Tobaccos John Patton - Storm Front

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3023)	2013-04-06		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Earthy, nutty and smokey burley with a extremely light molasses sweetness is the major component. The woody cigar leaf, and maybe a very light topping of some kind adds to the light sweetness of the burleys. But don't get me wrong: this is not that sweet of a tobacco. It's a stronger, woodsy tasting burley that is a nice change from the Carter Hall type of blend; more in the sweet and sour genre. It's nearly the kind of burley blend you might find from some of those made by C&D. It has a mild to medium nic-hit, which might surprise you, considering the name of this mixture. It has enough strength to please without knocking your socks off. Burns at a moderate pace, cool and clean with no dull or harsh spots and leaves little moisture in the bowl. Requires few relights. The after taste lingers, but you won't mind. Not an all day smoke, but one you might come back to later in the day.

-JimInks

51 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Blackhorse (96)	2011-03-14		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I weep huge tears that only nine of John's blends are currently available. It's the "Great American Tragedy". Be that as it may, I can't say enough about this blend. Over the past months it has turned into my favorite blend! Now, I've been a pipe guys for years and have traveled the weary road through just about all the genres and blends that there are...of course there are always new ones with which to play. This one is one of the finest concoctions avialable...especially to lovers of Burley blends - like I am. Some perspective...my favorite blends are the new JackKnife Plug (GLP), Stonehaven, C&D's Briar Fox, Exhausted Rooster and Night Train, Gawith's Dark Plug/Flake (unscented) - blends that are pretty much straight tobacco in flavor but perhaps with the subtle addition of an enhancing flavor. I like 'em strong. I like 'em full. I don't like Latakia.

SO...Stormfront has the following to recomment it: a) Bag aroma - sweet nutty Burley coupled with a subtle undernote of citrus (?). b) Gravity fill with one tamp and then re-fill to top...simple, easy, fast & effective. c) First light and it takes off. I've done a single tamp and then re-light, but you can go with just the intial light. It works. WARNING: keep the bowl lightly tamped during the 1st half of it will heat significantly. d) TONS of thick delicious smoke. Sweet Burley flavors. Lovely. e) Smokes to halfway point easily and without a hint of bite or gurgle. f) By this point (1/2 onward) the flavors have shifted to present deeper and darker notes...the cigar leaf is now evident but still subtle...and while needing occasional relights it delivers on these flavors while still being a no fuss, no bite, no gurgle experience. It does not taste like a cigar...that leaf just deepens the flavors and adds immesurably to the overall experience.

This is arguably one of the world's greatest blends, and absolutely ideal as an all-day smoke. If this ever goes off the market, the house of cards I call my life will come tumbling down.

On my 10 point scale, for me this rates a 9.75. Very, very highly recommended. Esp. to fans of Burley blends.

Update #1: As many other reviewers have done on these hallowed electronic pages, I need to go back and ammend my initial glowing comments re: this blend. My apologies for having mislead any of you re: the relative merits of this one. After having really lived with it for a few months, having at least 2 bowls a day in various and sundry pipes (and even though this is a burley blend, it seems to do well in any briar as well as the expected cob) and finally really feeling I have a handle on it...my earlier review isn't quite accurate. I believe I fell short in presenting its spectacular goodness. What this blend represents is something truely profound: the absolute domination of smoking perfection.

I feel I have a burden of responsibility to ensure that each and every one of you reading this march your butt over to 4-N's and get started with this one as soon as possible. After all, you might not have much time left. That bus with your name on it might be barreling your way even as you read this...better take advantage while you can.

33 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SecretAgentMan (27)	2014-01-12		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

You can tell by looking at the tobacco that there's a good portion of cigar leaf in this one. It's a strong presence in the blend. From the taste, I don't think it's Dominican cigar leaf because it has the spicy, punching strength I associate with cigars from the mainland, from Honduras or Nicaragua. But enough of me trying to sound like a con o sewer. The cigar taste is gentle and strong, but it never overwhelms the rest of the tobacco. Which, surprisingly enough, is Burley. I dislike Burley. It's been in every tobacco I positively loathed. So I have no idea why I bought this tobacco. But I'm glad I did. If this is Burley, then I'd be happy to be buried in it when I die.

What you get here is two slow, powerful flavors melding into a single experience, as when real cream is mixed in coffee or caramelized onions piled on a steak. There's nothing sharp or insistent about either flavor, but their casual strength joins easily and together they just sort of roll unstoppably over your senses. The Burley (and I still can't believe it's Burley) is sweet, but it's darker and less insistent than sugar, tastes more like pecans in molasses. The sweetness goes very well with the lower, salty, earthy flavors from the cigar leaf.

The fun part (as though it's not fun already) is that the tobacco increases and changes flavors while you smoke. If you like that experience, you'll love this tobacco. When I started puffing, I was thinking, "Gee, wouldn't it be nice if they put some tobacco in this one?" Then for the rest of the first half of the bowl, I could tell there's tobacco, of course, but the flavors were a simple promise of something deeper later on. The last half of the bowl is where the flavor marriage takes off and does its thing, producing a stunning crescendo sweet and earthy goodness, with new hints of chocolate and pretzels. The nicotine strength keeps pace, beginning mild and ending up on the verge of wooziness.

And that's just some turns with an MM Washington. What would this be like in a larger bowl? Hmmm . . . I can't wait!

19 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2015-03-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This is cigar leaf done right. A lot of the blends with cigar leaf seem to be trying to create a cigar in a pipe and they fail every time because that's just not possible. Here it's applied judiciously and is, in my opinion, a roaring success. The Burleys are the star here and they're mildly sweet, nutty, and a little earthy. The cigar leaf adds a little spice, a very slight sweetness, more earthiness, and a good deal of depth. This is a pretty smooth smoke. No harshness, no sharpness, and not rough like many of it's kind. This is very well done and deserving of 4 stars.

Medium in body and flavor. Burns pretty well, but may need a re-light or two. If there is an added sweetness here I couldn't detect it.

Pipe Used: MM Country Gentleman, MM Diplomat Apple

Age When Smoked: fresh bulk

Purchased From: 4noggins

14 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (632)	2013-10-28		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

EDIT 4-12-2016

I thought I would revisit and say nothing has changed since the last time I reviewed. It was shortly after I did my last review that I did a trade on a forum for 8 ounces of this that I just recently finished on vacation last week.

This is just the ultimate change up smoke, all day smoke, burley blend, cigar blend and codger blend all rolled up into one. It is still sitting comfortably in my top 5. The only improvement that I see that can be made is to offer this in tins. Anyway, I will order a few pounds next time to jar up for the cellar.

ORIGINAL REVIEW 10-28-2013

This is one of the easiest reviews I have done. I recommend this blend more than any other blend. So highly recommended is the only choice.

What is it like? Heaven in a pipe. Everyone should try it, especially any burley lovers.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-12-18		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I received a nice "sampler" from a friend (about 4 oz!) that knew I enjoyed a lot of great burley blends. Took me awhile to smoke all of it, but this is an interesting take on "straight" burley. Smokey is a good descriptor, and it's not one I've thought of often when it comes to burley.

Smokey and lightly sweetened with something, but I can't place the flavoring. May be mild cigar notes and there were some in this blend that popped up regularly, but they melded nicely in with the nuttiness of the burley. Since there is reportedly no virginia in this mix (and I didn't notice any), something else is contributing the sweetness and I'd guess it's a light casing of some sort. Whatever it is, it adds rather than detracts. But back to smokey! :) Perhaps that's the cigar talking and it was a nice change of pace for a burley. Elevates what I would otherwise find to be a rather mundane mixture to "recommended" status. I'm not quite as taken with this as are some other smokers, but as far as burleys go, I've smoked better from the Houses of Uhle, Pipeworks & Wilke and C&D. But this is a rather unusual take on the straight burley and I can certainly understand why it has its fans. Definitely worth a shot as long as you don't go in with the absolute expectation that it will live up to its hype.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	strongirish (249)	2009-08-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

What a great blend. I really enjoyed smoking it. It has a very nice aroma in the pouch, kind of like old leather. It is a small cut mostly cube cut, loaded very easily in my pipe, and took one good light to almost all the way down and then only one more to finish. It smoked all the way down to a grey ash and dry pipe. It was very creamy, cool smoking and very rich tasting. The cigar leaf is there, but it does not dominate the blend, it ads spice and fullness. The burleys in this are just a match in burley heaven. I liked this one enough, that once I finished my first bowl, I loaded it again in a large billiard and smoked another bowl. This is a very nice blend that I do recommend very much to try, cigar smoker or not. Not for VA lovers but wonderful to burley smokers.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2076)	2016-09-30		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

John Patton - Storm Front.

This is one of the best Cigar Leaf blend's I've had. No, actually, it's THE BEST.

The smoke hasn't only got the slightly acrid cigar quality to it, it has a great deal of flavour and depth. The Burley gives a higher amount of flavour, but a little unconventionally: rather than only nut's, there's more depth to it, and a notable sweetness. At first the sweet side is very mild, but once a decent burn has established itself the sweetness becomes a little stronger. The cigar leaf only gives a semblance of character: a gentle woody/earthiness, but nothing too sharp; it's been added VERY lightly. The nicotine's medium in Storm Front, and it hasn't got a bite in it.

An exceptional Cigar Leaf blend:

Highly recommended.

Pipe Used: Peterson System Ebony #314

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: 4noggins

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fr_tom (393)	2015-08-02		Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have been enjoying a couple of ounces of this. I have to say off the bat that I think John Patton is a blending genius. I am also smoking Dark Horse and Dark & Stormy. Reviews are on the way.

This is a wonderful medium strength burley. It is earthy, slightly sweet and even more slightly nutty. There is a smoky, woodsy quality to this that I attribute to the cigar leaf. I think there is a subtle topping that adds to the sweet, but it is so subtle, I can't identify a flavor or even swear there is one. It is good. It came a little dry, and I did nothing more to prepare it than codger scoop and light.

If you like burley, this is a great variation on the theme.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WillBrown (137)	2013-11-30		Medium to Strong	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

I haven't smoked many burley heavy blends in the past—never really wanted to, until now. I'm glad I took the leap. This tobacco was an eye opener. The side stream to this 'baccy was nothing short of fabulous! I found most of the flavor, a pleasant earthy nuttiness there, very pleasing. This is a good "snorker," that's for sure (proceed with caution). The cigar leaf added to the blend was hardly noticed, mildly present in the smoke, not the taste.

The downside of this blend, for me at least, is the nicotine content—which I'd place on the high side of medium. I would not recommend smoking this blend on an empty stomach. All in all, a great smoke, one that I'll put in my rotation for next year; probably not a summer smoke, though, rather one for the fall or spring. Storm Front makes me want to try more burley blends—so, the tin of Solani Burley Flake I have in storage will have to be popped!

Juxtaposed against all the other blends I've tried over the years, I'd put Storm Front up near the top. Good Stuff!

Keep on pipin'!

Pipe Used: Mario Grandi Freehand

Age When Smoked: ?

Purchased From: 4noggins

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cakeanddottle (105)	2012-06-04		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

The reference Burley. This one unseated Old Joe Krantz for me. Between this and Epiphany I don't think I'd ever crave another Burley. Maybe the occasional bowl of Carter Hall or Edgeworth.

Sweet and mild but not gutless. A constant friend in a crazy world. The best I can do to describe this is to say it's like a premium blender did their take on a classic American OTC. I'm sure Bob Runowski would have loved this tobacco. I do.

update 31July2017

I've grown up a lot as a Burley smoker since I wrote this review. I still have a lot of enthusiasm for this blend. I also don't kid myself about John Patton's blending style. In the original portion of the review I called this an upscale OTC, but I understand John a lot better today, and the fact of the matter is that this tobacco is almost assuredly put together from mundane, off the shelf components. Which instead of damning John as a blender, I think it shows what a great feel for Burley the guy had. He made at least two absolutely memorable Burleys, from really ordinary components. I'm a big fan.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-03-01		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Like so many before me, I started off with a 2oz sample to see what all of the fuss was about. I love Cool Hand Fluke, I love burley, a bajillion rave reviews, yadda yadda yadda....eh, time to give Storm Front a go. Brother lemme tell ya...if you LOVE burley as much as I do...hell, if you even remotely LIKE burley you gotta try Storm Front! I could sit here and gild the lily some more, but then I might delay you from high tailing it over to 4N and ordering this one right now! That reminds me, I gotta get another pound!

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-12-31		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Not much more to add...Smokey sweet flavor. I suspect the cigar leaf adds the sweet finish. Gravity filled...Lightly tamped my Stanwell 45. One light and the bowl burned all the way down with no relights. Just enough nic to relax.

Got a bit of this in a trade with Blackhourse...Bought a pound the next day. This is in my top three tobaccos. Mr. Patton did well with this one.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	derlict311 (71)	2011-05-09		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Storm Front is remarkable in a sipper pipe but best in a cob. I have smoked pounds of this and I can tell you it is my favorite all day tobacco. It is best right when you get it in the mail from 4noggins.com. I think I read Patton has specific instructions of 62% humidity (?) which is just perfect for bringing out the best in his burleys. If I had one tobacco to smoke the rest of my life, this would be it. This is the best tobacco I've ever smoked and has singlehandedly made me into a burley fan. Legendary.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-12-05		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

What a great Cigar leaf blend. I love cigars, but I love my pipes as well. It's nice to get a pipe blend that doesn't try to be a cigar. A solid burley blend with an occasional hint of cigar. The cigar is no way overpowering, and is blended in a balanced proportion. This blend is great for DGT. I did notice the cigar note became more noticeable when it is DGT. Still not overpowering. I am giving some of this to my buddy that is still on the cigar more then pipe, I bet his pipe usage picks up with Storm Front.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-12-04		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Very recommended for those who like cigar tasting cigar blends. Great smoke. PS mixing this (50-50) with fully rubbed out Dominican Glory Maduro (Mc Clelland) gives also a GREAT blend.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gig (15)	2008-12-04		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is what they say about this blend:

"Two cube cut burleys combined with cigar leaf. Meaty,sweet, and smokey. This might be John's favorite blend yet!!

Now when I first tried this tobacco I found it a little harsh on the throat to be honest so I let it sit for several months and forgot about it. Then one evening on the chat I was discussing tobaccos with the fellas and Storm Front was mentioned. So I thought I would revisit it and give it another go. Well time has certainly mellowed this tobacco and turned it into a smooth and earthy smoke. At no time was it harsh or did it bite. The cigar leaf was evident but not overpowering, blending in well with the burley added. I did not taste the sweetness but if you like a good tobacco and cigar taste then this might be the one and I highly recommend it. It burns nicely to a grey ash and only needed a second relight. This is a wonderful full tasting smoke and will satisfy the diehard cigar leaf connoisseur so do yourself a favour and give it a try, you won't be dissapointed

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stefanos (222)	2017-01-09		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I find Storm Front to be a solid all-day smoke even if it is on the high side of medium as far as strength is concerned. It’s not very complex but it is tasty. Lots of Burley goodness as other reviewers have mentioned, woody, nutty, even smoky with the cigar leaf adding an extra dimension and an underlying sort of drying sweetness. I also get spices, sweet and more peppery at times. Also there is a tactile tickle to the tongue which many might find interesting, sharpness I could also call it which could be said to balance the sweetness of the blend but for me it’s a little too pronounced.

As I said I do not regard Storm Front a very complex blend and I consider it an all-day smoke, not one to sit back and contemplate. As an all-day tobacco however it’s a little too strong and sharper than I’d wish. Still very enjoyable.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ATC2CWO (1)	2016-12-07		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Disclaimer up front: I am, unabashedly, an aromatics guy. However, as with most other pipe enthusiasts, I came to a point where I wanted to branch out and try other styles. After reading the reviews of John Patton's Storm Front, I decided to purchase 2 oz. and see what the hullabaloo was all about.

Now, I am neither a "professor of pipeology" nor a "tobacco troubadour." I just know what I like. And brothers, I LIKE this stuff! I have burned many a bowl of everything from Boswell's aromatics to Officer's Club. (like I mentioned, an aromatics guy) Some have been great (I'm looking at you Blue Note), some "meh", some just downright nasty. Like, scrape your tongue with a cheese grater and gargle a bottle of Listerine nasty.

Storm Front is my first foray into the wonders of the non-aromatic world. Nothing like hitting a home run on your first at-bat. It's everything the other reviews said it is...tons of rich smoke, meaty, nutty, and an ever-so-slight spice that complements but never overpowers. The vitamin N is definitely there, but leaves you with a smile, not green. I gravity fed the bowl, slight tamp, and sprinkled a bit on top. Lit well, no gurgle, 2-3 re-lights. Sat back and enjoyed a little bit of heaven here on earth.

Yeah, it's that good. Purchased 4 more ounces and am already looking at picking up some more to put away for a rainy day. In a word...sublime.

Pipe Used: MM Country Gentleman w/churchwarden Forever Stem

Age When Smoked: day it arrived

Purchased From: 4 Noggins

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	moniker (217)	2015-04-26		Mild	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

IMO, John Patton’s Storm Front is a terrific blend, and I daresay, if it stayed throughout as it presents off the match, it might be the most popular blend on this board. This is not to say I have any problems with it as-is; quite the contrary. For me, the increasing effect of the cigar notes only adds to its appeal.

In the bag, SF is nothing special. It looks and smells like a nice OTC, with a prominent plum and/or berry topping. Mine came fairly dry, but IMO it doesn’t hurt to dry it some more, as this avoids problems with the topping in the end. When I load it loosely into an old Comoy’s 4-5 that I use for cigar leaf blends, it lights with ease and smokes down quickly and evenly, typically within 15 minutes. Initially, it’s all about delicate flowers, grasses, faint nuts and herbs over rich-but-subdued, very smooth, “woodsy” Burlys. If I take it slow and easy, the cigar leaf – along with its spices - rises gradually to take center stage, and the initial aromas and tastes step back to form the chorus. The tannins also increase, but just barely. Strength is just over mild. Tastes go from mild to medium the way I prefer to smoke it. Room note is surprisingly pleasant for a blend that includes cigar leaf. Aftertaste is in accord with the smoke, and care with prep and slow smoking minimize the burnt topping.

I heartily recommend Storm Front to anyone who smokes a pipe, providing they are OK with the “mild” constituent tobaccos.

Pipe Used: various briars; old Comoy's billiard preferred

Age When Smoked: right out of the bag

Purchased From: 4 Noggins

Similar Blends: compare/contrast to GLP's Key Largo.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Young Piper (304)	2014-12-18		Mild	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

1/18/2018 Hmm just ordered more Storm Front and something has changed. Maybe the cigar blender? It tastes very similar but the aroma is very different? Still very good but not the 4 star blend i had before. I will smoke this up and if i need to change my rating i will..

2/13/2015 - Ordered another half pound, this time for my old man, this batch has a slight aroma of lemon meringue, not in an aromatic topping way, just the burleys fermenting aroma I guess.... Just delicious as always! Perhaps I can wean my dad off Captain Black Royal, (which is a fine smoke) but SF is cheaper and has better quality leaf.... So consistent every order! We're very lucky to have RIch manning 4Noggins like a 1930's tobacconist on Broadway in Manhattan. He has the best prices and service. He deserves every reviewer place an order with him just to experience what service was really like 80 years ago....

Storm Front has become my all day / everyday blend after I first tried it some weeks ago. I get Cedar and #2 Ticonderoga Pencil aroma and flavor, toasted bread with hints of dark chocolate, just wonderful. Do not let the cigar leaf scare you, this is nothing like a cigar but adds SO much flavor to a burley blend, you must try it... While I sure appreciate the bulk pricing, SF deserves to be tinned!

I had been reading the reviews of the Patton blends, Storm Front in particular since it has an unusual condiment, Cigar leaf. Upon opening the bag I was greeted with a delicious OTC old school aroma of cracker jacks. This is a fine cut like Carter Hall with little flakes and ribbons mostly resembling fish food, packs easily into any size pipe and can either be scooped with a finger just as easily as sprinkling into the bowl in thirds. Flavor is delicious Burley with a hint of cigar leaf that in no way overpowers, its just like adding salt and pepper to your meal. SF is so unique that I encourage everyone to try an ounce just to see what a little cigar leaf can add to a blend, its really stellar. The room note will not make anyone swoon over you but on the flip side will not make any enemies either. Mr Patton has truly created a modern day classic with Storm Front and might just make my daily smoke, really the only and I mean only drawback is the lack of nicotine (for me) which might be perfect for some but I like a little rope tobacco or 5 Bros added to keep my nicotine addiction at bay... Between the price, flavor and ease of packing, Storm Front is a 4 star blend in my book. Highest recommendations!!

Pipe Used: Cob

Purchased From: 4Noggins

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pipealicious (21)	2014-10-22		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Going through a 2oz sample bag of this one. First of, for being a cigar leaf blend, I find it exceptionally smooth and creamy. My experiences with other cigar leaf blends are that they can be much sharper or harsher. It's an all natural and overall quite mild blend with a mellow natural sweetness and an extremely creamy smoke. The tobacco is predominantly cube cut which packs easily when taking a scoop or two that are each tamped down. Not much evolution throughout the bowl, but who cares, the taste and mouthfeel is terrific. A very relaxing, smooth. no brainer belnd at a very affordable price tag.

Pipe Used: Group 5 size briars, corncobs

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: 4noggins

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Troy_nov1965 (13)	2014-07-01		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Full	Pleasant

This has become my favorite blend to date . I want to smoke it all the time , i reach for other tobacco then i think nah and ill pack another bowl of this.

Its a simple easy smoke that just taste good. Burley goodness added with some creamy smokey flavor, its perfect. Burns very well and the coolest tobacco I have smoked in a pipe.

If your a burley lover you need to give this a try . I don't believe you will be disappointed. Its also reasonably priced.

update Jan 2017

Since this review 4 Noggins has raised the price on John Patton bulk tobacco to almost 8 dollars more a pound and has driven it out of my budget. So i no longer smoke any John Patton blends. Its a shame too as they are about the best smoke you can get in bulk to me. The price has forced me to downgrade from 4 to 3 stars.

Pipe Used: Kaywoodie , KB&B Yello-Boles,Savinelli

Age When Smoked: smoked upon delivery

Purchased From: 4 Noggins

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2013-10-21		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a good smoke, but I will say that you probably have to enjoy burley to appreciate it. Like all the rest of John Patton's blends, this arrives a bit on the dry side. The great thing about this is that it's ready to smoke right away and you're not paying for excess water weight. Just for the heck of it, I did try re-moistening a small amount of my first 8 ounce purchase and comparatively I prefer it at the moisture level that Mr. Patton intended. Drier is better.

Meaty is a good descriptor, but I would also classify Storm Front as earthy and woody but definitely not sweet. Sure there's a slight sweet quality to the room note but I do not find the smoke sweet to taste. The pouch note is akin to that of Carter Hall, kind of a light fruity/boozy aroma. The cigar leaf adds just a touch of spice and depth to the overall flavor profile but at heart, this mixture is pretty much just a plain old-timey pipe smoke. Comparisons to C&D's burleys are spot on, both in flavor and strength. When smoked too fast I even get a lump in the back of my throat. Altogether Storm Front is smooth, flavorful & even better on cold evenings.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	aadelma (67)	2011-08-21		Mild	Medium	Mild	Tolerable

Upon opening the package containing a pouch of Storm Front, I was immediately greeted by the aroma of a drug store burley such as Carter Hall, Prince Albert, or other Middleton product. Smoking it also offers an experience similar to a Middleton product, albeit with a touch of something else which makes it a bit more creamy and substantial than Prince Albert. If this touch of something is cigar leaf, it is in such a minute quantity as to be unrecognizable. The flavoring agent has a synthetic quality which gets a bit disgusting as the bowl progresses. If I wanted to smoke a drug store blend, I would go down the street to Rite Aid and get one rather than mailing for one from across the country with a different name affixed.

11/27/2011 - Upgrading to 2 stars. After letting the pouch sit out for a number of months, enough of the synthetic agent has evaporated to reveal a taste similar to a mild, short-filler "lawn mowing" cigar. The room note will not win you any friends because it smells like you are smoking a mild cigar.

10/3/2012 - This blend reminds me of a woman I dated in my younger days. She was a bit of a cheap floozy with bleach blond hair and dark roots and some bad habits, but I kept going back to her for quite some time. So it is with Storm Front. It has a bit of a cheap drugstore burley taste, has too much PG, and gets kind of bland at the bottom of the bowl, but I keep going back to it anyway. Maybe it's because it smokes consistently every time and satisfies just enough of my cigar and burley leaf needs to keep me sated. Maybe it's because it's so easy and care free (like that woman) to smoke. I will be ordering more. God help me, I just can't stop myself...upgrading to 3 stars.

1/25/2014 - Subsequent batches have been less aromatic, a welcome improvement...upgrading to 4 stars.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ticktocker (9)	2020-10-16		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I recently discovered this blend and thought I'd try it since I've been looking for a cigar leaf blend that didn't disappoint. Well....... After quite a few bowls I can say that this is what I've been searching for, for the last 35 years of my pipe smoking life. Totally balanced blend that is easy to load, smoke, enjoy without hesitation. The cigar leaf does stay in the background and the burley does take the lead with it's nutty and buttery, intoxicating aroma that makes pipe smoking so enjoyable and relaxing. I highly recommend this blend to anyone that is a burley fan and to those that thought burley wasn't your thing. Try it. You're a pipe smoker that likes to find incredible tobacco, right? This is a refined blend that does what other cigar leaf blends try to do but can't.

Pipe Used: Cob, Meers, Peterson, Ser Jacopo.....

Age When Smoked: 2 months old

Purchased From: 4Noggins.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Falliver (42)	2019-02-04		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

From the tin a rummy aroma of ripe plum and blackberries hides behind woody and earthy notes and that of dark chocolate, which predominates the blend after brief aging.

The fruitiness is slightly less prevalent when smoked, and remains barely traceable after two weeks of aging. It still produces a thick and full bodied smoke with earthy and woody tastes, and a taste that of leather. When smoked fresh, the smoke leaves the mouthfeeling of sipping a fine spirit. Aged, the finish is full bodied, dry, and long lasting.

Much like its brother Oriental Dusk, it’s a mighty fine blend with cigar leaves.

Pipe Used: Royal Danish by Stanwell 83

Age When Smoked: Fresh and by two weeks.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Virginia lover (218)	2015-02-07		Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Pipe tobacco that is seasoned with cigar leaf requires a perfect balance for me. I also smoke cigars and while I don't expect a predominant cigar taste, I want a luxurious, smokey and cigar spicy taste.

First I am greeted by a sweet liquor topping that I don't really care for, then burley nutiness and some very subdued cigar notes. Actually, remove the cigar leaf in the description and then you have an over the counter pipe tobacco than doesn't live up to its colorful name Storm front. Now the only plus is the price and if you can convince yourself that it's amazing, then you have a winner. I unfortunately lack the required level of imagination to see it past its flaws.

Virginia lover

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Blue Bayou (60)	2012-10-03		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Pleasant

Woodsy, earthy campfire notes. Very pleasant smoke...

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Leon (82)	2020-09-17		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

In one sentence: This is an excellent all-day smoke for Burley lovers, reminiscent of the codger blends without the toppings.

Tin Note: Fragrant Burley, feels like there's a strawberry or vanilla topping or something similar, but since the producers claim there's none, I'll assume their honesty.

Right as you light up the pipe, you can clearly taste the two ingredients. Burley and cigar leaf combined very well, balanced, and tasty. Like some other reviewers, this reminds me strongly of the codger blends, particularly Carter Hall.

While ordering the blend I was afraid that it might be too strong in body and nicotine. However, it's extremely smooth and somewhat creamy and is only around mild-medium in nicotine strength and medium in body.

It comes in very nice coarse cut, very easy to pack and smoke. Doesn't require any relights. The flavor doesn't change throughout the smoke and unlike many other blends, it doesn't taste ashy when you reach the bottom of the bowl. Perfect moisture level, easily an all-day smoke if that's your thing. Goes perfect with coffee.

The topping that I imagined in the tin note don't really translate in the smoke, but that's pretty similar to those old codger blends as well. In other words, for me at least, this really reminds me of Carter Hall or Sir Walter Raleigh, but I know that those have more additions to them while this is supposed to be fairly "clean". If the price difference doesn't bother you and you want to smoke pure tobacco, go for it. For me, however, the codger blends taste about the same and they're much more affordable. I enjoyed this blend very much, but I don't think that I'll buy more in the near future.

Pipe Used: Brewster billiard

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: 4noggins.com

Similar Blends: Carter Hall, Sir Walter Raleigh.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2018-11-08		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Possibly my favorite tobacco, and a reasonably cigar-like experience in a pipe. The only thing I'd change is eliminating the very light casing, which adds a minor chocolate undertone. Then again, I might miss it if it were gone. While I find that burley blends generally like a small conical bowl for me, this blend seems to prefer a straight sided bowl, and size doesn't matter much.

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: 4noggins

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pinko (52)	2016-07-17		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This tastes like Admiral’s Choice with added cigar leaf. People who like cigars should probably avoid this, and cigar leaf blends in general, since they never really taste right … in Storm Front the cigar and the pipe blend might be fine separately, who knows? Together they don’t do much.

The name is kind of offputting as well - maybe don’t name a blend after the biggest white supremacist group on the internet? I mean it’s an American style but not that American.

Anyway, if I’m going to smoke an OTC burley, I’ll just smoke an OTC burley. No need to confuse stuff with cigar leaf, bells and whistles.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Cappadoc (10)	2015-09-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A smoky, nutty blend with a hint of sweetness from a master of the use of cigar leaf. Wonderful mouthfeel from the burley with rich cigar notes. Agree with JimInks that this is somewhat reminiscent of C&D burley blends. Arrives fairly dry as intended by John himself. Burns perfectly without too much ashiness. MrPatton suggests this blend is best in a cob, though it does well in every pipe I've tried it in.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	brashboy (84)	2015-07-07		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'm a traditionalist. I like pipe weed in my pipe blends and cigar leaf in my cigars. So I approached Storm Front with a bit, a tiny bit, of trepidation. But its touch of cigar leaf just adds zest and a bit of sweetness without making a big deal of it, making SF a natural aromatic--not at all like the kinds produced by adding casing or toppings. To me this one has a figgy, almost plummy tin note on top of the naturally nutty Burley, or would, if it came in a tin.

This is good, really good. It is highly rated, and should be. It comes a bit on the dry side for some but just right for me. This is what tobacco can be when not loaded down and sopping with humectants, anti-funguals and the like. I download my bulks directly into Ball jars so they stay just right, and it's so much nicer when the moisture level starts just right.

(Naturally) sweet burley flavor at the match and all the way through. I don't find SF to be one-dimensional in the least, but a nicely evolving smoke that never gets too alkaline (bitter) and smokes down to a lovely ash. I don't find it that smoky in the hand or when on fire, just honest Burley goodness with a hint of sweetness. I don't get as much earthiness as some reviewers, but that assessment is especially personal.

You won't need a handful of matches for a bowlful of this blend, either. Easy to pack well and light, easy to smoke--and no tongue bite, something to which I am way susceptible. Thick, creamy smoke lovers, check this one out! And friends and loved ones won't suddenly need to run errands or cut the lawn when you fire it up. Smoke this one all day, every day. A new favorite for me.

EDIT--9/18/15: Yup, still 4 stars. If you like this, John Patton's Dark & Stormy is Storm Front with a bit of Latakia added.

Pipe Used: Meer, Brigham

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: 4Noggins, where else?

Similar Blends: Uhle's Perfection Plug Burley.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ColinK (15)	2015-02-14		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a fantastic blend that I could smoke all day long. Woodsy, spicy, and a hint of something I cannot put my finger on at the back end. Perhaps a citrus note? This one is one to add to the everyday and it is a bulk buy- which makes me happy. Smooth and easy to load that comes not too moist and not too dry.

Pipe Used: Rick Black Custom

Age When Smoked: Couple of Weeks in a jar.

Purchased From: 4Noggins is the only option.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	point9 (114)	2014-12-13		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Wonderful and excellent Burley blend. No doubt this is classic! After a dozen or so of bowls, it becomes my favorite burley blend. Smooth, no bite. I could not taste the cigar but it should be strengthen the back bone of the blend. Highly recommended!

Purchased From: 4 noggins

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gothicmace (16)	2014-10-23		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This is a very very very good smoke. I dare say one of the best from the John Patton stable of tobacco's. Do not let the name fool... there is no storm going on here... just one of the best natural and slightly sweet smokes going on in town. Full mouth feel from the smoke... nice presence of the burley and the cigar leave just gives you that creamy YUM factor. Not much more can be added other than you can buy it in bulk, 4Noggins has a great price and even better customer service.. so as we say in Chicago... Waddaya waitin for ?? Enjoy .. I know I did Happy Smoking Cheers Mike

Pipe Used: MM Country Gent & Dr Grabow Omega

Age When Smoked: 1 month

Purchased From: 4Noggins

Similar Blends: This has its own feel and flavor!.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-10-31		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

As I wander around a recent shipment of Pattonia I like to get one of my favourite poems out of storage -- the Song of Hiawatha -- and leaf through it while puffing. There is something in these blends redolent of forests, streams and, if not wigwams, certainly remote and wild places.

With Storm Front, JP has hit several notes, as far as my experience is concerned. I have taken time in shopping around this blend in some of my pipes, and so far it works best in one of my old Kaywoodie hand made super grains -- a largish billiard, with no stinger. Whether or not that is relevant is another matter, but I always find it is the combination of wood and leaf, not just the leaf, that gives the taste and experience.

What taste! This is several steps up from Moe's Confetti, and comes fairly near to Granger and Half-and-Half. I have not tasted any cigar in it so far, and it may be the pipe or just me, but I wonder how much is in there. I just get burley, a nutty, slow burning burley taste that delivers the goods without a bite. This is quite unlike the other JP blend I reviewed recently -- Smoked Burley. This is more like what one gets in the OTC burley products.

It produces a lot of smoke, and is never monotonous -- that could be the cigar leaf, playing around with the burleys. I would guess there might be a bit of Virginia in there as well. Whatever it is, the combination adds up to a remarkable achievement -- mild but tasty, with a slight zing every so often.

The Song of Hiawatha is a long poem, good enough for at least several pipes full of Storm Front. Mini Ha Ha has not yet complained of the room note, which is a positive sign. All well in the wigwam of this puffer.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	b7q (51)	2022-11-05		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

If you like Prince Albert or Carter Hall, you can try this, don't be bothered by the name, real cigar smokers will understand that the cigars mentioned here are just a similar flavor, no real power, no chemical things to damage your tongue, great work! For me it can be a whole day's smoke, which my wife says is a very normal tobacco smell.

Pipe Used: Briar

Age When Smoked: 1

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	oldermanpipe (25)	2017-06-28		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I'm afraid I find this blend somewhat overrated. There is absolutely nothing WRONG with it, but it was, to me, pretty-much, a ho-hum smoke. Perhaps I demand too much of a burley blend.

The tobaccos used are absolutely first-rate. There is no bite, neither are there gurgle nor dottle. And many will find this blend rewarding. But I just didn't.

If there was cigar leaf here, it was undetectable. What there was, was predictably acceptable burley...but little else.

I could smoke it contentedly if there were nothing else available...but there IS!!!

Pipe Used: MM Washington MM Country Gentleman

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: 4Noggins

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2017-03-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Storm Front- It's been a long time, but this blend reminds me of Edgeworth Ready Rubbed in flavor, with a hint of Perique ? or is it Cigar leaf as the ingredients states. ERR always had what I would describe as a Cedar flavor ( Pencil sharpenings) with a touch of Molasses, it was nice if you were a Burley fan. I actually like the cut of Storm Front better, it has a fine ribbon cut that makes for easy packing and lighting. Not a blend that will make my rotation but really not bad.

Pipe Used: cob

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	steppx (186)	2016-08-16		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is another regular in my rotation. I smoke it a lot when Im out and about. It is surpisingly sweet...(there is some kind of very mild casing...very very mild but its there). The nicotine hit is around medium. Its a smooth cool smoke but if you puff too fast it can get harsh. Its the best Patton blend in my humble opinion and one you should try. A quality burley blend.

Similar Blends: A bit like some of the C&D bulk blends..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ducksbreath (125)	2016-04-03		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Not at all a "full" cigar blend but a medium one. This tastes and smokes like a Middleton product with extra smokiness but not extra strength. Also a step up in quality and perhaps a step down in nic. The cigar leaf provides interest, but you have to like OTC style burly. Faint sweet topping. Perfect moisture. No off tastes like with some Middleton or Pinkerton. A great all day smoke for those inclined toward codger burly. I used to like these (PA etc) but they don't do it for me any more, but that's a personal thing.

Similar Blends: Velvet, Carter Hall with cigar leaf ?.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-06-02		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'm writing this based on two bowls on a sample that I received from the blender. I've made a point of not reading the other reviews.

I am a fairly long time cigar smoker (15+ years) and relatively new to the pipe (just over a year).

I did not detect anything cigar like about the blend in the pipe.

I did find the blend creamy, relatively smooth, definitely richer than a straight Burley like PA would be. Somewhat sweet as well without being overpowering.

As with most Burley blends, it turned a bit ashy towards the end, which was fine as most of what was left was fairly hard chunks of charcoal dottle.

The blend is well behaved in the pipe, no goop, clean dry smoking.

I have not smoked any other cigar leaf blends. This blend definitely uses it as a condiment, at least to my taste buds... don't be put off by the ingredients if you love Burley but don't like cigars!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Brunello (140)	2023-01-31		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This was good enough that after my initial one ounce sample I ordered more to see how it would develop. That first ounce I remember having to tweak with a pinch of 515 red Virginia to soften the slightly hardcore edge. But the second batch that has been set aside and untouched in its sealed jar for five years has developed nicely, and needs no tweaks to earn its four stars. Don’t expect nutty notes or molasses from the Burleys, this has a different flavor profile derived from a synergy of Burley and cigar leaf that is difficult to draw an analogy to, but it has a deep, mellow, ‘creamy’ taste that is almost addictively good!

I don't reach for this often, but given the right mood, in the evening, with a dark ale by my side, this is a special smoke. I talk about mood, and by that I mean that if I’m riled up about something or my mind is hyper active with thought, this fights against me. If I’m a little down, this is not cheerful enough to bring me up. It seems to require a very centered state, calm but not tired, and it requires that I go to it, because it doesn’t come to me. Does that even make sense to anybody?

For once I was stumped to describe the flavors, so I read through all the other 45 reviews here. Amazingly only one reviewer described what I’m tasting as I smoke it right now, the others left me scratching my head in bafflement. First off, the maker’s description of “meaty, sweet, and smoky” just doesn’t resonate with me. It’s definitely not sweet, and it certainly not smoky like a dfk or Lat blend. Finally when I read SecretAgentMan and how he describes pecans and pretzels, that rang the bell for me. Yes, I get mostly very dark toasted pretzels and a little bit of unsweetened pecans. That’s probably why I like this so much with dark ale. It’s a bit too firm for coffee in the morning (nothing going to sway me from my morning ritual with Country Squire’s Cowboy Coffee!), but in the evening with a dark ale, yeah, that’s the ticket!

If you like Burley, if you like cigar leaf, you’ve gotta try this. As a bonus it ages splendidly!

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2017-02-15		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is an amazingly good burley blend! The cigar leaf is barely noticeable, while the burley pumps out that chocolate burley tatse. Mild to medium with no bite. Lights and stays lit. The only draw back to this blend is the price, which will keep me from giving four stars.

Pipe Used: Ashton

Nobody has rated this review yet.