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Cornell & Diehl's Sun Bear Returns: Introducing the Bourbon Cask Edition
Filmed by Nicole Weed and Chris Herath | Edited by Nicole Weed
Jeremy Reeves of Cornell & Diehl walks us through this year's edition of the brand's popular summertime Small Batch release, Sun Bear — this time featuring black mangrove honey aged in a bourbon barrel.
Note: The following transcription has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Cornell & Diehl Small Batch Sun Bear Bourbon Cask will be available in limited quantities as of August 4 at 6:00 p.m. ET.
[Jeremy Reeves]: Hi, everyone. Jeremy Reeves here with Cornell & Diehl, and I'm excited to tell you about this year's iteration of Sun Bear. Last year we did the Navy Cask, which opened up a whole new way of thinking about the honey varieties we could work with, since adding barrel aging into the mix gives us another interesting place to play.
This Year's Honey: Black Mangrove Aged in a Bourbon Barrel
This year, I'm again working with Vic Seested, the beekeeper who has supplied us with black locust honey and a number of other batches over the years. Last year, for the Navy Cask, he handled the barrel aging himself; this time, he sourced the honey again — black mangrove honey from Florida.
On its own, black mangrove honey has a salty note, almost like butter on pancakes — salty but also sweet. It's wonderful.
How Bourbon Barrel Aging Changes the Sun Bear Profile
The boozy notes of Sun Bear are really kicked up by this barrel aging, and there's also a wonderful background creamy note I can detect. The honey is the one thing that changes in the blend every year, and I'm always amazed by how much of a difference that one variable makes.
Sun Bear Bourbon Cask Blend Components
This year's blend uses 2023 Red Virginia, 2023 Canadian Bright Virginia, and black mangrove honey aged in an ex-bourbon barrel. One thing that might jump out visually this year is how well the flakes held together — otherwise, it's the same Sun Bear profile with the differences I've noted.
How Sun Bear Bourbon Cask Will Age
Sun Bear always ages well, thanks to the high sugar content of the Bright Virginias we use, as well as the natural sugars in the honey. With last year's Navy Cask, I was impressed at how, in just one year, a deep woody note emerged from the ex-rum barrel aging of the honey — and I expect something similar here.
It's interesting to watch these more volatile character notes evolve over time, and I'm excited to keep tasting Sun Bear as it ages. For anyone who already loves Sun Bear, the flavor profile you know is still there, but with a deeper note from the bourbon and a creamy element that feels unique to this release.
I hope you all enjoy this one as much as I have — and as much as I've enjoyed working with Vic over the years. This is a really cool release, so thanks, Vic, and thanks to all of you.
Tagged in: Cornell and Diehl Jeremy Reeves Small Batch Sun Bear Tobacco Tobacco Selections Video
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Comments
So, does it have basma, izmir, tequila and elderflower? Or is it 2023 virginia and gum?
How can I get a can of sun bear burbon cask?
JAMES,
MOST LIKELY YOU CANNOT GET ONE. I HAVE TRIED THE LAST 4 RELEASES AND THEY PURPOSELY MAKE VERY LITTLE OF IT SO PEOPLE CANNOT GET ANY. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS CRAZY BUT ITS TRUE. THIS CREATES HYPE OVER THE ITEM. SO I SUPPOSE THEY CAN CHARGE MORE NEXT TIME DUE TO THE LOW AVAILABILITY THEY CREATE. MAKES IT SEEM MORE VALUABLE? I DO NOT GET EXCITED ABOUT THESE RELEASES ANY LONGER. ITS JUST A PAIN IN THE BUTTISIMO TO HAVE TO HUNT DOWN TOBACCO. TOTALLY GOES AGAINST WHAT SMOKING A PIPE MEANS TO ME. WATCH AND YOU WILL SEE IT SELL OUT IN MINUTES THEN NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS IF EVER AGAIN. THIS PLAN IS GETTING OLD FOR ME AND I AM NO LONGER ENTERTAINED BY THE TEASE OF IT ALL. HARD TO BELIEVE SO MANY STILL ARE......
I'm really starting to feel the same way. I've been disappointed to many times and I've "missed" out on many releases. This release of Sun Bear was absolutely ridiculous. I looked it up and tried buying some since the announcement and never once seen "bourbon cask" listed for sale anywhere online. C&D is really pushing there luck
Very much agree with you my brutha. After waiting in a queue to get into the smoking pipes website shortly after the last 5 limited releases that were released. And when I finally get in after about 10-20 minuets. All tins are sold out. I’ve gotten so tired of it I’ve swapped to other tobacco brands and have enjoyed GL pease’s blends as they make so many limited releases tins they don’t sell out for a couple weeks. I find even after getting my hands on these C and D limited releases. They are nothing more than all the other specialty blended low stock releases. And they label them as “most popular” only because they hype it up and like you said make such a small amount. It makes everyone think it’s something crazy when really it taste like any other blend with the same ingredients that many other blenders put out.
Thanks David D. Agree totally. Love C&D/Reeves blends, but this manipulation of customers is offensive and drives pipe smokers away. Blend enough to meet predictable demand and sell it; forget trying to stampede your customers with the implied warning of a quick sell out.
Lucky enough to be in my hometown that has one of the best brick and mortar stores in the southeast. Proprietor was nice enough to put me “on the list”.
I recently started smoking a pipe again after a 20 year break. I was in my early 20s when I stopped and was doing everything wrong (life, pipe smoking, ect.). It seems that the world of pipe tobacco has changed with the introduction of C&D (combined with the internet). I have tried some of their stuff, and to my new/unrefined smoking palate, C&D is nothing special. I suppose I am a bit caught up in the hype, because I feel a desire to try and get some of this limited edition release. It does seem a bit like a status symbol based on all the hype though.
我真是醉了，别分享一些根本买不到的玩意儿了。这不是什么古玩交易平台，也不是什么稀罕货鉴赏会；这只是一个小众、夕阳行业的小花园。请保留这片热土吧。
Going to try for a few tins but like midnight orchard before it, I don’t hold up hope for reasonable availability if I do like it.
It’s ridiculous! I tried at 5:55 pm to get on Smoking Pipes, couldn’t get through for over 2 hours, came back at it was all gone. Same thing happened with last years release
Would love to try this
I saw that this was available, yesterday, at Country Squire for $20 a tin and sold out at barclayrex for $35 a tin. Ridiculous. I thought that I would give SP another chance, I waited in the queue and finally made it to my cart/ checkout with difficulty. Got booted out, logged back in, made it to the place/submit order button just to get sent to a page saying to have patience with them, they're experiencing a high volume of traffic... here's a Peterson video with Andy Wike that you can watch in the meantime. An exercise in controlling my emotions and blood pressure. I purchased some elsewhere.