Cornell & Diehl: Burley Flake #5 2oz Pipe Tobacco

I wouldn’t say this is entirely Kentucky forward, but there is enough to consider it a Kentucky blend in the vein of Irish Flake and Stirling Flake. I don’t want to compare this blend too heavily, as it stands on its own in greatness, but the similarity is there with the anise flavor mixed with a bit of Kentucky spice. It’s a stout tobacco, with good moisture from the tin and a heavenly bouquet of anise and Kentucky bbq flavor, mixed with the nutty cacao of good burley and the tart sweetness of red Virginia’s. Really a top shelf blend showcasing burleys as only C&D can do....Read More

I hate to say anything negative about a very popular blend, but... This one is definitely not for beginners or those a bit sensitive to the nicotine hit. Tried and tried to like this, but we just don't get along. Nicotine rating on it shows a 3 but it should be boosted up to a 4.

I am an Old Dark Fired and Burley man all the way. When I saw this blend had no Latakia or perique, (sometimes they overpower a good blend) Iwas intrigued.I am on my 3rd bowl and I really love this, and even though it does not contain any cigar tobacco, it scratches that itch for me. It is a little sweeter than I expected, but a pleasant flavor. Definitely will become my morning blend....Read More

From the first tin this burley blend strongly appealed to me. It may have been the dark fired Kentucky that added to my attraction, but from the first draw I felt I had stumbled onto something special. Everything about this blend worked so well - the cut, moisture level, and especially the flavor, It instantly became number one in my rotation. I would recommend all burley lovers to give C&D #5 a try....Read More

There's nothing really wrong with it, but it's heavily cased and it doesn't seem as strong as the others. Not bad, though. I do keep smoking it.

Burley Flake #5 is a smooth full bodied natural earthy tobacco. It's consistent, not overly complex, but rewarding in its competency. The tin note is really interesting with the red Virginia and dark fired tricking the senses to smell something close to sweet, nutty chocolate covered cherries. It smokes wonderfully! The burleys are manly with dominant notes of espresso, carob, nutty bitter cocoa and cigar. The carob, cocoa note strengthens in the later half of the bowl. The dark fired doesn't offer much smokiness but plays that consistent cigar note and spice on the retrohale. The bright and red Virginia add a noticeable grassy hay note throughout the bowl, sweetening and balancing the earthiness of the burley. The mechanics are solid, lights easily, stays lit and produces volumes of smoke. Smokes well even with low moisture content. For me, Burley Flake # 5 occupies a unique spot between cigars and pipes. It's not a half breed cigar blend, it's burley, a foundation pipe tobacco, but it satisfies my cigar cravings as well as pipe. Some reviews say it's not as strong as the other #s in the series but believe me the nic hit is strong. This is a meaty, savory blend. In the cigar world this would be considered full bodied and robust....Read More

Presentation: Thick and non uniform flake. Some flakes are longer and bigger than others. The tin I had contained a massively thick flake about 3/4 inch thick and two inches long. Medium brown burleys, a few light and red Virginia leaves throughout and a decent portion of dark fired layered in between. Good amount of intact flakes with some broken and smaller remnants at the bottom of the tin. Palate: Burleys are not my favorite, and being that Cornell and Diehl is most popular for this leaf, I found myself struggling to find my place with this blend. The burleys provide a nice molasses, nutty, and a touch of brown sugar. Not a lot of chocolate that burleys are famous for. The Virginia adds a touch of sweetness and that supplements the somewhat bitter aspects of burley. The dark fired provides the semi coarse salt rub spice you might find on a nice brisket. While the blend sounds appealing on paper, it runs a little flat in the smoke. I couldn't find anything about this blend that I would write home about. It taste hot and dusty and there is an acrid aftertaste that itches my throat. Performance: The flakes rub out pretty easily but may take a little longer to prepare with some of the flakes being gigantic. It smokes with relative ease and leaves no moisture at the heel. Produces a fine ash that can easily be dumped out with no additional work. Burns at a moderate speed and contains a nice nicotine hit. Not an all day blend, although for a burley lover this could be smoked multiple times a day. Conclusion: I never cared for burleys that much, and it takes a lot to convince me on buying a new burley blend. However, I think that the Burley Flake series has a healthy range of options that I may want to try a different type and see how they fare, but as for now, Burley Flake #5 isn't cutting it for me. I didn't rate it 1 star simply because I love dark fired, and I know that Cornell and Diehl uses quality leaf, but despite that the actual feeling of smoking this makes me feel like I am parched for water. It's a very dry blend for my palate. I'm not sure if age will make this one better as I have had this tin jarred for over a year with not much improvement....Read More

First try from a freshly opened tin wasn’t that great...too strong, hard to keep lit, a little steamy. 36 hours later, it had settled down to a manageable smoke. I didn’t let it air dry, simply closed the tin back up and let nature take its course. For me, prepping the slightly leathery flakes involves tearing them in half and rubbing the shortened bits into a better size for loading and packing. About 1 1/2 flakes loads an average size bowl well and taking some of the smaller pieces for topping provides an easy light. It’s a full strength Burley blend that is tasty and with a good aroma. Room note didn’t draw complaints from the wife. It’s a slow burner, thus good for an extended smoke doing my favorite thing...a low stress one hour mountain drive. The flakes allow good melding of the various components so that individual flavors are subdued. Very likeable blend with no bad habits. I’ll give it 5 stars as another winner from C&D.

Update: finished the tin today and am sorry I don’t have a backup.
Last two bowls were in an MM general and an XL 307 Peterson. Both really good with it. Both have comparatively deep narrow bowls and both are well seasoned vets. A rich and enjoyable smoke with no bad habits. Must order more....Read More

Similar in flavor to Old Dark Fired, this Flake has a better Virginia balance/presence that even non-VA fans will like. The Dark Fired adds a hint of spice like a good rye and the overall combination comes together for an earthy, smooth, flavorful smoke with less nicotine than you’d expect. I still prefer Old Dark Fired for the extra nicotine and overall flavor, but I would have no qualms if I could only smoke this. Definitely #2 in my current rotation,...Read More

A truly wonderful experience. Just packed with flavour. A nutty stream of quality Burleys married up with Virginias and Dark fired creating a semi sweet smoky herbal glaze in the pallet. Agree on the barbecue reference here. Medium to full in strenght. A bit spicy as well. One of my best tobacco experiences! But you got to love the Burleys as the leading Leaf and I seem to more and more convert into a Burley lover. Good to see that C&D has so much variety on this blends....Read More