Cornell & Diehl has provided pipe smokers with handcrafted tobacco blends made from the highest-quality leaf and processes available for over 30 years. The premium blending house has cultivated an expansive portfolio of tobaccos that offer sublime smoking experiences tailored to any palate — from their famous Burley flakes, to their widely appreciated Small Batch releases, C&D continues to expand their offerings. Navigating such a wide array of blends can be daunting, so we've assembled a list of their most popular mixtures to help smokers discern where to start identifying the most personally interesting blends from America's only pipe-tobacco company.

Top 10 Best-Selling C&D Pipe Tobaccos:
1. 10. Bright Virginia Ribbon
2. 9. Night Train
3. 8. Billy Budd
4. 7. Pirate Kake
5. 6. Star of the East
6. 5. Old Joe Krantz
7. 4. Bayou Morning
8. 3. Haunted Bookshop
9. 2. Autumn Evening
10. 1. Briar Fox

10. Bright Virginia Ribbon

This blending tobacco enters the top 10 this year, featuring high-grade Old Belt Golden Virginias that are sweet with just a hint of citrus because of their naturally high-sugar content and relatively low presence of oil. This Bright leaf can be combined with other tobacco or smoked all on its own.

Available in: 2oz | Bulk

"I bought this for some home blending experiments and was pleasantly surprised. This leaf has that sweet honey graham cracker flavor with a hint of citrus. Great all by itself. I also like to layer it with chunky blends that need a little something extra to help with the burn or a heavy English that needs a little help opening up." - Rockefeller79, 5-star review at Smokingpipes

Components: Virginia

Family: Blending

Cut: Ribbon

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9. Night Train

Night Train enters the best-sellers list in the number nine spot, showcasing Bright, flue-cured ribbons and flakes that combine with smooth Cavendish, robust Burley, and spicy Perique. The entire blend is pressed in an old-fashioned crumble cake for a satisfying smoke aboard the best train for an evening journey.

Available in: 2oz | 8oz | 16oz

"I don't know why, but I went into this experience not expecting much. I could not have been more wrong. This tobacco is sweet, spicy, smooth, and just all around great. Everything just works! I'm buying as much as I can get my hands on for the cellar, and I suggest you do the same." - Grateful Dawg, 5-star review at Smokingpipes

Components: Virginia, Perique, Burley, Black Cavendish

Family: Burley

Cut: Ribbon

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8. Billy Budd

Moving up the list this year, Billy Budd is a heavy Latakia blend with Burley, Bright Virginia flake, and natural-cut cigar leaf. This blend was specially created for C&D's late friend, Sailorman Jack.

Available in: 2oz | 8oz | Bulk

"Billy Budd tobacco exhibits traits like the character it is named after. A handsome blend that is kind to all, gentle yet packs a punch. The tobacco stimulated each area of the tongue, and for a smoker who blows plumes of smoke, like the funnel on a steamship, is surprisingly cool through the whole bowl. Definitely an everyday smoke." - Joshua B., 5-star review at Smokingpipes

Components Virginia, Latakia, Burley, Cigar

Family: English

Cut: Ribbon

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7. Pirate Kake

Ranking at number seven on our list, Pirate Kake features a smooth, robust blend with a hefty amount of Latakia accompanied by Turkish and Burley — a Latakia lover's treasure.

Available in: 2oz | 8oz | 16oz

"Seriously good. One I don't plan on being out of. If you love Latakia, don't hesitate to get a full lb. It's exactly what I wanted. It reminds me of black coffee. Straightforward, bold, tasty. Great way to start and finish the day." - Max M., 5-star review at Smokingpipes

Components: Latakia, Burley, Orientals

Family: English

Cut: Cake

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6. Star of the East

As we near the middle of our list, the full-bodied Star of the East is next, a long-time fan favorite. This blend starts with a base of 50% Latakia, with a generous portion of Turkish leaf, which is then sweetened with stoved Red Virginia.

Available in: 2oz | 8oz | Bulk

"I'm a Latakia lover, and this one scratches that itch. Smoky, salty, a bit sour, wonderful. In my top 5 along with Billy Budd, Mountain Camp, Habana Daydream, and Mad Fiddler." - Sam F., 5-star review at Smokingpipes

Components: Virginia, Latakia, Orientals

Family: English

Cut: Ribbon

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5. Old Joe Krantz

Ranking in fifth place on our list, Old Joe Krantz is comprised of Dark and cube-cut Burley with Red Virginia ribbon and Perique, which combine to create a smooth, all-day smoke. This blend is a Runowski creation named in honor of the man who taught Bob to smoke a pipe: his grandfather, Old Joe Krantz.

Available in: 2oz | 8oz | Bulk

"Noticeable Reds right off the bat, just enough to linger in the background, subtle sweetness. I'd say the Perique is about 30% as the retrohale is there, but not bad, good!! Burley in this that really provides a nice nicotine hit. Repeat buy for me." - Fred U., 5-star review at Smokingpipes

Components: Virginia, Perique, Burley

Family: Burley

Cut: Ribbon

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4. Bayou Morning

Rising up the rankings this year, Bayou Morning is a Virginia/Perique blend presenting Red and Bright Virginias and 25% Perique in a ribbon-cut orientation. This Va/Per is not for the faint of heart, packing a punch to wake you up for a slow morning on the bayou.

Available in: 2oz | 8oz | Bulk

"I start my day with this one. Sweetness is there, but from time to time, perfectly balanced with the rest of the ingredients. Spice and nicotine are also there to shake me up for a good morning." - Zoran L., 5-star review at Smokingpipes

Components: Virginia, Perique

Family: Virginia

Cut: Ribbon

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3. Haunted Bookshop

Always making its way to the top of the list, Haunted Bookshop is another one of Bob Runowski's blends, named in honor of Christopher Morley's famous novel. This Burley and Virginia blend features a touch of Perique for some added flavor.

Available in: 2oz | 8oz | Bulk

"This is my One blend. It's my favorite. It's hard to want to smoke anything else after smoking this. Old Joe Krantz is a pretty good alternative, but I still like Haunted Bookshop better. It's an all-day smoke for me. It smokes great, tastes great. It's the best." - Tanner F., 5-star review at Smokingpipes

Components: Virginia, Perique, Burley

Family: Burley

Cut: Ribbon

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2. Autumn Evening

A crowd-pleaser, Autumn Evening ranks in the number two spot this year. This blend of proprietary Red Virginia Cavendish is lightly cased with a delicate maple flavor, making it a delightful Aromatic smoke that we love. Don't be fooled by the name — this warm and inviting blend is a solid smoke year-round.

Available in: 2oz | 8oz | 16oz | Bulk

"Just a classic. One of the rare blends that you can bring out with a wide variety of smokers and make everyone happy. No real bite. Smooth all the way through. No crazy casing heavy taste. I can see why this is a C&D best seller. I can't see letting myself run out of this blend. Be good to yourself and grab a tin." - Troy S., 5-star review at Smokingpipes

Components: Virginia

Family: Aromatic

Cut: Ribbon

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1. Briar Fox

Once again, the top-selling blend is the fan-favorite Virginia and Burley concoction, Briar Fox. This smooth and tasty smoke is pressed into an old-fashioned crumble cake that will keep you coming back time and time again.

Available in: 2oz | 8oz | 16oz

"This pipe tobacco is incredibly enjoyable to smoke. It has a very smooth draw, causing no discomfort. The flavor is bright and refreshing, making it particularly suitable for smoking while soaking up the sun. I've bought it repeatedly and stocked up a lot." - Vanrol, 5-star review at Smokingpipes

Components: Virginia, Burley

Family: Virginia

Cut: Cake

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These are our 10 best-selling Cornell & Diehl pipe tobaccos here at Smokingpipes. Keep in mind, these blends were ranked based on popularity, not by our own tastes or judgments. If you don't see your favorite on the list, leave us a comment and share your thoughts — perhaps it will make it in a future list!

Latest Updates (2025):
• Bright Virginia Ribbon entered the list at #10
• Night Train entered the list at #9
• Billy Budd moved from #10 to #8
• Pirate Kake moved from #6 to #7
• Star of the East moved from #4 to #6
• Old Joe Krantz moved from #7 to #5
• Bayou Morning moved from #5 to #4
• Haunted Bookshop moved from #2 to #3
• Autumn Evening moved from #3 to #2
• Briar Fox stayed at #1