McClelland Frog Morton

This a good latakia blend when I am in the mood for something smokey, simple and sweet. It burns cool and is monochromatic in flavor. While it is not a complex blend it does have a good flavor and I like to smoke this occasionally when I study or read. Something to smoke that I dont have to concentrate on to get its potential. A good occasional smoke.

The tobacco must be aired, both to dissipate the McClelland trademark odor, and to lessen the moisture level. As I spread the tobacco to dry, I see a mostly black blend (50%+) with browns ranging from very dark to medium tan (and in this particular 100g tin, a piece of oak plywood 3/8" long, and piece of paper barred with red ink,each of which were chopped into the blend, odd!)

The tobacco lights easily and burns cleanly, not overly smokey. I can't say that I detect a casing as I smoke this blend in a Savinelli de Luxe Milano, a KS Dublin. I have just finished and ejected a very proper dry ash from the bottom of the bowl. "It took Frog Morton four years to perfect..." I wonder if the goal was a specific blend of bygone years....

The question in my mind is the Black Tobacco. The blend does not smoke or taste like a Heavy Latakia. It is far more balanced than a visual inspection would lead one to believe. I think that this blend presents itself as a Balkan: smooth and cool,spicy and woodsy. The Balkan and English smoker should enjoy testing this blend. No disappoints.

Not much more needs to be said about the Frog, all the bases have been covered. Tins of this blend have been in my tobacco cupboard since I first tried it. I must agree that some drying time may be a good idea, but it still loads and lights easily enough as is. The interplay of the sweet/smoky tastes and the no-bite factor are just a couple of this blends charms. I still have about 5 tins that are dated late 90's and it's almost time to open another one. IMHO, FWIW, this is the best of the Frogs, and one of the better English blends out there. Works for me.

Wow! This is nice stuff. I ran across a sample tin at my fave smoke shop, and thought "what the heck." It smoked cool and flavorful. Very tasty stuff. I must get a tin and give this a proper review. Of After much more indepth research of course . Darn!

This is nice smooth balkan , out of the tin it is way to moist but after it has had a while in the air is a rich full tobacco that hits the right spot. Should I feel a little jaded and the Balkan Sobranie would be a bit to aggresive. A real Sunday morning smoke for me. As for the topping oft mentioned could'nt really notice it accept for the moisture level so it must be their in the mix, but this blend is the smoothest balkan you are likely to find. Great for breaking in a new pipe.

Most would agree 965 is the current standard by which English blends are measured. Frog Morton, then, is the first step in an appreciation of 965 for those long confined to the aisles of WalMart and the Sisyphean task of continually besmirching pipes with BananaFudgeMangoCherry aromatic blends.

At the same time both smokey and sweet, it is a wonderful transition from a summer spent smoking sweet Virginias to colder months that call for Latakia. Its entirely bite-free nature makes it a wonderful smoke for the beginner, and, while not as nuanced as some blends, the returning veteran can always find something delightful upon lighting up. Smooth, mild, mellow, and entirely uncomplicated.

This tobacco seems to be a latakia/aromatic hybrid. It definitely has latakia, and a fair bit of it at that, and also seems to have a light casing (chocolate?). The result is an easy-smoking crossover blend that will likely appeal to both hardcore english smokers and aromatic fans alike.



It is a slow, cool smoker, although there is a tendency to wetness towards the bottom of the bowl (probably due to the casing), making this perfect for a meerschaum or calabash, and indeed it responds very well to such treatment. I've smoked it in my Peterson system and Falcon with poor results, but then I rarely get good results from any "system" pipe.



The taste is smoky but seems to lack that latakia nuttiness that is present in so many other english blends, possibly because this tobacco seems to be less "stemmy" than other latakia blends, although in compensation this blend has a more forward chocolatey flavor than most Cyprian latakia blends, whether this is because of the casing I can't tell.



The room aroma is medium strength, and from observer's reports it seems that the aroma is similar to the taste. At any rate, it doesn't seem to raise many objections.

A perfect cross-over blend for those looking to begin enjoying Latakia. The Latakia is married with an aromatic flavoring to arrive at a pleasant mix of smokey and sweet. Providing very little bite, this is a good all-day smoke.