John Patton Bulk: LATAKIA JUNCTION

Pipe lovers all over the world know very well the quality of English blends. Those of us who have had and are lucky enough to know the quality 4noggins, I am sure bow to this excellent blend for all hours. Pure tobacco, without any discomfort for women from its smell in the space (important), is a tobacco-guarantee, which will always offer absolute satisfaction. Excellent !!!

Okay, it is corny I admit. But just like the smokey, sultry sound of Tuxedo Junction, John Sutton has taken the essence of that sound and infused into Latakia Junction. It is nowhere close to being a LatBomb. The smoke is cool, rich, woodsy, and comforting. Very reminiscent of sitting around a campfire with friends and family. And while I do not consider it an all day smoke, it is definitely repeatable.

I love Latakia. Ever since I popped the top of my very first tobacco containing the leaf, it was State Express, which used to have its trademark emblem inside the tin, a tiny Latakia leaf on top of the mixture. Don't know where that wonderful brand went to, but there was a hiatus in my smoking and when I picked up my pipe again after 20 years, couldn't find a trace of it. So I set out to discover Latakia. John Patton has hit my "G" spot (okay, I'm a guy, but you know what I mean!). This is an experience for the Latakia lover. Half good Latakia, mellowed by Virginias on the flying trazeze, and rounded out by orientals on the trick motorbikes (sorry Shriners!), and lightened the by the arrival arrival of cigar leaf, like the clowns on a fire engine. Well you get the idea. It gets started with a lion's roar from the Latakia. Then the Virginia enters the swing on the second puff. The orientals step in somewhere hard to define, and the cigar leaf is just the amount to not tip its hand if you didn't see it on a label. This is a THREE RING CIRCUS for the experienced smoker who is a Latakia lover. Not for the entry level, I don't think. But I was just bowled over by this. It is hard to distinguish my top Latakia blends, and some are flake and some are ready rubbed, so that complicates the choices. My top five or so, include, in no particular order: Latakia Junction Lancers Flakes Beck's Ol' Limey Bastard G.L. Pease Gaslight Sasieni Balkan Pease's Odyssey or Caravan C&D's Billy Budd Some people tend to shy away from bulk tobaccos. Don't. You generally save some money, and you can discover some great tobaccos for the discerning smoker like ourselves!