McClelland Frog Morton on the Bayou

As with all the Frogs, this is a good blend but not a great blend. The tobacco starts with a hint of chocolate flavor that fades fast into Orientals. Mild, smooth, more sour than sweet, no bite, but doesn't burn well at a sip and requires constant relights, and this does try the tongue. The Orientals don't really "dance" , as they fade into the background. I don't find the Perique except on relights, even though the name " On The Bayou" indicates a heavy presents. This might be the best of the bunch ( If you like Orientals as I do)but it is still boring.

Wow, I just checked the other reviews, is my taste so shot that I'm so far out of wack with you all? I guess it's just me and reviewer "zulujerk 9/19/09".!

McClelland - Frog Morton on the Bayou.

This one's another from a trade me and Gentleman Zombie did, where we swapped a few that hadn't particularly tickled our fancy. I think good fortune's smiling on me as I've thoroughly enjoyed some of his 'dislikes'!

Opening the tin reveals a black and brown mixture (prominently black). The moisture's good but I'm unsure of how long it's been unsealed for- Franck reviewed this on 15/07/15 and I'm assuming this is the same tin. Although it's badged with the often vague title of Ribbons, I'd call it more of a Course Cut/Mixture: some twigs, some cubes, some shag pieces, and indeed a lot of ribbons.

I don't, by any means, think this is a Lat-Bomb: the Latakia's tasty, but nowhere near smoky enough for it to have that title. Personally, I like how the Perique comes over: easy to notice, but not too harsh (for me). The Oriental/Turkish offers great weight to the smoke, but the Virginia seems as light as they are heavy. This is what I'd call a 'Rustic' smoke: there's no underlying nuances or flavours: it's quite a solid blend.

The nicotine's medium, and the room-note's perfectly non-offensive: some might say boring!

I've had a few of the Frogs up to now to base my expectations on: this isn't the best of them, but I still feel happy recommending it:

Three stars. Thanks again Franck!

This is the sweet blend in the FM series just like cellar is the sour/tangy blend.

It has a mild balkan taste.

Summary: very, very mild and smooth balkan.

This blend was made for me!

Honestly I was rather disappointed at first. Upon opening the tin, the dark coarse-chopped broken flake looked appealing enough but the McClelland "Ketchup" was disgustingly overpowering.

After 30-40 minutes airing out, I filled my pipe, my early morning Canadian. There was some decent taste there but I just couldn't relate to the dominant Ketchuppy flavor. I immediately felt I had fallen into the trap of all the Frog Morton hype and sorry I had purchased the tin.

I'm not one to give up easily on a blend I'm trying for the first time so I soldiered on. By the time I was 12 or so bowls in, that annoying ketchup flavor had softened considerably and before I knew it this blend had become my favorite way to begin my day.

The list of tobacco components would lead you to believe this would be a complex smoke, but although I can detect the perique and perceive a slightly sweet topping, I just don't find this to be an overly complex smoke, which in my book is a good thing.

Highly recommended for those that like Latakia forward blends. You get your Lat fix, but at the same time get to experience a rather unique interpretation of an old school style pipe tobacco.

Wow...just WOW. This moody, rough and tumble Frog stands out from its more proper English brothers. It invades your personal space from the first light and stays there for the entire bowl. It is polite in one respecect however, leaving no mess other than a fine grey ash; it seems to be one of the cleaner-burning blends in this series, especially compared to the more Turkish-focused ones (ATP, OTT).

Unlike some other reviewers here, I find the perique to be really up front here. The tin says "just enough" perique was added, but there seems to be a rather hearty helping of it. The McClelland BBQ is especially in your face with this blend (heavy on the red VAs?), but the pungency of the perique sings over the top of them, and loudly.

The smoke is wonderful. More leather, more spice, more pine. All of the above with a shovel full of rich, dark earth. Unlike its cousins, this one felt like it (the perique, I suspect) could bite if you push it. It also packs more of a nicotine punch. The room note is wonderful, but non-smokers are unlikely to enjoy it.

Probably not an all-day smoke for most people, but if you like a heavy English, give this one a try. Two tongues up for the Frog from Cajun country!

(This seems like it would age well, but based on some of the reviews, maybe not. Guess I'll have to smoke it all up!)

After complete disappointment with Frog Morton Cellar I decided to open the tin of FMOTB. This blend is good example how sometimes tobacco content might decieve you. If you look at the ingredients you automatically think "english" or "balkan" and this blend is officially Balkan.

Well, my tin is 4 years old and I don't know what aging did to it but this is hardly Balkan blend. I don't taste Orientals at all, which is actually good for me as I am not a fan. Latakia is very very mild. What I taste is almost a… VaPer. Yes, I know it sounds strange, considering listed ingredients, but this is the closest comparison I can give. This tobacco has very nice aftertaste and it is very easy on your tongue.

If you buy this blend and expect Balkan, this is where your disappointment might start. If you expect just good tobacco, I think will be satisfied. Personally I find this blend very nice (I like Perique). It is not every day smoke for me, it is rather a treat. Will I cry because it is no longer produced? No…

I have been dipping in and out of this tobacco for sometime over the last two years. This was essentially the first blend I tasted containing perique.

Tasty, smooth, and very calming. The tin note is typical for McClelland, and we all know what that means. However the tin note is far milder than, say, a full virginia blend from McClelland, like 40th Anniversary.

There are sweet notes to this tobacco when smoked, surprisingly. But before the sweetness has had a chance to settle, th tongue is hit with the spicy perique, carried through with the rich smokey flavours of the latakia.

I find this blend very calming, and the room note adds to the pleasure of smoking it. I like to put this in a medium sized bowl and puff slowly. You can forget about it and let the spicy notes bring you back to the smoke when it nudges your taste buds.

Top notch, but not the best that McClelland offered when they were in business. Still, I will enjoy what I have left!

I was keeping this blend in my cellar for almost 2 years waiting to try it.finally the time has come!the tin appearance prepares you for a smooth and satisfying Balkan blend.when the can opens a smokey smell accompanied from vinegar notes and spices comes out.the mostly dark blend is a little moist and some drying time might help with the lighting and the packing wich are no easy.while smoking from the first puffs you realize that the orientals are the strongest compoment(as they should) offering lots of woodsy ,earthy and ispicy notes.latakias come second giving mostly smokey and sweet notes.virginias are grassy and sweet being the less noticeable compoment.as for the perique it makes the taste very pleasant giving plums,figs and vinegar notes from the first till the last puff.generally i found the taste very pleasant and rich and all these in a natural result.burns cool and slow to ash without moisture and a clean filter.nicotine level is low and this is a bad thing to me because a rich taste like this should have at least a medium nic hit.aftertaste is rich and the room note unpleasant.no chance of tongue bite.not an all day smoke.generally i liked this tobacco and i recommend it.

As an introduction let me say that I don't know the originlal Frog Morton blend or any other of its permutations (FM on the Town, FM Across the Pond, FM's Cellar).

When I first opened the tin I was supprised how dark this beautiful mixture of a medium ribbon cut and little pieces of ready rubbed flake appeared. I don't think it's all Latakia and Perique, but there's neither Black Cavendish. The tin note is rich and smoky with a fruity acidity, hints of incense, and a sweet undertone. Unless you would rate the contained Perique as a cased tobacco (which it basically is), there's no flavoring in the strictest sense.

Filling your pipe is quite easy, in doing so I prefer the Frank or air pocket method. Even though the tobacco seems a little moist, lighting comes just as uncomplicated: most of the time a single charring and true light will do.

Tastewise I'd considder Frog Morton on the Bayou a smooth, medium strength Balkan blend with an added peppery twist from the Perique. Right from the start, there's a tangy sweetness that seems to become more pronounced mid bowl. This mixes nicely with the floral, incense like notes from the Orientals and the peat fire smokiness from the Latakia. But in the background there's a distinct fruity, but also dark and spicy acidity with hints of rasins or dried figs that probably comes from the Perique. This is a complex, relaxing, satisfying smoke. It burns down evenly and slowly to some dry, light grey ash.

The room note is sweetish and spicy.