John Cotton John Cotton's Number 1 Mild (re-release)

Pretty nice smoke. The Virginias lead with the Orientals not too far behind. They create a little sweet and sour woody hay thing that's nice. The Lat is ample enough to bring a constant woody smoke to the background. I think some of the sweetness might be an addition. It's a smooth smoke that burns cool.

Mild to medium in body and taste. Added sweetness is extremely mild. Burns very well.

This latakis,Virginia, and oriental blend is very good. The latakia is very nuanced, serving as a condiment to a very complex blend. Smooth, savory, and complex, this is a keeper.

I smoked #1 back in the 1960's and 70's . The 60's blend was sort of Virginia forward with the right amount of Syrian to make it exactly what it said it was , a mild English mixture . The 70's brew lowered the quality of the Virginias and added more latakia and played a little with the orientals . I stopped smoking it around that time . This new blend by Russ is a commendable attempt to recreate a classic . Although the new #1 is an interesting blend that does provide a decent smoke it falls far from the mark of the late , lamented blend . This one is way too peppery for my taste , placing the focus on the orientals . We must also ask ourselves " exactly what are orientals" ? The answer , unless clearly noted on the tin , the could be dozens of different tobaccos . There is no way memory can serve me to discern exactly which orientals were used back in the day . Neither can one learn that much from opening a 40 year old tin in which the tobacco has totally changed over time . Reissues must rely on memory to succed . My memory tells me that , although this is a decent blend , there is too much pepper and not enough meat for this to be called JC #1 . Nice try though .

My wife (SeoulSister) really loves this blend and so I thought I’d give it a go. Of the new versions that are being now produced by the Standard Tobacco Co. of PA, I have been fortunate to still have earlier tins of this one, No. 1 & 2 and Bengal Slices. I have smoked all three of them side by side with the new blends. Like many of the great blenders, of which I consider Russ one of them, there is a distinct flavor/style that makes these guys great. But in this case, that is a problem for me. It tastes more like one of Russ’s match blends than the original, even taking into account the changes to the older stuff due to the aging process. I find this to be sweeter and the Latakia to play more of a dominate role than previous versions with the new JC Mild not really sharing the same flavor profile (for me) than one of the other versions. While I thought that the new Bengal Slices is the best version of that blend ever made, I found this to be disappointing. It is a good tobacco offering some moderate complexity and standing on its own and I think many will enjoy it. For me personally, it’s too far outside of the taste that I enjoyed with JC Mild for my preference.

A top, mild English contender. As noted in the tin description, this blend is Virginia-forward, more so than other mild English blends like EMP and Good Morning. However, the Orientals and Latakia play an evident role and contribute a quality spiciness and smokiness to the blend. The quality of the tobaccos is quite evident. Back to back smoke did give way to some tongue bite due to the higher Virginia content but only moderately. It delivers a fairly dry smoke. An easy all-day smoke though with a cup of coffee in the morning, it is quite exquisite.

https://youtu.be/--4xWHlVwjU

John Cotton’s Number 1 is a delicious smoke. Lightly grassy citrus and sweet hay Virginias are complimented and balanced by the ripe dark fruit and earth of the red Virginias, the orientals are fragrant and lend a little wood, while the Latakia provides its signature smoky quality and is very much in a background supporting role. As a whole the smoke is a creamy delight, and is a mild/medium tobacco ideal for morning or all day piping. Highly recommend.

I was looking for an oriental blend with just a little latakia, and this fit the bill. No bite and produces enough smoke. A good morning smoke that I enjoyed in my new Scorpius pipe, carved by Portuguese artisan Joao Mandail, that I got at the 2016 Chicago Show. A very nice combination! Although I generally prefer a more flavorful blend.

Another mild English blend, of which there are quite a number. The tobacco is, as per the blender's purported preference, drier than normal. The scent in the tin is subtle, which foretells the smoking experience: an unassuming, oriental slightly forward, inoffensive smoke.

If I was handed an unmarked bag of this and asked to pay the going retail, I would demur and ask for a tin of Dunhill Standard Mellow, or Skiff, or one of the Kings: Charles (from Germain) or Frederik (from Olsen). And that doesn't exhaust the less expensive, better (?) alternatives.

Glad I tried it, but I won't do it again.

As others have noted, for a "mild" blend JC #1 packs a lot of flavor. Depending on my palette at any given time, the oriental dominance can either delight or sting. The latakia is present but mild. I think there is a slight topping (which is enjoyable) but that might be my imagination. I have blended this with some muted blends in the cellar with success (Briar Fox to name one.) On some days this is the perfect breakfast blend. Confidently recommended.