Lynnley D.
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Cornell & Diehl - Palmetto Balkan 8oz
Decent enough but there’s better.
I picked up an ounce of this small batch series at my local BNM store. I was so happy to see it being offered by the ounce there instead of the 8 oz. Personally, I don’t want to invest that money unless I know I’m going to love it. I smoked a respectable bowl last evening. First off, I love everything Cornell And Diel offers. Never had a bad tobacco. And the same holds true here. It’s good quality tobacco. I never doubted Jeremy and his sorcerers and C&D when I bought my ounce for their cauldron type blending. The tin note…oh my, wonderful. Smoky, wine, tangy, slight yeast…just delectable. That’s what bought me that oz. Now the smoke. Immediately, I was hit with Latakia. It was actually a bit overwhelming at first but it settled down and definitely pulled in some fine orientals and Virginias albeit briefly. It got my hopes up. But there was something lacking. I picked up no stone fruits. Nothing else of great variety and if it was there, it was brief and I forgot. I expected more depth. I sipped it slow. Still more Latakia. Those other tobaccos just kind of fell away for most of the bowl. The Latakia was Much more than the tin note told me. Hmmm….again, it’s good Latakia but it overshadowed the rest of the blend for A majority of smoke. It needs to age in my opinion to calm that Latakia and it needs to blend more in a jar. But that’s the thing with small batch series….we can’t afford to figure out if we like it and what it needs. It should just be ready to smoke and not “wait” for it to get better. It’s a limited release. It shouldn’t need to age. I was able to get very little tang, none of those dark Virginias. Orientals seem to take a back seat here and that surprised me because if you smell the tin note, you aren’t expecting Latakia to take the lead. I don’t think it’s bad blending, I think it just needs to age. And that’s where it falls short for me. I wanted it ready and ready now…that’s the wonderment of the small batch series usually. Yes, age helps most blends but shouldn’t “need” it. Balkan Sobranie is still my favorite Balkan. I will take my ounce and put it on the shelf and simply put, not buy anymore because what’s the use of cellaring 8oz if I will never get this blend again. Trust me, it’s not a bad Balkan. But it was pretty one note for me and that’s fairly disappointing,

Amphora - Burley 1.75oz
Love it
Like most of the Amphoras', this one does not disappoint. If you put this in a tin and jacked the price up by $5.00, you would not know you are smoking an "OTC pouch" blend. Its that good. Its spicy, smoky, slight nuttiness without bite. Loads easily. A little moist out of the pouch but keeps lit and burns well right down to the bottom. No drying for me. Its a lovely smoke, even when pushed harder though I don't recommend. I am halfway through the pouch and have owned it for a week and that's only because I smoke a lot of other blends and give them all some love.

Cornell & Diehl - Bijou 2oz
Soooo good
Love this blend. Cellared for a year, cracked it and instantly fell in love. Sweet, bready, peppery, smooth. It does taste different depending on the pipe you use. There’s no way this tin is gonna age 10-15 years the way I’m smoking it. So I bought another tin in hopes I can keep it there. Very underrated blend.

Warped - The Red Hunt 2oz
Dimetapp?
I was excited about this blend from all the reviews and intrigue I read. It’s been cellared for 1 year or so. I cracked the tin….whoa, is that a grape topping? Didn’t expect that. It reminded me of my youth when my mom would come into my room when I was sick and give me a teaspoon of Dimetapp for a cough. I was put off by the smell but thankfully, I don’t taste this grape type flavoring when smoked. This tobacco when smoked is complex:, spicy, sweet, tangy, floral. It’s a lot, and every puff is different. And that’s why I rated it fairly low…too much going on in this tobacco for my taste. It’s like someone threw a bunch of tobaccos together, possibly sweetened it with a topping. It feels pushed to the limits but not in a good way. Now, the tobaccos used are of excellent quality, it burnt very easily. But I just can’t wrap my head around this blend. And the smell of the tobacco…I swear someone put dimetapp in there. It’s not for me but I do see other more tobacco adventurous souls enjoying this. I guess I’m simple in my taste. I’ll keep smoking it and maybe change my review in several months.

Peter Stokkebye - PS402 Luxury Twist Flake
Sweet and Mild
This is a good flake for low nicotine seeking individuals with uncertainty about smoking flakes and Virginias that have crossed over from the Aromatic world. It’s the first flake I ever smoked and I really enjoyed it and cellared 3 oz. 3 years later, while my taste have changed and evolved over that time, I still think this is a very good flake. It’s mild, there’s a casing on it that to me, taste like coconut. It’s subtle and not fully present the whole way through the bowl. Taste great with a nice IPA, or a light adult beverages coffee. Seems to enhance the flavors. It burns well when folded or rubbed out. Stays lit, no tongue bite. It won’t blow you away if you’re a Virginia enthusiast. But it’s good for beginners and seasoned alike when you just want to puff on something mild and easy. I recommend aging it though. It does seem to bring out the sweetness more.

Seattle Pipe Club - Plum Pudding Special Reserve 4oz
The best…
This tobacco is one of the best tobacco blends I have ever had. I have 4 tins aging, one open. Its complex, smooth, tasty on every level. There’s a type of fine wine, merlot, Cabernet flavor to it that is wonderful in the evening or on a cold day. Seriously, this stuff is so good, you need to try it. Only downside, it’s a bugger to keep lit in the beginning but once it gets going, good gravy, it’s good. It gets better as the smoke continues. I get giggly when I slice off a slab to smoke because I know what’s about to happen. Pure enjoyment….

Cornell & Diehl - Smokingpipes 20th Anniversary Blend: XX Flake 2oz
Please, please, please make more
All I have to say is....wow! Please C&D, make more of this so I can be a greedy golfer and buy tins if it and smoke this all day. Absolutely wonderful smoke. The quality of the tobaccos is top notch, the flavor is out of this world. Please make more of this....I’m begging!

Newminster - No.23 Blackberry Brandy
Smoke your dessert
I like all tobacco-aromatic, English, Vapers, it’s all appealing at different times of the day, week or mood. This blend I kept aged for over a year without ever trying it. Well, yummy! I was surprised as aromatics can go wrong quickly from my perspective. But this one: one of the first aromatics that legit taste like blackberry and brandy. It is sweet, so avoid if you don’t like sweet tobacco. But if you want a tobacco that holds true to its name then you’ll enjoy this tremendously.

Cornell & Diehl - Morning Light: Boker Or 2oz
Good Morning Smoke
I am a crazy junkie for tobacco that pairs well with my cup of coffee for the morning. This hits the spot. So far my experience, if you smoke it without age, it provides that wonderful bread, yeast flavor that you like in those Virginia’s. But oddly enough, I let my last batch age for about 1 year and I smoked it again and the Perique became the star of the show this time. This was the same tin I smoked 1 year ago and it completely transformed with the Perique much more at present. Had very much lost the bakery flavor and tasted much more complex. Still beautiful and satisfying but different with age, I recommend for a beautiful morning smoke new and aged.

Chacom
Nougat (102)

Currently Out of Stock
002-512-5714

Ropp
Vintage Smooth Bent Apple

Currently Out of Stock
002-598-8080

Ropp
Vintage Smooth Bent Billiard

Currently Out of Stock
002-598-8089

Ropp
Vintage Smooth Bent Dublin

Currently Out of Stock
002-598-8102

Savinelli
Cocktail (401) (6mm)

Currently Out of Stock
002-033-46740