Frog Morton's Cellar

SERENTIL

Greetings TPL Friends, due to the FDA's draconian tobacco regulations that will eventually take effect, I may lose my favorite pipe tobacco, Frog Morton's Cellar.  I am a relative newb in pipe smoking so I haven't tried whole of different tobaccos but I do know that I like the English (Latakia) tobaccos.  Frog Morton's Cellar seems unique to me with the subtle but noticeable inclusion of the whisky barrel square.  Perhaps its just a gimmick but, in any case, I like it.

So, if/when the FDA axe falls, it is possible but unlikely that McClelland is going to pay the ransom to save Frog Morton's Cellar and it will disappear from the market.  I'll stock up until it does happen but, eventually, I will run out. 

Does anyone have any suggestions for me for any tobaccos with similar qualities as the Frog Morton's Cellar or any suggestion for trying another nice English blend? 

Regards, Matthew

mezzoduomo

Sillem's London. Peretti 7485. Esoterica Margate.

The Peretti has been around for nearly a century....so no worries from the FDA.

SLCarrico

Stokkebye's Proper English is delicious and affordable. I'm also a big fan of C&D's Mountain Camp, also available in bulk.
Off hand I don't know the age of these blends, but they are cheap enough in bulk to stock up a large amount.
Honestly, I have hope that the FDA thing will either peter out, or turn around soon (a couple of years or so).
But I'm on the same track as you: stock up on my favorites and start finding alternative blends that should stick around.

Philip

Matthew,

I too just discovered this blend and really enjoy it. Don't get me started on the government, I'll end up kicked off the site. They have gone too far but it won't change because people have the attitude that if it doesn't effect them it doesn't matter. Therefore they've gotten so massive and have over reached so far it's almost impossible to bring them back. 

It's so sad what this world has become.

Woodsman

McClelland's  5110 Old Dark English has all the high points of FM, that I really enjoy.

SERENTIL

Thank you for the suggestions!  It is much appreciated. 

@Philip, you and I could probably chat it up quite a bit when it comes to the government over-reach.  I live in the wonderfully (sarcasm) progressive state of California so not only do I have the government to contend with, I also have the joy of Jerry "moonbeam" Brown's policies. 

Philip

Mr Serentil,

If we are going to see which state implodes fastest I'm not going to bet against California, but we here in NY are right behind you. The pipe soothes my soul, hopefully for you as well.

Woodsman

As usual, The Peoples Republic of New Jersey follows New York down the tubes.

SERENTIL

@woodsman, just wanted to say thank you for the 5110 suggestion.  Quite a remarkably good tobacco.  It is in heavy rotation right now and I will definitely be buying a pound of it next time around.   Would you happen to know if 5110 is safe from the FDA regs?

Woodsman

Serentil, the earliest review on 5110 was dated 4/ 2001 so it should safe.

I heard today that "Moonbeam" is trying to have Methane Filters put on Cows, If true, I'd love to see one.

Philip

I hope you don't mean to see it in use Mr. Woodsman. Plus we need to stand up and fight for our bovine friends because when it does nothing to change the weather Moonbeam will be looking to install that horrid device on us. 

For the record I would say that wasn't true, but I'm never sure anymore. Can you imagine being that poor 'test cow"?

Philip

dbh1950

SERENTIL,reading on this issue and thinking of the potential loss of certain blends due to the actions of the political leadership via the FDA, I began a search on finding certain blends that would be potentially "safe" from the FDA rules, being produced prior to 2007. In reading TPL previoudly, I read a comment by mezzoduomo, regarding Peretti's English Blend D-7485, bingo, found my "safe" English blend, having been produced for a over a century. As there are a number of aromatics I enjoy, Dark Red, 1-Q, Parson's Blend, etc. still determining what to begin building a small stock of such. Good luck with your search.

motie2

@Woodsman -- You wrote: <<Methane Filters .... on Cows....I'd love to see one.>>

OK, here ya go:

Simple

I believe the FDA needs to focus on the foods more so than the drugs. The big food companies keep dumping garbage on the supermarket shelves that in time will be shown to be hundreds of times worse than cigarette smoking for public health. The obesity and mental health epidemics in this country are directly related to the increase of processed foods not tobacco use.

Philip

OH MY, this conversation has taken a disturbing turn. I hope it wasn't my fault.

Cellar is really a wonderful blend. I'm hope there is some way it can stay around. The Stokkeby's is good but it's not the same. The Frog Mortons really have a unique flavor to them.

SERENTIL

It sure has Philip!  

I have been really, really pleased with the McClelland 5110 - Dark English Full.  Many have compared it to either FM Cellar or FM On the Town.  I don't seem to have the discriminating taste buds necessary to pinpoint which one but, I will say that I really like it just as much as I like FM Cellar.  I agree 100% with you that any of the FM series are really good.

Woodsman

That collector on the cow is interesting but, I don't know if that tube inserted in the side of the cow into it's intestinal tract is gonna get past PETA.

Bonanzadriver

Haven't had Cellar yet.  I'm on my 3rd tin of the Original FM, prolly my favorite, and also have Across the Pond.  Although a nice smoke, I'm still partial to the original.

Prolly need to find some Celler and give it a try.

PappyJoe

@phillip, we are in a wait and see mode on a number of tobaccos that contained Syrian Latakia thanks to the Evil Empire known by the acronym FDA. I don't know if it can still be produced with Cyprian because that would change the formula and possibly require it to go under the scrutiny of a new tobacco.

Philip

Are we to the point where if Cheerios are made from oats grown in Canada in one plant with oats grown in Kansas the government says they are not the same thing? What if a blend like Cellar goes away and then some time in the future is able to come back because of availability of the Syrian Latakia would it be permitted, or does McCelland have to go by the whim of someone in the FDA? 

They would be so afraid you'll never see it again no matter what. The government loves the power. Look at the bottom left corner of your screen, a tobacco warning label. It says "This product contains/Produces Chemicals ...." This is an internet forum, it contains no such thing. It contains ideas. But just to be safe the warning is there because some slip and fall lawyer is just looking around for someone to sue, and I'm sure there's some rule somewhere that you could get in trouble even though the entire premise is absurd.

I think you're right Mr. Pappy, but I'm not holding my breath. I think these blends are going to be gone for good. I've gotten a few more cans of Across The Pond then I would normally get but it's hard because I'm trying to stock up on other things that are going away as well. When you go past the first order of thinking on this, which you know will hurt the blenders, it is also going to have an effect down the road when there are no new blends to try and guys like me who are spending at record paces will stop because I can go for years without buying a single thing. It has the potential to be a house of cards which is exactly what they want. 

PappyJoe

@Philip - I understand what you are saying but the problem is that the tobacco grown in Syria is a different variety than the tobacco grown in Cyprus. On top of that, while the process for making latakia is basically the same, the wood which is used for the fires are different and that also contributes to the difference. Until the mess in Syria is resolved to the point where tobacco can be grown and processed in the traditional manner, Syrian Latakia is gone forever. 

Which leads to another random thought. I wonder what the flavor profile would be of an Oriental variety of tobacco grown in the arid region of West Texas or New Mexico and then processed in the latakia method using mesquite for the smoke.

motie2

@PappyJoe -- A recent P&C catalog explained that they've tried a similar experiment, treating other tobaccos to the Perique process.

PappyJoe

@motie2 - they have been processing different tobaccos in the perique method for awhile. Most perique you find on the market today has been a blend of perique tobacco and Kentucky burley processed in the perique method. They have been doing this since the 1950s according to Mark Ryan of Daughters & Ryan tobacco. They also own the L.A. Poche Perique farm in St. James Parish, Louisiana.

I still think it would be interesting to try the latakia method on tobacco grown over here. I said West Texas or New Mexico because those are dry climate places like most of Syria.