The result is an Ohio Balkan -- the usual balkan ingredients with the Patton twist; and what a twist. It starts out mostly Latakia; as you puff farther into it, the cigar leaf and Turkish are noticeable, but the Latakia never really takes a back seat. The virginua must be there somewhere, but in a distinctly supporting role, keeping it lively, and giving the Lat some body, I presume. The result is a fairly harsh, but not biting version of the balkan type, without the rather sweet taste that many balkan / English blends have; probably more like a genuine balkan, in fact. The cigar leaf keeps it rough, balancing out the orientals, and I could swear there was some burley in there, but the notes on this website say no.

Richard Hannay was, of course, born in South Africa, of Scots origin, and lived the life of an outdoorsman. I can imagine him keeping some of this blend in a leather bag in his pocket and puffing it in a worn out briar while on the move. It has that slightly unpolished tang that JP's blends all have, redolent of hard times and adventurous doings.

Altogether a great change of pace, and more complex than Latakia Junction.