Public Profile

Cornell & Diehl - Corn Cob Pipe and A Button Nose 2oz
Yup, chocolate.
So, I’ve come to enjoy my English blends, and then lately found some nice aromatics to bring me back. This is one. As everyone has described, the chocolate is up front. But as with most C&D, you’ll enjoy the great tobaccos bases in this blend. You can’t go wrong here. Smoke it slowly and your tin might need a moment to dry. No tongue bite. Great room note for your friends and family. If all else fails just open the tin on the counter for potpourri.

Cornell & Diehl - Founding Fathers 2oz
I’m missing something?
I see the stellar reviews, but the first half of my bowl was boarder line ashy, which I find not common of this manufacturer. It smoked very well right out of the tin. About half the way in, the reverse of what one would anticipate for starting off a bit harsh, it mellowed down substantially. Perhaps my light was too aggressive? I’m not sure how to describe what would be pomegranate in the blend, but the taste is not overly sweet. If you’re looking for a fruity aromatic I suggest their apricot and cream blend. Otherwise pass this up for an English blend. It is a solid smoke mechanically. It’s just not so much one or the other of the major categories.

Cornell & Diehl - Apricots and Cream 2oz
Great Quality Aromatic
So, if you don’t like an aromatic, don’t leave a 2 or 3 star review because why would you? This is a great smooth and fruity smoke. The apricot is centered here. Lots of nice white clouds. It is very moist out of the tin, and some drying may be in order, however it stays lit nonetheless in my large bent pot. This is one to smoke around your friends or family that do not approve of your elite English blends.

Cornell & Diehl - Brigadier 2oz
Great smoke
This appeared moist in the tin, but it smoked so well, billowed out of my calabash. The perique is notable in on the palate. The nicotine builds so that by the end I was quite mellow. As far as the fruity nature, I’d suspect more of date than citrus or typical stone fruits. I wouldn’t classify this as aromatic nonetheless. Solid offering from C&D

Cornell & Diehl - Gentleman Caller 2oz
Different
So this is tough to place, perhaps deer tongue aficionados can explain better, but for the less elite, I’d say it’s just a relatively solid but nondescript smoke. It doesn’t have a sweet vanilla taste. The first few puffs have an herbal type flavor, and a weird powdered texture that fades quickly. I must say I like it, but I just place it as so many other blends. I agree there is a minty overtone. It lights and smokes easily, without much maintenance. I must say, that it sells briskly in 8oz tins says that many find this a 5 star. I reserve that 5th star for now.

Cornell & Diehl - Golden Days of Yore 2oz
Christmas? No. Good? Yes
I typically don’t dwell on the tin description, but here, I even watched “The Sauce” video (which was great to see the big bearded and tattooed blender cooking over his stove), and so I had a preconceived expectation which was not borne out in the smoke. As others have noted, the aromatic side of this offering is very light, almost absent. On the other hand, the tobaccos are excellent as to be expected from C&D. The Virginia is front and center to my taste. The nicotine is not punchy, but it will certainly present itself quickly! As for Christmas, I think the older Jolly Old St Nicholas is more in line with spices of the holidays. Great smoke, just not so Christmas invoking to my mind.

Cornell & Diehl - Jolly Old Saint Nicholas 2oz
Christmas? Maybe
Shelved now for a few years, upon opening the tin, the tobacco remained moist, not damp, but fresh. The tin note is of perique for certain amongst the other added flavors. The light was simple and burn was steady. First note is absolutely perique. Soon after the orange and ginger are there with the citrus front and center. Would I call this Christmas? Not sure, however pairing with a cup of tea added with cinnamon and orange peel, and boy is this a holiday winner nonetheless. It does stay on your palate, and my wife is not a fan for that reason.

Borkum Riff - Bourbon Whiskey 1.5oz
But wait...
So I tried this over a year ago, and didn’t finish the bowl. Tawdry common and overdone with casing. I should’ve thrown in out, but I likely forgot about it, and happened upon the bag when cleaning out some old pipe stuff. Interestingly, it went from 1 star to 3.5 after considerable uncontained drying. Burnt right up with zero gurgle and was still sweet. If you somehow end up with it, this the only way it becomes semi-decent

Peterson - Sweet Killarney 50g
Caramel Frappuccino for your pipe
If you’re craving a sweet smoke on the back of quality tobacco, this has potential. It is a full body smoke despite its sweet flavor. The casing is not overdone from the perspective of being wet or goopy. It burns well. Those around you who may be averse to your English blends will thank you for choosing this in their presence. To that end, the tin is fragrant.

Mac Baren - Plumcake 3.5oz
Not overdone
Excellent blend. When opening the tin, you’ll note the sweetness, but the quality of the tobacco remains evident. The tobacco is not cased in a goopy concoction, and burns easily in the bowl without producing much moisture. The sweetness of the smoke is pleasant, and you’ll certainly notice a natural sugar on your palate, although plum may not reminiscent to your taste buds. You’ll not lose the tobacco flavors. The room note is pleasant for your company, which was my purpose in procuring this offering. For you who enjoy a more basic tobacco experience, you’ll not turn your back on your convictions, but will find a compromise for those around you who cannot appreciate your first love of a more pure English type blend.

Cornell & Diehl - Autumn Evening 2oz
Lives up to hype
True to tobacco yet great sweet flavor. Not wet out of my tin, with obvious maple smell. Easily handled, burns well, no bite. This is a great way to enjoy good tobacco without infringing on the senses of those around you. Highly recommend you give it a try!

Newminster - No.23 Blackberry Brandy 2 oz
Well...
I’ve been getting away from aromatics, but room notes of my English has been issue for my wife, so I tried this for that purpose. Perhaps I would’ve enjoyed this before, but my tastes have matured. I found it wet. The fruity taste fades rapidly. It had a strange aftertaste and it later left a sharp chemical smell in the room not present on first light. I’ll dry it and try again, but I doubt I’ll buy more.

Mac Baren - Vanilla Flake 1.75oz
Reshaping my aromatics
Of late I have begun to appreciate the English and more pure tobacco blends. On the other hand, my wife has not concurred with how I smell. So, instead of the goopy cased flavors, I’ve been hunting a better room note without the wet and overdone processes. This does it! It’s a more natural smoke. The vanilla is not overpowering. It is subtly sweet. Importantly, the room note and “beard residue” will not lead to divorce. The tin note is certainly of vanilla. The flake gives you the feel of high quality. It burns well unless you work it hard, it will get a bit wet and hot if you do. Great compromise for those you share space with without turning your back on fine tobacco!

Peterson - Nightcap 50g
Bye Bye Aromatics
I guess of late, I’ve “graduated.” As most, I started with cased flavors. I’ve noticed that many reviews are descriptive of taste by words of smell such as “leathery.” So, I also suppose I’m not an advanced smoker, because I’ve never chewed leather. This composite is wonderful. It’s bold, yet has enough sweetness to make it a very enjoyable smoke. There is a touch of spice, much as your palate may expect from a cinnamon and clove tea. The nicotine isn’t punchy, but it builds stoutly to its namesake. It is smooth and burned easily right from my tin. Speaking of, the tin note does smell of hay and leather. I found the bowl to require minimal maintenance, burning efficiently. The heel had little moisture left behind when all was said and done. Beginner? Make the switch! Intermediate? You’ll come to appreciate the flavors of tobacco itself through this blend. Advanced? You already know!

Lane Limited - Crown Achievement
Real Deal
So as an intermediate piper, I say this might be the most “mature” blend I’ve tried. Opening the tin will fill the room with a leather scent. Not for you who are just migrating from aromatics, or you will not appreciate the worth and likely write it off. My tin was dry on open, and I smoked it directly from a briar that has never seen an aromatic blend. I erred by puffing too fast at first and developed a hint of bite, but slowing down remedied that easily. Certainly has an earthy, leather and alfalfa quality. It’s neither sweet nor bitter, but a hint of spice. This will not win over the non-smokers in your house, that’s a fact. Overall it’s a very nice blend and I recommend it to the aficionados of non-aromatics.

G. L. Pease - Maltese Falcon 2oz
Spicy smooth experience
This is atop the list! It’s a very smooth, easy smoke, not damp, and requires little maintenance in the bowl throughout the smoke. Burns to a thorough ash without much debris or moisture in the heel. The tin note is leathery. There’s a mild spicy tone throughout the bowl, perhaps of clove and nutmeg? It has just a touch of sweetness. There is no tongue bite associated with the spiced nature. Give it a try, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!

Cornell & Diehl - Bijou 2oz
Top Shelf
I find this a very smooth smoke. I rubbed it to what consider a course consistency, it tamped well, and burned easy to fine ash. It certainly has a sweet but subtle honey flavor. This likely is an “all day” type of blend. I’d place the nicotine dose at above average. My tin was not overly moist as some have reported. Not often spoke of in ratings is the color of smoke; I find it to have a fairly white character, those blends that smoke to tan and yellow, have in my opinion, carried a less than optimum experience and leave a post event after taste. I highly recommend you give it a try.

Amphora - Full Aroma 1.75oz
William Conrad’s old favorite
It’s not awful. Apparently this is a reincarnated version of the original. I found this blend less sweet than advertised, and as one or two others noted, it’s a bit harsh. Just shy of bite throughout the bowl. Not sure if it’ll improve with a little drying, but I doubt ole Marshall Dillon would’ve loved this version.

Cornell & Diehl - Sun Bear 2oz
Radiant
Very well done. Easily handled. Maintains proper ember without too much work. Sweet, but not overly so. You won’t go wrong... if you find it

Sutliff - Molto Dolce 1.5oz
Like maple syrup?
Well then, mix it with your wife’s worst perfume, and pour the mixture into your pipe. Don’t bother lighting it, just suck it up through the stem. And now you have Molto Dolce.... oh, the tin is nice.