Cornell & Diehl Dark Fired Kentucky

(3.62)
C&D's high-tiered, dark-fired Burley from the fields of Kentucky. Rich and smoky in flavor, this condiment leaf can be smoked straight for a bold profile or used in your own mixtures to transform and lend depth to other Burley and Virginia components.
Notes: Primarily for use as a blending tobacco.

Details

Brand Cornell & Diehl
Blended By Cornell & Diehl
Manufactured By Cornell & Diehl
Blend Type Burley Based
Contents Kentucky
Flavoring
Cut Coarse Cut
Packaging 2oz Tin
Country United States
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Strong
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.62 / 4
8

5

0

0

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 13 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 24, 2018 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
This blend offers a bit of wood and earth, a little nuttiness, a slight floral note, and has some sour, savory dryness along with some smoky sweetness and spice. The strength is medium, and the taste level is just past that mark. The nic-hit is close to the medium threshold, and gathers a little strength by the last third of the experience. Won’t bite or get harsh. No cigarette notes either. Burns fairly cool and very clean at a slightly slow pace with a very consistent, moderately rich flavor. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires slightly more than an average number of relights. Has a pleasantly lingering after taste and stronger room note. Can almost be an all day smoke for the veteran as well as a good mixer, the latter being the main reason for its existence. Have a drink handy when you smoke it, and I recommend a smallish size pipe if you smoke it straight.

-JimInks
16 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 28, 2017 Medium None Detected Medium Very Pleasant
t has been a couple of years since I've posted any C&D blend reviews and I have smoked nearly 100 tins of their various offerings in that time. So, it may be awhile before I get to all of them.

I picked up a couple of tins of Dark Fired because the contents made me curious. Not really a blend made to stand alone, but really fun to include with Virginia based blends for added strength. I actually made a blend I like by added 25% of this to an old '83 crop Red Ribbon tin from McCranie's. It beefed up what I consider to be a super great blend and lent little flavor of its own. I later tried it with a Latakia mixture that I enjoy (Rattray's Black Mallory), and the appeal was equally enhanced.
15 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 01, 2017 Strong None Detected Full Pleasant
Cornell & Diehl - Dark Fired Kentucky.

It's badged as Coarse Cut, often a nebulous description, but the term transpires as Very Thick Ribbons for DFK. Moisture was perfect on arrival and the pouch (I bought from bulk) has the prescribed Kentucky aroma.

The smoke: one of the best Kentucky smokes I've had. There's a tank load of Kentucky smokiness but, unless I really force my pipe it doesn't seem bitter or caustic. When gently puffed the flavour's faultless. I've smoked this with a long and short stem and the only issue in my nose-warmer was the temperature became too warm if chugged. But, complaining about that when a flavour's this good is like complaining you can't put a nail in with a screwdriver: use the right tool! It burns consistent and even, without giving me tongue bite.

Nicotine: quite strong. Room-note: pleasant.

A lovely smoke on it's own. Four stars:

Highly recommended.

Pipe Used: Long and short stemmed
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: One month
11 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 03, 2018 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
Love the taste of Dark Fired Kentucky and just can't get enough? This is for you -- think of DFK, and this will tick every box. Not harsh, easy smoking, but smoked on its own it can be a bit overwhelming in larger pipes. Obviously, this is nice to have around to add to blends.
Pipe Used: briars, cobs, and meers
PurchasedFrom: Mars
Age When Smoked: 14 months
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 30, 2018 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable
This is straight KY no frills just good tobacco. It is woodsy, a little spicy and very smokey with some earth and nuttiness with a little floral note. There is a slight sweetness here and there but it is far from a sweet smoke. As a straight smoke it is fine and can be repeatable throughout the day. As a mixer it is okay as well. I had some success with Cater Hall adding 1 part DFK to 4 parts CH the overall body moved into the med. range the cocoa notes stayed but the earthiness became much more pronounced almost muddy. Still it added to the overall smoke and was enjoyable. There are not a lot of straight KY blends out there so this is somewhat unique but when I think of 100% KY I think of G, H, and Co. Kendal KY which is hands down much better in all categories than this. Still I could recommend it to those looking to add some body to VA's, Burley's, and Lat blends that are lack luster or if Kendal KY is just too much in the nic department for them.

I still have about 4 oz of this and am using it as a mixer primarily now. I have found that it goes very well with red VA's. McClelland's 5100 Red Cake and this work very well together, other VA's that might have some red that is dominated by brights have been changed as it seems to bring the red forward and make it more noticeable over the brights. In this regard it seems to work very well.
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 13, 2018 Medium None Detected Very Full Pleasant
The only reason why I do not recommend to smoke this tobacco on its own is because of the fact it is a blending component. If you are up to it, just give it a go in a small capacity pipe, but the smoking experience is one-dimensional and uninteresting. Rather, all its potential lies on its blending capabilities or profile. This leaf is good for adding depth to other blends. Also, I recommend using it sparingly. A very small amount will get you that far as this leaf is full of flavour. It has a very bold profile, cigarish undertones and a nutty background that will evolve quite nicely as you progress with your smoke. The dark fired process this leaf is subjected to seems to soften it round the edges. All and all, this is a great blending component and the quality is off the chart, so a rating of 4 stars is warranted.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 21, 2020 Very Strong None Detected Very Full Extra Strong
I picked up a few tins of DFK during a recent sale. I enjoy DFK as a component in tobaccos, so I wanted to try it on its own and also have it available for blends.

The tobacco is dark in the tin. There is an earthy tin note. It was tinned in March 2020, so there is no age on it yet.

Sort of like smoking straight perique (once), I loaded some up in my smallest canadian to give it a go. Easy to pack and light. Good moisture content. The flavor is intense and dark. There is a little spice in the taste and I realize that is what I pick up in some of my favorite blends. The strength and nicotine are both high. I can't see this being something I'd smoke straight regularly burn it burns great. Room note is strong according to the wife (almost like a cigar)

I'm glad I have this now to use in blends that need some extra kick and I'm rating it high as it is exactly what it says it is on the tin.
Pipe Used: smallest canadians
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: 2 months
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 30, 2020 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Unnoticeable
I was rummaging through my stash and came across this one that I bought in bulk, jarred and purchased last September when C&D was having a Labor Day sale. I honestly do not know if I have even smoked this until now. The smell from this is earthy, sweet and is comprised of thick cut ribbon tobacco. I chose to smoke this straight in pipes with a small bowl. This has a medium-strong taste and did not really notice the nicotine until probably about midway. A nice pleasant tobacco taste. I did notice that this reminds me of when I smoked pure Perique as I started to get a little indigestion after several bowls. This is good as is but am looking forward to adding some to a few of my Virginia blends to amp them up a little bit.
Pipe Used: Small bowl briars
Age When Smoked: 1 year
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 15, 2019 Strong None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable
Smells smoky but not in the camp-fire way like Latakia. Actually, it is very reminiscent of dried mushrooms. Not for smoking on its own as it is quite strong but used sparingly it adds a very nice deep, woody and sweet (words fail me) taste to blends as well as strength. I used it mostly to Va/Or blends of my own in small quantities. Great fun to play with.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 17, 2023 Strong None Detected Full Tolerable
Hey Knightsmoker, are you sure this isn't as good as GH Kendal Kentucky? Each to his own, but having tried this C&D branded product, it is just as good. Gawith Hoggarth sources their tobaccos from Africa and Asia (cheaper, easier shipping), but this is American-grown. I've tried them both, and have come to the conclusion that they are equals. Very different cuts...This is a good value in bulk, and despite what some people say, is very nice smoked on its own, though it seems it would be a great blender, and I will try that. Don't know how much more I can say, other than that is a very good Kentucky, and burns well, and offers quite a bit of strength, without being overwhelming.
Pipe Used: An Unknown Handcarved.
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: New
1 person found this review helpful.
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