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Last year, around this time, Cornell & Diehl released the first installment of the Cellar Series — blends which, while ready to smoke right out of the tin, were specifically designed to increase in quality with time.
The current lineup, Joie de Vivre, Oak Alley, and Chenet's Cake, quickly became fan favorites among C&D veterans and newcomers alike.
Joie de Vivre - That magnificent ability to see the joy in everything, and the very embodiment of the festive spirit of New Orleans is the inspiration for this singular, eminently cellar worthy blend. A foundation of fragrant Latakia and sweet Red Virginia is joined by equal amounts of Perique and Katirini Turkish to enhance complexity, and then it's finished by a dash of unsweetened Black Cavendish for extra smoothness.
Oak Alley - Arguably the most famous of Louisiana's antebellum mansions, and certainly the most immediately recognizable, Oak Alley is a splendid namesake for this cellar worthy, new American standard. After establishing an impeccable partnership between sweet Red Virginias and white/brown Burleys, discreet amounts of Perique and Katirini Turkish are added to enhance both the flavor, as well as promote the coolest smoke imaginable.
Chenet's Cake - Named in honor of Pierre Chenet, the farmer accredited with discovering the process that turns Burley into Perique in 1824, this combination of Virginia and Perique, pressed into an old-fashioned crumble cake, is a Perique powerhouse for those who simply can't get enough of this "truffle of tobaccos."
While these blends made the Cellar Series worthy of mention in their own right, Cornell and Diehl's not quite done with the line just yet. They've been working on two new additions to the series, which we will be hitting retailers, including our own site, tomorrow: Old Grove and Bourbon Bleu.
They continue that New Orleans vintage feel in these new offerings, using time-honored techniques and old-fashioned blending methods.
Old Grove - Sitting between City Park Avenue and Bayou Metairie lies the Old Grove, home to ancient, moss-covered oaks and many more of New Orleans' oldest trees. Worthy of any cellar, this Cellar Series blend, a complex, ribbon-cut mixture, combines bright and red Virginias, dark Burley, Katerini Turkish, black Cavendish, and granulated Perique together with a subtle pomegranate topping to create a blend that will age as gracefully as the old grove itself.
Bourbon Bleu - Perhaps the most well-known street in the French Quarter, the oldest district in New Orleans, this Cellar Series blend takes its name from the colorful Bourbon Street, whose distinct blue shutters have lined the rue for years. In this equally memorable blend, bright and red Virginias are mixed with just the right amount of dark-fired Kentucky and long-cut Perique, then married together with bourbon before being press to form an old-fashioned crumble cake.
For those of you fortunate enough to have attended the Chicagoland Pipe Show a few weeks ago, you may have already tried these two new cellar-worthy blends. Both new additions were met with enthusiasm — something we don't see diminishing anytime soon. So check back in tomorrow to try out these new boutique blends. I know we will be smoking it all day.
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Comments
I understand you can smoke this series right out of the tin. Just wondering how long to age it in the cellar for optimum flavor.
Hey Gregory,
For the new blends, you're looking an optimum flavor between 10-15 years. The same can be said for Oak Alley and Chenet's Cake. Joie de Vivre, however, being an English blend, should mature to optimum flavor around 8-12 years. Hope that helps!!
The trick is to choose the right ones to cellar!
I just posted this in another article about the Cellar Series...I hope it helps someone to understand how these tobaccos are aging
I just recently opened my third tin of Bourbon Bleu. This one was from July 2015, and it is aging beautifully! I had just finished a tin from 2018 and loved every puff of it...but the tin with 4 years on it makes me want to stock up on BB. The tobaccos have aged well, and the flavors have deepened. The fresher tin was a bit sharp when first opened, but after a few days the flavors softened.
I have tried several of the other blends from Cellar Series. All have been really good...Joie de Vivre and Oak Alley are great fresh, and the tins from 2014 are AMAZING!
I’m excited to see how ALL of the series are at 10 years and beyond.