Great Flavor, Serious Nicotine
August 28, 2026
Product: Cornell & Diehl Haunted Bookshop Bulk
Haunted Bookshop starts off with a really pleasant bready and nutty character. The smoke is rich, smooth, and wonderfully fragrant, and the flavor stays quite enjoyable throughout the bowl.
But don't let the smooth smoke fool you—the nicotine starts to sneak up on me as the bowl progresses. By the end, I can definitely feel the nicotine, with a bit of a head rush and that classic “nicotine drunk” feeling.
A very flavorful tobacco with a fantastic room and smoke character, but it's got some serious horsepower. Definitely one to take slow and easy. Sip it rather than puff it, and it rewards you. Smoke it too hard, and it'll let you know who's in charge....Read More
Another excellent Bob Runowski blend!!
September 20, 2026
Product: Cornell & Diehl Haunted Bookshop Bulk
This is the 5th Year I've taken pipe smoking seriously and time after time I find myself reaching for all the Runowski blends this one is always best with a good cup of coffee in the morning!
September 07, 2026
Product: Cornell & Diehl Haunted Bookshop 2oz
Dunno if it's just my tin or the blend in general but I see very little dark leaf nor do I smell or taste the presence of Perique here. I'm a little disappointed for sure.
August 16, 2026
Product: Cornell & Diehl Haunted Bookshop Bulk
I almost titled this review “the best C&D tobacco” but there are simply too many blends available to definitively say that. But as far as the regular burley offerings go, this is my solid gold winner. Everything I love about burley tobacco — the roasted nut notes, the faint chocolatey notes — are present in this blend. But in addition to what I love it brings other character into the fold. There’s an “old” tasting quality to this tobacco. And I don’t mean that in a negative way. It’s not stale or harsh or off-putting. But there’s a charming old newspaper note. There’s the faintest hint of peppercorns. Each bowl unfolds on your palate like chapters in a story. And it just continues to improve as you continue to smoke it. I love this blend, it checks so many boxes for me and I love to return to it often. If you like burley tobacco and want to experience what is, in my opinion, the best that C&D offers to burley tobacco? Haunted Bookshop is the finest....Read More
One of the Twin Titans of American Burley
August 14, 2026
Product: Cornell & Diehl Haunted Bookshop Bulk
Cornell & Diehl Haunted Bookshop is one of my favorite classic American Burley blends, and for me it belongs right alongside Old Joe Krantz. I think of the two almost as twin titans—different in personality, but equally important in my rotation.
Haunted Bookshop delivers exactly the kind of profile I want from a traditional Burley mixture: earthy, nutty, dry, slightly woody, and unapologetically tobacco-forward. The Virginia contributes a little natural sweetness, while the Perique adds pepper, depth, and just enough dark fruit to keep the blend lively.
What I enjoy most is the honesty of it. There is nothing flashy here. It is robust, straightforward, and full of character, with a ruggedness that somehow makes it even more appealing. Smoked slowly, the nuttiness deepens, the spice settles into the background, and the blend becomes wonderfully cohesive.
Haunted Bookshop and Old Joe Krantz go hand in hand for me, and I am a huge fan of both. This is classic American Burley done exceptionally well....Read More