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Per Jensen - Legacy Collection: Harbour Dreams 2oz
Very good, but not what I expected
Let me begin with that this is a very well crafted blend. Easy to smoke, stays lit, burns cool and consistent. The tin note was quite a surprise. If you’ve ever had a Backwoods Sweet & Aromatic cigar, this smells almost identical. Took me back to my 20’s! The profile to me is more of a vanilla note, than the described chocolate. All that said it’s very enjoyable and the sweetness persists from beginning to end. Although I expected a little more of darker cocoa note, I’ll continue to enjoy.

Cornell & Diehl - Pegasus
Pretty Good
Simple with a nice rounded mouthfeel from the black cavendish. A little sweet from the Virginia. Burley adds a nice mushroom note. I feel with a smidge of perique this blend would elevate. But that’s just my taste.

Cornell & Diehl - Briar Fox 2oz
Good for what it is
I waited a while to review this, because when I first tried it, I was recovering from a bad cold and it tasted like vinegar. I love burley and I love Virginia. But when blended together they need time to develop. I followed the advice of another review and crumbled the entire cake and left in a jar for two weeks before revisiting. Definitely improved the nuances. It’s a good smoke, not a lot of wow factor, but a good simple example of the two components. I can tell that with some age it’ll be better. This blend helped me discover that I like perique more than I thought. I’m a huge lover of Old Joe Krantz and the addition of perique really elevates it.

Molina - Tramonto Sandblasted (Y1) (9mm)
Smokes Very Well
I’m a fan of pipes that you don’t have to baby. So having owned other Molina’s I was familiar with how great they smoke. The sandblast is light and still allows for the grain to show nicely. Once you get it going, it’s like a diesel engine. It just won’t quit. It handles burleys, straight Virginias, VaPers with little effort. I love the rugged no frills look of this pipe. If it gets scratched, darkened, rim char, it’ll just add more character.

G. L. Pease - JackKnife Plug 2oz
Straightforward
This plug is on the far opposite end of the spectrum from aromatics. Quite savory with no frills. Tin note has a very smoky BBQ sauce presence. Once in the bowl it morphs into fragrant sweetness. Very pleasant smoke and great intro to DFK.

Peter Stokkebye - PS402 Luxury Twist Flake
Delightful, Borderline Aromatic
I picked up a 2oz bag at my local B&M, and as soon as I opened it and gave it a sniff a very familiar aroma hit me. Velvet! Yes the long standing codger blend. The topping on this twist flake is nearly identical. That chocolate nut/frangelico note is very familiar. But, honestly that’s where the similarities end. The first part of the bowl is sweet and grassy. As it progresses it blooms a bit tart but ever so slightly. The sweetness persists throughout and the retrohale is hay like with a hint of brewers yeast. This blend is an absolute must try for those who love Virginias. However the topping on this makes it almost an aromatic and can ghost a pipe.

Cornell & Diehl - Old Joe Krantz Blue Label
Should be its own thing
I got a bit burnt out on perique, so I thought great OJK without perique would scratch the itch. I was wrong. The tobacco is better served as for what it isn’t versus comparing it to the classic OJK. My mistake. The Virginia is definitely in the vanguard. It stands out in beginning then again towards the last part of the bowl. I enjoy it overall, but I think I’ll stick to the original for the time being.

Cornell & Diehl - Redburn 2oz
So Good
As someone who loves Burley and Rum, I don’t know why I slept on this blend for so long. The tin note right away exudes the rum topping. Not subtle at all. Everything is blended so well. The dark fired Kentucky is present but not overpowering and does impart that ketchup like aroma Overall it’s reminiscent of warm spices. It’s very tightly compressed and a bit sticky, so I’ve found cutting a thin flake and rubbing out works best. One of the few blends which gives me a nic hit, so if you’re sensitive to nicotine, start small and slow. I’m planning to grab a few tins to age.

Cornell & Diehl - Habana Daydream
Simple & Easy
Coming from being primarily a cigar smoker in the past, I was intrigued with this blend containing cigar leaf. The bag note demonstrates the Latakia presence right away, but in a balanced fashion. Mouthfeel is very round and buttery, likely from the black cavendish. The perique is almost non detectable. however It occasionally will poke its head in the door. But, it does not make this a spicy blend by any means. I can’t really say that it tastes like a cigar, but I can say that it tastes like a very well crafted English blend. Smoke it slow and you’ll encounter no rough edges. I will definitely keep this in my regular rotation.

Cornell & Diehl - Haunted Bookshop
Solid
A cult classic, and for many reasons. If you’re not into earthy funk, I’d steer clear. However if you want a satisfying blend you can smoke at anytime of the day, this one will reward you. It truly sits in the middle of C&D’s trinity of Pegasus and Old Joe Krantz. I’m a big fan of all three.

Orlik - Golden Sliced 50g
Bright & Zesty
The longevity of this blend speaks for itself. It sets a standard for Virginia/Perique blends. The tin note is bright, citrusy and has tea and anise seed hints. If you’re new to VA/Pers this is a good start.

A&C Petersen - Escudo Navy Deluxe 50g
Over a Century of History and Class
A lot has been said about this classic VaPer it really needs no introduction. So I’ll limit this review to my experience with it. My first time trying this was at my local B&M. They had an open tin that already had 11 years of age to it. The guy behind the counter was gracious enough to let me sample one of the rolls. And, It was an absolute delight. The perique, while present was very rounded off. Hint of zest but no sting. The Virginia was like warm brioche. I currently have a tin from 2024 that I’m smoking, while very pleasant it’s very different from its aged counterpart. I currently have 10 tins put away for cellaring. I just have to live long enough to experience it like the first time!

Samuel Gawith - Squadron Leader 50g
Disappointed
I heard a lot about how this blend was a good in between for all the popular morning and evening blends. The first thing I noticed was how moist it was. I let it dry for an hour but it did very little. I used one of my best smoking pipes and it was a struggle to keep lit. After many relights my mouth was toast. Another thing of notice was how uneven the ribbons are. The Virginia is like angel hair pasta, while the Latakia and orientals are ribbon cut. I ended up trimming with a pair of scissors to even out the cut. I feel it has potential to be a great blend, but it requires far too much manicuring to manage. I’ll revisit it after a year or so.

Cornell & Diehl - Old Joe Krantz
Updated
From what I’ve read, this blend is rather polarizing. My first time trying it, I was surprised over the funky aroma. But, I enjoyed it nonetheless. After going through 2oz in bulk, I got 8oz and split it into 3 jars. I’m currently half way done with my second jar, and I’m blown away by how much it’s transformed. The perique has tamed. The funky sock aroma has given way to a sweet, dark cocoa aroma. The Virginias are leading the charge. Smoke has mellowed dramatically. This tobacco is a true jem.

Cult - Blood Red Moon 50g
Yeah…no
I don’t smoke a lot of aromatics, and especially ones that are topped with cherry. But, after all the hype and rave reviews I figured why not. It smokes pretty cool and dry, but I can’t get past the robitussin note. It ghosted a couple of my pipes, which took several cleanings and smokes to fade away. I will say that’s it’s a good beginner blend as it’s mild and easy, but I’m one and done.

Cornell & Diehl - Bijou 2oz
My favorite C&D Offering
Cornell and Diehl’s catalog can get a bit overwhelming. But if I could only have one, Bijou would be it. The tin note is like stepping into an old world bakery. Lightly sweetened bread with dark dried fruit. The very well aged 2003 Virginia’s are rounded and mellow, and the Katerini is a perfect compliment. My only complaint is the availability, comes and goes so quickly. I wish I had the will power to cellar this blend as the recommended to for l0-15 years. Next time…

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