John Patton Dark Horse

This one was an easy buy for me, but I am not so sure on it right now. Had my first bowl earlier today, and it certainly lives up to its' name as an "other". Upon lighting, I just didnt like it. Super harsh, and burned super-hot. Let it go for a bit and kept at it but just got heat and cigarette type smoke. Then, I put the pipe down and walked away for a bit. When I returned and re-lit, it came to life. Honestly, the reviews that indicate that this is a mix of flavors and tastes are dead on. To me, it tasted like and smoked like a crushed cigar placed in my pipe. I kept after it and had some taste stops along the way that came through clearly. Cigar leaf, followed by burley, followed by a brief check-in at orientals. I dont see this being a regular go to, but a certain one for a shake-up from my norms. Worth adding to the rotation for certain.

I've been trying cigar leaf blends lately and that is what led me to John Patton's Dark Horse. I'd also been looking to add Burley blends to my cellar so that it might be more well balanced. And, of course, Matches860....

This delivery came to me from 4noggins and upon opening the bag I was surprised by how mild the bag note was. I was definitely getting cigar but very mildly. The bag smelled heavily of Burley and spicy Oriental and Perique. A very subdued sweetness and a bit of Autumn baking spices.

This tobacco was dry, and bordered on too dry, but as I soon found out it lit on the initial match and didn't require any relight. Just burned straight through to a clean white ash. A very easy and well behaved smoke.

The nicotine is mild/medium. No bite, though I did take my time with it, and savored as I could the retro hale and really tried to pick this one apart. I think my palette is inexperienced, but I was able to find some mild sweetness and some pleasant spice. The cigar leaf and condiments are what grabbed my attention with the blend. The Burley and Virginia providing a strong foundation.

I recommend this one. And I love the idea of supporting lesser talked about blends and blenders like JP's. Sure, this blend gets some love on YT and the forums, but not as much as some of the more widely distributed and advertised blends.

Get some. Just get it in a jar ASAP as it comes ready to burn!

When I first received my shipment I divided into two jars, the first jar I consumed over six months, the second jar I let sit untouched for five years! So, I’ve been getting to know it again now over these past few weeks. It’s still a fairly rugged he-man kind of a blend even after five years of aging. If you like Bob Runowski blends like Haunted Bookshop, or if you smoke cigars regularly, you will like this. It has some spicy nuances that remind me of a dark Nicaraguan cigar. I remember from when it was fresh that I tried a tweak using 5% Sutliff Aged Maduro Cavendish and that added some needed cushion on the palate for me. I called that tweak “Black Stallion” and just that little nudge put it up to four stars for me. If it isn’t cushion you seek, but sweetness, you could always add a pinch of BCA, which everybody has laying around. I guess I’d call that version “Pony Rides,” LOL. If it’s even more earthiness you crave you could always add some dehydrated potato peel. Ok, enough joking around . . .

I have to wonder, reading some of the other reviews if Rich made some adjustments to either proportions or changes in suppliers, because either when fresh or when I evaluate it now after five years, this is certainly not a Turkish-forward blend with floral overtones as some have said. In fact, unless we’re talking Black Sea Sokhoum I don’t taste any Turkish/Oriental at all. For me the predominant character stems from earthy dark Burleys (not especially nutty) and cigar leaf (dark and spicy). Coming in third would be Perique, but not of the peppery or figgy raisiny type, more of the musty earthy type. I also get some salty pan-scorched butter (that possibly from toasted Turkish leaf). I agree with one reviewer who said that the retrohale was like oak leaves in Autumn, but that was more so when fresh, not so much now that it has mellowed with age.

I much prefer Storm Front, but this deserves three stars for its distinctiveness and for those times when you want something a little more rugged. I find it pairs nicely with a strong dry red wine like Italian Aglianico.

Here's a good burley blend that really satisfies. Burley at the top of the pyramid of flavors, followed by the Turkish and oriental. The Virginia is unnoticeable, but the perique seems to hold it all on the darker side. A very tasty and rather cigarette style flavor. Lights easy, burns to the bottom and easy to smoke all day.

A tobacco that is full of flavors, earthy, spicy with a slight sweetness and sourness. If a bit on the dry side, it smokes without a glitch and the taste is that of a full bodied cigar in a pipe smoking way. Cigar leaf mixtures are hard to balance but this one is a winner. Works nicely on a colder day or after a meal.

Virginia lover

Oh My! I am smoking a bowl of this blend and I have to say it's excellent!!! Kudos to John Patton for creating one of the most complex and smooth cigar blends ever.

I have tried several of his blends and this has to be one of my Favorite Patton Blends.

For those Pipe Smokers who like a little cigar leaf in their blends - this is the one to try!!!

I had to throw this bag of "pipe" tobacco away it was so bad.

Tasted like smoking some cheap cigarette tobacco only from my pipe.

I could not tolerate more than a single bowl at a time, and found myself forcing it.....so literally threw the bag away.