John Middleton, Inc Walnut

This opinion is based on a 7 ounce tube from the early 80's.

The tobacco goes from very dark brown to almost black, the years have apparently obscured it a lot. The aroma is strong and somewhat unpleasant. Some aroma of latakia is sensed, but mostly a chemical odor. It can be similar to the ammonia that the burley gives off, of poor quality and badly cured.

The smoke is not pleasant although it seems that the little latakia instead of attenuated has been enhanced. Maybe it's just not my taste but it presents another important problem: it bites, no matter how I smoke it, it bites, and a lot.

Maybe serve as a warning for those who accumulate and age this mixture, apparently has an expiration date

I wanted to like this, but I could not find a good reason to, it tasted weak and flat. I tasted almost no Latakia, but I did get a rather nasty taste from the topping. Not for me.

Maybe if this stuff was walnut flavored, it would be better. Alas, what happened to this 19th century classic? We will never know, as it is for sure that the blending recipe has undergone many changes over the years. Walnut definitely has latakia in it, as it makes itself known when you open the tub. However, the quality of it must be bottom of the barrel, as it is recognizable only as a mild soapy astringency when the tobacco is lit.

Middleton's states that tis is made from the 7 finest types of tobaccos in the world. All I taste is cheap burley, suplemented by a smattering of what can only be very low grade virginias. I detect no perique, nor orientals. It smokes hot, and doesn't need much coaxing to bite. I really like Carter Hall, so I'm puzzled how the same company can produce a thoroughly unenjoyable tobacco blend. I guess if you're used to smoking straight burley day after day, this might be some kind of change of pace. Otherwie, it is not worth even a look. Pass on it.

Well I was hoping to have another winner since I love JM's Prince Albert...but such was not the case. I ordered this from JRs and saved about 10 bucks over the local B&M..which was good. As I strolled down Walnut street I was greeted by a maple topping that mixed well with the nutty burley but it soon became very cloying and tiresome. The latakia was noticeable, but barely...the other tobaccos seemed to be more there to lend a little support but the main show was the burley and it couldnt hold its own next to even the most mediocre American-Englishes. Not very impressed at all so I can't recommend this one..even for the price (16.95).

This is an example of an "English" blend gone very wrong. There is a terrible taste of chemicals whilst smoking and as an aftertaste. I wouldn't let someone I disliked smoke this!!

Smoke in peace, brothers and sisters of the leaf.

I tried a bit that a friend gave me and was totally underwhelmed. Little flavor at all. I'll try it again in a different pipe just to see if I can detect any taste at all.

I've tried this in a briar and a cob, and it always bites me; moreover, it's a chemical delayed-action bite that doesn't seem present during the smoke. The smoke itself I find uneventful, with none of the appealing smokey aroma in the jar coming through. If there's Latakia in there, it's very little. (Smoke extract is available as a food additive, and I suspect there's more of that than Lat.) Not for me, though others clearly enjoy it. Prince Albert and Carter Hall are the most popular Middleton blends for good reason - they're the best!

This stuff is about as English as apple pie and chevrolet; all I taste is mild burley and a fruity topping. I don't detect any of the condiment leaf listed in the description. The topping is not overly heavy. It's fairly smooth and pleasant for the first half of the bowl. After that the low-quality base tobaccos and excessive PG shine through and it gets a bit nasty. I think there are better drug-store tobaccos available than this and I wouldn't try it again.

Walnut is truly one of the most repugnant tobaccos on the market. Like almost all of Middleton's blends (exceptions to the rule: straight burley smokes and, for some reason, Cherry Blend), this is flavored with some sort of sickly sweet topping that does not merge well with the low-grade latakia and Turkish.

I recently had some Walnut sitting in a plastic bag in my closet and could smell its revolting scent so strongly in the room that I threw it out. If you've tried Middleton's Kentucky Club Aromatic Mixture, which is ostensibly another American English, then you probably know the aroma I'm talking about.

I avoid this blend at all costs. Shame on Middleton for producing crap like this; it demonstrates a contempt for smokers, in my opinion.