4noggins Jesse's Own

Well, mild is an understatement with this blend. I think those who enjoy more air and less smoke will appreciate this Oriental laden blend. Nice flavor if you can find it. Easy burn and a variety of flavors do come through if you concentrate.

4noggins - Jesse's Own.

The titles Course Cut and Mixture often fill me with trepidation, I half expect to receive a pouch/tin full of broken flakes! This one's a fairly even cut though: robust ribbons yes, but no huge chunks of tobacco. The moisture quantity's decent enough, it's maybe a little damp but nothing to get in a twist about.

I think, regarding the rating, I'm in the 4 star camp. It's a very well balanced flavour and even though I normally like my English's to have more potency I'll highly recommend this based on the quality. Due to the mildness, in both strength and flavour, it would make a cracking starting point. The biggest anomaly to a regular English blend is recognizable imminently: it's not a Lat-bomb. The Latakia gives the smoke a slight trait, but nothing like the normal volume. There's a good sweetness to the smoke: Maryland/Virginia, and I'd expect this to appeal to the newer smokers. Although the Perique is listed as being only a 'hint of' I actually get good flavour from it, even though it's not sharp there's still a lot more than I imagined to get. The Oriental tobacco is conspicuous throughout, this appears to be quite a dominant flavour.

Like I said, there's not much nicotine to be to be obtained from Jesse's Own and sadly the room-note's only tolerable.

If I knew someone who was looking to begin the hobby I'd be happy to advise they start with this. And for me it's going to make a lovely alternative to my usual weak afternoon aro'.

Highly recommended.

Summary: A natural blend that is sweet and fragrant like an aro, but introduces the pipe smoker to the world of tobacco-based flavor.

"Jesse's Own" serves those who want a mild tobacco. It is mild in nicotine, sweet and varied in flavor, and takes this American-style English blend to good places from those perspectives. If you are a non-stop flake smoker, hold the presses and go elsewhere, because this blend tries to be "mild" in the way older tobaccos were: an inoffensive but flavorful all-day blend for someone who wants a low-impact way of participating in pipe enjoyment.

In flavor, this resembles a muted version of Dunhill "My Mixture 965" with more sweetness and tangy flavors from the blend of tobaccos which have a higher contrast between them than those in many Englishes. The Virginia and Maryland tobaccos meld into a flavor almost like maple syrup, and then the Orientals add sparkle while the Perique brings up the middle of the flavor with a peppery dried fruit taste. Together these make a sweet but not sugary, gentle and flavorful blend.

For the pipe smoker accustomed to aros, "Jesse's Own" provides a gateway into the world of natural tobaccos. It has the mildness, gentleness and sweetness of an aromatic but the full range of flavor of an English blend, albeit in tighter harmony than most thanks to the similarities between Virginia and Maryland flavors. It's not something I would cellar for my needs, but for the same audience that favors Dunhill "Early Morning Pipe" or the bulk light Englishes, or someone wanting to get a toe wet in the world of naturals, it is a solid option.

This is, without a doubt, the lightest English I have ever smoked. As far as actual tobacco flavor goes, I can identify two components. The Lat leads with the usual smoky wood notes and folded into that is a little sour wood from the Orientals. I get a couple of other nuances like a little spice from the Perique and sweetness from the Virginias, but no actual flavor from those. Not surprised I can't detect the Maryland, that's usually the case. It's a somewhat pleasant smoke as there's nothing offensive about it, but it fails to satisfy me on a personal level. I can only somewhat recommend this, specifically to those who require super mild blends and those who have super sensitive taste buds. You may be able to taste things I'm missing.

Mild in body. Very mild in taste. Might be a little added sweetness. Burns very well.

Jesse's Own is an interesting tobacco—a sort of dog's breakfast blend of Virginia, Maryland, Orientals, as well as dashes of Perique and Latakia. I received a sample-sized serving from 4noggins a few months ago, a generous gift for sure. I only wish that I liked it better.

There are problems with Jesse's own and the main one is the general lack of integration of the constituent tobaccos. The other problem is that there are much better tobaccos of this type available in tins that I'd prefer to smoke. Jesse's Own is built on the model of Dorisco Mixture or the work of genius that is DAN's Midnight Ride. In both of those tobaccos, however, there is better integration of flavor and also much more strength. This is sort of a soft, sweet, innocuous version—an all day Ride.

I suppose the mildness may be seen as a big positive for someone looking for a gentle smoke that straddles the fence between a very mild Latakia mix and a VaPer. But admittedly, I'm not in the market for a tobacco like that.

Jesse's Own came as a sample in an order from 4 Noggins. I actually had this blend in my short list to try so this was a nice happenstance! There is quite a list of ingredients in this blend so you can anticipate some complexity of tastes, and you wouldn't be wrong.

The best way I can describe Jesse's Own is a well thought-out, very light English. Very light on the Latakia. So light that the smokey campfire taste you'd expect smoothes out to a nice cedary flavor. The Orientals dominate and really provide some excellent and varied flavors. VAs come out and add occasional sweetness. Sitting back and really concentrating on a bowl-ful is really the best way to get the most out of this blend. Cedar, sometimes maple, a dash of cocoa. Seems the flavors change with almost every puff. This is really an excellent blend of quality tobacco. My only reservation is that it is too mild for my personal tastes. That's not to say it doesn't have its place on my shelf.I think it would a knock-out warm/hot weather smoke, when it's so damn hot out you really don't feel like a good heavy English or even a dark VA flake. Paired with a cold lager or pilsner, or even a gin and tonic..... might be just the thing. But out here in the Pacific Northwest we just don't get those days too often. Certainly not year-round. So this would be a seasonal smoke for me. I may just have to put a little back for those days.

JO is a very nice, quality blend. A tad too light for me everyday but a good solid 3-star light English.

Looking at the reviews on this I have to say IMO this is one under appreciated blend. I think it must be that it has been mis-labelled as an English, perhaps because of the Latakia. In my view it is a more interesting version of 4N's Weybridge, and unlike Weybridge doesn't require weeks of drying time. In Jesse's Own the Perique dominates the nose but acts as a condiment and doesn't dominate all the other various flavours when smoked. This was really a pleasant surprise.

Pouch note is decidedly a sweet English, but with an undercurrent of an herbaceous, maybe even a sweetened tea note.

Scooped and finger tamp, followed by match, tamp, then another match - this time in my Edward's Bent Bulldog.

Char and initial light, this has a fantastic sour apple tartness, and a musty perfume from the oriental and latakia playing nicely together. The sourness seems to be softened somewhat by the savory characteristics of the oriental and lat. Snork reveals much more of an English character, which as the bowl warms becomes more and more prominent over the sweet and sour Virginia notes.

Room note was pleasant, and the nicotine strength was comparable to other light English - very much a tame pussycat.

This blend has grown on me the more I smoke it. It packs easy, burns clean and the flavor is not overbearing. Nothing clashes here, just a good smoke from early morning to late night. Nice Job Rich! Highly recommended!

Update 10/15/2010 This blend ages very well and becomes richer and fuller after a year!!

This delicate and slightly sweet English, is well balanced.

I think its value is the harmony, never a false note in the smoke, but great satisfaction.

Another slight mixture to start a day in the English style.

Recommended to anyone!