I have been planning to seriously re-evaluate the Frog Morton line of tobaccos, and I'm curious as to what others think of them. I used to like them a lot, but for the past few years I've been smoking almost exclusively heavy balkans (Abingdon, Odyssey) when I wanted a latakia fix. When I want simplicity, I tend to gravitate toward burleys; when I want to smoke something heavy with orientals, I tend to like full, complex mixtures -- or that's what I thought. While I've always believed the Frogs had their place in the continuum of English-style mixtures, primarily as a good introduction to new smokers, I had personally pretty much given up on them due both to their mildness and their lack of nuance (although I kept a few tins cellared). But something unexpected happened a few weeks ago. I started craving some Syrian latakia and cracked open a tin of FM Across the Pond dated from '04, as that was all I had handy containing that leaf. The stuff was freaking awesome, and nowhere near as flat as I'd remembered. Maybe I'm just more receptive to a one-note mixture like these than I was (or perhaps it was just an exceptional aged tin), but the bottom line is that my rather jaded, "sophisticated" taste buds wound up jumping up and down for joy with the stuff ....

Anyway, it's been a long time since I've really given this line a chance, and I've just cracked open one tin of each of the Frog Morton blends. I intend to smoke/review them side-by-side, so I can really evaluate them on their individual merits (and maybe even compare them to some of my more robust favorites). I also opened a tin of McClelland's Anniversary (my first) because the component tobaccos sound similar in concept. Has anyone else here ever done this or something similar, by way of comparison?

jj1015, please keep us updated with your findings. I am curious what your side-by-side comparison will result in. I just purchased my first two tins of Frog Morton (the original and on the town). I am waiting a bit to crack them though.


SWS

McClelland's do best with plenty of age on them. Most of their blends are mild. Often too mild to really suit me. But given time, that changes.

I enjoy all the "Frogs!!" Age does improve them. Yes, they are a bit "mild," not great big lat-bombs. I have many aging for future enjoyment. FTRPLT

Frog Morton (the original) is a staple in my rotation and is really the only English blend (with lat as its base) that I smoke. I typically gravitate to Va/VaPer blends but I also love Perfection and Chocolate Flake by SG. Luckily I have a large supply in the cellar as SG blends have become difficult to find lately. Both of these blends have a nice portion of lat in them but I don't think either could be called lat bombs .

I haven't tried the others in the FM line yet but I'm interested in hearing your reviews.