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Cornell & Diehl - Bayou Morning Flake 2oz
Bayou Morning
The C&D Bulk Blend Library Bayou Morning Smokingpipes.com rated : 4.9 The final blend of the project is one I know and love. A VaPer comprised of 25% Perique and Virginia tobaccos, it’s a beautiful salad of leathery brown ribbons interspersed with black. Aromas are cherry sours candy, vinegar, oak , hay and peppery leather. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. So here we are at the final blend of this project.  Started in April. It is now just passed the middle of June and this is the 101st blend. This is a blended. I’ve had many times and one that I have several tens of in my cellar already. Who is interesting to order an ounce and smoke it fresh though as lately I haven’t had any that was any younger than three years old. If you VaPer blends  an edge for attitude. This is a great one for you. Think of it like Escudo is your fancy uncle but Bayou Morning is your fun uncle. It’s a rough and haphazard ribbon cut not in the fancy coins or pristine flakes that a lot of people associate with this style but it works.  it is a little tangy, has a nice little sour apricot or sour cherry vibe although it’s citrusy, not stone, fruity, and plenty of perique “pop”. I can tell you that buying this in tens and aging it is a hell of a treat. I’m sure buying an aging in bulk for someone with patients and discipline would be well rewarded too. This blend has been a five for me for several years. I love the creamy sweet-and-sour ball of it and it is a good blend in the morning to get the day going. My rating : 5 This is the 101st of 101 blends I reviewed for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Bayou Morning
Bayou Morning
The C&D Bulk Blend Library Bayou Morning Smokingpipes.com rated : 4.9 The final blend of the project is one I know and love. A VaPer comprised of 25% Perique and Virginia tobaccos, it’s a beautiful salad of leathery brown ribbons interspersed with black. Aromas are cherry sours candy, vinegar, oak , hay and peppery leather. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. So here we are at the final blend of this project.  Started in April. It is now just passed the middle of June and this is the 101st blend. This is a blended. I’ve had many times and one that I have several tens of in my cellar already. Who is interesting to order an ounce and smoke it fresh though as lately I haven’t had any that was any younger than three years old. If you VaPer blends  an edge for attitude. This is a great one for you. Think of it like Escudo is your fancy uncle but Bayou Morning is your fun uncle. It’s a rough and haphazard ribbon cut not in the fancy coins or pristine flakes that a lot of people associate with this style but it works.  it is a little tangy, has a nice little sour apricot or sour cherry vibe although it’s citrusy, not stone, fruity, and plenty of perique “pop”. I can tell you that buying this in tens and aging it is a hell of a treat. I’m sure buying an aging in bulk for someone with patients and discipline would be well rewarded too. This blend has been a five for me for several years. I love the creamy sweet-and-sour ball of it and it is a good blend in the morning to get the day going. My rating : 5 This is the 101st of 101 blends I reviewed for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Old Joe Krantz Blue Label
Old Joe Krantz Blue Label
The C&D Bulk Library Project Old Joe Krantz Blue Label Smoking Pipes Rated : 4.8 This Burley blend is comprised of Virginia and Burley tobacco and is a marriage of light, brown and chocolate brown ribbons that offer aroma of raisin bran, cardboard, tangy citrus fruit, grass, balsa wood, and an almost rotten apple scent in the very background. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. The next to last blend in this project to be reviewed is also the last remaining Old Joe Krantz blends, which is the blue label. Sweet and fragrant, this is a nice codger Burley. It is not very complex and it is not very challenging to approach. It’s got a nice Burley breadiness, a nice Virginia sweet tang and honestly I think I like it better than Half-and-Half or Burley and Bright. This is your grandpa‘s blend. It has solid old man vibes. It’s meant to be puffed on mindlessly while changing the spark plug in the lawnmower or while flipping burgers on the grill. This is a great blend for keeping gnats and mosquitoes away. One thing I noticed if you push it, it hasn’t almost metallic quality. Almost elemental. Think of if you held a penny inside of your cheek for a couple of minutes. Pushing it also results in a slight Tory cigarette like flavor profile. It’s a super smooth and creamy smoke and obviously and easy all day long Burleigh blend. It’s kind of like a glass of sweet tea boat north of Richmond. It’s not as sweet as it should be, but there is some sweetness there. By the third bowl, I felt like I was visiting with an old friend. My rating : 5 This is the 100th Cornell & Diehl, Inc bulk blend I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Old Joe Krantz
Old Joe Krantz
The C&D Bulk Library Project Old Joe Krantz Smoking Pipes rated : 4.5 This Burley ribbon is comprised of Virginia, burley and Perique and should be better than it is. The bag gives thoughts of cocoa, coffee, earthiness, grassy vinegar and fruit jams. Variegated browns ribbons make for a visually pleasant appearance. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. Proud burley here with a VaPer punch. Loved the woody into sweet transitions- and it has that room note I think of as “old time pipe smoke” meaning it’s that kinda heavy but fragrant. If anything this blend is just a bit underwhelming. Definitely prefer the OJK Red over this blend. This one has quality burley and the Virginia is sweet and tangy enough to cut through - but just barely. Wish the Perique was bolder. It’s there - peppery for sure - but could flex much harder. My rating : 3 This is the 90th of 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Winchester
Winchester
The C&D Bulk Library Project Winchester Smoking pipes rated 4.5 Virginia blend comprised of Virginia and black cavendish, presenting aromas of mole added, grass and vanilla. Ribbons are brown, from light to dark. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. This Virginia doesn’t really offer up a lot up front. It’s soft - not muted - just soft. It’s a plain Virginia flavor that’s weak - not super sweet nor tangy to the tongue - if anything it’s kinda woody which surprises me though that could be the unsweetened black cavendish. I think ona better description than soft is watered down. It’s either a weak Virginia or a thin burley - I want it to move one way or the other. This isn’t balance - it’s blandness. Some Perique would be nice. I bet a shot of oriental would really define this blend. It feels like a halfhearted effort to make an aro that was started on a Friday afternoon and then forgotten. My rating : 2 This is the 91st of 101 C&D Bulk blends being reviewed for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Crowley's Best
Crowley’s Best
The C&D Bulk Library Project Crowley’s Best Smoking Pipes rated 4.6 This burley ribbon is a fun combination of burley, Perique, and Latakia. The nose detects smoke, leather, char, mulled wine spices and “dust”. The ribbons are fluffy - really fluffy- and variegated browns speckled with black. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. Lighting up gives a nice Latakia introduction followed by the Perique making sure you recognize that it’s present. Perique is beautifully peppery here. The burley is breast and sweet - this is kind of a burley English in my mind. The more I smoke it the more my mind thinks of the old Middleton blend “Walnut”. Like it really makes me think of it and I cannot pin down why. I need to smoke them side by side when I get a chance but even just the “feeling” and recall makes me like this blend a little more. The more I smoked it, the more I liked it. Not sure how much difference aging would make compared to ordering in smaller batches, but I think I’ll probably lay back a pound if for no other reason than to hedge against future availability. Bet it’s an awesome cold weather season blend. My rating : 4 This is the 92nd of 101 blends I am reviewing of the C&D bulk blends for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Cube Cut Burley
Cube Cut Burley
The C&D Bulk Blend Library Project Cube Cut Burley Smoking Pipes rated: 4.6 This is another blending tobacco, with a unique format. Dark and light burley, Andes , pressed and cut Into cubes. The cubes are very noticeably different that the Peter Stokkebye Cube Cut Burley - this blend from C&D is noticeably darker and smaller in size. Aromas include most prominently corn syrup, vinegar and tea leaves. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. Big thick mournful of nutty toast flavor. Instantly felt like I’ve smoked this blend for years - just a warm, comforting basic burley profile. It’s sweet here when taken solo. There is even a slight “tingle” in the mouth like when tasting a wine with higher tannins. I get the impression that this could bite you if you let it. The smoke it makes is thick and Smokey (duh) but I can’t describe it otherwise - white thick plumes and smell of burnt straw. I am most entertained by the sweetness. I didn’t expect it to be so pronounced. It makes me think of buttered hot cornbread. Solid blending component obviously; fun enough solo blend if you’re inclined. I mean you could do worse. My rating : 3 This is the 93rd of 101 bulk C&D blends being reviewed for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Irish Blessing
Irish Blessing
The C&D bulk Blend Library Project Irish Blessing Smoking Pipes rating : 4.6 Made of ribbons of black cavendish, this aromatic blend gives a false impression upon opening by presenting smells that immediately evoke memories of Irish cream, Irish Mist liqueur and vanilla. The flakes are oily enough to risk invasion, and are jet black. Sadly sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. This one breaks my heart to write. Even as I use my notes to type this I cannot help but think how much I really wanted this blend to be great. This blend is one that for several years I have put in my cart, then taken out of my cart. A proverbial “one day I want to try that” blend. The description just makes it sound fun and delicious. Then upon finally having it at hand the aromas offered the fulfill the promise and be what I have imagined for years as the “grown up” cousin to Nutty Irishman - dropping the coffee notes and leaning heavy into Irish Mist - the honey sweet liqueur I love to nip on cold camping nights. That’s not what I got. What I got was a cloyingly sweet gross vanilla (flavor, not boring) aromatic that is more at home among apricots and cream than in the same realm as Nutty Irishman and Shandygaff. I really wanted to like this. Really really. But it’s - well - it’s just gross. It’s slimy sweet. It’s oily. It tastes the way a Little Trees Vanilla air freshener smells. No. No. No. My rating : 1 This is the 94th of 101 C&D Bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Long Cut Perique
Long Cut Perique
The C&D Bulk Library Long Cut Perique Smoking Pipes rated : 4.6 This blending tobacco is a treat to visually take it - long grayish dusty stringy ribbons that smell of smoke and sourness and neglected leather. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. Hello there. This “blend” starts with a string “pop” - almost like expecting to sip coke but you were served Dr Pepper. Boom. Paying attention now aren’t we ? Smoky soapy leather and plum wine in a bowl. Sound like a head rush? It kind of is. If you lay off and savor it, it’s almost like a nice peppery Cabernet Sauvignon - push it and it’s a peppery spicy bowl of spite. The smoke is almost thick enough to chew - and you can feel it coat your mouth. This is big boy tobacco - newbies and the uninitiated don’t need to start here. You earn this blend, not just buy it. It’s a spicy rum cake. It’s a forbidden leathery raisin fruit rollup. This is a nicotine lovers blend. This is Rustica-lite-esque. What I’m saying is it’s kinda too much of a “something” for me but definitely something I want to have for when I’m in the mood for just annihilating my senses. My rating : 3 This is the 95th of 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Super Balkan
Super Balkan
The C&D Bulk Library Project Super Balkan smoking pipes rated 4.6 This ribbon cut Balkan / English is a masterful blending of Virginia, Burley, Perique, Latakia and Orinetals. The bag massages the senses with strong aromas of smoke, leather, orange peel, coal oil, iodine, molded hay, and a sour funk over oak. It’s beautifully presented in consistent ribbons of tan, brown and black that are fluffy and crinkly. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride and smoked in a Peterson Spigot 05. When I opened the bag on this blend this morning, I knew that it was going to be an absolute banger. The absolute thickness of the aromas coming out of the bag were almost so strong as to be cartoonish. The Latakia, Perique and Orientals perfume this blend so completely and thoroughly that it was all I could do not to smoke the entire sample in a day. This is an absolutely beautiful bulk blend. My record is my record at this point - and it’s obvious that I prefer blends on the smoky side and blends that lean heavily into oriental leaf but what a treat this is to discover all the way at the 96th sample and a 101 sample project. I can remember the epiphany like feeling I had the first time I had Balkan Sassini , and Balkan Sobrainie. Something about these mixes just absolutely speak to me and grab my attention, and this has definitely joined them in high regard. Iodine. I speak often that the quality that I look for and enjoy. This one delivers. Smoking a bowl of this to me is parallel to eating a rare porterhouse steak while enjoying a very hearty Malbec wine. As a matter of fact, as I’m writing this review, I am enjoying a 2021 Pinot Noir with a Spigot 05 full and while it is absolutely delicious paired with it, it may be a little stronger than the wine can carry and demand a more hardy wine to completely pair it. Perhaps a stout Cabernet Sauvignon next time. Oriental spice, Perique pepper, Latakia smokiness and a solid Burley/Virginia combination under pending to build it all delivers a symphony of sensory delights from flavor to aroma to taste even to the appearance in the bag. My rating : 5 This is the 96th of 101 blends being reviewed for this project
Cornell & Diehl - Mountain Camp
Mountain Camp
The C&D Bulk Library Mountain Camp Smoking Pipes rated 4.7 This English is comprised of ribbons of Virginia, burley, Perique, Latakia and Oriental leaf, and presents as uniform dry, fluffy cuts of browns and black. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. This English blend starts off very strong at the light and has a sweet and peppery countenance. Beautifully smoky and peppery. The leather is here, but it takes a backseat and accents the Virginia and oriental combo masterfully. The physical property of the smoke is interesting because it’s very full, but it’s thin, almost steam like and sheer in appearance. Meanwhile, it possesses a very strong room note. Latakia and perique just go off here and put on a great performance. This really is a very nice full easy smoke and a delightful English with a difference twist. Retrohale is spicy and delicious. This blend is well crafted enough that you could push it if you are a faster cadence smoker like myself, however don’t. Make an effort to save it. You’ll be rewarded with a very full flavored English blend with a smoky little twist and its own identity. My rating : 5 This is the 97th of 101 blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Granulated Perique
Granulated Perique
The C&D Bulk Library Project Granulated Perique Smoking pipes rated 4.8 This is granulated Perique, a blending tobacco. It’s posses aromas similar to the long cut perique - predominantly overshadowed by an earthy mustiness , but scents that bring to mind sourness , wet leather , iron. The granulated leaf is very tiny cut, and looks like a dusty / ashy grey. I think it is very interesting to compare the color of the tobacco I received to the jet black example given in the photograph on smoking pipes website. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. I was really hoping that there was a difference between the granulated and the long cut but honestly, I could probably cheat and use the tasting notes interchangeably. It’s a nice sweet smoky pepper taste and it’s strong. It’s very bold. Whereas some pipe blends make me think in terms of whiskey this makes me think in terms of coffee. Specifically strong truck stop coffee that’s 13 hours old and thick looking to the eye. If you want to have fun, pack a bowl full of this almost sand-like mixture, light and push it a little hard and then retrohale a few times. Not only is the smoke as thick as pudding, but it’ll make your eyes water as the spiciness of the blend assaults the upper nasal passages. The peppery element is so peppery that it makes it almost sweet as an aftertaste. Which is really cool. It stinks in the room, but in a good way. It burns the nose, but in a good way. If I was going to assign any type of boozy element to it, it’s almost like a raw grain whiskey. It’s too strong for rapid reloading and smoking bowls back to back honestly, but it’s very delicious. It’s not something that I want to smoke solo a lot. It is however, consistent through several bowls And like the other blending tobacco I feel that I’m better for having sampled it so that I can learn about the individual components and their characteristics. My rating : 3 This is the 98th of the 101 Bulk Blends offered by Cornell & Diehl, Inc that i am evaluating fore this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Habana Daydream
Habana Daydream
The C&D Bulk Library Project Habana Daydream Smoking Pipes rated: 4.8 This English blend is like a cigar in a bowl, and is composed of Virginia, black Cavendish, Latakiaand cigar leaf. Aroma from the bag is an interesting mixture of molasses, old leather, banana bread, and cedar. The ribbons are in all shades of browns. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. This blend is delicious from the start. Is it cigar like? Sure. It’s sweet and it’s smoky and it’s tangy and it’s accurate and it pushes all the right buttons if you like a good cigar leaf blend. I’d rather enjoy this blend. It’s quite fun. Now as you should expect it does have a heavy room note and it is kind of a strong blend both in aroma, taste and nicotine. The smoke is good and chewy and I will warn you that retrohaleing can be intense. I enjoyed the last bowl that I sampled along with some Apothic Red Blend  and the two paired nicely. If you like me and you enjoy all manners of tobacco this is probably a good blend to have on hand for the times when you won’t the flavor or cigar experience, but you don’t want the expense of a stick. Think about it you can buy a 10 and have mini bowls for the price of one quality cigar. I would say that makes this blend a value. My rating : 4 This is the 99th of 101 Cornell & Diehl, Inc bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Nutty Irishman
Nutty Irishman
The C&D Bulk Library Project Nutty Irishman Smoking Pipes rated 4.5 This aromatic is made of Virginia and Burley and smells of caramel , hazelnut, coffee, honey, cake frosting and cream. Chocolate brown and black ribbons are just barely perceived as moist. Very fragrant. Sampled in a Missouri Pride. So this is gonna be one of those reviews that doesn’t match the format. There’s no way for me to even act as if I’m reviewing this product from any point of discovery as this has been one of my favorite blends for many years now. Sweet and chocolatey and coffee and hazelnuts The blend hold a place in my heart for a couple of reasons. First - when my wife (married 32 years) and I were dating - my coffee date drink was coffee , Bailey’s and hazelnut syrup. This blend , in the bag , spot on replicates the aroma. Later I life I love to mix : 6 oz cold brew coffee 1 oz Frangelico 1 oz 5 County Irish Cream 2 oz Jameson (either original or Black Barrel) Shake over large cubes, pour strained on top of pint glass of crushed ice. Again - this blend is all over the top of that drink as well. There’s something magical about hazelnut, sweet cream, coffee and Irish whiskey - and this blend captures that. I have - and will continue to - kept a sizable reserve of this blend in hand and smoke it almost every Saturday morning with a cup of coffee or cocoa. My (very sentimental) rating : 5 This is the 89th of 101 C&D bulk blends being reviewed for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Izmir Turkish
Izmir Turkish
The C&D Bulk Library Project Izmir Turkish Smoking pipes rated 4.5 Here we have another blending tobacco - this time Turkish. The bag of Oriental leaf had a kind of a brandy smell. You know that crossroads between sugar and vinegar and raisin bread? To me that’s what Turkish smells like and it smells delicious. Sampled in a Missouri pride. I love Turkish tobacco. To me , “good” Turkish tobacco has a sourness to it. That should barely but still eclipse the spice or even the trademark stronger fragrance and this is a nice sour and tangy herbal blend. The room note is pure “sun cured Tobacco Barn” It actually tastes wonderful. It is warm, it is sweet, it is sour, it is fragrant, it is just solid oriental tobacco. I think it would be fun to take this and make some type of plug and compress real tight and get like an almost hash bar of Turkish tobacco. OK, if I’m being honest, I like this about equal as I do the Samuel Gawith Turkish that they released last year but I would much prefer Robert McConnell oriental over both of those. I realize that’s not being fair because two were blending tobacco and one is not, but I wouldn’t buy this if I had McConnell in my Reserves. Is absolutely a great component and it could be a daily driver for someone who enjoys Turkish like I do. Also think it would be useful for a roll your own tobacco. My rating : 4 This is the 88th of 101 C&D Bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Virginia Flake
Virginia Flake
The C/D Bulk Library Project Virginia Flake Smoking Pipes rated 4.4 This blending tobacco of pressed Virginia flake, gave off some aromas like grape bubblegum, plum / raisin, caramel. It has a smell that reminds me of a morning breakfast granola cereal like grape nuts. Stringy broken flakes of golden brown that were sampled in a Missouri pride. There’s a nice grassy, sweetness to this Virginia if you go good and slow, you can really appreciate some citrusy grapefruit part as well as some sweetness hay and grass. It’s just a solid , back bone Virginia, and does not have quite the sourness of the red Virginia that I like, but it’s sweet nonetheless, and you can tell that it’s from good origin. You don’t really wanna push this one because if you do, you’re gonna lose the nuance, you’ll lose the sweetness and it can kinda get cigarette ash tasting. Do keep a gentle cadence - that’s gonna be rewarded and if you lose your cadence, you’re not gonna be able to recapture the bowl. Once you go over the tipping point you’re over the tipping point. It’s plain and simple Virginia. I really like the Twiggy flakes. One nice little surprise as occasionally there’s almost vanilla-ISH almond note that comes and goes. This could easily be an all day blend but not for me. It’s just too plain. It’s definitely a great component to tobacco though however. My rating : 3 This is the 87th of 101 C&D bulk blends being reviewed for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Star of the East Gold
Star of the East Gold
The C&D Bulk Library Project Star of the East Gold Smoking Pipes rated 4.4 This English ribbon is comprised of Virginia, Latakia and Oriental and presents in colors of tan, browns and black. Aroma includes leather, light smoke, dry grass, and an earthy scent that I associate with clay. Sampled in a Missouri Pride. One thing I noticed from the very first light it has a very warm Virginia hay presence. Oriental obviously is the body and it has richness, but the Latakia is very subdued. I would even say the Latakia is more of an idea here than a flavor. Tastes all taken together, the Virginia seems dominant and grassy and I’m not sure that is the intention. Really wish I tasted Latakia as clearly as I can smell it from the bag. This taste kinda like someone just dumped the remains of an English tin on top of the Virginia tin and kept going. All in all , to me, this is a Virginia blend with oriental and a dash of Latakia . The feeling is that the oriental should really be the star of the show here, but the Latakia is too weak to prop it up and the Virginia is overpowering and overly sweetened. I’m not a fan. My rating : 2 This is the 86th of 101 reviews of C&D bulk blends for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Red Virginia Ribbon
Red Virginia Ribbon
The C&D Bulk Library Project Red Virginia Ribbon Smoking Pipes rated 4.4 This blending Virginia is quite beautiful in the bag and consists of very consistently cut reddish yellowish brown ribbons. Aromas include the expected sour tangy notes as well as something that makes me think of oats and raisins. This is a beautiful Virginia and really the biggest problem is it does not live up to what I want it to be. By that I mean, historically we have been able to get some stellar Virginias like McClelland and McCranies and the selfish part of me hopes that one day I would be able to buy a red Virginia ribbon blending tobacco, and age it and open it up to that wonderful ketchupy vinegary Tears in the corner of your eyes funky tanginess of days gone by. That’s not to degrade this tobacco. It is sweet and fragrant. I just wish the tang was stronger and is it worth the gamble to see if it comes with age? It’s very tempting to buy 5 pounds and put away in 10 half pound jars and sample it each year But my gut feeling is it just wouldn’t be there. One thing with Virginia is they always smoke hot for me and that’s because of my cadence. I recognize I’m freight train and I have to mentally focused to slow my cadence down. There’s an upper note that I can’t pin down. Mental image that pops up is that a grapefruit, but I wouldn’t say it’s a typically citrusy Blend. Retrohale burns my nose a bit. It’s nice, but to be honest of the blending components available I would rather smoke the Red Virginia Cavendish. I think the interesting thing here is I do not think this tobacco needs another component paired with it to improve it. If anything, I think it needs another component to temper and tame it and make it pick a lane and be defined. Obviously with their small batch release product Carolina Red Flake C&D knows what they’re doing when it comes to Red Virginia, but this ribbon alone by itself just leaves me a little wanting - and I’m not sure if it is a fair assessment or one based in nostalgia. I gave her a good go. I smoked enough bowls of it back to back that I literally gave myself heartburn (something that tobacco hardly ever does to me with the exception of Red Man whole leaf chewing tobacco). My rating : 4 This is the 85th of the 101 blends needed for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Dark Fired Kentucky
Dark Fired Kentucky
The C&D Bulk Library Project Dark Fired Kentucky Smoking Pipes rated 4.4 This is the king of all blending components. Dark, thick, blackish brown ribbons that are not oily, but look like they have a sheen to them. The aroma from the bag is smoke, smoke, smoke, and then right at the end of the spectrum just a little bit of smoke. Sampled in a Missouri Pride. Hell. Yes. This is the smoke that I have been looking for - delicious but almost to the edge of charred oak and cinders. I love the “in the face” full frontal nudity of this smoke. It’s unashamed and forces you to pay attention. It used to be if I saw a blend had Latakia, it piqued my interest. These days that is Dark Fire Kentucky. I want it in every blend I smoke because it just adds that tough leather acrid biting element that I find delicious. It is acrid – in a good way. It is strong – in a good way. It is meaty and rich – in a good way. This is not one you can hide from the wife when you come from outside if you’re a closet smoker. This one is going to work its way into every fiber of every fabric within 20 feet of it and take residence. To me, this is a 100% solid solo smoker. I love the tangy smoky assault on the senses and sometimes I will smoke this until my head swims. My rating 5 This is the 84th of 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Dark Burley
Dark Burley
The C&D Bulk Library Project Dark Burley Smoking Pipes rated 4.4 This blending tobacco is presented in ribbons. It looks like shredded corrugated cardboard. No insult and that is just the exact color and feel of shredded cardboard. Aroma from the bag reminds me of some of our family tobacco barns - if anything there’s some soft tanginess in there with a dusty smell , kind of earthy. This Burely is nice. I definitely like it more than the previous samples I have had. It’s just kind of a genuine Burley - in your face flavor and feel to it. It’s kind of like a cigar, but without the sweet wrapper taste. That’s not to say that there isn’t any sweetness, but it’s not a sugar sweetness - rather it’s more like how I consider cashews to be sweeter than walnuts. Just kind of a natural sweetness. Kinda like when you chew on a toothpick too long. It’s easy to see why it’s used as a blending building platform. It’s very solid as it goes as a solo blend. It feels kind of like you’re smoking something old time. Like your cosplaying as someone in the old West. I really like the fullness and the earthiness. Great blending component great solo blend My rating :5 This is the 83rd of 101 reviews required for the project.
Cornell & Diehl - Byzantium
Byzantium
The C&D Bulk Library Project Byzantium Smoking pipes rated 4.4 This English Balkan is a magical concoction of Latakia, Perique and Orientals. Presents in the bag with colors of khaki, brown, chocolatey brown, and black. Aromas from the bag are a mixture of deep smoke, oak, ketchup. Sampled in a Missouri Pride. This is a damn good Balkan. Immediately upon lighting it up you get a nice kick in the nuts from the Latakia telling you “hey I’m here and I run the show”. Then the spicy Oriental and Perique go on to just beautifully pack the bowl with flavor giving you a very lush and luxurious Balkan experience. I knew from the jump that this was going to be a five star blend and likely to see a lot of future action for me. I actually enjoyed several bowls of this blend and can tell you that it paired nicely with a couple of red wines like The Prisoner and Meomi Pinot Noir. It’s sweet and deep and has those nice nasal warming aromas that remind me of how wasabi kind of clears your sinuses in a flash of heat and then turn sweet on your taste buds. This blend literally made me salivate as I was smoking it. Although I’m not saying there are anything of the same composition, this blend will easily replace White Horse as one of my go to Balkans as my supply of that blend runs out over time due to it’s no longer being produced. If you’re a Balkan fan and you haven’t tried it I would recommend you give it a shot. My rating 5 This is the 82nd of 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Poplar Camp
Poplar Camp
The C&D Bulk Library Project Poplar Camp Smoking pipes rated 4.3 This is a ribbon cut Virginia comprised of Virginia, Perique , and Black Cavendish. The bag notes are very enticing. Kind of a homogenization of sweet barbecue sauce, tangy vinegar, soft smoke, and somewhere the smell of brown sugar cookies. The ribbons are tan, brown, and black and uniforming cut. Smoked in a Missouri pride. When I lit the first bowl, I was shocked because I tasted nothing. Sometimes you hear someone say they smoke a blend and all they got was hot air and that’s exactly how the first bowl starts. Like there was no immediate impression except for the absence of one. A little bit of pushing, and you could tell that it was a VaPer, but it was almost like a diet version. And this is confusing because just as the bag aromas are delicious so was the room note of the smoke I was producing, however, the flavor was as absent as the offensive line for the Carolina Panthers. Through subsequent bowls it did improve and I figured you have to push it a little bit, but therein you face a challenge because if you push it too much it’s going to get bitey but if you push it just right, you get some nice citrus little bit of spice little bit of tang - not a lot but it’s there. I kinda look at the sample and wonder is it too old? Or is it possible that it’s too young? I’m really wanting to find some positives here because I like VaPer mixes and two out of three being aroma in the bag and in the smoke to be sure it’s in the flavor somewhere. But I cannot unlock it. Taking my experience with these samples, I would describe this as a VaPer with training wheels for someone getting into pipe smoking on their way to more rich and complex blends down the road. My rating : 3 This is the 81st of 101 blends being reviewed for the project.
Cornell & Diehl - Pegasus
Pegasus
The C&D Bulk Library Project Pegasus Smoking Pipes rated : 4.3 Pegasus is a well respected Burley blend that is comprised of Virginia, Burley and black Cavendish tobaccos. Opening the bag I catch the aroma of molasses tea leaves touch of vinegar. There’s tan , brown and kind of reddish ribbon throughout it with little black chunks of leaf. Sampled in a Missouri pride. This is a tobacco that I’ve had before and that I like. This is just kind of like having an old friend over that you don’t see but a couple times a year but once you sit down with a beer, you picked the conversation up exactly where you left it months before. I don’t always want the spice and burn and all the herbal components of an English blend and when I want a good simple tobacco, Pegasus is one of the ones that I turn to. It’s a beautiful Burley . It’s nutty and bready and the extra sugar and character from the other components ties it together into a nice enjoyable simple blend. Your grandpa would approve of this blend . It probably fit right into any old man’s rotation because it’s a straightforward and honest tobacco. My rating : 4 This is the 80th of 101 C&D Bilk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Latakia
Latakia
The C&D Bulk Library Project Latakia Smoking Pipes rated : 4.3 This is straight Latakia, for blending. It reeks of smoke, cedar, tar/pitch, sawdust, coals and presents as a bag of craggy chunky ribbons. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. I expected this one to make me dizzy and be delicious. I was wrong and right - it was plenty delicious but much milder than I had predicted. Now I know how animals feel during forest fires - because I was pretty much surrounded by smoke the second I lit the first bowl. Smokey, spicey (herbal not heat), mossy ( think peated scotch) ; dense. It’s good. I’m an avowed English lover so I guessed I’d be all into this - but imma be honest - for the bang for the buck I’d just as rather smoke straight dark fire Kentucky. As a blending component , it’s top notch. As a solo smoke - meh - you could smoke it all day - but why? Especially with so many wonderful English blends available , for cheaper. My rating : 3 This is the 79th of 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Exclusive
Exclusive
The C&D Bulk Library Project Exclusive Smoking pipes rated 4.3 This Virginia ribbon is comprised of 50% Perique, married with a mixture of golden cavendish and Red Virginia, resulting in aromas of strong vinegar, Smokey ketchup, cola, pepper. Appearance is nice with evenly cut ribbons that span from tan to reddish brown. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. I never thought of drinking a glass of sweet tea with a tablespoon of black pepper in it - but I might now - because this is delicious. Unabashedly proud perique that you feel in the nose almost like wasabi initially that transforms to the sweet hay and tangy Virginia. Is it VaPer , or PerVa if the Perique is the most dominant component? No matter what you call it , Exclusive delivers a rather neat full flavor of spicy sweet goodness. I found it very enjoyable- and the Virginia tang was just enough to me to identify it as quality red Virginia. This is a blend with a strong aroma from the bag that delivers on taste. I’d be really curious to see two variants of this: 1) I’d like to have it pressed dense and sliced into flakes and 2) juuuuuust a pinch of Oriental to span the divide. Both of those are folly though - this mix does not need fixing - it is perfect as it arrives. My rating :5 This is the 78th of 101 C&D Bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Engine #99
Engine #99
The C&D Bulk Library Project Engine #99 Smoking Pipes rated 4.3 I was very excited to try this ribbon cut english blend because it is comprised of Virginia, Latakia, Burley, Perique and Oriental. The reason that excited me is because that is the same component list as Bayou Night, which I rated “4” and almost the same as Bailey’s Front Porch, which I rated “5” . I know that when it comes to that magical combinations, C&D are making some good English blends. This blend is for Latakia lovers only. When I tell you the Latakia is strong, it is nose burning strong. It’s almost like snorting scotch whisky up your nose. It’s just a pure lat bomb with a beautiful follow up of some spice and sweetness. To be honest, it’s probably a blend that is more than I could handle for more than a couple bowls back to back. It’s a strong and pungent as a freshman’s gym bag at the end of the semester. Engine #99 did to me the same thing that Nightcap does, but I’m not saying they’re the same. What I’m saying is - despite almost 35 years of nicotine consumption In one way or another , this blend made my head swim a little bit. Which honestly is kind of nice to be reminded from time to time that you’re not immune to the powers and magical potions of nicotine. This is an absolutely beautiful blend. The Oriental and Virginia’s are just razor sharp lying under a blanket of latakia and everything just goes together and form a beautiful symphony of flavors and depth. I will absolutely be adding a pound of this to my cellar very soon. My rating : 5 This is the 77th of the 101 blends that I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Engine #611
Engine #611
The C&D Bulk Library Project Engine #611 Smoking Pipes rated 4.3 Engine #611 is one of the highest rated aromatic ribbons in the lineup and is comprised of black Cavendish, Virginia and Burleigh. Appearance wise it’s very dry for an aromatic and is a mixture of tan brown and black ribbons. It was sampled in a misery, pride. I was surprised by this aromatic mainly because I have gotten gunshy about any aromatic with vanilla as of latet , but this vanilla is very subtle - much more subtle than any of the previous aromatics that I sampled. I actually kind of like it. It’s soft. It’s just the right amount of sweet and flavor in balance. I will place it somewhere between a very sweet latte and cake frosting - so it is not cloying, but it is for a sweet tooth. The room note at time to time had a weird cherry element that came and went that I never tasted in the blend, but I definitely could pick it up on the smell. Not sure where that’s coming from. Again I thought it was very nice blend. it’s soft, but it’s not like candy floss soft. There’s no cinnamon in here, but the Virginia pops through at times and gives a red heart candy like touch to the vanilla that I actually liked a lot. Have to respect the straightforwardness of this blend. This is definitely on the upper end of aromatics for me. It’s not a blend that I’m going to cellar In any large amount, but I wouldn’t mind having some on hand to have time to time when I need a break from Latakias and English blends . It would probably be especially nice to have around the holidays when attending larger family functions, and gatherings. My rating :3 This is the 76th blend of 101 that I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Billy Budd
Billy Budd
The C&D Bulk Library Project Billy Budd Smoking pipes rated 4.3 This rather tasty English ribbon is comprised of Virginia, Latakia, Burley, and a touch of cigar leaf. Of course, this gives some nice deep aroma’s that include smoke, leather, spices and is a nice blend of very dry and fragrant dark ribbons. I really love the outfront smoke element of this blend. It doesn’t make any apologies for what it is - a strong blend with a strong flavor. It’s very evocative of a campfire specifically reminds me of how a campfire smells in the winter time when the air is crisp. Latakia and cigar leaf and Burley rohether all make for just a forest fire in the bowl. The layers of smoke are mesmerizing because sometimes you can pick out elements and other times they blend into a thick melange of just smoky pudding. The really funny thing is the smoke itself physically is fairly light and the mouth feel is fairly light, but the flavor is just such a heavyweight. It reminds me of some old Drew Estate cigars I used to smoke called Nica Rustica and KFC’s. This is a really nice blend. I like it a lot and I plan to order a pound. My rating: 5 This is the 75th of 101 blends. I am reviewing for this project. Which means we are 3/4 of the way there and the finish line is in sight. I’ve enjoyed this process so far and look forward to the next 26 blends.
Cornell & Diehl - Yale Mixture
Yale Mixture
The C&D Bulk Library Yale Mixture Smoking Pipes rated 4.2 This English style ribbon has only two components being made with Virginia and Latakia. Aromas are interesting because they are on two opposite ends of the spectrum as it reminded me both of the soggy smell of a dampened campfire, but also that of a dusty barn. There’s almost a curry spice funk to it that I found interesting. To look at it there’s nothing special just a lot of light to dark brown with just a little bit of black speckled in there. One thing that I noted was It Is very dry to the touch. It was very springy in the bag, which is typically a characteristic that I like. It’s got a nice sweet wood smoke taste to it.  this has to be a result of the Latakia because it reminds me more of Burley than it does Virginia sweetness. It’s very light in the taste while at the same time being full of flavor. By that I mean, it’s a good mouthful of tastes but it’s not real heavy. Kind of like whipping cream is delicious but it doesn’t fill you up. If I detect any leather or iodine - especially in the beginning - it’s on the retrohale and not on the smoke itself. I think Yale Mixture would be an easy all day blend for many folks. One thing that I noticed as the bowls progressed - the warmth of them grows, and the latter Kia has a nice evolution and becomes more pungent. The smoke is all, but transparent I’ll provide a picture but the deeper you go, the more punching it which is a very nice evolution and enjoyable experience. As good as it is, I can’t help but think that it would be improved if it went one way or the other, either more lata key or less. I’ve use this excuse on other blends, but I think the balance is almost too perfect and no one is really stepping forward and being the superstar of the show. It’s obviously very good Virginia’s and Ladki when it shows itself is very delicious and I might be asking for too much at this point I really don’t know. What I do know is is that I like it but I don’t love it. I think it’s a little bit boring but at the same time I think it’s got great flavor in depth so I’m not really sure how to improve it beyond tinker with it. I’ll call it interesting. I think interesting is fair. I think interesting is also not insulting at the same time not making it out to be greater than I think it is. My rating :3 This is the 74th of 101 blends that I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Shandygaff
Shandygaff
The C&D Bulk Library Project Shandygaff Smoking Popes rated 4.2 This blend is one of the old Atlas blends that CND now produces and is comprised of Burleigh perique and oriental. The aroma is actually very simple. It smells like tobacco. I know that can be frustrating, but it just smells like cured tobacco like you would smell coming out of the barn. It’s a slightly decayed vegetable smell mixed with dust and sunshine.  this is a blend. It’s actually been on my radar to try for quite a while, but I never committed to placing an order. I’m kind of glad I waited and got just an ounce to sample because generally if I’m trying a bulk blind, I’ll just go ahead and order 4 ounces simply because of pricing. Generally, you can get 4 ounces of a bulk blend for the same price of a 10 of 2 ounces. Shandygaff has a very like sweet tea taste and I really didn’t detect hardly any of the Perique or orientals . If anything there’s just barely any spicy bite. It’s very good burley tobacco - it is smooth and it’s classic. There’s really no way I can classify this beyond it’s a quality codger blend. At first it made me think of Carter Hall, which is a blend that I smoke most often while fishing, but without that little licorice and aniseed taste that I associate with Carter Hall. The more I smoked it the more I really felt like it was probably closer to Granger. It’s not a Granger clone. Don’t get me wrong. It’s just what I would say is its next-door neighbor. It’s nutty and it’s warm and it’s sweet, but it’s really sweet because there’s an absence of any sour or tangy element. I don’t really find any flaw in it. I just don’t really find it to be special. My rating : 3 This is the 73rd of 101 lens. I am reviewing for this project. 
Cornell & Diehl - Red Odessa
Red Odessa
The C&D Bulk Library Project Red Odessa Smoking Pipes Rated 4.2 Red Odessa is a ribbon cut English comprised of Virginia’s, Oriental, Perique , and Latakia. Similarly to regular Odessa, the smoke and leathery elements are present, though this sample also has a bit of a citrus or vinegar tannginess to it, which is to be expected. Of course it was sampled in a Missouri Meerschaum Missouri Pride, corn cob pipe. OK. Seems like we were just talking about Odessa and that’s because we were. Odessa and Red Odessa both are rated in 4.2 on smoking pipes and simply reviewing them based on what they were rated and then in alphabetical order of the subset. I’m going to make the assumption (which is 100% my fault if incorrect) that the blends are an identical percentage and the only difference is simply that Burley in Odessa, Virginia in Red Odessa. Stating in the most general terms as someone who likes English and bulking blends, I like both of them, but I believe I prefer the red Odessa. I like whatever magic takes place with the Red Virginia and the Oriental better than I like the Burley underpinning of the other blend, however , that does not lower the score of Odessa and I’m not really going to increase the score of Red Odessa. I believe they’re both good blends. They’re just different. Literally a great example of a set of fraternal twins. Same DNA , same genesis, just slightly different in appearance and personality. If anything, I think the Virginia helps the Latakia here to be a little more prominent. I think the brighter note helps bring out the smoky and leather qualities because I get more of the iodine characteristic that I enjoy from this man that I got from the other. It does produce a very thin and transparent smoke and it’s got a solid bulking blend presence to it in the room. Just like It’s brother, Red Odessa is very smooth. It’s just a tick above medium on my internal strength scale both in flavor and nicotine and what I really like is there’s just a nice warm spiciness to the creek peppering over the top of the Turkish and Virginia’s own sweet and spicy combination and I think it’s really good. I will probably buy this one a little more than I buy the original but Just like Odessa I can see both being in my cellar moving forward. My rating : 4 This is the 72nd of 101 bulk blends by Cornell and Diehl I am reviewing for this project
Cornell & Diehl - Plantation Evening
Plantation Evening
The C&D Bulk Library Project Plantation Evening Smoking Pipes rated : 4.2 This English is ribbon cuts of various shades of brown with some black leaf Incorporated and interestingly has a wide spectrum of aroma, but they are all muted. Smoke, leather, vinegar, dust, dry tea leaves all are present in this blend, which is comprised of Virginia’s, Latakia , Perique and Oriental leaf. This regal blend was sampled in a Missouri Pride, which seems an insult to the blend as it is top shelf and well the Missouri Pride is not. OK. This is going to be a backwards review again. My rating is a five. It is a five. You need to go buy some before I buy it all up and you can’t get any. Why would I go crazy for this blend? First of all because it caught me 100% unaware. Looking at the name and just the way the world works out totally judging a book by its cover. I thought anything called Plantation Evening was going to just be some type of goopy, sweet aromatic with peaches and sugar or maybe something with apples or best case scenario a Carter Hall clone of some type of Burley blend.  I could not have been more incorrect. While they call it in English the first thing that I noticed when I lit the pipe up was “damn this taste like an amazing VaPer!”  I can’t really make you understand, but you’ll either get it or you won’t. At lighting it up there was like a shot of faint vinegar along with the sweetness of a tall glass of sweet tea, and there was depth there. I mean, there’s some solid depth in this blend and the perique and oriental just really mash in good with the Virginia and the Latakia , I think is a magical binder. It’s subtle. It’s so so subtle. It does not overpower the mix at all and I don’t even get the “hey this is a nice English” vibe from it. What I get is “damn I might like this better than Bayou Morning.”  There’s a bit of a spoiler alert by the way because while this is the 71st blend in the series Bayou Morning is the 101st blend. When I recorded the ratings Bayou Morning was rated the highest of any of the blends, so 30 blends stand between the two. And I’m familiar with Bayou Morning having bought in tins before and letting it age- the most recent tin I opened being from 2022 and I opened it just last week. With that recent reference, I can tell you that this blend right here really got my attention and I don’t have any of the sample left. I have smoked through the entire bag minus the library jar, which is something I have only done with two samples so far in this project. There’s something about this blend that just makes it taste more expensive; makes it feel more elegant. Honestly it makes the experience more richer than I have really experienced with anything else in the bulk project so far. It’s just damn good. I would rate it as the second best surprise of the project so far with the first of course being Captain Bob’s Blend and its wild ride. You’ve been warned. You need to go buy some before I buy all of it. My rating : 5 This is the 71st blend of 101 that I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Odessa
Odessa
The C&D Bulk Library Project Odessa Smoking Pipes rated 4.2 This ribboned English is comprised of Burley , oriental, Latakia and Perique and has ribbons of chocolatey brown and black tobacco.  Opening the bag one catches aromas of citrus, smoked meats and the familiar leathery Latakia dankness. It was sampled in a Missouri pride. I’m not sure exactly what defines in English into the category of a Balkan or not, but I feel like this is close to a Balkan blend if not spot on for one. I’ll have to do some research into that but suffice it to say it has characteristics of some blends that I really like such as Sasini, Sobranie, White Horse, and Black House. One thing though is it is lighter or softer than any of the others I just mentioned. The Burley and Latakia base is beautiful - like I said the smoke is leathery, but it’s soft and familiar. What I find interesting are the Oriental and Perry components both of which I tend to associate with spicy or brightness. For example, I seem to not notice the perique in the smoke as much as I noticed it in the after taste and it’s very beautiful there and the oriental I believe is contributing to a citrusy brightness and warmth but not a spice but again I like that there too. This is probably not the best way to describe it and you’ll either get it or you won’t, but it’s almost like a mixed half a tin of Balkan Sasini and half a tin of Early Morning Pipe. It’s a pleasurable blend. I have smoked several bowls of it over the past two days actually, and that will get added to the cellar to a reasonable degree. My rating : 4  This is the 70th of 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Granby Station
Granby Station
The C&D Bulk Library Project Granby Station Smoking Pipes rated 4.2 This aromatic is comprised of Virginia, Burley, Black Cavendish and Perique, resulting in a bag mostly black flecked with browns like specks in granite. Despite the wider blending range, it sadly has the aromas of pancake syrup, cookie dough and bananas. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. I am in an aromatic Hell. That statement is not indicative of this blend solely, but I am glad that the list remining here to the end only features about 3 more aromatics in the top 31 blends. But I digress. This blend is at least a tiny bit interesting, especially compared to other aromatic offerings. It does not hit it s full potential in my opinion, but then if it were deeper with the perique and thicker with the Virginia, we'd likely be walking into a whole other category anyway. That said, While I do not really get the perique, I think that it is the reason that the sweetness in this blend is not confectionary but more like a tall glass of sweet tea. It's an act of balance and offsetting - and a bit refreshing as compared to the last blend ( Founding Fathers) which was more cake icing sweet. Matter of fact, it's not surprising they are rated similarly, because there really is no difference in the two of them to me ( and smoked back-to-back to confirm I didn't load the pipe with the wrong blend) except Granby Station is less cakey -that's about it . Pros - It makes big "look at me" clouds of pleasantly scented smoke; it at least is not diabetes inducing; it's not offensive. Cons - I really feel like there's just a little more it could offer - be it a touch more perique, a touch less sweetening - something. But it's OK. It is a good aro that's just a bit different if you want one. I don't. My Rating: 2 This is the 68th of 101 C&D Bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Founding Fathers
Founding Fathers
The C&D Bulk Library Project Founding Fathers Smoking Pipes rated 4.2 This ribbon cut aromatic is composed of burley and black cavendish and is general mixed browns and reds; aromas from the bag are that of a hotel lobby breakfast - coffee, pancake syrup, toffee. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. This is a sweet confection aromatic, though I will say it is a natural sugar sweet and not a processed chemically one. It reminds me of what I remember 1Q, 1M, Captain Black Royal and the like to be like - soft, vanilla plus, sweet as a cupcake. The sweetness needs addressing because I want to be clear - it's not "thick" - it's just ever present and "clean". I don't like sweeter blends these days, but I respect that this one is honest. It's not gross - ok - we've established that But that's about all I can say for it. Its kinds one note, and if you want excitement, get a mistress, not this. This is as exciting as the third act at an elementary school talent show. I really does remind me of any (insert name of aromatic here) that you could buy 30 years ago in an envelope from the local drug store. And that's not taking a shot - those blends by and large are still around - there's a massive audience for them. Just not one that looks at me when I brush my remaining teeth. I don't see any reason to cellar this unless you have it and its hands down the ultimate nothing else will do blend and you want to hedge against scarcity - otherwise the world is full of this genre of aromatics, and one can easily pick up a fresh tin or bag anytime. Save the jars for something that will age, not for this. Like I said - it's not gross. It's actually anything special , either, though . My Rating: 2 This is the 68th of 101 C&D Bulk Blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Star of the East
Star Of The East
The C& D Bulk Library Project Star of the East Smoking Pipes rated 4.1 This ribbon cut English blend is composed of Virginia, Latakia and Orientals, and presents as very uniform cuts of browns and black. Aromas include the expected leather, that "latakia dank", warm spices and duet. Sampled in a MM Missouri Prode. Hello Balkans my old friend .. Nice latakia mouth filling flavor, but smooth and subtle - the offsetting Orientals giving a nice spicy "pop" and offering some buffering effect. I rather like it off the bat, with a bit of a little idea in the back of my mind that makes me think of Peterson Balkan Mixture - but that's weird because that does not have Orientals and instead has perique - but still the thought is there. STOE will produce some nice thick cotton candy clouds of smoke - push it if you want, but be careful, it can get a touch bitter - and that is recognizable because it's kind of on the milder side if respected and taken slow. All in all I am a fan - I like english blends - sure - but part of what i like is variety within the genre - a spectrum if you will - and this has a nice all around profile to it I could find enjoyable often. My Rating : 4 This is the 61st of 101 C&D Bulk Blends I am reviewing for this project .
Cornell & Diehl - Stratfordshire
Stratfordshire
The C& D Bulk Library Project Stratfordshire Smoking Pipes rated 4.1 This English ribbon is a beautiful mélange of browns and black, and is deliciously composed of Virginia, Latakia, Oriental and Black Cavendish. It offers aromas of leather, cotton , vinegar, oak / wood - something "sweet" somewhere. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. Interesting to me that this blend follows Star of the East - mainly because its just serendipity - they are both rated 4.1, and they fall this way alphabetically within the rating tier - and Stratfotshire has the same components as STOE , plus the addition of black cavendish. Not going to lie - I thought that the addition of the black cav might hurt the blend - I can't seem to get set with if I like it or hate it sometimes - but this sampling shows it's the right answer for a question that was not even asked. This blend is softer than STOE - either because of the black cav or maybe the latakia and or Orientals were tweaked - but it's a welcome softness. Whereas when I sample STOE I said " Man, i like this", when I sampled Stratforshire I said " Oh - damn! This is GOOD!" The Virginias also seem more prominent here - tangy and sweet and fragrant while wearing the smoke leather of the latakia like a bathrobe. Noce thick fragrant smoke here ,and on the retro hale it's a but sharper to the nose than it into the sipped sampling. I say it is softer - and it is - and it's kind of a "less is more" result - like the sum of all these parts exceeds that of STOE. Its only fitting if STOE was a 4, this would have to rate a point higher. This is good - I'll cellar some for sure. My rating: 5 This is the 62nd of 101 blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Tuggle Hall
Tuggle Hall
The C&D Bulk Library Project Tuggle Hall Smoking Pipes rated 4.1 Bag notes: This ribbon cut English smells like a bag of walnuts stored in an old dusty barn ; there is also a faint smoke - almost BBQ smell. Makes me think of spices and smoked meat. A pretty uniform in cut it is brown with black speckles - in a bowl for photographing it looked like a chocolate chip cookie. The components are Burley, Latakia and Perique. Sampled in a NEW MM Missouri Pride. This bad boy has some "OOOMMPH!" from the get-go - Nice. Is it an English, or is it a badass don't take no names while kicking ass Burley? Either way it is a nice woody spicy smoke. It's almost like taking a sip of Oban Scotch while sitting across the yard from a campfire. Thick white smoke that carries on with the campfire vibe, I swear it's got Dark Fired Kentucy in there somewhere. I mean, I guess a sprinkling of DFK could fly under the radar as just "Burley" but it's got some kind of special thing going on either way . What's tripping me up here is when I research i see "white burley " which I rated a 2 - is it that the latakia and perique are blended in such a way they imitate the DFK I want so badly to identify here, and the white burley is just a medium to round out and carry them? Either way - I am going to order some. And by "some" I mean a pound. And probably make a note to order another pound in 6 months. I think this is great fresh - but my gut says, " if you are patient, you will be rewarded". I already have plans to take this winter camping. Good stuff indeed. My Rating : 5 This is the 63rd of 101 C&D Bulk blends I am reviewing for this project .
Cornell & Diehl - Black Cavendish
Black Cavendish
The C&D Bulk Library Project Black Cavendish Smoking Pipes rating 4.2 Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride Bag notes: an oddly interesting crossroads between earthy mushroom umami and faint buttercream cake frosting. Black ribbons are cleanly cut, and while they look oily were surprisingly and reasonably dry to the touch. OK. I dreaded this one. I'm kind of gun shy as hell at this point when it comes to the aromatics and the black cavendish as a component - mainly because sometimes it's cool, and other times it's like taking a shot of Prestone antifreeze. This is where I tell you that this experiment, or project, or whatever this endeavor has become , is valuable if to no one else but to me., Because there are learning moments. It's not bad. I feared for no reason. It's actually , I guess, kind of lovely, if aromatic - or rather - not "seasoned" and "spiced" blends are your bag. It was much better than I anticipated. It has a nice dry smoke - and then it starts to make connections in my mind, There are blends I have rated as high as a 5 that have black cavendish- nine of them to be exact - so I obviously can't hate it like I thought I did. ( The nine so far being : Sweet English, New Market, Old Joe Krantz Red, London Squire, Captain Bob's Blend, Cordial, Old Court, Engine 382 and Stratfordshire.) But ALL five of the blends I have given a rating of 1 to - Belmont Station, Dark Cherry Cavendish, Berry Good, Black Cherry and Apricots and Cream ( so damn gross ) - all five also have black cavendish - and it was the componet I blamed in most cases - so what gives? I think I have a guess - Green River Vanilla. I may be off, but I think it is a component in the ones I don't like. And as I rated GRV itself as a 2, there is some kind of alchemy of blending it with the other fruit toppings that puts me off. Thats my current working theory. Anyway - back to this bag - I only smoked 2 bowls. Thats all I needed to determine 1) I was wrong maybe - that Black Cavendish on its own right is OK and 2) It's just not really my thing. There are hints - the tiniest and smallest mental trickery of hints of an almost Oreo like vanilla and chocolate essence there - but it a sugar free diet one as the matching sweetness is not present. It is not bad. It is not offensive. It is, however, as boring as watching ants walk by on the sidewalk. I see zero reason for me to cellar this blending tobacco. If I need some for a blend idea, I'll order some. Otherwise I don't think I'll ever smoke another bowl of it solo. My Rating: 2 This is the 64th of 101 C&D Bulk blends I am reviewing for this project .
Cornell & Diehl - Burley Ribbon Cut
Burley Cut Ribbon
The C&D Bulk Library Project Burley Ribbon Cut Smoking Pipes Rated 4.2 This is a blending tobacco and is very pretty in color and cut - like nice fluffy ribbons of strips of paper bag. It is very fluffy - it must have a low unit weight, too , because volume wise the bag was FULL. I really liked it. Smells from the bag made me think of dusty old barns, walnut oil stain and the smell of tea bags. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride and a Peterson 307. This is a good burley - I like it much better than the white burley for example. This is warm and nutty and is like a big warm walnut muffin in a pipe. Makes big attention getting clouds, too . It's a solid smoker, and I could see someone who is a codger blend fan enjoying having a 5 lb. bag of this in the closet. The main takeaway is that nutty sweetness - it's not Virginia high sugar sweet - but its own kind of sweet and nutty and warm and just damn good. I packed a massive bowl in an estate 307 Peterson I have, and it paid off in spades. Raisin, cardamon, pecan - it's the walnut muffin, expanded and improved. This one likes a lot of room. As far as blending tobaccos go, this one I place in the same category as the Red VA cavendish - it's solid on its own. My Rating: 4 This is the 65th of 101 C&D Bulk Blends I am reviewing for this project .
Cornell & Diehl - Constellation
Constellation
The C&D Bulk Library Project Constellation Smoking Pipes rated 4.2 This excellent ribbon cut English is an immediate assault on the sense with strong notes of smoke / campfire , leather and sweet dry grasses. Mostly darker browns and black ribbons of Virginia, Burley, Black Cavendish and Latakia. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride This is the pipe tobacco version of barbecue sauce ( not God's favorite barbecue sauce, Eastern NC Vinegar based blessed goodness, but like St Louis smokes and sugar and sweet spice sauce. Which is still better than Western NC Tomato based sauce - bless their hearts.) I have no idea what the latakia percentages are, but somehow its punch you in the face good while still giving the Virginias room to have a little sweetness. It's nice. Kinda gives me the same vibe I get from Plum Pudding. You know - that smokey twang? I knew by the middle of the second bowl that this was going to get a top rating from me. It is lots of smokey spicy fun - brown sugar and honey and smoke and pepper - I'm telling you - barbecue sauce - and I really dug it. I'm honestly really surprised that 1) I don't think I see this one talked about much / at all and 2) that it's not rated even higher on Smoking Pipes. If you like English blends, give it a try. I'd bet most folks like it . My Rating: 5 This is the 66th of 101 C&D Bulk Blends I am reviewing for this project .
Cornell & Diehl - Crooner
Crooner
The C&D Bulk Library Project Crooner Smoking Pipes Rated 4.2 This burley blends' reputation preceded it - it's the "Bing Crosby" blend that's burley and deer tongue. It fascinated me for a long time, but I was hesitant to try deer tongue ( and never tried any blends with it until the project). It's an interesting bag to inhale - honeysuckle, dust, dry lumber. It looks like cube cut burley but darker. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. I don't really know where to go with this review. I like it - like I like it enough it's going to get a top rating - but I can hardly explain why I like it . I think it Is because I honestly don't think I can explain to someone what deer tongue does for a blend. I even diagramed it in my notes - in a Venn diagram, I'd say it falls somewhere in the overlaps of Mint, Vanilla and Orange Blossom - but isn't any of those individually . I just know it's floral and tasty and I feel silly for avoiding it for so long . This blend is as smooth as Bing Crosby's singing; that's for sure it may be to this point my favorite first impression of a burley blend. I want to cellar some of this, but I don't feel like I'm going to go real deep with it . My gut tells me maybe deer tongue has a shorter half-life than tobacco - I have ZERO scientific basis - like I said - gut - so I'll likely get a ½ lb. , set on it a bit, and then check it out in a while and see if I need to go deeper or just occasionally replenish the supply. ( I did the same with Mixture #79 until Sutliff went tits up, and then I just got 4 lbs. and said I hope this lasts me till my dirt nap.) I enjoy this.. It is fun, feels kind of classy, and has a neat origin story. My Rating: 5 This is the 67th of 101 C&D Bulk Blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Orion's Arrow
Orion’s Arrow
The C&D Bulk Library Project Orion’s Arrow Smoking Pipes Rated 4.1 Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. Composed of near equal measures of Virginias (Bright and Red), Perique and Orientals , the bag notes are sweet, sour, fresh brewed tea, honeysuckle. Perplexing was a Smokey element , not present in the smoke. Wondering if the bag picked up a scent from another sample I had it stored with. In appearance my sample was markedly brighter and more vibrant looking than the pictures on Smoking Pipes website. My rating : 2 What the hell you’re asking - why up top with the rating ? Because this one was a hard decision and it kinda breaks my heart a little. I think it is an excellent example of how you could read a description for a blend you’ve never had, and order it only to discover it’s not what you usually would go for. I love Red Virginia. I love Perique. I love Turkish. A blend of all , in even portions - sounds like fun to me. But it’s not. It’s kinda boring and it lacks something. This is not lightly stated by the way. While my notes format is typically a three bowl session, I actually smoked closer to 6 or 7 with this one - I have it more chances than any blend thus far because I could t get it out of my head that it wasn’t the blends fault, it had to be great , maybe it was me. Here’s what I’ll tell you - sweet meets spicy and is almost balanced to the point of cancelling each other out , leaving you with a warm tobacco and Perique blend that’s just not a banger. So - try as much as I can, it’s just not one that I can get excited for. My rating : 2 This is the 60th of 101 C&D Bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Snug Harbor
Snug Harbor
The C&D Bulk Library Snug Harbor Smoking Pipes rating : 3.7 This eclectic cut ribbon is an aromatic English blend comprised of Latakia, Perique, Burley and Orientals. Aromas from the bag include smoke, leather, cedar, something barnyard/sweat-like and hint of spices. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. Not sure where I want to go with this one. It’s not bad. I’ll get that out up front. Likewise it’s not exactly exciting, either. If anything it kinda felt like London Squire but muted and from 100 feet away. That’s not to say it’s a turd. The Latakia / Perique magic for that makes that iodine astringency I adore is here - it is just soft as candy floss. It does have a solid leathery aspect , making it a real easy English puff fest. Where does the “aromatic” in English Aromatic come into play? Room note is nothing aromatic to me - its bog standard English sweat and horse shit campfire - all good things mind you - but if I told my wife this I’d aromatic she’d call for the looney bin to pick me up. It does light and burn exceptionally well, from first strike to ash, producing a thin gray smoke that’s oily on the palette.the astringency rises and falls at times - don’t know if that’s blend design, or luck of the pull getting an ounce order from a larger batch and maybe it’s just unevenly distributed. This falls I to the “I’ll wait for a 20% off sale and then grab a half pound” catagory for me. If you’ve found English blends to be a bit harsh , you could do worse than to try an ounce and see if it fits you. My rating :3- this is good - I’d buy it on sale Or to get free shipping in an order Thisnis the 34th If 101 blends to be reviewed for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Atlas Balkan
Atlas Balkan
The C&D Bulk Library Atlas Balkan Smoking Pipes rating 3.8 This ribbon cut English is comprised of Latakia, Perique and burley. Expectedly in appearance it’s a wide range of colors from khaki tan to matte black. Aromas are Smokey and spice and every thing nice , woodsy and “warm”. There’s a “fresh bread” smell in there somewhere , too. I enjoyed this one , but I expected to. I like Balkans in general, and this is an interesting approach to one. I say that because it’s different - not bad different - but has its own “identity”. I also enjoyed Stanhope (rated it a 5) and they’re both former Atlas blends , with Stanhope also having the same ingredients plus Virginia. For my liking , I think with the Virginia (Stanhope) is slightly better. That said this is no slouch. Smokey. Spicy. Iodine. The Latakia is delicious and the Perique ain’t scared to shine either. It’s a rather rounded blend and the burley adds a nice bready / warm side, definitely different than it would be with Virginian or Turkish here. I smoked several bowls of this while making my dinner at a state park camp ground - and being out in the breeze, with charcoal roasting some pork and a hidden cold beer close by - it’s a real treat. It’s definitely in the neighborhood with other Balkans I like - White Horse, Black House , Sasini - be also clearly not on the same street. After my dinner I took a small lunt (that’s a fancy way to say I walked 1/2 a mile round trip to carry my trash to a dumpster) and it was a great blend for the trek. I’m already a fast smoker - even more so walking - and it never got ugly or punishing under duress. Like I said - good blend. I just got a 1/2 lb of Stanhope - I’m sure I’ll get a 1/2 of this Atlas Balkan to stand beside it. My rating : 4- this is good - I’m ordering some to have around when I am ordering something else This is the 35th of 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Big 'n' Burley
Big’n’Burley
The C&D Library Project Big N Burley Smoking Pipes Rating : 3.8 This fairly uniform hues English had an erratic cut , and gave aromas of sweet corn and molasses, faint smoke and spice. Its beautifully constructed of Latakia, Perique, Burley and orientals Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. Damn good. Look at my first comment. “WOW”. It was like firing up a bowl of Crackin Oat Bran cereal, but improved with a touch of spice and hint of smoke. I’m a nicotine fiend. I smoke pipes , cigars, cigarettes (bought and RYO), chew leaf and dip Copenhagen and on occasion dabble with nasal snuff. This instantly got my full attention - it was a “smoker’s dream”. Sweet, warm , bit of spice, bit of smoke. Spice more prominent towards end of the bowl. It’s labeled an English , which I guess makes sense with the Latakia, Perique and Orientals - but to me this is a “modified improved Burley”. I freaking love it. Compared to the previous blend, it’s worlds apart. A bit of a warning though- do not push this one. It will run to the hot side and taste of ash if you abuse it. This is a good blend I think if you love a good “smoke/nicotine” but don’t really dig Latakia and/or Perique a whole lot. I say that because they’re here , sure , but really way way muted - just seasoning , not stars of the show - and do a great job bridging burley and oriental together. I’m really digging this. Get some - I am. For the excercise I will ascribe my own 5 point rating (whole number only). My rating : 5- this is great - I’m getting a pound minimum next pay day This is the 36th of 101 C&D Bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Billy Budd Blonde
Billy Budd Blonde
The C&D Bulk Library Project Billy Budd Blonde Smoking Pipes rating : 3.8 This ribbon cut Virginia smells of leather, whisky vanilla, oak and faint smoke. It was a u inform cut and color , reminding me of old pine straw. (Not an insult). Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. This blend is Virginia sweet and burley strong. I couldn’t ever really find the Perique - and barely the cigar leaf. It’s more like they magically cancelled each other out, leaving the Virginia sweetness unchecked and the burley as the boiler driving the train. For a VA, it does have a nice room note , and you get the expected burley induced large cottony smoke. I never quite got impressed with this blend - it’s just “meh”. More bland than blend , if you will. It smokes a bit hot - pushing it will get you ashes and acrid taste quick. I noted that I tasted “almost” - as in “almost good”. The sweet side is just too overpowering for the blend when I look at the composition. It’s prettier than it smokes. To be fair it’s not “bad” - I just think it’s rather boring. My (modified) rating : 3- this is good (well, Its not bad) - I’d would only buy it on sale Or to get free shipping in an order This is the 37th of 101 C&D bulk blends I am sampling for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Bradyville
Bradyville
The C&D Bulk Library Project Bradyville Smoking Pipes rating 3.8 Tin notes : Birthday cake frosting, vanilla wafers, sugar cookies, sweet coffee. Ribbon cut is pretty - darker browns and black. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. This is a clean and sweet aromatic that doesn’t harbor any of the trappings of chemical hidden tastes. The smoke is full and fragrant. It tastes nice but eventually fades to just a smooth Virgina finish. I smoked this blend while fishing on my boat. It stayed lit and was easy to “forget” and just go on autopilot. My fishing partner commented it smelled nice. This smokes nice , and if I were more into aromatics id probably rate it higher. While it doesn’t exactly excite me, it’s good and quality. I’m sure plenty of folks enjoy it as a favorite blend for sure. I’d likely to buy on sale. My rating : 3- this is good - I’d buy it on sale Or to get free shipping in an order This is the 38th blend of 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing for the project.
Cornell & Diehl - Bright Virginia Ribbon
Bright Virginia Ribbon
The C&D Bulk Library Project Bright Virginia Ribbin Smoking Pipes Rating 3.8 This is a Blending tobacco, presenting singular ingredient bright leaf Virginia. To me the sample had aromas expected - growing up and still living on an operational tobacco farm in central NC, this bag smelled like walking into one of our curing barns - specifically like a Long brand bulk barn, and its symphony of scents including dust, cardboard, dried grass and wood that’s been baked by curing cycles for 20 years. It’s a comforting smell. On aroma alone, this was beautiful. Being a blending tobacco it is to a degree pretty singular, but that’s not to say without depth. It’s sweet , but it doesn’t also have the tang I love with leaf taken higher up the stalk. To be honest it is kinda boring to me - I love Virginias - but more so reds , orange - but lemon and bright leaf have a place and this sample was quality leaf. Good on the farmer for the cultivation and curing. It’s a good reference smoke and I do think everyone should at some point buy small samples of blending materials to sample independently to get a taste and feel for them. It’s Virginia - it’s got high sugar and can get hot. For a rapid smoker like me this is where I have to mentally remind myself of pace and cadence. I do t get the hay, but there is a vegetal quality to it. I just wish it had a little more pizzazz or “oomph”. This is a blend that suffers on my rating because I don’t see a need to bulk purchase and cellar it. While I have played with making my own blends, I order the components as needed, usually in quantity to a ratio I’ve already call, thus no extra left over nor need to age indefinitely. As a blend in its face , I’d give it a 4. In the spirit of this project: my modified rating : 2- meh. It’s good and quality but I won’t mind never having it again, but I’ll smoke what I got andnirder only when I meed some This is the 39th of 101 C&D Bulk lends to be reviewed for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Engine #113
Engine 113
The C&D Bulk Library Project Engine 113 Smoking Pipes rating 3.8 This aromatic ribbon is probably best noted for what’s not in the blend (Black Cavendish) than what is - a blend of Virginias, dark fired Kentucky and burley. Notes Include wine / booze , hay/grass , sugar cookies. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. So I had no idea this was an aromatic when I got it. But first light made me reach for the phone. I checked both the smoking pipes site and pipe tobacco review site and got some understanding. Apparently it is an aromatic , with topping flavors of black berry , brandy and vanilla. It’s not overpowering. If anything this is my kind of aromatic - aromatic on the down low. The brandy / wine note is juuuuust enough present to be pleasant, and the sugar cookieness must be the vanilla playing off of the Virginias. Well done. The burley here is present and up front, laying down a good smoke. If anything the nuttiness goes into the brandy and sweetness in a nice way, like almond in marzipan. But - that’s about it. It’s not a life changer for me- though I do think it may be an aro that actually improves with age a bit. I’m willing to take that gamble withh an 8 oz order at some time down the road. My rating : 4- this is good - I’m ordering some to have around when I am ordering something else. This is the 41st of 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Smooth English
Smooth English
The C&D Bulk Library Project Smooth English Smoking Pipes rated 3.9 This English ribbon consisted of a mix of fairly cut brown ribbon and larger irregular black “chunks”. The tobaccos of the blend are Latakia, burley and Black Cavendish. Aromas of leather , soap, grass , smoke , and something akin to honey. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. This blend left me wanting. Yes, it’s has a nice warm and prominent burley and the Latakia is well applied giving a good leathery taste - but no spice. It’s called “smooth” English - it’s smooth all right - no high notes , just rhythm section. This reminds me of something but I cannot pin it down. I can tell you it’s nice with earl grey tea. If anything it makes me think of rainy days. Really wish this had some kind of “pop” or “oomph” but I’m guessing that’s exactly not what the blender was going for when they designed it to be smooth. For me , C&D has several better englishes. Sweet English for example has the same components plus Virginia and is much more to my liking. My rating : 3 This is the 42nd of 101 C&D Bulk blends I am reviewing for this pu.
Cornell & Diehl - Autumn Evening
Autumn Evening
The C&D Bulk Library Project Autumn Evening Smoking Pipes rating : 3.9 This popular aromatic is basically black, moist to the eye and touch, and is Virginia based. It reeks of dollar store artificial syrup, honey and raisins. I endured it with a MM Missouri Pride. Upfront - I have had this blend before - didn’t think it was all that great then, don’t think it is all that great now. I’m 43 blends deep I to this project y and this is the third Maple aromatic I’ve faced. And to my personal preference, the least enjoyable. Ranking them I’d go: Black Gold Maple Maple Cavendish Autumn Evening BUT … my opinion of aromatics and flavors skewing how it does, I totally expect that there are many devotees to Autumn Evening who would rate them in the exact opposite order - and we would have the same justification - the maple assault / appeal. To me it’s too much. Sweet is something that a little is good , a lot is bad. And this blend absolutely drips with maple syrup flavor. If you’ve ever been half hungover , and eyeballed an ego waffle that is swimming in a puddle of Log Cabin and thought “Man, I wish I could smoke that” then by all means this is your jam. For me though , it’s too much. I really much prefer the lighter more nuanced maple found in the other aforementioned blends. I am actually giving this a point higher than my gut feeling - because it is quality, it is consistent and I could see a time I’d say “let’s try that again and see how I like it now”. Luckily this one is also offered in a tin , though- so I won’t waste jar resources- if anything I’ll just get a tin and chuck it in among the others. My rating : 3 This is the 43 of 101 C&D blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Bayou Night
Bayou Night
The C&D Bulk Library Bayou Night Smoking pipes rating 3.9 This English is a who’s who of Virginia, Latakia, Perique, burley and oriental. It’s delicious in aroma with smoke, leather, whiskey, cedar all laying in a nice Latakia warmth. My sample was various shade of brown, from that like a paper bag to dark walnut and I enjoyed it in a MM Missouri Pride. Nice English hit right off the light up. This one has a good Latakia smokiness and Perique spiciness combo. It’s a good smoke and I really like the warmth and spice. Second bowl and I was already down to having to determine if this is a 4 or a 5 and would I order a half pound or a full pound. I mention iodine as a marker for my palette in scotches and blends I like and it’s here in nice measure. I guaranty it would pair with a nice red wine or a porter of good quality. Not a lot to harp on here - it’s just a solidly blended English blend and I think it’s delicious. My rating : 4 This is the 44th of 101 C&D blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Cordial
Cordial
The C&D Bulk Library Project Cordial Smoking pipes rating 3.8 This english ribbon was a surprise when I opened the bag - because with the name Cordial I was totally expecting either a cherry vanilla or an amaretto aromatic. Imagine my reaction when I had steamed myself for the cloying fruit liqueur sensations only to be greeted by the Smokey leather I love so much . Touch of vinegar tang, a musty hay , brown sugar and cedar. Made me excited ! Tonya os are Virginia, Latakia , orientals and black cavendish. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. After getting over the shock of the bag hiding an English under an aro name, I was pleased upon light up to find something akin to Match 20 / 965. Not a clone at all but in that wood paneled library reading the days financial pages type of blend. It has heart. It was solid out of the gate for me - great marriage of natural sweetness and soapy leather. I made a note “This is a good solid “How are ya?” English “ meaning it’s pretty direct. I had not long before enjoyed another bowl of Smooth English and they couldn’t be more different - this blend has Virginia and Orientals and it’s miles better. This may be a 2 pound order. Simply put it’s a good solid English with a nice profile and yet is soft enough that I could smoke it all day. Kinda wish this was in tins. My rating : 5 This is the 45th of 101 blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Derringer
Derringer
The C&D Bulk Library Project Derringer Smoking Pipes rating 4.1 *Transparency Disclosure - I have had this blend - and cellar it currently - and like it. However I always have purchased tins. The sample her was ordered as bulk.* This straight Virginia looks like shattered dry pine straw and smells of hay, honey, lemon grass. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride and then smoked in a Peterson Dracula 05. Ok. As we get to the higher rated blends, we are going to more often encounter blends I already either know or have at least tried before. Derringer is one I’ve not only tried , but rather think of as extremely undervalued and under discussed. I’ve referred to in in posts before both here and Reddit as the “poor man’s CRF”. Not because it’s identical but because it is consistant , dependable , very good, and more importantly - almost always available. It has an excellent Virginia sweetness - almost honey like but not all the way (we’ll talk about that with Interlude) but for a straight Virginia it is a no bullshit good blend. Do. Not. Push. This. Blend. Let it smolder. Sip it, don’t gulp. Let it come to you. You’ll be rewarded for patience. I already cellar this blend. I have, I believe, 9 or 10 tins , purchased over time to spread the age. I’m in the fence when it come to aging Va of the advantage , where available , of keeping small , vacuum tight offerings versus larger jars. Maybe I need to get a lb and jar and try to remember in 5 years to compare. Back to the issue at hand - 100% recommended, and totally would suggest “laying some back” regardless of I. You like tins or bulk. My rating : 5 This is the 59th of 101 C&D Bulk Blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Espresso
Espresso
The C&D Bulk Library Project Espresso Smoking Pipes rated 4.0 Aromas were coffee , smoked/burnt sugars, and the sour pungent note I pick up on some aro blends but can’t explain. It’s a back cavendish ribbon that’s slightly oily looking , and less but still noticeably oily to the touch. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. This coffee blend is nice - do t want to give the impress it is not - but left me wanting. Mainly be used it’s the coffee but not the sweet that is Mocha , which, you may recall, is basically the base imo of Nutty Irishman which I like a lot. Here , I don’t get the sweetness or cocoa I like - instead the coffee / espresso if anything gets a touch bitter / sour. It makes huge clouds of smoke that are very pleasingly frangrant. To be honest - to me - this blend is a 5 in the bag, 5 in the room , but a 3 on my scale for cellar worthiness. Not because it’s bad mind you - but it’s a niche I feel C&D already addresses really well. Espresso
Cornell & Diehl - White Burley
White Burley
The C&D Bulk Library Project White Burley Smoking Pipes rated 4.0 This blending component is burley (duh) and is a nice uniform brown shade of a Hershey bar. It has an interesting aroma - slightly dusty but sweet - kinda like dry tea leaves - and just the faintest itty bitty vanilla sugar touch. I figured it would benefit from a larger bowl and here I pulled an audible , skipping the cob. And getting instead on of my meerschaum with a larger bowl. It’s C&D burley - you’re either a fan or you’re not. But it’s got a really nice low level sweetness - kinda reminds me of when you chew a birch toothpick too long. It’s a natural sweet but not a sugar sweet. It’s got a nice nuttiness to it and some will enjoy it smoked solo , producing big billowy clouds - of a kinda rough aroma. That’s maybe my only flaw here - the room note just isnt pleasing, but I found it kinda like a wettened camp fire. I can imagine if this is all you could get, you’d smoke it and know no better if the wider world of blends, and still enjoy the experience. As a blending component it’s off the scale - even a 5 isn’t high enough to recognize its importance in blending. But as something to cellar as a solo smoke, it’s a pass for me. My rating : 2 This is the 57th of 101 blends by C&D I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Bailey's Front Porch
Bailey’s Front Porch
The C&D Bulk Library Project Bailey’s Front Porch Smoking Pipes rated 4.1 Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. Typical English blend appearance with even ribbons of hues from tan to black; bag aroma includes notes of leather, saddle soak or mink oil , smoke, hay, a sense of dust. Composition is Virginia, Latakia, Perique, Burley. I had a bit of trepidation starting back up the reviews with an English, mainly because Jase I just spent a week smoking blends that had heavy Latakia and dark fired components and I was afraid that I may not appreciate any more subtle aspects of a blend - luckily I was wrong. By now it’s clear I’m an avowed English blend lover and this one kicks off with great notice that it’s a great example of one variant of the genre. It’s soft. Maybe some would call it an aromatic English, sometimes I see the phrase American English. Whatever you want to call it , BFP is a nice full serving of burley and Latakia , with nicely metered dosages of sweet Virginia and spicy Perique deftly applied. It makes an oily , semi transparent smoke, and it has a nice room note. As I enjoyed a bowl with a glass of Pinot Noir, I tried to determine what image the blend evoked for me - and I settled on a nice walk through the woods on the backside of our property. It’s got a “go for a walk” kinda vibe. Sometimes English blends leave just the tip of my tounge feeling like it’s spiced - not so much here. It’s judicious in its profile to be a clever little sipper. My rating : 5 This is the 58th of 101 C&D Bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Engine #382
Engine #382
The C&D Bulk Library Project Engine #382 Smoking Pipes rated : 4.0 Sampled in a MM Missouri Meerschaum. Bag notes - starts with a surprise - I smelled deer tongue but had no idea it was going to be there. Had to pull up the profile to verify. Also present was a hay mustiness and some spice element letting me know the Perique was there. This ribbin cut Virginia is comprised of Virginia, Perique, deer tongue , burley and black cavendish. Ok. I already said that the deer tongue was a surprise - I honestly didn’t know it was going to be there but it made me happy to 1) pick up in the smell and 2) correctly identify it. It’s got a nice flavor. I also have a question - where’s the line between this Virginia and an English aromatic? I’m guessing the absence of Latakia. It’s a nice creamy smoke with the deer tongue and the Perique offering an interesting vanilla spice combo. It floats nice clouds of creamy smoke easily. I’m thinking I could be pushed to bite a bit. So - a low low bakers chocolate sweetness , with creamy vanilla and some warming spices - that’s what’s up here. I’m learning I like deer tongue blends. This one is good. My rating : 5 This is the 55 of 101 reviews for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Haunted Bookshop
Haunted Bookshop
The C&D Bulk Library Project Haunted Bookshop Smoking Pipes rating 3.9 This (possibly most controversial) burley blend is a rather bland uniform cut with the color of paper grocery bags. It’s dry to touch and has a dusty, earthy woody main profile with hints of hay sweetness and herbal spice. I sampled two bowls for the review in a MM Missouri Pride. Disclosure: I have had - and keep on hand - this blend for several years. For the integrity of the project I did order a fresh ounce and did not sample from my on hand supply. Ok. This is one folks seem to love or hate. And interestingly I’ve been in both sides of the coin. Haunted Bookshop is the poster child for the advocacy of cellaring burley blends. When it’s is fresh , it’s kinda rough. The C&D trademark burley is all up in your face , the Virginia just flashes in and out with hot sweetness and the Perique can come off like spice added for the sake of adding it. However - this review will veer off track a bit because I know from personal experience what some rest does for this blend. 6 months and it’s a little better - a year or more and it’s a totally different blend. I like it. It’s bready, heady , strong and tasty. If you have been on the fence for this one , I totally recommend you do not buy a tin - for basically the same amount of a 2 oz tin, you can get 4 oz of bulk. Divide it up I to 4 one ounce samples - and smoke one now , in 6 months, 9 moneys and a year. I bet you see the changes. My rating : 4 This is the 46th of 101 C&D blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Mocha
Mocha
The C&D Bulk Library Mocha Smoking Pipes rating 3.9 This aromatic blend is a greasy bag (see picture) of black cavendish with aromas of espresso, chocolate, vanilla and sugar floss. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. When I saw the greasy nature of the bag I cringed - the previously reviews aros that were oily all seemed to be , well, gross. This is not the case here. Though it did crackle once or twice in the bowl, this actually was very very familiar. Not that I have ever had it mind you, but I am a huge fan of Nutty Irishman , and I’m pretty sure this is about 7/8 of that blend, sans the hazelnut. That said I like it. It has a good chocolate coffee vibe and smells amazing in the room. And it will fill the room - it even makes monster clouds when outdoors. There was a time when I was a big fan of the saucier Sutliff tins like Molto Dulce and Pana Cotta. It’s kinda in that vibe. It’s confectionery but it’s not a heavily sauced or overbearing. I’d say it’s 5x better than the fruit aros I’ve had so far - it’s a decent blend. My rating : 4 This is the 48th of 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Old Court
Old Court
The C&D Bulk Library Project Old Court Smoking Pipes rating 3.9 This mellow English reeks of latakia’s smokey funkiness, hints of spice and leather. Kind of an old barn wood smell. It’s a mixture of shades from browns to black. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. Nice all day English. The Latakia is the primary dancer on stage, Smokey and sweet but not aromatic. The Perique is subdued but that’s OK. Not every blend needs to stick needles in your tongue. This blend takes a softer , mellower approach. The smoke is medium but be careful - it wants to burn a bit hot and if your a faster cadence smoker like I am, you wanna be aware. Although with speed it seems that the “spiciness” amps up a bit. If you can be disciplined here it actually ends a little sweet - guess that’s the Virginia waiting its turn to say hello. So. I like the Latakia doesages here. It’s soft. It’s mellow. The burley is t the star of the show but rounds out things nicely. I’ll cellar some against the future. My rating : 5 This is the 49th of 101 Bulk blends from C&D I am reviewing for the project.
Cornell & Diehl - Red Virginia Cavendish
Red Va Cavendish
The C&D Bulk Library Project Red Virginia Cavendish Smoking Pipes rating : 3.9 This blending tobacco of red Virginia prepared as a cavendish is a uniform cut of brown ribbons and smells like raisins - like a lot. Sure there are also notes of brandy and some unidentifiable mustiness - but mainly raisins. Like Sunmaid raisins in the little boxes that my mom used to pack into my lunch. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. This blending tobacco can totally be enjoyed solo - and I can tell you in the future I will be doing exactly that. It’s got the subtle sweetness of a sweet tea bought in Maryland (sorry Maryland but it’s called SWEET tea for a reason, not a suggestion). There’s also an acidic tang that’s like cherry but not a cheery flavor. Do not come here looking for the good vinegary ketchupy red Virginia notes - I’m guessing the steaming of the cavendish process negates them - but there is a slight tang none the less and honestly it makes this more than just a blending component. It’s tasty. It’s also kinda monotone 95% of the time BUT it’s a good monotone. I could totally see this sold in big 8oz Tubs along codger blends - it’s bone stock simple but I have no doubt it’s also 100% reliable/predictable. It makes a nice , full smoke. I think it has to be the secret component in many blends - and I’m really curious what home blends folks may have with this as a central component. I personally use it in my English blend “HP01 Wels Catfish”. I could smoke this solo, and often. Especially when fishing or camping. I also think it may be useful to “spruce up” a blend time to time that’s “lacking something”. It weird to cellar a blending blend as a smoking blend - but, I think I want some of this on hand. My rating : 4 Yay! This makes 50 blends of the 101 C&D Bulk blends I am reviewing for the project. Hard to believe that we’ve gotten here in just about a month. I have the remaining 51 samples already on hand - and will resume in a few days. But for now I’m taking a break to enjoy my briars and some old friends before carrying on. (And I’m waiting for another case of mini jars - I forgot to order them in time to keep going but Amazon says they’ll be here in a couple days.)
Cornell & Diehl - Virginia Gentleman
Virginia Gentleman
The C&D Bulk Library Project Virginia Gentleman Smoking Pipes Rated 3.9 This Virginia ribbon is a uniform rainbow of a single color of brown, comprised of Virginia, burley and orientals. Aroma from the bag include raisins, oatmeal, hay, sour candy and a sweet bread. A new MM Missouri Pride was used to sample this blend. Upfront - it’s got a solid “pop” to it. You can “feel” this one. It’s kinda “cigarette”-ish in flavor to me from the start. That’s not a complaint per se - just what it makes me think of. It is warm and touches in sweet but the life saving factor here is the orientals keep it from blandness and offer a little spice. Second bowl and it seems more and more like an upscale RYO blend. Framed like that it’s almost something I have attempted to capture , mixing Gambler Turkish, Ohm Bold and a little Five Brothers. This isn’t a “show stopper” but I think it’s a solid “smoker’s” blend. Third bowl and I’m pretty much decided I’ll take what’s left and toss in my tote of RYO stuff. Look - the flavors are honest tobacco - and clean. I’d say it’s almost Camel Select like - but that’s not what I want in a pipe blend. My rating : 2 This is #51 of 101 blends being reviewed for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Yorktown
Yorktown
The C&D Bulk Library Project Yorktown Smoking Pipes rated 3.9 This Virginia ribbon is a buffet of Virginias - staved red , bright , then that’s stoned together , then red added. Inception. Aromas range from Raisin Bran (not an auto correct typo) ; hay , tea , dirt , something so Irish without making it to sour sour and I don’t know what to call it except “sunshine”. (That’s the smell of a curing barn in May when it’s being warmed for the spring and you smell 50 years of tobacco’s ghosts imbued in the wood.) Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. I’m going to start this where I’m going to end up: it’s OK and probably an excellent “beginner’s Virginia”. It’s smooth , and borderline creamy but juuuust enough red Va to keep it from getting overly sweet and still retains a little “tang”. Watch your cadence here - fast rhythm folks like me can push it to just hot air if you abuse it. It packs in the bowl nice. The ounce I got was bone dry yet springy and the ribbon is nice and “tangly” so it easily “pills” up. Sweet tea with honey and a squeeze of bergamot - that’s what I’d equate this too. It’s good - if not inspiring - but I have to wonder if at this point I’m so used to perique and Latakia and in your face oriental bite that I’m just immune to some of it’s charms. I say all that because as good as it is - and it is good solid tobacco tastes going in here - I just keep wishing it had more of something else. As it is, it’s kinda a triple layer Virginia cupcake that someone forgot to put the icing on. It’s good but for me there are way too many much better Va and VaPer options out there to invest much in this one. My rating : 3 This is #52 of 101 blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Apricots and Cream
Apricots and Cream
The C&D Bulk Library Project Apricots and Cream Smoking Pipes Rated (unfathomly) 4.0 This black bag of oil suspended aromatic ribbon is comprised of black cavendish and regret. Its aromas are a bald lie to the senses , prompting one to think of apricot and prunes, cola , cake icing vanilla and the good old green antifreeze from the 90s. It was sampled in a MM Missouri Pride, who had done nothing wrong but was punished anyway. Ok. This blend is inspiring. For example, it inspires me to build a Time Machine , and go back to three days after this blend was invented , get a job with the blender , and fire them for thier sin. Then I’m inspired to go to the day before when they are still employed , hide in the parking lot and key thier car. It’s berries and cream 2.0. If you were waiting for anything better than that, you may as well be waiting for GTA 6. It’s wet - oily - look at the bag - and it sizzles and pops like bacon in the cob. Worse yet it’s the first blend of 53 sampled to make the pipe gurgle - twice - in two different cobs. It’s swamp grass and disappointment. It was during the second (read that as final) bowl that I hit on something - the elusive “what is that flavor that I can’t describe?” question was answered : Remember when you were a kid and you had a birthday party and when the candles were blown out you got one and planned to lick the frosting off but for some reason instead you took a bite out of the damn thing ? That’s the taste. Frosting and wax. (To be fair - some folks like that and grow up to eat crayons. Semper Fi and thanks for your service if you suddenly feel seen.) I couldn’t take a third bowl. I may be a machine powering through all these blends but when the sun sets each day I am but just a man , and no man should be forced to endure three bowls of this in a day. Or week. Maybe a lifetime. I’d like to take a moment to apologize if I offended any marines with the crayon comment. Given the revolting taste of this blend I don’t even want to joke that you’d enjoy it on purpose. Someone owes me $3.72 and an hour of my life back. Also - I’d like to take a moment and apologize to any fans of Cult BRM. For many years I have shamed your blend as the worst tobacco commercially produced. I’m sorry. It’s the second worst. Enjoy the small victory. My rating : 1 (and that’s charity) This is the 53rd blend of 101 I am reviewing for this project and if I can name a positive of the experience it is that I will never - never ever - never ever ever - try this again. I say boy, I say - it’s hot garbage.
Cornell & Diehl - Cavendish Cut Burley
Cavendish Cut Burley
The C&D Bulk Library Project Cavendish Cut Burley Smoking Pipes rated 4.0 A uniform brown ribbon aromatic comprised of Virginia and Burley; to me the bag smelled very much like Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal (a smell I like) , vanilla , dry straw. Sampled in a new MM Missouri Pride. This is a fun little VaBur smoker , balancing sweet and nuttiness / breadiness well. While it’s a touch bland (similar to Yorktown which I recently sampled) you can tell it’s what the blender was striving for. My gut tells me that age *might* make it better but I dunno. You can make good burley pillowy clouds of smoke but do not push it - if so you end up tasting ash and hot air. The official bio mentions a citrus element - I won’t say I got that but I will say there is a brightness in flavor that balances the sweet nicely and keeps everything in harmony. I wrote “Prince Albert-ish?” In my notes and maybe so. Or Granger. Maybe Half and half. Point is it makes me think it rigjt at home to being comfortable in a big ass can on your Papa’s wood bench. To that degree I think I surely has “all day” blend potential. In the balance of things I like it more than I don’t. Needs something ? Probably not. I just need to get 8 oz and smoke it exclusively to get to appreciate it better most likely. My rating : 3 This is the 54th of 101 blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Epiphany
Epiphany
The C&D Bulk Library Project Epiphany Smoking Pipes Rated 3.9 This ribbon cut English blend is mottled brown and black, perfect moisture and has the anticipatory aromas of leather, cedar, iodine, smoke and hay/grass. Components are Virginia , Latakia, Perique , burley. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. I found this blend to be less an Epiphany and more a Conundrum. It’s established I skew towards English blends ; I love me some Latakia and Perique - but not once did I have an “A-Ha!” moment. And it’s not for lack of giving it a chance - I actually smoked through this sample deeper than any reviewed so far. I smoked it for a couple days. Cobs, briar and meerschaum. It’s just … adequate - nothing special. It’s “warm” upon light up and what’s striking is how you both can detect all the compañera, but none outshines the other. While one could day “well that means it’s balanced “ my inclination is that’s it’s almost too balanced - to the point of blandness. It does have a nice aroma, both in a bag and as smoke in the room. It does smoke easily and mindlessly. But it’s just … there. It’s almost as if it’s really good but this is aged and lost it’s “oomph”. So yeah. A conundrum. It’s not bad enough to warrant a 2 , but giving it a 3 feels charitable, when looking at my guidelines. One thing I need to do is smokenitnside by side with Sutliff Revelation Match (which I have a lb of but haven’t tried). Anyway - no doubt this blend has its fans among those who like smoother milder blends. For me though it’s not exactly one I think I need a lot of in my cellar. My rating : 3 This is the 46th of 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Captain Bob's Blend
Captain Bob’s Blend
The C&D Bulk Library Project Captain Bob’s Blend Smoking Pipes Rating: 3.8 Buckle up, Buttercup - We’re about to get weird. This English Aromatic ribbon is a space cake journey into what has to be the trippiest , most surprising wild ass blend I have yet to try In 49 years, 10 months , one week and a day. At some point someone - I’m thinking Merlin the Magician - found a way to make an innocent looking brown ribbon blend, flecked with black pearls , from a laundry list of tobaccos : Virginia, Latakia, Perique, burley, orientals and black cavendish. Then just to make the tobacco version of the Upside Down, they have added some magical concoction of flavorants that’s quite beguiling. If you haven’t figured it out - this review is not going to be in my normal format. But this tobacco isn’t in any normal format so what’s fair is fair. Aroma. I say Grape Fanta , herbals spices , candy floss and smoke. My wife says Cherry Blow Pops and fresh brewed tea. This is the weirdest blend I’ve ever tried to date. I swear it tastes like grape soda one second, and somehow like freshly grated ginger the next. Grape ginger ale? Yes , please. Am I having a stroke ? Nothing in this makes me think pipe tobacco. It’s weirdly like being on a trip , not to grandmas but a “trip” trip - where you see past what’s there to what’s really there, man. Far out. I’m freaking enchanted. I went to the site to reread the description. “Finished with a refreshing flavor”. Uh huh. Because they couldn’t say “finished with a weird technicolor boat trip of taste sensations”. I texted no less than 5 people about this blend. I ordered a pound, too. I want this to give friends as a sample - just to watch them and see if they “get it”. Oh - the ginger thing whatever ? That’s a bit of the after taste , too. And when you try it - because you need to try this - enjoy a glass of cold water with it. I swear it amped up and broadened it. It’s just funky. And I love it. Is this an American Lakeland ? Is this 1792’s crazy yankee cousin? That’s what it’s closest to to me - 1792 - oh! Firedance ! It’s like thier cousin. And I love them, too. Anyway - bravo. What a way to hit blend number 40. With a weird funky sweet fun crazy psychedelic trip of a blend that’s like eating sushi ginger and chasing it with a Nehi soda. Easily my favorite blend of the 40 so far I have so many questions …. My rating : 5- this is great - I already ordered a pound This underground garage rave of a blend is the 40th blend of 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Morley's Best
Morley’s Best
The C&D Bulk Library Project Morley’s Best smoking pipes rating 3.7 This is a VaBur of three diffeeent burleys, Latakia and a kiss of Virginia. It’s uniform in color but cut is varied. Aromas from the bag are nuttiness, faint woodiness , light smoke and a dusty warm sunshine feeling of a smell. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. Ah, VaBur. To me that’s codgerville - and a place I like to visit from time to time, but don’t want to live year round. First light brings a warm and naturally sweet flavor - kind of like a good oatmeal with a touch of honey. That’s quickly shaped up a bit with the smoky Latakia. The Latakia here is really contained - or maybe restrained - it’s a burley first blend for sure. Made me think of deer season and football. There’s no pretentiousness here - this is a working man blend. It makes a smoke thin as rice paper - but that thin smoke packs a wallop. While enjoying another bowl this morning and compiling my notes I inadvertently took a deep lung full of a drag and had a coughing fit of epic proportions. It does pair nicely with with coffee. Both yesterday afternoon and this morning it was a natural friendship - being a solid counterpoint of natural tobacco flavor to balance with the syrupy sweet way I like my arabica. It’s not super complex. I noted “not one note - but not a symphony”. I think that’s fair. I wonder how it would be with a glass of Pinot noir? My guess is pretty nice. My rating :3- this is good - I’d buy it on sale Or to get free shipping in an order Well, we’ve made it 1/3 of the way on this journey, this being the 33rd of the 101 blends I am reviewing for this project. I find it interesting that the next blend ( Snug Harbor , the 34th) is rated 3.7 , then we move to 3.8 rated and continue upward. That means a solid 2/3 of the C&D Bulk blends were rated 3.8 to 4.9 on April 1st. I am exited to see how those 2/3 compare to the first. So far this has been very fun, and I appreciate the kind comments.
Cornell & Diehl - Maple Cavendish
Maple Cavendish
The C&D Bulk Library Project Maple Cavendish Smoking Pipes Rating: 3.7 Tin notes - maple , sugar , vanilla , pretty consistent dark brown finer cut ribbon that is moist enough to be springy but not wet nor oily. Sampled several times in a MM Missouri Pride. Seems like it was just a week or so I had this blend already. No - that was the 13th blend I rated - Black Gold Maple - which I rated 4 and generally liked (a lot for me) as an aromatic. Similarly this blend is honest and up front on delivering the maple taste. If anything I’d say that BGM was juuuuust a little more rounded with a cocoa flavor missing here. If you’re a fan of Oreo crème but don’t eat the cookie , this is your blend. If you like the whole Oreo, Black Gold Maple would be a better choice IMO. (I really wish I had some BGM with me to compare side by side. Unfortunately (for me, but not to my friend). I have been passing along the remains of the samples to folks , kinda like Johnny Appleseed planting a forest of new pipe smokers , and don’t have any anymore.) It does have a nice room note. Probably a great blend if you’re going to be in public spaces. It will give you dense clouds of smoke that are pleasant and harbor no offensive notes. To put a button on it - it’s good. To me Black Gold Maple is better - but I think both likely have an audience. If you’re totally new, I’d recommend an ounce of each to see which team you play for - otherwise I don’t see a need for me to put a jar of it away. My heart says the rating would be in the “I’ll finish what I have but no more” category, but truth is I could see me throwing 4 oz on an order if I needed to get free shipping. My rating : 3- this is good - I’d buy it on sale Or to get free shipping in an order This is the 32nd of the 101 C&D Bulk Blends I am reviewing.
Cornell & Diehl - John Marr
John Marr
The C&D Bulk Blend Library Project John Marr Smoking Pipes Rating : 3.7 This ribbon cut Virginia is an impressive looking uniform cut blend of mostly golden raisin colored cuts, with a nice aroma of whisky, sugar cookies, vanilla and some warm spice , like cinnamon but not “hot” I sampled it several times using a MM Missouri Pride. Disclaimer: I have had this blend before. I ordered a tin several years ago. The question from this blend for me is should it be called a Virginia or should it be called an aromatic? There is no wrong answer here , I think. It’s a beautifully balanced between sweet and spice with the virginias and Perique and orientals all taking the stage in smooth transition with one another. Oriental spice seems greater than a signature Perique spice - but that’s good, too. Orientals and Virginias in the right blends ratios set me alight like a bonfire. Here I almost - almost- get there , but fall just short of falling in love. It’s the sweetness. “Make your mind up!” I can hear some say. “Either it’s greatly balanced or it’s too sweet!” I hear you say. And both are right. I think the hang up for me is when I see a formula that is “whisky plus (insert booze)” my brain always goes to a navy flake or rum flake place. This does have the boozy influence- and it def delivers in the Virginia - but it’s more PawPaw’s aromatic than reminiscent of a Navy Blend IMO. Don’t push it - it will get hot and punish you. Smoke is thin and lacey, but snow white. Is it life changing? Not for me , no. Is it a solid middle of the road option? For sure. My rating : 3- this is good - I’d buy it on sale Or to get free shipping in an order This is the 30th of the 101 C&D Bulk Blends I am reviewing.
Cornell & Diehl - London Squire
London Squire
The C&D Bulk blend Library Project London Squire Smoking Pipes Rating : 3.7 This ribbon cut English (Balkan) is a light, dry uniform mix of golds, browns, blacks and the tear drops of angels. It smells in the bag of a stout campfire , red meat, leather , and pine. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. I knew the second I unzipped the 1 oz bag I was holding a banger. The aroma literally flew up out of the bag, punched me in the face and said “Hey HP - hope you are ready for this.” I’m going to review this backwards. My rating : 5 - and I have already ordered a pound. How good is this ? Just copying my notes from yesterday I had to stop and go get another bowl because writing about it made me want it RIGHT NOW. Hell, I’m on my second bowl as I type this, in the dark, at 5:38 AM. That freaking good. How good is this? I did something I haven’t done in a review so far - I literally messaged Ryan Moore and asked had he ever had it - and declared it “delicious AF”. That freaking good. So let’s travel back … Three bowls ? Ha. Too many to count but took notes for three. Simply put it is a Latakia masterpiece of a Balkan that keeps things in line and nowhere goes out of bounds. Iodine ? Like sipping Laphroaig neat. Smokey? Like being just close enough to a campfire that the bugs don’t bite but the smoke tickles your eyes. Spice? Like Salma Hayek in Once Upon a Time in Mexico. It really remind me of NightCap - more specifically of a particular moment with Night so where all of a sudden I “got it” and understood why people liked it. Transformative. That’s a good word here. The oily grey smoke letarly makes me salivate. It’s the pipe tobacco version of setting down to a 20 ounce porterhouse , with Caymus beside , knowing there’s some Glenmorangie 18 waiting on the porch beside your glider chair. A thought I had that’s weird but makes sense to me - it’s like smoking a really nice leather purse. And you can push it for fun if you want. Freight train your ass away - it’s just gonna get spicer and meaner - but sometimes it feels good to hurt a little. If C&D were able to offer a bespoke labeling program, I’d order 25 tins with this labeled “HP’s Blend”. This will be getting serious rotation from me. Great way to stretch out my reserves of balkans, by letting this be my daily driver and taking the harder to find stuff out on the weekends. But I may not want to - I may just want to puff this all the time. What I’m saying here is - if you like Latikia, if you like smoke , if you like scotch, if you like your Hallmark movies sweet but your pipe tobacco tough - this is one you may want to try. Rating : 5- this is great - like I said - pound already ordered. This is the 31st of 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing.
Cornell & Diehl - Old College
Old College
The C&D Bulk Library Project Old College Smoking Pipes rating : 3.2 Bag presented some nice Latikia smokiness over the hay sweet smell of Virginia ; this english blend is mixed cuts with random black flakes mixed into mostly gold and brown. Sampled in a conditioned MM Missouri Pride. Started the day with this blend, literally. Had a bowl in the way to, and after , going to the gym this morning. And that worked because it’s is a very soft English. The Latakia was not too bold, but present and nice. I don’t drink a lot of coffee; this morning like most I opted for Irish Breakfast tea ( no sugar , touch of crème) and it was perfect together. The Virginia drives this delicious blend, the burley and cavendish adding some backbone and support and the Latakia is almost condimental here. Well done. At lunch I ran out for an errand and caught a quick third bowl. Smoked faster and hotter , it forced the Latakia up front a bit. Just a promise of leather and iodine. I see a 1/2 lb coming my way soon , to cellar a year and revisit. My rating : 4- this is good - I’m ordering some to have around when I am ordering something else This is the 18th of 101 blends from the C&D Bulk offerings I am reviewing.
Cornell & Diehl - Pasha's Dream
Pasha’s Dream
The C&D Bulk Blend Library Pasha’s Dream Smoking Pipes rating : 3.2 This smelled great - hay, cedar, leather. Made me think of Elizabethan a bit. Looks wise this aromatic English has a wild array of texture - from almost “shake”to leafy chunks. Sampled in a conditioned MM Missouri Pride. Question: why the hell doesn’t everyone talk about this blend ??? It’s freaking good. The hay sweetness and the oriental smooth tanginess are great underpinnings for the oily smokey Latakia. Bowl one and it was an instant favorite. It’s just beautifully subtle and full flavored at the same time. Big plume of white smoke carry the leathery Latakia , which really shines here. I’d almost think there was a touch of- just a smidge - of DFK here , but it’s not listed. Again, some reason makes me think a bit about Elizabethan. Is this a codger English? Is it an improved and leveled up half and half? I do t know but I know it’s good. I also think it could be utilized as an additive - if one has an English that’s just a wee bit strong for thier liking, cutting this in could dilute but not water down flavor. Again, surprised I cannot recall anyone ever recommending it. Great blend. My rating : 5- this is great - I’m getting a pound minimum next pay day This is the 19th blend of the 101 C&D bulk offerings.
Cornell & Diehl - Old Joe Krantz White Label
OJK White
The C&D Bulk Blend Library Old Joe Krantz - White Smoking Pipes rating: 3.3 This burley blend is beautiful. Uniform in cut and golden brown color with the exception of the Perique sprinkled all about. It smells great too - vinegar, brown sugar and cola. Almost like a bbq glaze. Sampled for three bowls in a MM Missouri Pride (conditioned). Today must be my lucky day - this is the third blend in a row that’s good stuff. (Could also be because I’m in a patch with no aromatics). The Virginia here really compliments the burley - it’s a very nicely layered approach - kind of like the sauce on some ribs. I think I’d like a little more Perique , but others may not. Lots of white smoke - and it smokes cool. I think of burley’s usually as a fall blend, but this one really slaps in warm spring / early summer. Again the nuttiness of the burley layered with the Virginia is a real delight. Made a quick reload (these shitty cobs do not hold enough ). The room note is nice but not fragrant - definitely a “pipe” smell. Good blend. My rating : 4- this is good - I’m ordering some to have around when I am ordering something else Wow. That makes 20 blends out of the 101 , and in a week. I’m going to take tomorrow off and enjoy my briars and finish up a few of these small bags (Stanhope, New Market, Pasha’s Dream). Will get back at it in a day or so.
Cornell & Diehl - Three Friars
Three Friars
The C&D Bulk Blend Library Project Three Friars Smoking Pipes rating : 3.4 This ribbon Virginia is a bone dry nice amalgamation of Virginia, Perique and Burley.Bag aroma was hay, cardboard, cotton candy , rasin and cinnamon (the spice, not the dancer). I sampled three bowls with a MM Missouri Pride. Disclosure: I have had this before. I recall buying one tin, and when it was gone I did not replace it. I’ll apologize up front , reminding the reader that my score is based upon my willingness to re-order / cellar. The blend of I were just rating it in its face would likely score 1 point higher. Rules is rules. This is a decent VaBurPer. Actually the first bowl was more BurVaPer - somehow fate dealt me a really burley rich initial bowl. Which was fine - it was a good foundation for the Virgina and Perique to perform on. Subsequent bowls however had a much more present VaPer quality. I could totally see someone having this as thier all day blend. I could also see this being sold , unchanged, under the banner of being a burley blend and folks being none the wiser, buying both. I makes a nice white smoke, which is a bit cool for a Virgina. Maybe that’s the burleys role - taming the beast a bit. Know what I’d like here ? A smidgen of DFK. Oh baby. It’s good. I’ll always be happy with hay and spice and smoke that is nice. My rating : 4 - this is good. I’ll probably end up having an order one day and toss a half pound in the cart This is the 21 of 101 C&D bulk blends reviews for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Black Cherry
Black Cherry
The C&D Bulk Blend Library Project Black Cherry Smoking Pipes rating : 3.5 This oily aromatic is comprised of Virginia, burley and black cavendish, all of which are sad wastes of quality tobaccos, to be drenched in the dregs of a can of Cherry GoJo hand cleaner. This moist, oily to the eye and fingers blend is actually very pretty. The bag notes are plastic, cherry Gojo, wet cardboard and something that’s not vanilla but I can’t determine what it is. Maybe it’s disappointment. Smoked in a MM Huck Finn because I didn’t want to risk this ghosting a pipe I’d ever keep. Ok. I’m being an ass , maybe. But man this is horrid. Like on a scale of “why do I keep doing this to myself” to “why is it impossible to make a cherry blend that’s not an oily gloopy urinal cake scented bag of sadness” , I’d say this is on the later end of the scale. It blows my mind how much I don’t like this - because , friends and neighbors, I’m trying. I gave this blend 2 bowls to change my mind, and that’s one more than I ever gave BRM, or Cherry Cobbler. But I owe it to you, and honestly to C&D, to give every blend a fair shake if I’m going to do this, even if it’s at my own expense and experience. I just can’t. It’s so bad. That’s not fair. Let’s break it down: The good : appearance; room note The bad: the taste The ugly : bag smell Look - if you like this stuff - my hats off to ya. You’re better than me - obviously you have a more refined (or more likely dead) sense of taste. I mentioned the room note - It does smell nice - from several feet away. But the blend , man - so oily it looks like a fresh bag of Levi Garret chewing tobacco, and I smelled the bag at waist level when I opened it. (See the picture - no lies detected ) This will get a 1, because I didn’t state my scale had a 0. My (charitable) Rating : 1 - I never want to have this blend again. This is the 22nd blend of 101 that I am reviewing for this project. PS: If this is your favorite blend , like your go to gotta have it blend - please , comment below and offer me some guidance on how to enjoy this. Or - go see a doctor - you may need medical attention.
Cornell & Diehl - Golden Ash
Golden Ash
The C&D Bulk Library Project Golden Ash Smoking Pipes rating : 3.5 This ribbon English is an I treating mixture of textures, delivered to me dry but not crunchy - rather it was perfectly packable and is comprised of Virginia, Burley and Latakia. It was enjoyed throughly in a MM Missouri Pride. Bowl one was first the Finn the morning, whilst heading to a local lake to kill some time with a friend. It was a very nice start to the day as I like Latakia in the morning - just sets the time for the day. Now - I admit - to me the blend is really defined by the burley here , and it’s a good quality burley , but then again C&D is reputed for thier burley so it’s expected. Nice and bready and tutu, it’s a wide open canvas where the Virginia and Latakia nicely just fill in some detail. It’s rather nice - and none to strong nor too anemic. As I drove I had a second (and third) bowl - it’s just a good absent minded blend. I got real comfortable with it real quick. A random thought I had was “this is man perfume”. Fourth bowl at the lake and it really solidified my opinion : it’s a solid , if simple, English and one that I really want to rate top score , but falls juuuuuust shy of “wow”. Good stuff. My rating : 4 = this is good - I’ll order some in the future to have around This was the 23rd of the 101 C&D Bulk blends I intend to review for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Chocolate Cavendish
Chocolate Cavendish
The C&D Bulk Blend Library Project Chocolate Cavendish Smoking Pipes Rating: 3.6 This aromatic ribbon is crafted from Virginia and has a bag aroma of chocolate - but more specifically to me like a Hershey bar , which has a distinct funk to it. It’s not a bad funk (tho I know my European friends will disagree) - it’s just how Hershey’s smells. I sampled three bowls in a MM Missouri Pride. The samples were all uniform in color and properly dry, and unlike several of the last aros , not oily. More on that below. So - if you’ve gotten accustomed to seeing me name and aro and then rip it apart , well, you’re gonna be dissatisfied, Old Son. This aromatic is quite tasty and I really enjoyed it. And I think I know why. Let’s start with the bowls. So I was surprised to not instantly think it was gross. Gonna admit, the last few aros have left me gun shy. But this was very smooth, and “clean”. It reminds me a little of a Black N Mild cigar , something I enjoyed by the hundreds decades ago. Further sampling reinforced the “honest” nature of the blend - it doesn’t present and “chemical” notes and I had an epiphany - the other aros I’ve liked seem to be Virginia dominant. The ones I dislike - black cavendish. Could not be I just don’t care for black cavendish and the toppings magnify whatever it is I don’t care for ? Hmmmm … Then I remember - I love English Chocolate by Two friends - made by C&D. And this basically American Chocolate . By bowl three I’m asking myself “are you really about to give a 5 to a chocolate aromatic?” And , answering myself , I was surprised to say “Yeah. I am. It tastes clean, it’s nice and tactile in the blend, the room note is aromatic but not assailing to the senses - as far as aromatics go, it’s definitely a 5 compared to the examples in the previous examples. My rating : 5 - I’ll be buying a pound of this soon. This is the 24th of 101 C&D bulk blends in the project to be reviewed.
Cornell & Diehl - Chopped Cigar Leaf
Chopped Cigar Leaf
The C&D Bulk Library Project Chopped Cigar Leaf Smoking Pipes rating: 3.6 This blending componet blend is of various cuts and textures, and sells like a cigar. Not sure what more you could want. It’s leathery and reminds me of a tobacco barn on a warm day. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. Well, if I’m honest - I didn’t think about blending component blends when I started this little project - but - it is a bulk, it does have a SP rating , so here we are. As far as a stand alone smoke, I’m sure some folks would like it. It delivers on its face to being what it says - a cigar filler blend. It does smoke smooth. It also tastes “strong” in a good way. As I had the second bowl, I was looking at yesterday’s entry for Chocolate Cavendish and focused on where I said that blend reminded me of a black and mild. Hmmm. Wonder if a 50/50 blend of the two would yield a better facsimile? So I tried it. Sorry kids - it was good - hell probably marketable - but it was just too heavy in the cigar and the chocolate too anemic in that arrangement. But I also know what blend is next to review so not all is lost ….. That said - next time I decide to try blending my own blends, I would be open to playing with the cigar leaf. My rating : 3- this is good - I’d buy it on sale Or to get free shipping in an order to use playing with blends Wow ! We are a quarter the way through these blends at this point as this is number 25 of 101. Thanks for coming along for the ride.
Cornell & Diehl - Dark Chocolate
Dark Chocolate
The C&D Bulk Blend Library Project Dark Chocolate Smoking Pipes rating: 3.6 This oily jet black aromatic smells like cookie dough. Besides that the usual “oh , it’s an oily ass looking aro” smell is here. Dark chocolate scent is detectable. Sampled in a MM Missouri Pride. I was bracing for it to have that too sweet and nothing else taste but was surprised - it’s not cloying but is sweeter than sugar. Kinda reminds me of the sweetness level of Sutliff Molto Dulce - something I used to enjoy but no longer reach for. It’s “ok”. Definitely in the first bowl see where it would be appealing to both beginners and some devotees. Like those gloopy Sutliff sugarbombs, this is a blend you should not push. Do not freight train - it’s gonna get gross, real quick. Knowing what I was in for I did push it a bit , and got the banana ester / phenolic taste as my punishment. So then I had an idea - I want to take another shot at a black and mild blend , and the alignment of the last few blends feels like serendipity. (I’ll do that and just post as a regular post, not as a review. ) Anyway - my rating: 2- meh. It’s ok but I won’t mind never having it again, but I’ll smoke what I got . This was the 26th of 101 C&D bulk blends I intend to review in this series.
Cornell & Diehl - Green River Vanilla
Green River Vanilla
The C&D Bulk Library Project Green River Vanilla Smoking Pipes rating: 3.6 This oily to the eye and touch aromatic* sizzles when lit and is comprised of black cavendish. Sampled three times in a MM Missouri Pride. Aromatic*. It surprised me to see GRV listed as an aromatic and not as a blending component. Mainly because I see it listed distinctly as an ingredient in other blends . Sure one could say it’s just a process burley - but then again isn’t DFK , Perique and cigar leaf all burley that’s processed in unique ways ? Anyway - when I fired up the bowl I was surprised at the pronounced “sizzle” I got. Expected a lot of steam - and bite - but that never materialized. Interesting. The vanilla flavor tastes good. It does not feel forced , just strong and “confident”. Leaves the bowl kinda soupy … This blend should come with training wheels - it’s probably a great first bowl for someone who’s dead set on starting with aromatics. I bet it’s a hit with folks who find mayonnaise to be too spicy , too. I’m in a quandary here. As a blending component , I’d give it a 3. As an aromatic in its own feet , I’d give it a 2.5. But as something I’m willing to cellar , aligning with my scale, honestly it’s a 2. It starts well, fades to nothing and leaves you a mess to clean up. My rating : 2- meh. It’s ok but I won’t mind never having it again, but I’ll smoke what I got This is #27 of 101 blends In the C&D bulk category I am reviewing.
Cornell & Diehl - Old Joe Krantz Red Label
OJK Red
The C&D Bulk Blend Library Project Old Joe Krantz Red Smoking Pipes rating: 3.6 This approachable English is comprised of origins, burley, black cavendish, Perique and Latakia. Its bag notes follow suit with a nice “English” blend bouquet of Hay, leather, cedar and smoke. Cut is even and consistent. Three bowls were sampled is a MM Missouri Pride. I rather enjoyed this one. Right up front the Perique and Latakia make their presence known, but politely. Intertwined they play atop the woody bottom notes very nicely. This is a very kind English. Borders on sweetness / aromatic I think. You can push it a bit - it’s dry enough, but don’t needlessly bully the blend - as is, it’s crisply balanced and I retesting , smoking with a rich flavor as the Latakia and Perique enter and exit and dance about. I noticed the bowl being a little hot in the third bowl, but not to any detrimental effect. The smoke will likely be lovely on a crisp fall day. The combination of leather / sweet / smoke / spice offers lots of room for a blender to experiment, and could be a hard target to hit, but this blend lands the shot perfectly. My rating : 5- this is great - I’m getting a pound minimum next pay day This is the 28th of 101 C&D bulk blends I intend to review.
Cornell & Diehl - Cap's Blend
Cap’s Blend
The C&D Bulk Blend Library Project Cap’s Blend Smoking Pipes rating: 3.7 This aromatic - and it is very aromatic - ribbon is a beautiful melange of gold, red, brown and black. Compare my photo to the SP listing - looks like a completely different blend. It’s black cavendish and opening the bag is to walk into a bakery shop - cookie dough, chocolate chips, cake frosting, vanilla - it’s almost sensory overload - BUT needs to be noted they are all very “clean” notes - don’t get that oily chemical vibe that previous aromatics have given off. Sampled three times in a MM Missouri Pride. BEFORE YOU READ FURTHER - remember that I rate on a likelihood of buying bulk now to cellar for later. The rating reflects that. HOWEVER I want to be clear up front the blend would score 1 point higher if I was simply rating my opinion of it at face value. It’s pretty decent. Ok. Three bowls. If you want to approximate this blend, I would go to the local dollar store, get a small tub if chocolate cake frosting and a box of Nilla wafers , and , dredging the cookies through the frosting, enjoy them beside a campfire. That probably sounds terrible - but it’s not - it’s just how I’d compare it. It’s sweet , like smoking 1Q from a pipe whose stem you slathered with buttercream icing. To be fair - not chemically like previous aromatics. It is very fragrant- in the bag, in the room , in the taste. I honestly do not think I’ve had Capt. Black recent enough to compare but it’s gotta be close, if not one yard either way. Smoking the second bowl was like walking into a bakery or pastry shop. This is not to my liking - I like Virginia sweet and sour, not so much confectionery sweetness - but I do recognize it as being thought out and executed and likely hitting the blenders goals. Third bowl is more of the same. Taste was (comfortingly) consistent - so if you like it , you’re gonna be able to depend on it. This is not one I would say I gotta have around. Honestly , there’s probably more Capt Black and 1Q in the world than there are fire ants, by weight - so I won’t waste precious shelving real estate on some - BUT - if I’m setting in a $98 order and need a punch to get free shipping, I’d grab an ounce. My rating : 3- this is good - I’d buy it on sale Or to get free shipping in an order. This was the 29th of 101 C&D bulk blends I am Working my way through.
Cornell & Diehl - Gillingham Mixture
Gillingham Mixture
The C/D Bulk Blend Library Project Gillingham Mixture Smoking Pipes rating : 3.2 This aro is an eclectic mix of textures, and in the bag smells of honey sweetness and a soft cocoa. There’s is also a bit of a low paying mustiness to it. It is comprised of Virginia, Perique, Orientals, Burley and Black Cavendish and has a honey topping. Sampled for three bowls in a MM Missouri Pride (previously conditioned). Cards in the table - C&D knows how to marry honey with Virginia tobacco. This blend is no exception. The honey note is just forward enough to be a star, but not overpowering nor saccharine sweet. There’s nice thing here is balance. One side of the equation you have sweet honey and red Virginia, and on the other side you have that quality C&D burley and Perique. This all makes for a nice balanced meal served atop the black cavendish. Speaking of - IF I were to make it more to my liking, that black cavendish would dial down a bit, the the balance it takes away be filled with Perique and more Virginia. That’s just me tho. I did notice that towards the end of all three bowls the honey wanes and the Perique swells. Nice. This aro is different - and holds its own. I bet in cooler weather I’d rate it higher - it’s almost like a sophisticated or elevated codger blend IMO. I could see it sold by the tub and having legion of dedicated fans. It’s good enough I wouldn’t mind having a little in hand, and unique enough that it has its own identity and could be “craved” specifically at times. My rating: 3 - This is good and I would buy It on sale, or to get free shipping. This is the 17th C&D bulk blend of 101 I am reviewing , based on the Smoking Pipes rating, from lowest to highest.
Cornell & Diehl - Berry Good
Berry Good
The C&D Bulk Blend Library Project Berry Good Smoking Pipes rating: 3.2 Aromas : caramel. Sweet corn. Not much else - which is concerning. Condition was evenly cut, slightly moist. Nice looking blend. This aromatic ribbon is comprised of Virginia, burley and black cavendish. It’s purported to have a raspberry topping but I’ll be damned if I can sense it. Disclosure- I had this before and was so disappointed that I almost swore of C&D because of it. (You’ll see ..) Two bowls were enough to confirm that this is still a bag of dissatisfaction I have now had the privilege of buying twice. The description makes it sound heavenly. I freaking used to love black raspberry bulk from the brick and mortar. My experience with (not) “Berry Good” though, both now and in the past, are it’s just, well, flat. Like the strawberry-less strawberry cavendish and the apple-less apples and cream, it just doesn’t deliver. I knew going in at this point that 1) I didn’t like it years back and 2) earlier blends in the project have proven elusive , so I made double damn sure to go niiiice and slooooow. No matter. All I did was have slower , longer bowls of aro base and no excitement. I don’t get it. It’s not like I can’t taste fruit. I freaking LOVED Sutliff raspberry. But there is more raspberry flavor in a tablespoon of salt than this blend. It’s tasteless to the point that it reminded me of smoking while I had COVID. Seriously. I sense it more than taste it. That’s a shame. Where is the damn raspberry??? Easy to guess what my rating will be I’m sure. My rating: 1- I never want to have this again This is the 16th C&D bulk blend of 101 I am reviewing , basedon the Smoking Pipes rating, from lowest to highest.
Cornell & Diehl - Black Gold Maple
Black Gold Maple
The C&D Bulk Library Project Black Gold Maple Smoking Pipes Rating : 3.0 This aromatic ribbon was just moist enough to be springy and is composed of virgins and black cavendish. It’s becoming a familiar aromatic base. Sampled in a seasoned MM Missouri Pride. It is rare , in my experience this far , to pick up an aro that 1) smells like the name implies and 2) tastes like the smell. This excellent aromatic does that and was a joyful surprise today. The maple scent is rather forward in the bag, along with the becoming all too familiar aro base blend of virgins and black cavendish that makes me think of chocolaty smudge oreo filling. It smelled tasty - if it were a snack in an airport at Cinnabon, you’d order it. Smoking, the maple is there and it’s CLEAN and does not taste artificial. It tastes like real maple syrup. Better yet it’s a balanced sweetness , and it also lends to a nice room note. This is what a good B&M aro should be like - open the jar , get a perception, and it follows through. It is very easy to smoke. Can make clouds if you want but sipped is a nice lacey thin smoke. The maple flavor also isn’t just one note - it ebbs and flows , but somehow never dissipates nor comes on too strong. Masterfully done. It’s pancakes and waffles in a pipe. It may be one of the better aros I have had in quite a while - which - I may order some when I have a sweet tooth itch, but in general aros aren’t my thing right now - but I 100% recognize its quality and class. My rating : 4- this is good - I’m am considering ordering some to have around when I am ordering something else This is the 13th of the 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing for this project.
Cornell & Diehl - Oriental Silk
Oriental Silk
The C&D Bulk Library Project Oriental Silk Smoking Pipes rating : 3.0 This Virginia (Vaper?) Is Irregularly cut and almost a homogeneous brown shade. The aroma is very strong of hay , a hint of leather (shoe, not ball glove) and my favorite - it smells like the old stick tobacco barns on our farm. What I don’t smell and expected was a little of that tang I associate with my favorite virginias , so I’m guessing this is from the lower part of the stalk, but, I could be wrong. Sampled in a conditioned MM Missouri Pride. This one is good. It’s bready and spicy , but not too wild. Virgina + Perique = Good Virginia + Perique + Orientals = Gooder It’s bone simple , straightforward and honest. As good as it is , I’d really like to have it as a flake. The orientals shift the softness away if you push it - so don’t - this simple smooth blend deserves to be savored , not rushed. The smoke is cottony and thin. To me this would be / is a great “assent minded “ blend - pack, and go do some shit in the yard. Fill a bowl, and start fishing. I bet it’s killer with a tall glass of sweet tea. Even simple as it is, for me, I’m deeming this one “cellar worthy”. My rating : 5- this is great - I’m getting a pound minimum next pay day. This is the 14th C&D bulk blend I have reviewed, as I work my way through thier 101 blend catalog. Using Smoking Pipes as of April 3, 2025, I am smoking them from the lowest rated to the highest.
Cornell & Diehl - Stanhope
Stanhope
The C&D Bulk Blend Library Project Stanhope Smoking Pipes rating : 3 This outstanding English is a Latakia and Perique masterpiece, across a Virginia and burley framework. It’s absolutely beautiful, with varying folds / browns / blacks of different cuts. It arrived dry but not dried out. I sampled it for three bowls in a MM Missouri Pride that was previously conditioned, then enjoyed another two bowls in a favorite meerschaum. It’s good. Damn good. 5. 5. 5. When I opened the bag I said “hey - I know that smell - that’s 965. Leather. Iodine. Salt air. Slight tang. It’s a smell I love. English blends own my heart. Bowls one two and three ran together. It’s very straightforward with the tang and spice up front. The iodine quality I apply to scotch whiskey and Balkan blends is strong here and I’m all about it. I want to drink this blend. Oak. Toast. Spice. Heather. Scotch. Peat. It’s delicious. I think - how is this a 3? So I pull the description and see that it’s a function of average - and there’s just one review. I won’t quarrel with others opinions - I will say my experience couldn’t be more different. Back to the bowl … This is a solid damn English that hits all the notes. The smell may have been 965 but the flavor is all over the top of Peterson Balkan Blend. If you like that, try this - for the price I don’t see how it can be beat. The oily smoke just coats the mouth with that Balkan astringency so perfectly. I think the burley is here mainly to add smoke , don’t see where it’s adding flavor. But the star of the show, the Perique with the Latakia underpinning it is freaking delicious. I see it was originally a blend from Atlas. I know there is also an atlas Balkan. Can’t wait to see how that one shakes out. But for now , the Stanhope is premium blend for sure. There will be a pound of this headed my way soon - at minimum. I need to build a bigger closet. My rating : 5- this is great - I’m getting a pound minimum next pay day This is the 15th of 101 blends from C&D’s bulk catalog I have reviewed.
Cornell & Diehl - Apples & Cream
Apples & Cream
The C&D Bulk Library Project Apples and Cream Smoking Pipes rating : 3.0 This oily jet black aromatic is comprised of Virginia, unsweetened black cavendish and Green River vanilla. It lights well and stays lit despite its moist appearance. Three bowls were consecutively sampled in a MM Huck Finn (seasoned). This is a blend I had a lot of high hopes for. I had debated this blend for a while before staring this little project, mainly because 1) the description alluded to “so much apple you’ll think you are at an apple pie bake off (sic)” and 2) while I may not be a huge fan of cherry and other fruit aromatics, I love apple blends. I am a massive fan of Erin Go Bragg Apple Crumble for example. The aroma from the bag however made me temper my expectations - maybe I got a weak sample, but I didn’t pick up Apple. At all. I got more of a chocolate milk mix powder , and quality vanilla. That kind I like - that makes you think of Oreo cream. Warily I had the first bowl. Thin grey to white smoke , pleasant but no apple , and a familiar friend. This paralleled Berries and Cream , with the nice underpinnings of an aro I can get comfy with. Still no apple. But - should note - enjoyable as it is. Second bowl - again - nothing here to offend - nothing to make me say “well this isn’t good” because it is good - it’s just bereft of the the promised apple. Not in the bag. Not in the smoke. Not in the taste. Just nowhere. Mid bowl I do for a millisecond think I’ve found something , but it’s elusive and gone before I can be confident. But …. This smoke does remind me of being a kid , back when smoking wasn’t vilified, and people smoked everywhere. I remember what it was like to be in a Kmart department store and smell a pipe - somewhere - just lightly and sweetly perfuming the air. This is that kind of blend. There may be no apple, but it is as comfortable as an old favorite sweatshirt. Third bowl I’ve decided the rating , and I’ve decided that despite being a “fruit” aro (albeit minus the promoted fruit) that it’s a decent and quality blend , so I push it a little. Yes, you can freight train it to ash. I also have a suspicion that this is a blend that if smoked rough could sour a pipe in short order. Final verdict - the ounce I got doesn’t deliver in the apple but all in all it’s a good blend. Im going to gubenit the benefit of the doubt that maybe I just got a samlle that the apple has either weakened or it just Is less than I can pick up My rating : 3- this is good - I’d buy it on sale Or to get free shipping in an order. This is the 12th of 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing, starting with the lowest rating on Smoking Pipes and working my way to the best rated.
Missouri Meerschaum - Huck Finn
Huck Finn / Garbage
Ordered 5 for a project (along with 5 Missouri Pride). 3 of the 5 were non-functional upon arrival due to poor assembly / fit and finish. Regardless of price point , a new product , made and sold in America , should be ready to use without repair straight from the box. Two had gaps greater than 1/8” where shank entered cob that required filling / repair to draw , and a third had a poorly aligned bit in the stem that waggled like a loose tooth in a second grader’s mouth. Do not recommend. A new piper would be better served with a clean estate briar than the junk I received.
Missouri Meerschaum - Missouri Pride Straight (6mm)
Missouri Pride
Functions as a pipe. About all you can say positive for it. Purchased 5 for a series of sampling 100 blends along with 5 Huck Finn (straight). The Missouri Pride at least were decently assembled , if not greatly detailed to appearance.
Cornell & Diehl - Shelbyton
Shelbyton
The C&D Bulk Library Project Shelbyton Smoking Pipes Rating : 1.7 This ribbon cut aromatic is comprised of Virginia , Dark Fired Kentucky, Burley and Black Cavendish. I sampled it with three bowls smoked in a Missouri Meerschaum Missouri Pride , with filter removed. Plentiful white smoke, but lacking in “oomph”. Never in three bowls noted the Dark Fired Kentucky - a component I love but was hidden here. Could tell if pushed hard it could be a little “bitey”. From the bag it was earthy, slightest hint of tanginess, and sweet - like a spun sugar sweetness. Flavor was lite to lacking ; not any attention getting standout , but also not offensive. Honestly if sold in a tub and labeled “Grampas Codger Bucket” it would be aptly marketed. Probably a good starter blend for a new piper who wants to steer clear of strong blends and avoid overly fruity aromatics. Could also likely be used to temper stronger blends pretty acceptably. My rating : 2- meh. It’s ok but I won’t mind never having it again, but I’ll smoke what I got. (This was blend 1 of the 101 C&D Bulk blends listed on smoking pipes when I started this project. )
Cornell & Diehl - Jamaican Rum
Jamaican Rum
The C&D Bulk Library Project Jamaican Rum Smoking Pipes Rating : 1.8 This aromatic ribbon is comprised of Virginia and Black Cavendish. The description mentions a “unique island rum flavor”. I sampled it with four bowls smoked in a Missouri Meerschaum Huck Finn, which is filterless. * Second blend in and I fear may be a sign of things to come , particularly at the bottom of the ratings pool where it’s just rife with Virginia / Black Cavendish aromatics and toppings. Bag aromas : raisins, red wine , and oddly something that makes me think of Play-Doh! The cut was consistant, uniform, and it was springy and pliable but dried well enough for smoking with no relights. It’s sweet. At moments the sauce goes away and th Virginia pokes through. Not sure why but I was expecting something like Navy Flake with training wheels - but it’s not that. I packed second bowl tighter - hard, on purpose. Richer , fuller smoke cloud (think jackass teen with a vape in the mall food court ala 2013). Tighter pack brough out the raisin goodness. FWIW , I think good funky rums have a raisin taste, too , so I guess it’s spot on. As I rode home from work I had two more bowls. In the end it’s a decent enough aromatic, if that’s your bag. I can take or leave most of them, but this one wasn’t too out of line. Honestly it’s been so long since I’ve had Borkum Riff that my mind kinda was saying “this is that” but who knows. Warning - if you push it , it will get hot on you - and the flavor will turn to ashy hot wind. This is one you take easy, because it’s delicate to a degree and a rum punch best sipped, not slammed. My Rating : 2 - It Is ok, but I wont likely miss never having It again , but I’ll finish what I have. * This pipe is trash. That is all.
Cornell & Diehl - Bob Bushman
Bob Bushman
The C&D Bulk Library Project Bob Bushman Smoking Pipes Rating 1.9 This ribbon cut Aromatic is comprised of Virginia, Burley, Black Cavendish and Perique. I sampled with four bowls in a Missouri Meerschaum Missouri Pride (unsmoked). Bag notes -wet leather , cocoa powder (like nestle quick, not baking cocoa) and something fungal / umami Ok. Up front: I like this one. I am holding myself to the 5 point scale, but if I were doing half points this would get an additional .5. This aromatic is light and airy, and had some surprises. Very first light and I was like “this is Carter halls distant more fun cousin, but that thought went away. Why? Because the next surprise was a cherry taste - and one I don’t like - for the briefest of moments it had an underlying BRM faux cherry taste - but here it was ok. Maybe because then it seemed I was wrong. It’s some fruit , but not cherry. I needed another bowl to try harder to find it. On the light , it hit me. It tastes like suntan lotion smells , but from a slight distance. Not on you, but on someone else who walks by. Weirdly pleasant. And the cheap chocolate I smelled in the bag popped in. Like Palmer chocolate you get at Easter , not rich, just milk chocolate and butter fat. The cherry:not cherry popped its head up again. Now I’m mystified so I went to read the description. You need to know - I haven’t read them in advance. I want to avoid mis-cues or preconceived notions of I can avoid it. And there it is : “hints of coconut and other tropical fruits” “evocative of Caribbean delights”. I gotta say they got that right - otherwise how do I get the whole suntan lotion thing ? This is definitely someone’s favorite blend. It’s not mine - BUT - I do think getting a few ounces to take out in the water while fishing would be nice. My rating : 3- this is good - I’d buy it on sale Or to get free shipping in an order (This is blend 3 of the 101 C&D bulk blends, sampled in order of lowest Smoking Pipes rating , upward.)
Cornell & Diehl - Strawberry Cavendish
Strawberry Cavendish
The C&D Bulk Library Project Strawberry Cavendish Smoking Pipes 2.2 This ribbon cut aromatic is comprised of Black Cavendish and sadness. EDIT : Reviewing my notes I see It also listed Virginia as a componet I had the misfortune of sampling it not once, not twice but three times in a poorly assembled new unsmoked Huck Finn cob by Missouri Meerschaum. Disclosure: I tried this blend years ago. I smoked one bowl and tossed the bag. Huge smoke clouds are fun and basically the only enjoyable aspect of this blend for me. The smells from the bag are chocolate, roasted peanuts and dollar store cough syrup. Condition was moister than an oyster. See pic. Ok - it’s sweet. Like sweet sweet like marzipan. Which I like in marzipan but not in a smoke. Chocolate here is punch you in the face string initially. Strawberry? Never met her. Second bowl - because I’m on a mission - just more sweet nothing. Room note is fine. Standard aro “oh that smells like gramps sweater” vibe , so there’s that. Strawberry still missing like a dad who went to get a gallon of milk and never returned. Third bowl - because I hate myself - just more of the same - rather more absence of the same. Look - it’s not BAD. It’s just not my thing. And the rating scale I have gone with is based on my likelihood of future purchasing. So this is an “Ok blend” that’s going to get the lowest score. Interesting note - the “aftertaste “ 5 minutes after the session was actually better than the session. That was mildly sweet (not cloying) , and I’m not going to say strawberry but it was something. Meh. Can’t all be winners. More for someone else. My rating: 1- I never want to have this again. (This is the 4th blend of 101 C&D bulk blends I am making personal reviews of, starting with the lowest ratings in SmokingPipes and working my way up.)
Cornell & Diehl - Vanilla Cavendish
Vanilla Cavendish
The C&D Bulk Library Project Vanilla Cavendish Smoking Pipes Rating 2.2 Tin note : chocolate milk, caramel, vanilla This ribbon cut aromatic was consistently cut, in smokable condition, and is comprised of Virginia. I sampled 4 bowls in a MM Missouri Pride (new). Get this out up front - I like this. I am a fan of Stanwell Vanilla, so I had hopes that I would like this blend. Whereas I’m not a fan usually at all of fruit aromatics, vanilla in the right dose is something I enjoy. This is a good aro. Reminds me is the Stanwell VA, which I think is OOP with the Sutliff demise, but I may be wrong. Need to verify. But if so this is a hell of a low cost replacement with good taste to boot. To me a good vanilla aro tastes like the cream from the middle of an Oreo cookie - dairy sweet but not too sugar sweet , hint of vanliia and the brush of chocolate wafer. That’s all here. It’s JUST sweet enough to be fun but not thick cloying fake sweet. Put another way it tastes “quality” , not “cheap”. You can push it to an ashiness , but don’t. No need to to sour the bowl just for smoke clouds. Here’s the thing - it’s kinda one dimensional - but that’s OK. Because it’s “honest”. I’m giving it a three. I doubt I order it to cellar , but totally would order to get free shipping , or when the 20% off deal rolls around again maybe get 4 ozs to have a bit at hand. My rating : 3- this is good - I’d buy it on sale Or to get free shipping in an order (This is the 5th of 101 C&D bulk offerings I intend to make a personal review of.)
Cornell & Diehl - Berries & Cream
Berries & Cream
The C&D Bulk Library Project Berries and Cream Smoking Pipes Rating: 2.3 This ribbon cut aromatic is comprised of Black Cavendish. It was consistently cut , and while dry enough to smoke without bite had an oiliness to it. I sampled it with four bowls in a MM Huck Finn (new). Disclosure: I have had this before. It was “OK” but my recollection. Wasn’t looking forward to this one (or the next one - Cherry Jubilee) after the Strawberry Cavendish fiasco. Fruit Ari’s are not my thing - or (spoiler alert) so I thought. First bowl and the first - the very first - thought I had was “Hey - this doesn’t suck”. I expected the “cough syrup “effect I get from most fruit topped blends but here despite the oiliness it was faint , sweet and subtle. Weirdly enough I don’t think “berries and cream” - I think Little Debbie Creme Filled Raisin Cake. Second bowl I notice that it’s actually smoking pretty “cool” and the smoke is a nice lily white. The wife was riding with me (I took the day off for an errand with my boat) and she said “that one smells nice”. Cocoa Puffs and raisins. By the time I packed bowls 3 and 4 , I’m just digging it - like to the point I’m just enjoying it , chatting up the wife (I may be married 32 years but I still got that charm ) and honestly I’m not even taking notes. I’m comfortable with the blend. This is probably a four on my liking it scale but a three following my defined rating process. I don’t need to cellar an aro - but - this one , yeah, come sale time I’ll likely lay back a half pound for general purpose. My only fear is I know I ha it once and it was “ok” , now I’ve had it a few years later and it’s good - but I don’t want to tie up cellar space only to find out in a few more years that I don’t care for it again. Anyway - try it. An ounce is cheap. Maybe you like it too. My rating : 3- this is good - I’d buy it on sale Or to get free shipping in an order. (This is the 6th of 101 C&D bulk blends I intend to make a personal review for.)
Cornell & Diehl - Cherry Jubilee
Cherry Jubilee
The C&D Bulk Library Project Cherry Jubilee Smoking Pipes Rating : 2.3 This ribbon cut aromatic is actually “pretty” - being a very uniform cut with perfect moisture and is comprised of Virginia. Sampled 4 bowls from a new unsmoked MM Huck Finn. This blend , the 7th so far , is very important in validating my decision to take the project on. Why? Because otherwise I would have never even given it a chance, much less made it a purchase. Established already, I am no fan of fruity aromatics. I actively dislike a particular strain - in my experience so far - cherry blends. All too often they have a grossly heavy artificial taste. Think of a fresh cherry , candy candy and cherry medicine - all are different. And most blends to me fall in the area between candy and medicine - not a profile I care for. However there have been two cherry blends I do like - 30 odd years ago when 18 years old, I would go to the Mutual Drug store in my little town and buy a white pasteboard box , within was a foil bag of Middleton Cherry. I smoked many a bowl in a couple Dr. Grabow pipes and while I didn’t love love it, I liked it. In the current era, I also like Dark Cherry Rope from the Gawith line. That said , the reason this validates the experience - this blend delightfully did something no other cherry I’ve tried has done - reminded me of that old box of Middleton Cherry. Now I’m sure suddenly someone is clutching thier pearls saying “Bullshit!” And maybe deservedly - but it’s my experience, my opinion and end the end I have to live with it , not the pearl cluthing naysayer. So - to the bowls - it’s nice. Warm. Glad it’s not a syrup bomb. Smoke can be prolific if pushed - in the high humidity condition of smoking in my truck during a rain, it was pure cloudy. Tight packs equal more sweetness. I’d wager it could bite if your a freight train , but it didn’t bother me. I like this enough it is noted for my next bulk order. Not a huge amount , but a half pound will probably suffice me for a very long time given how infrequently I’m accustomed to reaching for cherry blends. (Side note - I kind of want to mix this into a Balkan. Don’t know why. But the urge is there and maybe when I’m done with the next 300 or so bowls this project requires I’ll try it .) My rating: 4- this is good - I’m ordering some to have around when I am ordering something else (This is the 7th of the 101 C&D bulk blends I am reviewing, based on thier SP rating, from lowest to highest.)
