C & D #416 Plantation evening

[RevSmoke]

I use the old SMOKE review style as an adaptation to pipe tobacco.,

Cornell & Diehl #416 Plantation Evening

This is a review that I wrote about 10 years ago. It took me about two years to smoke through the pound that I opened, I kept most of it in a mason jar in my cellar (as I do most of my tobaccos), putting about two ounces in a pouch to carry with me to smoke. I just opened some more of this (a ½ pound tin from 2009) after having it out of my rotation for over two years. It isn’t because I didn’t like it, but that I have been smoking more straight Virginias and VaPers. Latakia blends really fit the flavor profile that appeals to my taste buds in the last few years. With this latest excursion into #416, I dug out this old review to read. I thought I’d post it up here, a couple comments have been added in [ ] that are new to this review. Blends with Latakia in it have often been erroneously referred to on the US side of the Atlantic as “English” blends. How this moniker arose is beyond me, but as I am proudly an American, I use that appellation here out of familiarity and because most people will understand what I mean by it.

1) Aesthetics: This blend has a very pleasing look to it. The bright Virginias and the dark Latakia with some brown hints in between make this an intriguing looking tobacco. A non-smoking friend commented on the stark color contrasts for tobaccos (excuse him, he is a cigarette smoker). [It truly is enticing to see all the differences in color with the constituent tobaccos.]

2) Pre-light Construction: What a well-balanced blend this appears to be from the aroma upon opening the bag (bought a pound) - lightly smoky (some Latakia) and you can smell the Perique if you close your eyes and concentrate, while the natural sweetness of the Virginias tickles lightly in the background - no predominate smell. It seductively calls, “Smoke me!” While I thought this was a bit drier than I appreciate (not crumbly), and since I didn’t want to over moisten it, I set some tobacco overnight in a tupperware container with a sponge lightly moistened with distilled water. In the morning, the sponge was dry, but the tobacco was perfect - still much drier than most. This tobacco packs very easily and took a flame very well after the initial char. [As I think back, I am not sure why it was so dry, or why I thought I needed to hydrate it a bit. This tin was also dry, but it wasn’t crumbly. I find drier tobaccos smoke much cooler that overly moist ones. When pinched, the springs back, doesn’t clump and doesn’t crumble to dust – perfect.]

3) Post-light Construction/How it smoked: A grey-white ash slowly filled the bowl as smoke blissfully rose into the air. Although I often puff over-eagerly, attempting to get all the flavors I possibly can dancing upon my palate, I held back. Gently puffing, it burned so smooth, dry and cool. [I think I smoked a bit more aggressively the last two bowls I had in the last couple days, and still it was dry and cool smoking.]

4) Flavor and strength: This is not an overbearing English (by that I mean that Latakia isn’t overbearing) blend. A smoky spiciness tantalizingly punctuated each puff. There was the hint of sweet nuts that ethereally drifted in and out of the entire bowl. Wonderfully complex. I enjoyed this while putting together my son’s new bike, and I wasn’t smoking it to review, just to enjoy it. The flavors made me pause occasionally and sit back and contemplate what was going on in my mouth. I still don’t have it all figured out. This is one that begs to be French inhaled and enjoyed. [I still don’t have all the flavors figured out. It is an interesting blend with subtle nuances of flavor drifting in and fading out while a sweet spiciness predominates.]

5) Aftertaste/Finish: Lightly this lingered on the palate - smoky, spicy, sweetness - no other way to describe it. Very pleasant.

6) Aroma: Nuts predominate. Once, grandpa roasted some black walnuts as a kid. I remember I didn’t like the taste of the walnuts that way, but I was just a kid, the smell however, was wonderful. This is reminiscent of that, in fact, I hadn’t remember that event in years until the aroma dazzled my olfactory senses. This is one English blend that will not highly offend the bystander. [My wife tells me this is not true, of course her reasoning is that someone commented to her about how offensive it was. Of course, this individual is offended when she see a cigar, pipe, or cigarette – whether they are lit and she can smell them, or not.]

7) General Comments: It was a beautifully sunny day, I was out working on my son’s bike. I had a cup of malt flavored hot Ovaltine - boy was that a great compliment to this tobacco, had two cups together with it. I will smoke much more of this - this might be one of those “everyday blends”. [I have smoked this in numerous situations and places since then. The last time I was sitting and reading a book, enjoying a Guiness Stout – and this blend was and incredibly fitting compliment.]

8) Recommendation: I am glad I bought a pound of it. Need I say more? [Obviously, I have purchased more since that initial pound. And will do so again.]