John Patton Spyglass

I bought 4 oz of 4Noggins, but with some doubts, because normally when I smoke cigars, smoke a nice Antico Toscano. It was a surprise, because this mix is the perfect balance between all its components, although 35% of Latakia. From start to finish, absolutely no false notes during the smoke, I would recommend it to anyone!

John Patton has done it again. This is perhaps the most unusual blend I have ever tried (I have not tried as many blends as other members of this review forum, I should add).

The first fire gets you a strong puff of Latakia, Oriental and something else. As it burns downwards in the pipe you get alternating notes of Latakia, Oriental and what I suppose is the cigar leaf and burley.

This blend is best smoked very slowly, I find, and I would suggest trying it out in some different pipes, because it seems temperamental and to favour some pipes over others. I maintain that this is the case with all blends, but JP's blends seem more temperamental than the mass produced.

I find Spyglass to be a very good change of pace from my regular OTCs and English blends. I did find it a little similar to Morley's Best. If you like aromatics or mild flavours, this blend will not be for you. However, if you like what I suspect is an old-style blend, one which you have to savour slowly, I heartily recommend Spyglass.

Cigar leaf and Latakia are a great combination, and the Turkish adds a nice bit of spice. There doesnt seem to be much burley in this, but it adds some character to the blend without being overwhelming. Spyglass is one that is better than I had expected.

It¡¦s a difficult tobacco for me to describe but I know one definite thing about it and that is, the more you smoke it, the more it grows on you. I smoked this blend in several shaped and size bowls and I found that it was at its best in larger bowled pipes.

This blend consists of 4 tobaccos, Turkish, Latakia, Burley and Cigar leaf which together make for an interesting smoke. I am not a great lover of latakia and even with 35 % lat content, mixed with the other tobaccos I found that it was not overpowering at all or cloying to the palate. The Turkish and latakia leaf complimented each other adding a nice Smokey spice to the blend. The burley added an earthiness and nutty tone to the tobacco and the cigar leaf finished off the blend with a slightly bitter edge. The bitterness was not unpleasant but to the contrary and I enjoyed this tobaccos overall flavour. It burns easily and to a fine white ash. Even I could keep this one lit to the very bottom of the bowl ?º

Not a latakia or turkish fan so this blend wasn't for me.

I had high hopes for this tobacco, but what I found was yet another dismal failure in attempted tobacco blending. Harsh, bitey and an all around loser in every capacity.