John Middleton's Walnut:

Description: The original 19th century premium English Blend of the world's seven finest tobaccos. Walnut is not walnut flavored but rather Walnut is the name of the street where John Middleton's tobacco shop existed in 1856, located at 219 Walnut Street in Philadelphia, PA.

Walnut is one of the nicest surprises I have come across in a long time. I had been looking for an affordable all day smoke approximately four years ago when I first read about Walnut on another forum, back then. Well IMHO Walnut more than met my expectations as an affordable all day smoke and I have been smoking it almost exclusively ever since. I have always been a one tobacco sort of smoker. Once I find a blend I like to stick with it. Up until I started smoking Walnut I was smoking C&D Yaller Dawg and unfortunately it was discontinued due to the lack of availability of Syrian Latakia.

Walnut is definitely a Burley based blend with a fair amount of what appears to be Red Virginia that probably accounts for the sweetness although it is subtle. There are a few black flecks that are the Latikia, and bright yellow flecks that appear and taste like an Oriental leaf. The Burley, Latikia and Orientals are rough cut and the Virginia is a short ribbon or crimp cut. Walnut's moisture content varies sometimes from tub to tub but is never too moist as not to be able to smoke it right out of the 12 oz. container that it is packaged in. I really like that aspect of Walnut. It usually has just the right moisture content out of the tub though occasionally I do dry it just a bit as I like my tobacco fairly dry. It packs and lights very well not even really needing a relight except for the customary initial tamp and relight. I find it to be very flavorable with a slightly sweet and spicey combination yet not complex. This flavor remains constant all the way through the bowl, delivering a very satisfying natural tobacco taste that remains in a pleasant sort of way, just for a little while once you are finished with the bowl. the tobacco burns cool and even all the way down to a light gray ash. In my humble opinion this is a great economical all day smoke. Simple and pleasureable.

If you are looking for a great natural medium English type blend that will satisfy the palate and the pocket even with the rising taxes that we are faced with then I highly recommend Middleton's Walnut.

I must be psychic..... somehow I knew that was coming.

Mike

Should Walnut ever become rare or discontinued, you can duplicate the flavor by spilling coffee on newspapers, cut them in very small strips when they dry, and smoke at will. If the papers are from the south, so much the better.

Dock Perry also has declared his dilike of this nasty stuff.

In defense of JustPipes' comments, Walnut is a pleasant smoke w/o pretensions. I had two bowls this AM while I earlier scanned the 'Net. Approach the blend for what it is, w/o expectations of extraordinary tastes or some transcendental moment. There was an earlier posting of a "workhorse' blend; Walnut is a workhorse. There are far more available blends that more resemble the droppings of said workhorse.

Mark, you could be right about the tobacco smoked in films and there certainly must be lots of Walnut smokers or it would not be made and sold. I will defend your right to smoke it as long as you defend my right not to like it. Wish the tobaccos I do like cost as little as Walnut does.

Justpipes,
You have gotten to me, next time I'm in JR's I'll pick up some Walnut to try. Sorry CP!!!

I hate to admit it CP but a pipe smoking friend near me smokes this regularly and let me try some . It actually isn't "that" bad . Not "Proper English" but not that bad.