Cornell & Diehl Bluegrass

(3.56)
A steady rhythm of bright and red Virginias is joined by an accompaniment of robust perique and dark fired Kentucky, making for a spicy little diddy sure to keep you on your toes.

Details

Brand Cornell & Diehl
Series Appalachian Trail
Blended By  
Manufactured By Cornell & Diehl
Blend Type Virginia Based
Contents Kentucky, Perique, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Ribbon
Packaging 2 ounce tin
Country United States
Production Currently available

Profile

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

Average Rating

3.56 / 4
12

5

0

1

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 18 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 14, 2017 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
The tart and tangy, dark fruity, earthy, woody red Virginia is complimented by the grassy, citrusy bright Virginia. The spicy, raisiny, plumy, figgy perique is just more than a condiment. The woody, mildly nutty, earthy, lightly floral, fairly dry and sour dark fired Kentucky plays a slightly more important role than the perique, and is a supporting player, especially after the first quarter of the bowl. The strength and taste levels gather a little potency as you go along, starting out as mild to medium, and settles at the medium level just past the half way point. The nic-hit is in the center of mild to medium, and gets a tad stronger at the same time the strength and taste aspects do. Won’t bite or get harsh, and has no dull moments. Burns cool, clean, and very slightly slow with a fairly rich, consistent flavor, leaving little moisture in your pipe. Needs a few more than an average number of relights. Has a pleasant, lightly filling after taste. Can almost be an all day smoke for experienced smokers, and repeatable for those who aren’t.

-JimInks
38 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 09, 2017 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
This blend reminds me of a jazz combo. It is well balanced and all of the constituent Parts have a role to play this flavor treat. The Red Virginias provide a wonderfully earthy and and sweet note. The Bright Virginas playfuly compliment its virginia cousin, lightly tickling the palate with a refined citrus note. What's a jazz combo without a bass player? The dark fired Kentucky provides solid earthy ,deep and pensive, solid , dark and mysterious notes. The touch of that fine barbeque essense is highlighted by the pepper taste of the perique, just present. The moisture content of my tin is perfect-- the have been no relights. The nicotine hit is what I would call restrained with a noticable presence. This blend seems to get more complex as one gets further into the bowl. This is one of the finest Virginia and Kentucky blends that I have ever smoked. I will be adding a number of tins to my cellar .
Pipe Used: Robe Art Rhodesian
PurchasedFrom: Indian River Tobacco Traders Grand Rapids Mi
Age When Smoked: 2 months
16 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 21, 2018 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Very Pleasant
C&D has a winner.

Nice Virginia/Kentucky/Perique blend. Nothing fancy, just a solid balanced tobacco centric smoke, nothing to jolt your senses. Virginias and Kentucky forward with slight Perique background (which is pleasing to me).

Course Ribbon cut, perfect moisture right out of tin. Easy to light and burns evenly and smooth.

As a pipe smoker for over 40 years, this is an old school blend, perfect introduction for someone looking for the classic tobacco taste. It is well balanced and one can pick up the Virginias and the slightly smoky Kentucky with the Perique as a condiment not trying to steal the show.

No relights needed after true light. Lots of smoke to coat the mouth, taste is pleasing with no bite or harshness. Although I would not call it a complex blend, it is interesting as the taste is a rich medium to full; you know you are smoking tobacco and not some experiment to see who can pick out some sort of mystery ingredient. Very high quality tobaccos that not only fills the mouth but also the room with an outstanding aroma. Strength is medium to full, with medium nic hit.

Recommended especially for the newer pipe smoker exploring new blends. More experienced smokers will also enjoy this very agreeable blend as a lesson of what pipe smoking is all about. Just sit back and enjoy.
Pipe Used: Porto Cervo 673
11 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 05, 2019 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Novice pipe smoker here. Definitely no expert. Just making my way into the world of “good stuff” from the land of “grab some CBR from the store”.

Im not really a “hints of mosquito farts and pine resin essence” kind of smoker. But I know a good enjoyable blend when I get my hands on one. Im adding a review because Im enjoying this blend so much I want other folks to find it easier in the database so they might give it a try.

Tastes good, smokes good, and behaves pretty well. Definetely be keeping some on hand.
Pipe Used: MM cobs
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: 4mths
10 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 13, 2020 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium Pleasant
Cornell & Diehl - Bluegrass (Appalachian Trail).

I wouldn't say it's a ribbon, the cut is far closer to a broken flake. It comprises a fair few coarse pieces. I see medium and light shades of colour and the moisture looks great.

The smoke? Lovely. I get more flavour from the Virginias, about 50/50 fruity reds to sharper bright Virginias. The Kentucky and Perique breathe life and excitement into the smoke. I get more of the smoky Kentucky, but the Perique doesn't go unnoticed. The plumminess from the this compliments the red Va nicely. I can't say I find the Perique too spicy, it's much deeper and richer. The burn feels relatively cool, and I get no bite.

Nicotine: maybe above medium. Room-note: I don't dislike it.

Bluegrass? When I grabbed this I thought, wrongly, it was a straight Va. But, even though I wanted that genre, this is a smashing blend! Highly recommended:

Four stars.
Pipe Used: Various
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: 03/30/20
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 28, 2020 Medium to Strong Extremely Mild Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
Cornell and Diehl have produced some of my favorite blends, and of those few were immediate hits. Rather, quite a few of them took some persistence on my part, to wait while they rested, and/or to figure them out, and/or to find “the right pipe” for them. I mention this because Bluegrass is of this ilk for me. The reviewed tin of Bluegrass is dated 11-27-19. The blend is presented as well broken flakes, with ribbons and small chunks ranging from golden tan to British khaki, to medium-dark brown. Tin note is very fragrant, earthy, slightly smoky late hay and wheat. It handles, loads, lights and burns quite well, with plenty of smoke. Scents from combustion are even more fragrant, adding a floral note and an early, faint whiff of vanilla. Tastes are a snappier version of the scents, running sweet, sour, very slightly smoky, and bitter, and it’s fairly consistent, top to bottom. The bright VAs lead with fragrant, spicy grasses, followed by the reds, with subtle, earthy low notes of dark fruit compote, then the dry, sour, figgy, spicy Perique, then the KY, which provides buttery, oaky tannins and a trace of smoke along with some low notes and an ethereal floral note over the red VAs. Most of the spices are in the upper register, well met with the flue cured VAs. Strength is past medium, with the nicotine toward strong from there. Tastes are between medium and full. Room note is barely pleasant. Aftertaste is a nice trailing off of the best of the smoke that keeps getting sweeter.

VA/Bur/Per variants are some of my personal favorite blends, and Bluegrass is a nice addition to my cellar. Through persistence it’s a 4 star blend, and I’m surprised it’s not more popular, at least with experienced pipers. It should age very well.
Pipe Used: #4 briar preferred
PurchasedFrom: smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: +/- 8 months, plus rest
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 19, 2018 Medium Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
I bought a tin of this tobacco because I was told that I might fight a light figgy flavor (similar to a fig newton). Although I didn't get that from a tin note or a flavor profile, I have found an enjoyable tobacco. Very light ribbon cut and smokable right out of the tin. Flavor profile is pleasant, which to me means that it is a delightful tasting tobacco. Balanced. I didn't feel an overwhelming presence of the DFK, but just enough to enhance the virginias that I love. The perique also is not overwhelmingly spicy or overbearing, just enough. I disagree with previous reviews that mention it's a mild nic hit. I regularly feel my heart amped if I walk and smoke this tobacco, so I highly recommend taking this one slow in a metered pace. Room note is also balanced, but I wouldn't call it overwhelming in the negative or the satisfying category. So, there you go. Definitely worth trying if you like KentuckyVaPers.
Pipe Used: Various cobs and briars
PurchasedFrom: SmokingPipes.com
Age When Smoked: Smoked when I ordered
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
b7q
Jan 15, 2023 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
For those of you who like the Rattray-Old Gowrie (which I haven't seen in the market for a long time), try this. It burns well, tastes rich and the nicotine won't disappoint.
Pipe Used: Briar&Meerschaum
Age When Smoked: new
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 10, 2021 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable
Presentation: Blue and grey background with a white violin silhouette. Pretty simple, but distinct.

Cut: Comes in a coarse cut, moisture is fine.

Tin note: Figgy, fruity, earthy—it smells delicious.

Tasting notes: Tart, earthy, nutty on light up. It's funny because the blend smells like a VaPer, but tastes like a Kentucky Burley. There are traces of sweet bread. Sometimes woody. There is a solid spice on the finish. Sometimes leathery and sometimes I get a mineral taste (not bad).

Mechanics: N/A—A well behaved blend.

Extra Remarks: I first smoked this blend about 2 years ago and did not like it. I was trying different Kentucky blends and not liking most of them. Perhaps I smoked too fast and it tasted harsh... I don't know what was wrong with me but this is a very enjoyable blend. It's like Old Joe Kranz's less appreciated little brother, but it's got comparable strength and robust flavor with about the same level of complexity—not a lot, but enough. I am glad I bought this blend again to try. Maybe we all can learn from me and remember the importance or revisiting blends. 4 stars.
Pipe Used: Altinok Bent Bulldog Meer
Age When Smoked: 3 months
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 03, 2020 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
In the tin there is a cut between Ribbon, Broken Flake and small chunks. The tobacco seems slightly dry which makes it burn pretty fast.

Being the first time I have tried a mixture of this type, the cold aroma at first was very rich but somewhat disconcerting compared to other mixtures, where the smell of perique ferment is appreciated but attenuated by the other components. Kentucky smoke, although to a lesser extent at this stage, is also appreciated, albeit more subtly. It could be said in a rough way that it smells similar to a smoked cheese. That is to say, a smell that I personally find it very rich and that invites you almost to eat it.

When you light the tobacco, you can see the balsamic and somewhat spicy character of the perique that sometimes pinches the nose slightly even if the retronasal exhalation is not done, but shortly after the first puffs, Kentucky gives way to the limelight, although in many moments both seem to go hand in hand. These two ingredients with the virginia in the background are very well harmonized, giving the smoke a soft but tasty character and not at all heavy. For this reason, she invites you to smoke a second pipe during the day.

If you like perique and you like Kentucky, you will love Bluegrass. Fortunately I bought more than one can as I smoke it every day. Very rich and highly recommended.

12/14/2020: I recommend maintaining the initial humidity levels as much as possible, since the end of the tin, although not completely dry, lost quite a few of its organoleptic properties.
Pipe Used: Croci Fiammata Argento
Age When Smoked: 1 year
2 people found this review helpful.
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