Public Profile

Cornell & Diehl - Anthology 2023 2oz
Virginia Paradise
Skipped last year because perique is such a wildcard component for me personally, so I was happy to see this year's Anthology exclude it. I'm primarily a straight Virginia smoker so this is dead center of my wheelhouse. This also has some really nice packaging, which sometimes doesn't get enough love so shout out to whoever designed the tin art. It definitely fits with the tastefulness of complexity of this blend. There aren't any off flavors here, which occasionally happens with fresh / young C&D Virginias. The flavors are deep, rich, leathery, oily but balanced and not too strong the way another fan favorite (Carolina Red Flake) can sometimes be. As far as C&D small batch goes, this is right up there with CRF and Sun Bear for me, so I'll definitely have to keep a look out for each years drop and pick up a few with each release and let them age.

Seattle Pipe Club - Christmas Spirit 2023 4oz
Overpriced
SCP have slowly been cranking up the price for a while now to the point where it's like a bad joke. Most of their blends go for around $10 an ounce now, which is beyond absurd. Some reviews have suggested we don't have to buy it if we don't like it and I'll do just that. I don't care how good it is, it can't be worth that.

Cornell & Diehl - Corn Cob Pipe and A Button Nose Ready Rubbed 2oz
2016 Cube Cut Was Better
When I saw C&D were re-releasing this blend, I got excited as it was one of my favorite Christmas smokes when I was just getting into pipe smoking. I thought I had lost my mind when I opened the tin and saw ribbon. Wasn't this originally a cube cut? Checked tobacco reviews and sure enough, it was. I'll be honest, that's on me for not reading the details, but it completely changes this blend and makes it less enjoyable IMO. It has less of a distinct "powdered chocolate" sort of flavor and is more just a bland chocolate mallow creme. It's not bad and it's still something to smoke for the Holidays, but man I was so excited for this to make a return after 7 years of it disappearing. Normally, I love most of C&D's stuff, especially their limited and small batch releases, but this one was a miss for me. If I hadn't experienced the other 2016 version, then maybe my opinion would be different but who knows. If they ever return to this blend, I hope they change the cut back to cube, otherwise I think I'll pass. Glad I didn't pick up multiple tins like I originally planned.

Tampers & Tools - 8deco Kokka Tamper
Nice Price
A good tamper for the price. A bit light in the hand, but a bit better than a Czech tool IMO.

Filters & Adaptors - Peterson 9mm Pipe Filters (150 Pack)
Gets It Done
Gets the job done and a much better value than the 6mm filters that I get for my cobs. The price alone is enough to make me consider switching fully to briars.

Sutliff - Eastfarthing 1.5oz
Gunna Need Some Time
I'm gunna need some time with this one. I find the English/Aro crossover thing interesting and compelling, but not sure how much I like it just yet. I never got to try any McClelland blends, but perhaps that's for the best considering how much pining I've seen over their absence. Just as I was getting in to pipe smoking (some time in 2016 IIRC) McClelland and Dunhill both closed their doors. I had somehow gotten ahold of a tin of Durbar before the switch to Peterson but I never got to try the beloved Frog. With many people commenting on the similarities, perhaps now I can understand what everyone was talking about a bit better.

Sutliff - A Taste of Summer 1.5oz
It Was Ok
Very medicinal and syrupy. I don't know what I was expecting because I'd had other blends like Molto Dolce, but this just really isn't my thing. A very heavy aromatic that is an all out assault on the senses. I did find that the most enjoyable time to smoke this was after a heavy meal as a type of "dessert smoke" if you will.

Sir Walter Raleigh - Regular 1.5oz
One of my "Go To" Smokes
SWR regular is one of my "go to" pipe tobaccos. It's a very singular experience of cocoa, earth and spice make for a wonderful all day, any day tobacco. What it lacks in complexity it makes up for in comforting familiarity. I've never had an off pouch of this stuff and it's always a satisfying smoke. Like some burleys, this can wrestle with your nose a little, just to remind you you're smoking something. But if you like the burn of a coca cola then you'll love this.

Half and Half - Half and Half 1.5oz
Good Solid Tobacco
Good solid pipe tobacco with an interesting and spicy top note. A well respected classic and for good reason.

G. L. Pease - Windjammer 2oz
Done It Again
Greg is probably one of the best blenders of modern pipe tobacco and it's easy to see why with Windjammer. Navy flakes are some of my favorite smokes. Though these kinds of tobaccos can be perceived as formulaic, even if you like them, I think most people would argue that they're that way because "why would you want to mess with a good thing." Well, Greg dared to improve upon the formula by adding some interesting additions to the mix. Altogether, Windjammer is a very rich and rustic tobacco that always stirs fantasies of being on the water and taking in nature. But I'll warn you, if you try Windjammer you might start listening to Christopher Cross and wearing Khaki shorts around the house. 5/5

Peterson - Elizabethan Mixture 50g
I Understand
I understand why StuffAndThings (Bradly) likes this stuff so much. This is a very tasteful and refined tobacco aimed at the discerning connoisseur of Va/Prs. Rich, bready, peppery, hay, grass. This has all the notes you'd expect from this type of tobacco, but it's done in a way that really stands out and sets itself apart.

Samuel Gawith - Sam's Flake 50g
Perfect
Deep dark flavors of dark fruit and raisins combine with woody and spicy Orientals. A wonderful mélange of flavors that are married by the light floral topping. A wonderful tobacco

Cornell & Diehl - Autumn Evening
Give It Time
Initially, this highly praised tobacco rubbed me the wrong way. I wasn't used to aromatics with stronger reds in them and didn't know what to make of the flavor. I remember it carrying quite the nicotine hit for an Aro and so I had a hard time smoking it as a newbie. Now that I use a filter and use better packing and lighting methods, it smokes like a dream relish the thought of the Fall season when I can smoke this all the time.

Cornell & Diehl - Corn Cob Pipe and A Button Nose 2oz
Nostalgic
This gave me waves of Americana nostalgia. It has a bit of a rough/rustic quality to it that I found delightful. Comforting puffs of cocoa and marshmallows made this a highly enjoyable blend that I hope to find again one day.

Cornell & Diehl - Miskatonic Mixture 2oz
Intriguing
Perhaps one of the oddest smelling tobaccos I've ever procured. Tastes wonderful and fits perfect with Halloween season.

Cornell & Diehl - Nutty Irishman
Solid Smoke
Nutty with hints of hazelnut and a bit of a boozy note. Comforting tobacco and a great all around Aro even if you're not the biggest fan of them.

Newminster - No.403 Superior Round Slices
Decent But Stale
While I really enjoyed the rustic look and feel of this tobacco, it came to me pretty stale. I guess the nature of buying samples of bulk tobacco is that it's always a gamble on the freshness. I feel I would have enjoyed this a bit more new from a tin or something. The light honey top note was also very enjoyable, but I would have liked to get more of that bold, dark fired flavor that I get from Mac Baren's - Old Dark Fired. Maybe I'll try to revive with a humidifier stone and see if that helps at all.

Sutliff - Pumpkin Spice
Didn't Care For It
The flavor was good and it smoked great, just not my cup of tea.

Cornell & Diehl - Golden Days of Yore 2oz
Tis The Season
This was the perfect Christmas blend. Is it a perfect all day everyday blend that you'd smoke year round? Absolutely not, but that's not what it's trying to be. It's a great winter blend that should put anyone in a festive Christmas spirit whenever it's in their pipe! 3.5/5