John Middleton, Inc Cherry Blend

An old classic I had to try and wanted to like. The tin (pouch) note of the cherry flavoring reminded me of being a kid and the smell of the old style cherry cough drops. Unfortunately it doesn't taste like the cough drops did. I get some of the cherry flavor, but not a lot. I do however get a harsh chemical taste, very unpleasant. The tobacco appears to be a low grade burley. With very little nicotine. This will bite and bite hard if not careful. It lights ok, but appears to burns hot, no matter what pipe or cadence, which I attribute to the Cherry topping. Room note is very pleasant I've been told, and only wished it tasted as good as the note it leaves behind. For an OTC blend it's on the bottom for me. The burley is just ok, pretty forgettable actually compared to other OTC burleys much are better in taste to me. I know some folks love this blend, be it from days gone by with dad or gramps or the first baccy they smoked. I enjoy some aromatic tobaccos, but this is not one of them. I think every tobacco is worth trying but this one falls into the "I tried it, I'm good" category with no cellaring plans.

Little to no flavor, burns hot, and worthy of simply adding to your trash can. A true disappointment. Considering that this comes from the John Middleton tobacco company, I expected something better in flavor.

The cherry is overwhelming and it bites like a rabid badger. Some folks must enjoy it, but I can't stand it. I'll stick to Paladin Black Cherry.

Light brown, small-"chunk" ribbon cut. The pouch/tin aroma is like cigarette tobacco with a hint of raisins, dried [black?] cherries, and [dark?] chocolate. The tobacco is a bit moist, but it dries out quite quickly.

The smoke is pleasant, but nothing great. Tastes like original Captain Black, with a very light, creamy, vanilla-ish scent and room note. What annoys me is that this stuff is advertised as a cherry aromatic, but doesn't taste anything like cherries, and only smells slightly like them.

A good deal of tongue bite off this one. No detectable amount of nicotine. More of a drug store tobacco.

A contender to Borkum Riff for world's worst pipe tobacco.

The name of the blend should say it all, Cherry Blend. Unfortunately, it does not. There are expectations which are just not met. I'll say right off that it did not bite, even right out of the pouch. And it did not leave a "goopy mess" as some other aromatics might. It also did not have any flavor, at all. The first half of the bowl was actually quite innocuous, not cherry, but not bad. The latter half of the bowl was just ashy and lost any trace of what might have been flavor. I was expecting a strong and noticeable charry scent. It was disappointing in the sense that it did not deliver what its name says it is. Is there a reason to buy a tobacco that, even with no bite, has none of the flavor advertised? No.

In the immortal words of Ralph Wiggum, "...it tastes like burning...".

Every few years I try this blend again, but I simply can not find a way to smoke this that does not sear my tounge like my Weber kettle grill sears a ribeye.

I really can not offer more to this review as I can not get past the initial pain that this tobacco has inflicted on my mouth time and agian.

Cherry Blend is "King of the Tongue Biters"--always has been, always will be. It's hard to believe anyone could smoke this stuff and report of no tongue bite. If you get no t/b from this, your tongue must be like shoe leather.

"Like shoe leatha', Chah-lee. Shoe leatha already."

The room note is what really attracts one to this blend in the first place, but I can think of a hundred other cherry-flavored blends that also have attractive room notes and won't have you sprinting for the nearest water fountain to put out the 3- alarm in your mouth.

Use it for mulch?

I don't know...this blend just didn't do it for me. first of all, if you aren't careful, and I mean very careful, it'll bite like the devil. I didn't get much flavoring on light up, I didn't taste anything till about halfway through the bowl. may be because I was concentrating on my scorching tongue? who knows, but I don't think I can recommend this. If you want an "OK" cherry tasting smoke, give Half&Half a try. it sure as heck wont bite as hard as this.