Cornell & Diehl Star of the East Gold

(3.00)
Beginning with stoved bright Virginias, followed by equal measures of Cyprian Latakia and red Virginias for a bit of body, Star of the East Gold then incorporates a fair amount of Turkish leaf, resulting in a sweet, floral English mixture.

Details

Brand Cornell & Diehl
Blended By  
Manufactured By Cornell & Diehl
Blend Type English
Contents Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Ribbon
Packaging 2oz tin, 8oz tin, Bulk
Country United States
Production Currently available

Profile

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

Average Rating

3.00 / 4
1

6

1

0

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 28, 2017 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
The stoved bright and red Virginias offer some citrus, sugar, and tangy dark fruit, a bit of grass and earth. The floral, dry, woody, earthy, buttery sweet Turkish is such a important presence that it is at times a tad more obvious than Virginias. The smoky, woody sweet Cyprian latakia is almost a supporting player as you’ll notice it to various degrees in every puff. The strength level is a hair past the mild to medium mark. The taste threshold barely reaches medium. The nic-hit is in the center of mild to medium. No chance of bite or harshness. Burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a little inconsistency in its sweet, mildly floral, smoky flavor. Leaves little dampness in the bowl. Requires an average number of relights. Has a pleasant after taste, and isn’t so filling that it would preclude being an all day smoke for a veteran smoker. Two and a half stars.

-JimInks
15 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 21, 2017 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
Cornell & Diehl - Star of the East Gold.

I received this about a month ago in bulk from Smokingpipes.com, so because it's in a loose pouch, having had a month for excess water to abate, it's become perfect to smoke. Although it's badged Ribbon, it's on the coarser side.

The smoke would suit those who like their English's without a kick in the teeth of Latakia: the Latakia's notable with a subtle woodiness, albeit, not the leading flavour. This position goes to the Turkish, being quite fragrant, and a little aromatic. The Virginia gives a touch of sweetness, and a fruity note. It burns well enough, but can be a little quick if not puffed with ease.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: pleasant.

Star of the East - Gold: I'll give it three stars based on it's slightly unique character, although it wouldn't make my rotation:

Recommended.
Pipe Used: Peterson Donegal #03
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: One month
10 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 31, 2018 Medium None Detected Medium Tolerable to Strong
The new Star of the East Gold is a very interesting interpretation of an old classic. But, indeed, it is a completely different blend. When smoking, not the Latakia is the most prominent note, the Orientals playing clearly the main role. Latakia give... s it a bit of smokyness, the Virginia is not very much tasteable, but gives this tobacco a good body and it burns very well. It's not overly heavy, but has body enough to keep it interesting. As most of the C&D Blends, it has less sweetness, but a dry and intense, quite bold flavour. For a C&D Bulk Blend it has a remarkable elegance, and it will age for sure beautifully. Good stuff for Oriental lovers!
Pipe Used: Several Briars, one Meer
PurchasedFrom: www.smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: Fresh
8 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 02, 2018 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
The main difference with Star of the East is the Oriental/Latakia ratios. Star of the East Gold is more Oriental forward, whereas Star of the East is a proper Balkan mixture as it contains more Latakia. Having said that, Star of the East Gold will probably benefit from some cellaring time. The tobacco leaf C&D uses to manufacture it is really good quality, but the Oriental's lack those properties so characteristic of the fermentation process that give all Oriental tobacco its unmistakable hallmark. Here I would have expected more peppery and acidic undertones, but all of this is missing or faded. The Turkish leaf is way too one dimensional, and therefore, boring and disengaging. From mid-bowl onward, it gets better and better, but I'd advise to cellar it for a couple of years or so for a better smoking experience.

Edit 06/08/2018

This tobacco has been growing on me since I did my last review, so I am going upgrade to 4 stars, but let me tell you why. The reason why I missed the whole point the first time is going over my head, but I am glad I kept trying. It looks as though the Orientals' profile was more apparent now. I still stand by my first statement in that this tobacco will probably benefit from some cellaring time, but even if you smoke it this fresh, it is still possible to enjoy it. I guess I had in my mind tobaccos such as Skiff Mixture or Squadron Leader when I wrote my first review, and seeing that those fermented/acrid properties were somewhat missing here got me disappointed.
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 06, 2020 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Tolerable
This is my first oriental forward blend and I'm very pleasantly surprised with the way it mixes with the virginias and light latakia in this blend. I get a bit of a cedary/peppery note from the orientals. The latakia plays a supporting role with a subtle smokiness that adds just a bit more character to the blend. Overall a mild to medium taste this is much more approachable as a warmer weather blend than some of the thick english blends I was smoking over the winter. It still has enough umph to be a nice smoke outside on a lunt or during a cruise in the jeep. I don't get much from the virginia over the other leaves but the mix burns very well with only few relights but also not too hot. I'd go 3.5 stars if it was an option.
Pipe Used: Stubby prince
PurchasedFrom: Ohlone Cigar Lounge
Age When Smoked: Fresh
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 19, 2019 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Reminded me a bit of Scottish blends, but without any trace of casing. Stoved Virginias to the fore, pleasantly sweet upon lighting, switching over to a lemon creamy shot of Orientals, with Latakia barely noticeable, either in the pouch or in the bowl...strictly a condiment measure. Bought this in bulk, characteristically C&D dry if not quite crispy, stays lit almost all the way down, and, if sipped, with no/very little moisture. I smoke it about once every four days or so, a decent morning pipe, but I can easily envision this as an all-day smoke. Little to no bite, depending on your mouth and your draw. I'll probably reorder.
Pipe Used: BBB Bent Brandy, Sebastien Beo Dublin
PurchasedFrom: SmokingPipes
Age When Smoked: ??? 3 mos after bulk purchase
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 23, 2019 Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Tolerable to Strong
I am a fan of Star of the East Flake (which was my first Balkan) and Star of the East so I decided to try some Gold.

I found it to be a similar blend but it allows the orientals (Turkish) to come to the front where the originals were definitely Latakia forward. I recently found my jar of it which I had put away in early 2018 and with a year of aging on it I'm finding that it is becoming a favorite of mine.

Pipe Used: Radiator and Canadians
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: New to Year and Half
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 28, 2023 Mild None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant
This blend is fantastic! I’ve been hunting for the right balance of sweet & smoky tobacco and this one hit the spot. While I’ve always got a Virginia or Va/Per nearby, this might be my go to “change of pace smoke. I taste all of the different flavours this Virgina, Turkish, and Latakia has to offer. No one flavour seems to dominate the smoke. Sip to sip it’s more about the transitions and how the development through the smoke. It started as a grassy and tangy flavour, but as time went on the Latakia came forward for a wonderful finish. Thanks to Cornell & Diehl. I’ll be back for sure.
Pipe Used: Bjarne Signature F
PurchasedFrom: Smoking Pipes
Age When Smoked: New - Bulk
0 people found this review helpful.
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