McClelland Frog Morton

Wonderful smoke, my favorite stand by blend. I will always try other tobaccos but Frog Morton will still be there when I need a reliable latakia mixture. In the tin it smells of earthy peat and wood smoke. Highly recommended.

This was also my first Latakia and I have enjoyed it since. Its a nice slightly sweet slightly smokey blend that easy to smoke, pack, and keep lit. I tend to prefer this blend in colder weather and will keep it around for the winter. Not that it gets that cold here in S. Florida! But it just doesn't smoke right on 90+ days 🙂

Revised 07-16-2005

I recently opened a tin I had stashed away 3 years ago and decided to revisit this "amphibious" blend. My initial impression was that the humectant was very noticable in the tin and also in the first third of the bowl when smoking. I have a soft spot for this blend because it was the first latakia blend I tried after deciding to venture outside the aromatic domain. But, even so, I am afraid I can't seem to enjoy this blend like I used to. The latakia in this blend is of the cyprian variety which is less complex than the syrian type as well as a tad softer and sweeter. The VA in this is of the matured variety which is also not as spicy or bitey as some of the other VA's in the McClelland line-up. Overall this is a Latakia blend with training wheels. I suppose it is a good place to start and may even use this blend as my older son's first pipe when he turns 18. As for myself, the FMAP is now my favorite in the series.

Quite good. Light, flavourful, fresh, this could be a perfect summer smoke. It can seem too moist in the tin but it really isn't. I usually like stronger tobaccos as far as nicotine content, but this is a possible change of pace.

Ahh, the original Frog....a joy, smooth, creamy..I dont smoke it all the time. Its not an all day smoke..its for special occasions..like making it through the day. Try it, try it, try it....

First encountered this blend from a stranger on a lone path in the northern part of the midwest. A quiet fellow, he didn't say much, but the aroma coming from his pipe said enough. He offered me a bowl and one for the road, and I searched for a tin immediately upon arriving at my destination four days later. A homegrown vintage of delicious Virginia leaf varieties mixed with Latakias that can't be beat. The texture may seem a little moist, but it burns well. Somehow, this mixture retains its perfect moisture level for long periods of time. Though it may not be the absolute best Latakia blend, it is in my top five based on the cost to quality ratio of this fine tobacco.

I don't usually like light english blends: even when I would like an all day latakia mixture, I really can't stand those mild products with little latakia, lots of cavendish and little taste. I find stuff like Old Dublin, Celebrated Sovereign and Highland Targe extremely boring, and I downright despise these blends. You can understand how my hopes for Frog Morton were extremely low... and that's where I was pleasantly surprised! I won't digress long on the characteristics of this blend, as many other reviews here pointed them out precisely. The only difference is that I don't find it exceedingly moist. As soon as you light it up, you are welcomed by a thick smoke which nonetheless is not overwhelming, and has a rich velvety, creamy, quality. The Latakia is clearly present, but nicely rounded and integrated into the other ingredients in a perfect whole. You can feel its smokiness, but wrapped in a soft sweetness that never fails to caress tongue and palate. Sometimes you can almost feel chocolate notes, and a refreshing effect: I doubt there is menthol as someone hinted, anyway. Surely a merit of the processing (stoving?) more than of the ingredients or flavoring agents. You can hardly feel a harsh note, something that goes out of the chorus: it is a truly beautifully integrated whole. Sometimes you can get the impression that it lacks in body (especially in some pipes, even from the same brand: I have smoked it in three Dunhills from different years, one Savinelli and one Castello, and the taste was best in a Dunhill bruyere from the early '80s). It does indeed, but the taste is nice nonetheless. It is somewhat reminiscent of the orange-topped Ashton Type 2 in cut and flavor, but better. As an all-day smoke, it doesn't tire the mouth and never cloys, yet providing more satisfaction than I can get from other lighter latakia mixtures: it won't become anyway an all-day, every-day blend for me. That's because it does become very soon boring (and the initial impression of sweetness is reduced once you get used to it) if not alternated with some stronger/different blends (and it certainly won't replace the equally sweet but tastier Mephisto or London Mixture in my rotation). Anyway, it's what actually comes closer to my idea of a fine lighter latakia mixture, and to be honest I finished my tin in a matter of few days!

Can you say Lot-of-Kia. Latikia and virginia. Cool, sweet, and strong. This isin't a wife pleaser however. Be prepared to go to the den or outside.

This is one of those "love/hate" blends.

One thing I'll say about the Frog is that I cannot ever get it to bite my tongue, no matter how hard I puff on it.

Whomever called this a pressed flake is way off.... The closest thing to Frog in bulk is Lane's HGL.

Lots of latakia here with (what I taste to be) a molasses type flavoring.

If you have a friend that smokes Captain Black who wants a good introduction to English Style blends then the Frog is for them.

I'd never hesitate to smoke this tobacco because it has body, it's creamy and smokes well all the way down. Is it for a purist? Probably NOT.