John Cotton John Cotton's Smyrna
(3.48)
John Cotton's Smyrna is a Turkish forward blend with plenty of rich latakia. Virginias add a touch of sweetness to a robust, smoky and earthy experience.
Notes: John Cotton's Smyrna was a favorite among connoisseurs. This was a rich, spicy and smoky classic that was a go-to for pipe lovers around the world...and then it was gone. The new owners of this classic brand approached Russ Ouellette to recreate their blends. Through diligent research and sampling vintage tins to help jog Russ' memories of the flavors, Standard Tobacco Company of Pennsylvania is now ready to bring this classic back.
A combination of carefully matured Virginias, fragrant and zesty small-leaf Turkish tobaccos and plenty of Cyprian latakia, John Cotton's Smyrna is deep and bold, and a perfect meditative repast.
Details
| Brand | John Cotton |
| Blended By | Russ Ouellette |
| Manufactured By | Lane, Ltd. |
| Blend Type | Balkan |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 1.75 ounce tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.48 / 4
|
Reviews
Please login to post a review.
Displaying 21 - 30 of 33 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 20, 2016 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
This is the good stuff right here - smoky Latakia, perfumed Turkish, and deep, sweet Virginia all balanced together to play to their strengths. This is what I think of when I think of an English blend, so maybe “full” is the tag I should be looking for.
Smyrna starts good and stays there. I wouldn’t call it complex, it’s kind of the same throughout. Not all blends need to be a wild ride full of changing flavors, this one makes the most out of a classic combination of tastes.
I appreciate the quality of the cut and the apparent moderate use of humectant - it will burn clean straight out of the tin, and if you want to dry it to crispy it will get there quickly. No fighting an overwhelming dose of propylene glycol here, whatever they’ve done to maintain moisture is just perfect in my book.
Smyrna is this new blender's crown jewel.
Smyrna starts good and stays there. I wouldn’t call it complex, it’s kind of the same throughout. Not all blends need to be a wild ride full of changing flavors, this one makes the most out of a classic combination of tastes.
I appreciate the quality of the cut and the apparent moderate use of humectant - it will burn clean straight out of the tin, and if you want to dry it to crispy it will get there quickly. No fighting an overwhelming dose of propylene glycol here, whatever they’ve done to maintain moisture is just perfect in my book.
Smyrna is this new blender's crown jewel.
Age When Smoked:
fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 22, 2016 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
This is a delicious blend of Smyrna (aka Izmir), a moderate amount of Latakia, and a base of hearty Virginias. Mine came at perfect smoking moisture in the tin, so you might want to jar it up upon opening to prevent it from getting any drier.
Russ Ouellette is the blender behind the re-creation, and although I haven't tried the original version of the blend, I can see why it had its fans if it was anything like Ouellette's. It's a rich blend of tobaccos that won't be a frequent smoke for an old VA head like me, but you don't get much better than this as far as Englishes go. Fully recommended as a great example of its genre.
Russ Ouellette is the blender behind the re-creation, and although I haven't tried the original version of the blend, I can see why it had its fans if it was anything like Ouellette's. It's a rich blend of tobaccos that won't be a frequent smoke for an old VA head like me, but you don't get much better than this as far as Englishes go. Fully recommended as a great example of its genre.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 18, 2023 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Manufactured by Scandinavian Tobacco Group, Lane Ltd. Tucker Georgia.
4 yr old Jar note of sweet wine, smoky, and spices. Tobacco is tan and brown with a little black mixed in. Moisture content is good to go, no prep needed. Burns moderate with few relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and mostly consistent, with notes of sweet herbal spices, smoky, spicy/peppery, bitter wood, toasted bread, floral, lemon zest, earth, musty dry vegetation, incense, a peaty sour fermented background note, and a peppery retro. Latakia is barely leading over Oriental/Turkish, and Virginias are supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.
4 yr old Jar note of sweet wine, smoky, and spices. Tobacco is tan and brown with a little black mixed in. Moisture content is good to go, no prep needed. Burns moderate with few relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and mostly consistent, with notes of sweet herbal spices, smoky, spicy/peppery, bitter wood, toasted bread, floral, lemon zest, earth, musty dry vegetation, incense, a peaty sour fermented background note, and a peppery retro. Latakia is barely leading over Oriental/Turkish, and Virginias are supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.
Pipe Used:
English Captain Black Sandblasted X188
Age When Smoked:
4 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 19, 2022 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
Says No longer in production. If that is right it’s a crying shame. This is damn fine tobacco. Quality blend that burns well, does not get wet, no bite, and maintains flavor over a long time, even after storing in a leather pouch for many days. It tastes very good, a little strong, like it would immediately cause a headache or upset stomach. But no, just good flavor, and no nasty aftertaste. Highly recommended. If this is gone, I hope it returns unaltered.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 26, 2020 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Very Pleasant |
Man , the pungent smoky smell from opening the tin was delightful! A beautiful ribbon cut that looks like equal parts of the 3 tobaccos . Perfect moisture ! The Virginias are sweet and bready . I don’t think i have ever noticed bready Virginias in an english mixture . The latakia is great ribbon type shape and not crumbly falling to the bottom . The lats are smokey sweet and creamy smooth . The orientals are outstanding and very spicy and buttery and fragrant. These seem to be high grade turkish and oriental leaf for sure . EMP and MM 965 can’t touch this baby . Great job as always Russ O ! You are the man . This is like no other blend I have tasted hitherto . Tremendous blend .
Age When Smoked:
4months on tin date
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 23, 2018 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Well now, this is just some wonderful tobacco.
Never had the original Smyrna (which is probably a blessing in disguise), but this version of the original is simply grand -- zesty sweet, spicey, smokey, rich, smooth and creamy -- just delightful stuff. Plaudits to Russ Oullette and his forensics team for bringing this blend back to life. The first tin was long gone by the time a few dozen more were delivered to my door.
Never had the original Smyrna (which is probably a blessing in disguise), but this version of the original is simply grand -- zesty sweet, spicey, smokey, rich, smooth and creamy -- just delightful stuff. Plaudits to Russ Oullette and his forensics team for bringing this blend back to life. The first tin was long gone by the time a few dozen more were delivered to my door.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 22, 2018 | Mild | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
Despite how the blend is billed it's a disappointingly rather weak English in character. It may have a hefty component of turkish but the leaf is very mild with no outstanding character. The latakia isn't particularly hefty, maybe 30%. I couldn't notice the virginias against the rest of the blend. The most detracting issue was the mild casing which adds a bit of sweetness that adversely effects the latakia that is hard to describe but reminds me of a burnt marshmallow with a bitter herbal tone. One gets this sort of thing from Kohlhase & Kopp(i.g. Rattrays.) and I hate it. English blends were not like this 25yrs ago. This blend is best summed up as a weak and diluted smoking experience; There are just far better English style products to smoke, namely from Dan Tobacco, Samuel Gawith and C&D.
Age When Smoked:
new
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 26, 2018 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Yet another fine addition to this line that has been reintroduced by Russ Ouellette's great blending skills. All the components come together to work quite well together. The nicotine level is a bit less than I would like but really can't complain too much. A freshly opened tin has the right amount of moisture to not need any drying time before lighting up. The tin note and room note are great. Overall highly recommended.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 27, 2016 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
This was a very dry tobacco right out of the tin; perfect for smoking immediately. The latakia and turkish play off each other, with the virginia tying it all together. A very creamy taste, with a little spice from the Smyrna. Not being a latakia nut, I would have liked a little less in this blend. Never smoked the original on which this is based, but found this incarnation to be very appealing. It's not an all day blend for me, but certainly a late evening repast. Very cool smoking and somewhat delicious. I still prefer Cotton's No. 1& 2 which has less latakia and is smoother to my taste buds.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 23, 2016 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Yes,I love this blend.Yes,Mr.Russ Ouellette is by far the best blender of this century with Fred Hanna close up.But,honestly,brothers in briar,do you feel really any serious difference with,for instance,Dunhill London Mixture by Orlik?Not me.I´ll happily smoke this tin,maybe some more,but IMHO the increasing of price is not justifyed.In short,splendid tobacco,worth to try but some expensive and non so special.If were sold at the same price would be a little preferable to Danhills.
Pipe Used:
dunhill 5
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes
Age When Smoked:
current production
target="_blank"
