Sutliff Tobacco Company Match Walnut

(3.33)
Sutliff's match of John Middleton's Walnut blend. Walnut was a classic American-style English blend made of burley, Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland, Turkish and latakia. It dated back to the 1800s but recently vanished. The legacy of this all-day type of blend lives on with this Match.

Details

Brand Sutliff Tobacco Company
Blended By Carl McAllister
Manufactured By Sutliff Tobacco Company
Blend Type American
Contents Burley, Cavendish, Kentucky, Latakia, Maryland, Oriental/Turkish, Perique, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Coarse Cut
Packaging Bulk
Country United States
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Mild to Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Extremely Mild
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Mild to Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.33 / 4
8

4

3

0

Reviews

Please login to post a review.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 15 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 03, 2014 Mild to Medium Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
As many smokers know, Walnut is comprised of many different varieties of tobaccos. So is the Match. In it, I get a light taste of nutty, woody, earthy Kentucky (a supporting player), grassy, tart and tangy citrusy Virginia (it forms the base of the blend), some nuttiness, earth and molasses from the burley (which takes a small lead), a touch of honey from the Virginia cavendish, and slight woody, earthy, herbal, vegetative, spice notes from the Oriental/Turkish. The Cyprian Latakia is a minor addition, but gives a very mild smoky, woody, earthy, musty sweet push to the other components. I know Maryland is in here, but I can’t taste it. The topping (rum?) is mildly sweet. Overall, it has nice subtlety of flavors that meld well together. Burns at a reasonable pace, cool, clean and dry to the finish with a very consistent flavor. The strength is a step short of the center of mild to medium. The taste is just past that center. Both versions have those attributes as well as a nic-hit that barely passes the mild mark. Won't bite or get harsh, and barely has any rough edges. Both leave little dampness in the bowl, and require an average number of relights. This has a little better after taste as there's nothing to distract what you taste. Both have a lightly stronger room note. Both are all day smokes.

What’s the differences between the Match and the original? The original sometimes has a little chemical taste from the topping that the Match does not, and gets a little bitter near the end. The original is a shade less sweeter, and a tiny bit nuttier, while the Match has just a smidgen more Latakia. Otherwise, I can’t tell the difference.

I rated it at four stars even though I rated the original at three. As a Match, it's four stars for how close it is to the original.

-JimInks
35 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 15, 2015 Mild to Medium Very Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
This is just superb. Nutty, spicy, sweet, earthy, smoky, and mildly fruity and sour. A little bit of everything making it very complex. I think my favorite part of this is the way the black pepper-like spiciness contrasts with the sweetness. I never tire of that. Really wish I could have tried the original. That must have been something.

Mild to medium in body and flavor. The spice gives it a little edge, otherwise very smooth. Burns great.
Pipe Used: MM Country Gentleman, MM Mark Twain
PurchasedFrom: http://wvsmokeshop.com/
Age When Smoked: fresh bulk
14 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 07, 2014 Mild to Medium Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
While I never had the pleasure of smoking the original Walnut... I can say I have enjoyed Walnut Match very much. The pouch note is natural and yes you can sense the walnut in the background. Packs well, lights well and offers a very good natural tobacco flavor again with a slight nutty flavor in the background. I enjoy this as my first pipe of the day and also is a good offering as the sun is going down. No bite... burns well to a nice ash in the bottom of the bowl. This one is in my rotation.
Pipe Used: Dr. Grabow Omega & MM Legend
PurchasedFrom: Pipes & Cigars
Age When Smoked: Fresh from the pouch
10 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 25, 2018 Mild Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
John Middleton’s Walnut was once one of my regular tobaccos. I usually enjoyed it in the morning, as it was tasty and easy to smoke. I was disappointed when it was discontinued. So how does the Sutliff version compare? Well, it’s similar and it's better.

The original was more like a drug store blend, with the vanilla-flavored cavendish in the foreground most of the time and all of the other leafs playing, at most. a supporting role. One would only occasionally taste the Virginias and burleys, and only very occasionally get a hint of Latakia. Sutliff Match Walnut, on the other hand, does a much better job of showcasing the other tobaccos. The cavendish is there alright, but the Virginias are much more noticeable, as are the burley and dark-fired Kentucky tobaccos. SMW is also sweeter, which I attribute to the use of higher quality cavendish and Virginia tobaccos. Another indication of the greater emphasis on the Virginias in SMW is a bit of citrus flavor and grassiness that I don’t recall ever tasting in John Middletons’s Walnut. On the negative side, the Latakia is a little less noticeable in SMW than it was in the John Middleton version -- I couldn't taste it at all.

I enjoyed the original Walnut mostly because it tasted good, was easy to smoke and was inexpensive. I like Sutliff Match Walnut better because it tastes even better, is just as easy to smoke and is equally economical. Kudos to Sutliff for bringing back a great old-time tobacco and doing it even better. Whether you’ve ever smoked John MIddleton’s Walnut or not, if you're in the market for a mild, sweet American take on an English style blend, I suggest you try Sutliff Match Walnut.
Pipe Used: Luciano briar
PurchasedFrom: Pipes & Cigars
Age When Smoked: Recently purchased
6 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 30, 2018 Mild Mild to Medium Mild to Medium Very Pleasant
Hats off to Carl McAllister for this fine blend. With all the different tobaccos in this, I have to imagine it wasn't easy to make. I can't understand why the original manufacturer stopped making this! I never had the original, so I can only talk about the match. It is medium-mild, in a good way. Understated, nuanced, and delicious. None of the many players in this blend really dominate, but all are present. Latakia is definitely a condiment here (good thing for this blend). For me, seems like a mild 'Scottish' at the top, then more 'burley-american' in the middle, then more oriental-kentucky-spice at the end (YMMV). Puffing cadence can be a taste-factor as well. Good through the whole bowl. Lights easy, just a few re-lights. I like the aroma. The balance is superb. Well done Carl, thank you! I can't compare to H&H Chestnut as I haven't had that yet (Hard to commit to a whole tub of something you may or may not like). I'll be ordering more of this. Can certainly be 'an all' day smoke.
Pipe Used: cob, briar
PurchasedFrom: p&c
Age When Smoked: new
5 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 21, 2017 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant
Had this one adding for a good while, 5 years plus. Popped it open the other day to work on my last ounce or so, and man was I glad. Mixture of many components that work well together. Nutty, sweet, Smokey and a bit sour all rolled up in one. The main players for me are the burley and the Kentucky with the Virginia coming in third. The Latakia, and other orientals are only supporting cast members. The use of the Maryland simply tones down the whole mix and allows them to line up. Overall a fine tobacco. Will have more to age in a mason jar for sure.
Age When Smoked: Aged 5+ years
4 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 26, 2022 Mild to Medium Mild Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
Walnut seems to be the only Match tobacco that isn't comprised of large chunks of tobacco. Therefore, this doesn't need to be messed with before being packed.

The 2oz sample arrived with perfect moisture content. The aroma is sweet, nutty and offers a mustiness from the Perique. These all balance well with the smokiness of the small Latakia addition. Although no topping is noted, I do detect something not from the natural tobaccos.

Match Walnut packs very well due to the cut of the tobacco. No burn issues noted.

This is a terrific blend for sure. I never smoked the original, but I understand why it was around so long. The Virginia is sweet and bready, the Perique offers the right amount of background spice, the burley adds that silky mouth feel, and the Latakia makes it that American English blend. I'm not sure what the Maryland does, I don't have a lot of experience with it.

This is one of my favorite morning blends, summer, spring and fall. With 8 varied tobaccos, one would think this would be all over the map and confusing. Not in the least. Walnut Match is well balanced. No leaf fights over one another

Solid 4 stars for the Walnut match!
3 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 19, 2021 Medium Medium Medium to Full Tolerable
With its inception dating to 1856, John Middleton. Inc. became one of the formidable pioneers within the industry, ascending to a respectful market position with its highly revered selections, including their paramount Walnut blend. Through evolution, the company was eventually acquired by Altria in 2007. With that integration, Middleton’s business model was restructured to focus more on cigars and a couple of its bestselling pipe varietals, (i.e., Prince Albert and Carter Hall). Walnut, like several other popular Middleton blends, fell victim to discontinuance much to the dismay of devoted enthusiasts. Astutely recognizing the opportunity to capitalize on the ill-felt residuals, then enter the Sutliff Tobacco Company with a well-placed response.

Recreating popular or obsolete tobacco blends is a niche product segment that Sutliff has executed quite successfully. Adding to a growing list of replica mixtures, blender Carl McAllister crafted a marketable equivalent to the original Walnut offering. Unfortunately, the exodus of the original mix pre-dated my own smoking venture into non-aromatics. As such, I never had the chance to experience the standard product myself. Nonetheless, what I have gleaned from others’ comments is that Sutliff’s version is roughly a 99% dead match in case you are wondering. My objective, therefore, is to speak to the alternate Match Walnut on its own individual merits as that is my qualified point of reference.

Let me state that I find great appeal in complex recipes as they tend to provide charismatic smoking experiences. So, when I stumbled upon this Walnut mimic recipe the trial receptors whirled with screaming vigilance. Namely, Match Walnut presents a curious admixture of seven diverse tobacco strains targeting a classic American English variety. Perfecting Middleton’s original stew, this Sutliff clone with its thick texture shows a shaggy combination of coarse-cut Burley, Cavendish, long ribboned Virginia, air-cured Maryland, Kentucky leaf, Turkish Oriental, and earthy Latakia. Handsome by a variegated ebon-brown-golden color, bushy Match Walnut is bulk-packed with an ideal moisture level for immediate application.

Previewing the airs of Match Walnut, the fragrance rising from the pouch instantly speaks to the rectitude of an accomplished and classic American English blending. Nothing brash nor too meager but just a nice middle of the road goodness that imparts genuineness of character. In as much, the aroma casts a sneak-peek of the flavor profile that eventually unfolds. Specifically, the aroma configures with an initial swell of delicately sweet, earthy-pungent, vinegar spice aloft a rich compote of assorted nutty wood tones. With that I surmised that Walnut would likely be a principally Burley-Virginia dominant combination worthily accented by the noted tinges.

In my trials, every so often I come across a blend that adorns a singular quality, leaving me fascinated by the depth and spirit of its presentation. Imagine an expressive blend that endows a determined mellow baseline cultured by endless confluence of everchanging complementary accents. One that, if partaken without proper attentiveness, results in a lost opportunity to experience its living brilliance. Generally, I can reasonably discern a mixture’s standard character within just a few sample bowls, Match Walnut was a challenge, however. I kept looking for the fundamental pattern within the taste profile without much success. Engaging on my fifth trial, then I came to me, the pattern was constant motion of composite flavor. Wow simple yet grand magnificence!

As it turned out my initial hunch proved to be accurate. The persona of the steadfast base presents itself as a savory citrus-favored sweet grass and toasted nuttiness. The Burleys stands a little forward of the Virginia, but their union is fairly level. With the mix of Burley and Burley-based varietals the native tones take on a multi-faceted flair. One gets tasty nuances of cedar, oak, sourwood, brown sugar/molasses, almond, and almost a peanuty character (no walnut). Additionally, the Virginia seems to contribute a little tangy wood as well. Last, I do believe there is corn syrup casing as a passive sugary dash is disseminating down low in the base flavor.

Circulating in the middle and top layer of the taste profile are the remaining strains. Latakia is very subdued in the mixture despite its perceptible nose within the pouch. It offers a little smoky, earthy leather accent that drops in and out as the bowl progresses. There are nice periodic drifts of pungent/mushroom/floral spice floating about from the Oriental and a zesty muted kick from the Kentucky.

The fore noted colorful mid-notes and highlights move about in a virtual kaleidoscope of randomness. Perhaps this relates to the specific composition of the pinch of tobacco as the pipe has been loaded? Without a doubt, Walnut produces a well-tailored smoke that allows ample occasion to experience every single component of its complex recipe. So, as you slow sip and gently retro-hale the inflections of vibrant complements are frankly remarkable.

The tobacco itself burns consistently calm and evenly, which is probably attributable to the Maryland’s influence functioning as cooling agent, that being the strain’s key feature. A thick-full bodied smoke plume is brought about with the help of the assorted Cavendish. Offering practicable medium nicotine content, moderate strengthened Match Walnut is gentle on the palate as well, making for a relaxed and enjoyable excursion. Moreover, the feel is smooth and buttery in smoke quality construction.

With its spent projection, Match Walnut’s fume extends a warm softly sweet tarty nuttiness cooked by the combination Burley-Virginia. Furthermore, superlative twists of pungent floral zest emulate the Oriental-Kentucky as just a touch of smoky weathered Latakia makes a fleeting presence as well. The weightiness and room permanence are essentially tolerable. Overall, the fragrance of Walnut of one of unquestionable distinction. For those who admire classic pipe aromas, the essence is in your favor.

Clearly this intricate recipe is a shining example of a quality mixture that has been well crafted to achieve delight. Conclusively, Match Walnut is an impressive accomplishment in the representation of classic American English. Having experienced this for the first time I must say I was charmed by its complexion. Given the associated price per ounce as measured against comparable blends, this one is a no-brainer to me personally. Sutliff has created a lively and magnetic all-day blend with Match Walnut. Honestly speaking, it will surely be embraced into my collection of desirable smoking tobaccos. Note: Briar or cob is sufficient. A little more roughness but a wee bit more vividness in taste tones with the cob.

Pipe Used: Briar & Cob
Age When Smoked: Fresh
3 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 13, 2020 Very Mild Very Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
To begin, I should say that I've never had a chance to try the original Middleton's Walnut. This review is just a review for this blend and not a comparison.

Sutliff's Match Walnut is an interesting blend to me. When I originally tried it about a year ago, it seemed to me that it had a fair, but definitely not a very high, latakia content. Recently I got more and have been smoking it regularly, but I don't taste much latakia at all; just a whisper of smokiness now and again let's me know it's there. When I first tried this blend, it was the first tobacco I had smoked in about a month with any latakia in it, so maybe my senses were keener from going without one of my favorite flavors for a while-- or maybe there was just more in it that time. Reading through the other reviews here, I'm inclined to think that the latakia content rises and falls with each batch Sutliff produces.

Now, what I do taste is the cavendish. Despite having many components, the cavendish really seems to take the lead. I've noticed this before with other Sutliff English/American blends, but it is more pronounced in this blend than in the others I've tried. That said, I don't think it's because the cavendish overpowers the other tobaccos. Instead, I'm inclined to think they're all working together very well to create a smooth, sweet, but simple smoke. Match Walnut is easy to smoke while you're busy working or reading, and I think that is really the best thing about it. It's pleasant enough that you won't forget about it, but unobtrusive enough that it won't distract you from whatever else it is you're doing. It's also become a go-to tobacco for when I'm in a contemplative mood and need something to keep my body busy with while I think through a problem or idea.

Match Walnut is low on nicotine, which is another thing that keeps it from being distracting; sometimes I'm just not in the mood for a nicotine buzz while I work. It has a mild taste that is sweet without being cloyingly sweet like some other cavendish-forward blends. I think there may be an additional sweetness topping added, but I couldn't say what it is. And the room note is "light" according to my wife (a current vaper and former cigarette smoker). Finally, it doesn't seem to ghost a pipe at all (which I was worried about after having other, similarly cavendish-forward blends do). Tastes great is all pipes, but I found it to be best in a cob, followed closely by briar.

All in all, I think very highly of this tobacco and would recommend it to anyone who wants a simple, unobtrusive, and pleasant blend to smoke while they go about their day-to-day business. A 3 star tobacco for me.
Pipe Used: Basket briar, MM Morgan cob, and a meerschaum
PurchasedFrom: Pipes and Cigars
Age When Smoked: Fresh from supplier
3 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 03, 2020 Medium to Strong Mild to Medium Mild Tolerable
Upon opening the pouch I am greeted with a fresh, TOBACCO scent. No other way to describe it. It reminds me of a south Richmond tobacco warehouse but with a definite bit of Latakia and whiff or Perique. The tobacco it self is a ribbon cut with some "twigs." It is a bit clumps together and took some separating to get it in the bowl but it was not too moist and lit right up with one lite. So far, so good. I will note that it burned all the way through with no relites needed and the flavor seems consistent to the end. In fact, I was surprised when the bowl ran out. Once again this is a "match" blend to an old favorite of many. However, I never got to try the original. Thus, I have no comparison and must simply rate the "match" on its own merit. I will say that I recently reviewed "Match Sugar Barrel" and I found this tobacco to be similar only not as sweet and spicy. To me this was more gassy and nutty. I did not get as much of the Latakia or Perique as I was expecting. They were there but in the background. There was more of the Virginia/Burley thing going on with a mild to medium nic hit. No chemical taste at all. My trusty assistant for "room note," Also known as my wife, informs me that the note is "not terrible" but is, rather, "an outdoors kinda smell." She says she can imagine me smoking this while hammering hot iron at my anvil. I concur. My conclusion, probably not a tobacco I will buy again, too many other I like better, but not to bad. I can see where someone who is a dedicated Virginia/Burley person would like it.
Pipe Used: MM Charles Town Cobbler, African block Meerschaum
PurchasedFrom: P&C
Age When Smoked: out of the pouch
2 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.

target="_blank"