John Patton Oriental Dusk

I am basing this review on 4 oz I have smoked. I have since bought a pound of it, so clearly I liked it more than an "oh that was interesting" way.

For me the flavor is oriental forward. The spicy, savory flavor is backed up by a robust burley/cigar leaf combo that provides a slightly dark bitter/sour foundation. The Virginia gave it a sweet note every now and then. The combination is complex and very tasty.

If you like orientals and don't mind cigar leaf, give this one a try. This is a solid 3.5 on the scale. In this camp, I think Dark Horse is more friendly in general and I rated it higher because of that. They are both rocking blends, but the volume has been turned up with Oriental Dusk,

Edit: 8/6/15 This was briefly off the market and is back. I should probably buy another pound now.

A very different and very good blend. I was initially put off by the pouch aroma because while it smells very nice (chocolate), it is very similar to Prince Albert, a blend which I do not care for. Fortunately, this pouch aroma is naturally arrived upon and there is no evidence of added flavorings when smoked. The mixture is dry and ready to smoke right off the truck. The Turkish tobacco provides the basis of the smoke with the burley, Va, and cigar leaf coming and going at various times throughout the bowl. This flavor is full and fairly bitter throughout the bowl. I actually found it a little too bitter at first, but jaring for 6 months tempered that to a pleasand level. This bitterness goes especially well with a sweet cup of coffee. While relights are a pleasant affair, contrary to the description on the 4 noggings web site, I did not care for this when dgt'd. Those seeking a full, masculine, natural smoke without a lot of nicotine should look no further. It reminds me a bit of the departed Dunhill Durbar.

Update 11/13/2013: Even better with some additional age on it, 9-12 months and the bitterness is perfectly tempered by the sweetness. Very good cold weather smoke when you don't want latakia.

The first bowls from the sample I had I mostly got the cigar leaf overpowering everything, the remaining saw the Orientals peeking through in an interesting way and the three stars are based on the latter. Not for those who shy away from the taste of cigars! Since I know there are many tobaccos out there I would rate a 4, the question arises would I rebuy this particular tobacco, assuming my tastes don't change much more. In this case, the answer is no.

Another winner here, proving that the sum total of the quality of a tobacco is far greater than its individual components.

The thing I really like about this one is the percentage of Oriental leaf, which is absolutely perfect. Many blenders tend to get carried away by this component, much to their peril. In this case, Mr. Patton has got it near-perfect.

The only downside, for me at least, is the strength. I smoke extremely strong flakes and ropes generally, and may pump this one up a bit with a little more Dr. Nicotine..

A very interesting blend. Tasty, flavorful, with good taste of Oriental leaf in the back. A nice mix of baccy's mixed and blended together to create a hint of sweetness.