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All New Pipes
Stephen C.
Reviews
Cornell & Diehl - Byzantium
Intruiging on so many levels its silly...
This one surprised me. I blend my own tobacco so I had this thought at furst glance "it's three ingredients and a crap ton of Latakia, how complex can it be?" Very, as it turns out, so that'll teach me. And its true there is a crap ton of Latakia in this melange, and while the Orientals are clearly visible I can barely find the Perique just by looking, but gosh darn Jeremy and Co have hit on some sort of magical alchemy here with the ratios and the results are all kinds of interesting. All the usual notes of Latakia are here -incense, light camphor, oud, some sort of weirdly esoteric animalic funk, a touch of something like coffee, a stronger touch of something like medicinal mushrooms (reishi always comes to mind for some reason), and just a kiss of sweetness I can never quite define‐ but they're accented with subtle pushes and nudges that take it in unexpected directions. There's something bready and slightly grain-like along with a distinct and very pleasantly pallet-cleansing crispness (I presume from the Orientals) that elevates the aforementioned Lat notes to new level, along with unpredictable bursts of fruity, perfumesque strangeness that I assume is the Perique. Its complex yet approachable, unpredictable but weirdly dependable at the same time, and always, always interesting. Altogether lovely, in other words, and it's become one of my regulars. Aaaaand, just to make it even more delightful, it pairs beautifully with strong, fruity red wine; think Shiraz, Pinot Nior, Chianti, and strong table blends. (And probably Port, though I have yet tontrybit...) The acid and fruit notes of the wine dance with the smoky, musky perfume of the Byzantium, swirling together into something infinitely stranger and more alluring than either alone. The perfect companion for flights of the imagination to exotic lands indeed, and I can't recommend it highly enough...
Cornell & Diehl - Pegasus
An unexpected delight...
The sheer breadth of C&D's offerings can start to feel like overkill, so I'm always a little meh when I try a new one from them, but this one surprised me. Its reminiscent of Haunted Bookshop, which was my first blend and thus will always hold a special place in my heart, but somehow without the perique the burley stands out more, and the hugged chunks of cavendish add interesting little spurts and pockets of interesting flavor contrast, making for a very dynamic smoking session. This baby changes, a lot, depending on where you are in the bowl, weaving between rich burley oomph, sweetly spicy virginia nuance, and the aforementioned pockets of sweet and slightly spicy cavendish that's intriguingly different from the virginia sweet and spice (more straigh ginger with a touch of something like bubblegum, rather than the allspice, nutmeg, ginger, and a hint of clove from the virginia), and I can taste each component individually over the top of the married taste components depending on what leaf the ember is touching. Its also gentler than Haunted Bookshop, not in the nic hit (I'd say they're comparable there) but in the mouth feel and potential for tongue bite. I often have a mild reaction burley heavy blends (though its inconsistant - Haunted Bookshop, Shandygaff, and Crooner can bite my tongue off some days, but I can smoke the straight cube cut burley without an issue, for whatever reason), but this is smooth as butter, burns like a dream, and doesn't do weird things to my tongue, so I'm delighted with the stuff, and will start stocking up by the half pound. All in all a very nice blend...
Cornell & Diehl - Engine #99
Intriguing, if somewhat redundant, spin on a familiar idea...
I confess myself a little torn on these Latakia bombs from C&D. With all due respect to Jeremy and CO's formidable prowess (and to be clear I smoke mostly C&D blends these days so this is in no way a criticism), the company's been described elsewhere here as the Chinese restaurant of pipe tobacco, focused on a wide variety of menu items that in reality differ very little from one another, which is an apt description and this blend is a case in point. Is it bad? No, in fact it's quite tasty - rich, smoky, strong, with some interesting nuance from the interplay of the burley, orientals, and perique. Is it that different from their other Lat bomb offerings? No, to the point of redundancy. I'm a tobacco nerd and blend my own stuff from whole leaf, so I like comparing and contrasting, exploring subtle flavor differences, and the like, and Engine #99 certainly makes for an interesting side by side analysis with the other Lat bombs from C&D (the sweet tea-like aftertaste from what I assume is an interplay between the burley and virginias is particularly noteworthy on this one, for some reason), but its also similar enough that I see no reason to keep it around over any of the others. Unless you're an uber-nuance nerd I doubt you'd notice much of a difference between this, Byzantium, and Pirate Kake, and in reality thanks to the orientals, perique, and burley it tastes basically like a combination of the two, to my palate at any rate. Is it nice? Sure. But its similar enough to Byzantium and Pirate Kake (both of which I prefer over this, particularly Byzantium thanks to its clean, streamlined flavor profile) that I see no need to keep it around. Still, if you like Lat bombs and are looking for a good warm weather puffer with a good hit of Vitamin N you're golden, so by all means give it a go. You won't be disappointed, and that sweet-tea aftertaste is lovely so more than worth the time...
Cornell & Diehl - New Market
Subtle, nuanced, delicious...
This was a surprise, not because my hopes were low (quite the contrary) but because of just how complex it is. First off, I'll second the comments on the optics - this mix is pretty, with the light yellows and leather browns of the virginias inter playing beautifully with leathery twists of black Cavendish accented with flecks of deertongue green. Lovely. The tin note is heavy on bready, almost caremel like sweetness, overlayed with that fresh hay/alfalfa note of deertongue. Not the most complex bouquet, but very, very nice. Packing is interesting thanks to the chunky Cavendish, but not a challenge. (Just remember to keep it a little loose or it'll clog...) Lights up nicely, opening with a sweet, thick mouth feel from the Cavendish and virginias accented nicely by the sweet, lightly mentholic-meets-sweetgrass herbal notes of deertongue. Quite quickly a very intriguing spicy note develops, and I'm struggling to describe it. Cinnamon comes to mind, and there's a spicy warmth but it's not quite that, while nutmeg and allspice both almost work but not quite and ginger's in there somewhere too. It's richer and more interesting than any of those alone, however, and though subtle it's deep enough to get lost in finding all the flavor nuances. Deeper down the bowl that spiciness intensifies, as does the light citrus sweetness of the Virginas, all grounded by the creamy solidity of Cavendish. Room note is nicely inviting too, so definately one to consider when smoking in social situations. Burns cleanly with no dottle, leaving a fine, dark ash behind. Altogether a lovely blend, and probably my favorite deertongue blend I've tried thus far (though Engine #382 is a very close second...), so highly recommended. I'll have to buy half a pound to age in an apothecary jar, since it should improve with time, assuming I can keep it around long enough. Altogether a delight...
Cornell & Diehl - Visions of Celephaïs 2oz
Ever had an urge to smoke a grape jolly rancher?
The title says it all. I viscerally, violently hate this stuff, which is a first for C&D - sure, they're a little hit and miss (another reviewer describes them as "the Chinese restaurant of pipe tobacco", which is hilariously apt in a lot of ways...), but I liked most of what I've tried well enough even if I wouldn't buy it a second time, so this was a bit of a surprise. The underlying tobacco smells amazing, but holy hell that grape topping is INTENSE! I swear, it ghosts a pipe just by being in the same room, and I think I might have turned slightly purple just by looking at it... Jokes aside, I've put the tin in three plastic bags and I can still smell that gibbiously lugubrious synthetic grape odor, which is sort of nauseatingly awe inspiring. I hate the stuff, in otherwords, with a passion that borders on the cosmic. This isn't wine, it's synthetic grape, and enough to concuss a horse, or possibly an eldritch tentacular menace. If you like very, very strong aros and love the idea of smoking grape Skittles this should be your cup of tea to the nines, but I for one must pass, which is sad since the tobacco blend both sounds and smells fabulous. My first "Holy sh-t that's horrifying!" tobacco experience, so well done C&D, I'm sort of weirdly impressed. Fortunately the rest of the Lovecraft line is bloody amazing and has become my staunch writing companion (professional horror and weird fiction writer here - kudos to Jeremy and crew for making me even more eccentrically rediculous...), so I'll just consider this an offering to the Old Ones and send it to the dump for the gods of rot to enjoy. I for one can't stand the stuff...
Cornell & Diehl - Bayou Night
Fantasic...
About as subtle as being gently kicked in the face by a horse, but its a loving kick so I'll take it with a happy grin. And since I'm on a equestrian metaphor kick, this blend's a one trick pony, but the trick is solid so I'll be the last complain. It's heavy on the Latakia smoky vibes though it's surprisingly balanced given how much of the stuff is lurking in there, a little musky thanks to the orientals, a little sweet and bready from the virginia and burly, and quite fruity and spicy thanks to the perique, but it all melds nicely into a harmonious, richly comforting whole. (With a hint of what I can only describe as bubblegum, which should be off putting but instead is just oddly intriguing...) The room note's a tad funky, and definitely one of those that puts the non-smokers off a bit, but it's not offensive so they tend to just mutter "odd" and let the weirdo puff away. Still worth noting though - if you want to stay completely non-offensive go with Bayou Morning, which smells bloody heavenly and consistantly garners compliments. In short, this is a solid, gently complex riff on the Scottish blend that makes for a fantastic all day smoke. It's becoming my very dear writing companion and a favorite nightcap, so I can't recommend it enough. Time to buy more apothecary jars, since this should age nicely and I need a lot of it around...
Cornell & Diehl - Oriental Silk 2oz
Ginger notes anyone?
If I didn't know better I'd think this was cased with a touch of ginger, though I know it isn't. It's not overpowering, but it's most definately there and plays beautifully with everything in the blend, showing just how good C&D can be. It's complex without being distracting, so you can pack it and go, but complex enough that it will also reward a solo, contemplative session to explore the nuances or a long sit with a good book. Love it...
Cornell & Diehl - Habana Daydream
Tempermental, but oh so worth it...
Be forwarned, this stuff burns insanely hot so if you don't have a handle on technique it'll bite your tongue off, especially in a pipe with a small bowl or/and a short stem. However, if you sip gently it will reward with a fascinating kalaidescope of flavors - honestly it's so complex I don't think I can do it justice, so just do yourself a favor and grab an ounce, pack it in a pipe with a large, wide bowl, and sip gently - you won't be dissapointed, especially if you like cigars. However, and part of what it so damn intriging, it's not a "cigary" blend; the cigar leaf sneaks in underneath the warm spice of the virginias and the pepper accent of the perique, melding with the sweet cavendish and creating an overall experience unlike anything else I've found. Definately a winner in my book, so I'll be snagging a half pound to load up in an apothecary jar, and I'll probably even snag a larger jar from Infinity Jars (note to bulk buyers - the apothecary jars from Infinity are wonderful for aging tobacco, and worth every penny...) so I can stock up on a whole pound. This stuff should age like a dream...
Cornell & Diehl - Gentleman Caller 2oz
Simple, straight forward, amazing...
It's burley and virginias (at a guess I'd say it's bright, stoved bright, and stoved red...) with deertongue, plain and simple. (I confess I can't find the perique, though I suspect it's playing a soft note in the background that I'd miss if it wasn't there...) Nothing hugely complex, but the virginia's are nicely sweet and bready, the burley's adds a touch of richness and structure, and the deertongue shines atop the pair with it's lovely sweet, slightly musky ouvre. Clean, simple, straightforward, with no nonesense to distract from the star, and Deertongue is definately the star here; it's there throughout, but when the ember hits a nice size peice it releases a hit of delicious herbal notes that really shine. In short, the blend is lovely, and the room note is gentle but inviting so this would be an excellent blend smoke when around people who don't think they like the smell of tobacco. Burns evenly too, doesn't get bitey even though it burns fairly hot (which says a lot, since I'm smoking it in a little five inch clay taster - my cadence is good, but it says a lot that I don't really need to think about keeping it cool), and packs beautifully - I'll be getting a cherry churchwarden to dedicate to deertongue blends, and this will be the main player I suspect. Altogether a joy to smoke, so highly reccomended...
Cornell & Diehl - Seersucker 2oz
I like it, it's got layers...
This is...actually, I'm kind of challenged to describe this stuff, to be honest. Smoking it out a small clay churchwarden (Markus Fohr's #5, so maybe tiny would be a better word...) with the gorgeous plug cut into course-ish ribbons -not my preference, but the only knife to hand was a bit dull and I'm just too lazy to go grab something so there was a bit of undignified sawing action I don't intend to repeat- it starts out sweet and slightly musky, with a hint of spice somewhere between allspice and nutmeg but more interesting than either alone. After a few puffs a new licorice note begins to emerge, the musky notes get stronger, and the two begin playing a gentle back and forth over the sweet, lightly cavendish tinged underlayer, and a strong tobacco smell unfolds on the retrohale. Mid-bowl the licorice recedes and bready, malty notes take center stage dressed up with more of the spice and sweetness from what tastes like a cigar cavendish who's variety I can't quite place. (Reminds me of Sumatran or Javan leaf, and almost of Kasturi, but I'm not positive - not a hint of earthiness or pepper whatever it is, just intricate spice and a light creaminess...) Intriguingly the licorice switches to the retrohale at this stage, accompanied by a lovely sweet richness in the nose and across the soft palate. Towards the end the spicy sweetness of the opening puffs returns, but the sweetness is markedly more pronounced and the musk is just a hint, and the retrohale is all spice and cream. So, overall a lovely little plug - cuts well, rubs out nicely, packs just as nicely, and smokes through a lovely flavor journey that's a joy to experience. Altogether a gem, which means I'll have to grab several for aging. Highly recomended, especially for the cigar smokers out ther looking to dip their toes into pipes, or those who enjoy both and like to switch things up in interesting ways...
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