reviewer Jiminks and the folks at the Standard Tobacco Co of PA for the opportunity. This mostly light but mottled ribbon has a traditional latakia blend scent reminiscent of old Dunhill and, yes, John Cotton mixtures of yore. It's a smell that seems to be missing in newer blends these days - latakia smoky but promising much more than just a latakia taste.

Russ says the latakia is the main player here, and I guess that kinda sorta comes out in the flavor. I always knew it was there. But I find this one exquisitely balanced between all the components, particularly the orientals. They are of the juicy and spicy variety, but not overloaded with spice. The Virginias lend their sweetness and color, and this blend just strikes a perfect balance. I smoked several tins of the original back in the day and it was my favorite lat blend, although I was mainly a VA and VaPer man back then. This blend was and is a provider of deep but not strong flavor, and I much preferred it to the other main lat player of the day, Sobranie. My memory for details is, of course, hazy but I fell into this one as I did the original. Excellent room note, deep rich flavor, sweet enough but not too sweet, with a nice stew of exciting flavors. And I loved its easygoing complexity - it didn't slam me over the head with constant change but it was well nuanced and interesting. Based on a single ounce, so take this with however many grains of salt you require, but I honestly believe that this is one of the 3 or 4 best tasting latakia blends on the market (assuming it does indeed hit the market!). If Russ didn't nail the original (and I think he did), he at least created something special. I'm going to load up on this one. Whatever magic John Cotton created back in the day has been recreated by Russ today. This is a shoe-in for my personal Best Discovery of 2015.
17 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 20, 2016 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Like Bengal Slices, Mild and Medium 1 & 2, I have been lucky enough to have remaining tins of earlier versions. It arrives at great moisture content for me and in the tin; the Latakia is the most noticeable. The first word that comes to mind is “balance” as the proportions seem to be just right, offering each component tobacco to shine throughout the smoke. While not overly smoky, there’s enough Latakia to make most Lat lovers satisfied. It burns cool with more and more flavor as each bowl progressed. To me, it doesn’t taste a lot like John Cotton’s Medium 1 & 2, but I think it is better than that blend with brighter flavors. I could see myself smoking this daily.
Age When Smoked: new
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 26, 2017 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
A very nearly perfectly balanced English. If one component lags a little it's the Virginias and it's only by the smallest margin. What strikes me most about this blend is how smooth and gentle it is while exhibiting medium strength. It's pretty remarkable. If this is what the original was like I really hate missing out on it. A lovely smoke in every regard.

Medium in body and taste. No added flavoring. Burns very well.
Pipe Used: MM Little Devil Cutty, Little Devil Acorn, Marcus
PurchasedFrom: smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: fresh
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 27, 2015 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
The tobacco is a mix of brown, tan and black strands of ribbon in varying widths. Some of it looks chopped and there are a few irregular bits in there. Moisture may have been slightly drier than the #1 Mild. I loaded it as delivered.

Initial impressions are a slightly fuller body than the #1 Mild. The orientals present as a little more sour and there is the spicy tingle on the tongue. I almost get an incense when exhaled through the nose. From the looks of the blend I was expecting more of a latakia presence, but I would still call this oriental-forward with a little more bass. The Virginia tastes a little heavier, although I suspect that is the interplay of the components because a visual inspection suggests it is the same Virginia used in both. My palate is telling me the ratio of bright and red Virginias is heavier on the red side with this one.

This has been a very good smoke, and it is nicely balanced. I have a daughter who is very fond of certain orientals and likes the room note of Bishop's Move. I claim this is blend would get a similar reaction.
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 05, 2015 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
I just finished this, the fourth of the five review samples I had received and I now have a new favorite of the five. I really did not think it could get much better than the Smyrna, but this one is just magical. It is a medium blend as is called out in the title and is right there with EMP and Squadron Leader to my tastes and quite possibly better than both.

It is to my tastes the near perfect combination of V, O and L. The Virginias are much sweeter and earthier than they are in the John Cotton Number one, which combines to give the orientals more of a flavorful punch. The latakia is light enough where you could easily smoke this all day without having that smoky leathery mouth feel that the lat bombs can deliver, yet hardy enough that there is no denying its existence.

This blend also has a heavenly side stream. I can't help but sniff the smoke coming off the top of the pipe every few puffs or so. It just adds to the entire experience. In this caliber of blend, I always thought Squadron Leader was the top, but I would put this right at the top and quite possible above SL.

Fantastic work. I will cellar a lot of this one when it is released.
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 27, 2017 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
Well, this is intriguing, flavorful yet smooth . I don't know how Russ accomplished this, to get such a dark creamy taste from the Latakia without overpowering the other ingredients. Not strong, but flavorful, it's hard to explain, think of the difference between boiled vegetables and roasted , dark chocolate and milk chocolate, oh, you get the idea . Agree with "Gentleman Zombie " ,"well balanced ".

I'm normally a Cob smoker but this is even better from a Briar , the smoke was even creamier. I never smoked the original, but if it was like this,. it was a loss. Also feel reviewer, "DK', did a much better job with the review than I could .
Pipe Used: cob & Briar
Age When Smoked: 2 months/ open one week
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 25, 2015 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
I ordered a tin based on the rave reviews of those who sampled this blend prior to it's release. It is a very satisfying medium strength mixture of the highest order. The orientals and latakia play off each other perfectly. The balance is exceptional. There are moments of complete nirvana while smoking this. It burns cool and completely to the bottom of the bowl. The quality of the leaf used is beyond compare. Delicious in every way. Leaves a light taste on the tongue. Lovely spicy taste in every puff, but not heavy. I think this is a masterpiece of exceptional quality. One of my favorites.
PurchasedFrom: Pipes and Cigars
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 21, 2018 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable to Strong
When i was informed that John Cotton's blends are available again i was very happy.i had a big dilemma because i could not order every blend so i went for this one as the middle strength blend.once the tin pops up you instantly realize that this is a wonderfull english blend.a wonderfull aroma of coals,citruses,fruits and spices prepares you for a unique smoking experience.the blend is dry with nice texture° packs and lights easy with a few relights needed.while smoking the flavours are very natural,well balanced and pleasing from the beginning till the end.latakia is the strongest compoment without subtlimating the other compoments.coals,woods,smokey and sweet notes are giving the main note from the latakias.virginias offer some complexity being citrusy,grassy,fruity and rarelly sour.the orientals add a spicy and earthy note making the blend very tasty.all these are combined to a great and very tasty blend.burns slow and cool to total ash till the end of the bowl with a few moisture at the end of the bowl.the room note is smokey wich is unpleasant to others as most english blends are.the nicotine level is medium and the aftertaste pleasant.not an all day smoke to me ,but a unique relaxing blend that can fill a churchwarden pipe.totally recommended!
Age When Smoked: New
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 18, 2017 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
I think master blender Russ Ouellette did a great job of putting together this Cotton's clone of an old classic after sampling and studying the components of the original. The Latakia was very good and the Orientals flowed right into the blend beautifully. The original Cotton's 1&2 did not have to rely on the Latakia and Orientals as this one does but perhaps that's because I didn't get along with the Virginia. There is just not much variance as one works down the bowl as one expects from a blend with Virginia leaf. The backbone fell a little short of the original, but still, a very good effort and this is a very nice smoke.
4 people found this review helpful.
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