*UPDATE* 8/07/2010 If you have tried Orient 996 or Syrian Full Balkan than(much to my chagrin) you have also tried this. Both these blends taste exactly the same as Across The Pond. Yes, it's disappointing but I keep my rating here the same because it truly is a wonderful smoke. As for the other two, I give them the dreaded 1 star for lack of originality.

This tobacco burns evenly and smoothly. It seems to get a little more complex with a little more taste after getting about ¼ the way into the bowl. I found that nice – it starts my morning slow, the adds a little more taste.

I have not tried the other Frog Morton tobaccos – but will in time. I most likely will keep a tin of Across the Pond in my rotation, especially for morning smokes.

Normal McClelland tin aroma, not too wet though. I have I believe an 07 tin or two of it. I will be keeping this as a normal morning routine, at least until I can get some G.L. Chelsea Morning to try.

Big fan of this one!

A bit lighter in color than the original Frog and with a coarser cut, this has that delicious McClelland scent in the tin - mostly virginia. But what an odd tasting blend! Like the original Frog and Frog On The Bayou, there's something there that shouldn't be or something not there that should. I'm wondering if I don't care for Syrian latakia. But I found this one to be the least tasty of the Frog series, unless a very strange flavor should be counted.

I'm going to cellar a small amount of this and try it later after I've tried a few other Syrian blends. I'll update this review then if there's anything new to say. As it stands, I cannot easily recommend this unless you're certain Syrian latakia is to your taste.

To those who fault the blend for this characteristic I suggest you JAP this up (a poorly constructed acronym for "just add Perique"). I concur with those who note the almost sweet underlying taste of Frog Morton Across the Pond. Whether that's from some kind of casing or extra sugary Virginias, I don't know, but I like it. There's less Syrian here than Mac Baren's esteemed Syrian offering, which happens to have a slightly greater body and less cloying nature.

I suppose you might classify this as a light English blend, and I wouldn't disagree. I have another Frog Morton (on the Bayou) to sample, and I'll let you know how that turns out...

Four of Four

Note - my room note rating should be n/a as I am a porch only smoker. There should surely be an option to submit 'unknown'...

I find this tobacco very plesent outside on a windy day, it stays lit well which means no fighting the wind to get it lit. It stays moist in the can and doesn't dry out much. The taste although mild is something to sit and ponder as you puff. The Latakia is a beutiful thing. Also the wife won't touch it because its not Original Frog Morton's. My Personal Notes Rating is a 8.8 worth smoking when it is available, or other blends don't have my eye.

Whereas Cyprian Latakia seems almost like a spruce campfire in its smokiness, this seems more like birch. Sharper and less soft but quite delicious. It actually reminded me of burning birch bark upon the charring light. It is my understanding that Syrian is cured over oak and Cyprian over Juniper and Pine, so this analogy makes sense.

Across the Pond was quite a bit stronger than the reviews had led me to believe. I found its nicotine content to be much more than I was prepared for. While this is certainly not a bad thing, I will reserve it for smaller pipes.

I thought that the Ketchup scent was an exaggeration. It is not! While not unpleasant, it is the most unique smelling tobacco I have ever had the pleasure of trying.

The blend of tobaccos in this is first rate. They meld together quite well and make for one of the most complex smokes I have ever had. Once again, having little basis for comparison among Syrian mixtures, my review may lack perspective. Nonetheless, I quite enjoyed this and will continue to keep some in stock.