Weekly Email – November 11th, 2015

A new variation on the cherished Cuatro Cinco – a 45th anniversary release from Joya de Nicaragua – the Reserva Especial features Nicaraguan fillers (including oak-barrel aged ligeros), a Dominican volado binder, and a wrapper of Jalapa Valley habano, a blend which produces medium-bodied flavor with an extra bit of punch.

Three sizes are available in our well-stocked humidor: Petit Corona (4½” x 46),Doble Robusto (5″ x 56), and Toro (6¼” x 50). All are excellent, and a fine smoke for a chilly autumn evening. Get them while we have them!

On the off-chance that you’re unfamiliar with it, Herrera Esteli is an excellent cigar, one of Willy Herrera’s master blends…an Ecuadorian habano wrapper, a Honduran binder, and select Nicaraguan fillers, an extremely flavorful selection of tobaccos that produce an unbelievably smooth smoke.Drew Estate (Herrera’s distributor) has released – to their Drew Diplomat vendors only – a new size, the seventh in the Herrera Esteli stable: the Herrera Esteli Tubo, a 6″ x 52 toro with the same fantastic flavor as its counterparts. We have a limited quantity of them in stock, so grab them while you’re able..these will surely become scarce in a very short time!

This week I’m sampling an old favorite:McClelland‘s original Frog Morton. The name was born out of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings; Frogmorton was a village on the Great East Road in the Eastfarthing of the Shire. What this has to do with good pipe tobacco is a mystery to me,* but the entire Frog Morton line (which includes such blends as Frog Morton on the Bayou, Frog Morton on the Town, and Frog Morton’s Cellar) has been highly successful.

The OG of this line is a Latakia-based mixture blended to allow smokers who are just crossing over into non-aromatics the opportunity to enjoy a generous (but not overpowering) portion of the fabled smoked leaf known as Latakia. Select Virginias balance this blend and add sweetness and body to the smoke.The distinct McClelland aroma greets the smoker as soon as the tin is popped (that’s the Virginias you’re smelling, not ketchup) and the campfire-like aroma is brought to you via the Cyprian Latakia generously intermixed. The moisture content and nicely-done ribbon cut permit the smoker to load and light with minimal effort, and one is quickly greeted with a mild, flavorful smoke that entertains the palate with a dance of sweet smokiness and an earthy, nutty twist that kicks in at about the ⅓ mark. The bowl is easily tended, and Frog Morton never gets boring.

Over the years, I’ve spoken with many pipe smokers who consider Frog Morton one of the finest Latakia mixtures available. I’ve not encountered a single negative response to it, and that speaks volumes given the amount of pipe offerings available. There are also those who were introduced to Frog Morton as a “crossover” alternative to aromatics and now smoke Frog Morton exclusively…again, almost unheard-of in most pipe tobacco discussions.

All the Frog Morton blends offer an honest depiction of the genre they represent. Frog Morton on the Bayou, for example, is an excellent introduction to the Virginia/Perique (or “VaPer”) flavor profile. If you’ve not tried the original Frog (or any of the spin-off blends), you owe it to yourself to try some right away.

A solid 5 pipe rating this week…and I’d also like to thank all our Veterans for their service to our great nation. Puff On!

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Hobbits – who dwell in the Shire – are extremely fond of pipe smoking.