Cornell & Diehl Reverie

(2.25)
Drift off with this contemplative mixture of black cavendish and cube cut burley. A soft touch of perique, latakia, and Turkish imbued with hazelnut extracts and provides nuance to carry your thoughts.

Details

Brand Cornell & Diehl
Series Serenity Series
Blended By William Serad
Manufactured By Cornell & Diehl
Blend Type American
Contents Black Cavendish, Burley, Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Perique
Flavoring Nuts / Beans
Cut Coarse Cut
Packaging 2 ounce tin
Country United States
Production Currently available

Profile

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

Average Rating

2.25 / 4
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2

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Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 22, 2009 Mild to Medium Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
If I were to grade based on how much Latakia a blend has and subtract points if I can taste something besides tobacco, I'd give this blend two stars like the other reviewers did.

But that's not how I "grade" or "rate" tobacco blends. I basically judge the quality of components and how well the blender hit what he was aiming for. Obviously this isn't supposed to be a Dunhill Nightcap taste-alike. If William Serad and C&D were trying to come up with a Latakia bomb I'm certain they would have left out most or all of the black cavendish, all of the hazelnut flavor, the burley, and exchanged those for more Latakia and Turkish. We'd then have yet another V-L-O English/Balkan.

What I'm guessing they were aiming for, and what I believe they achieved, was a pleasant, flavorful, relaxing, all-day blend.

That's what Reverie is to me. I'm not going to pidgeon hole it as a crossover, aromatic, hybrid, or anything of that sort. Labels like that are pretty meaningless. This is pipe tobacco, and good pipe tobacco at that. It makes me think of something someone would select to fill their pouch in simpler times, long before the Latakia boom.

Balance is as close to perfect as one can come when so many components are at work - at least six tobacco components and the added flavor. All work wonderfully together, complimenting each other.

I expected some problems with the burn but experienced none. Some of the blends containing cubed burley leaving C&D's doors give me issues in this area, Canal Boat being one of them, but Reverie does not. This blend lights and burns well.

I experienced no bite or excessive palate fatique. The flavor is smooth, rich, and sweet without being cloying. The hazelnut is applied sparingly - enough you'll know its there but certainly doesn't rule the pool as it would in a aromatic.

The product of all this effort is a very refined blend of pipe tobacco. Its quality stuff.

To be honest, this is a blend I picked up as a wild card. From time to time I'll add a tin of something that doesn't even sound good - something I normally wouldn't order. This pays off and I'm pleasantly surprised quite often as I was with Reverie. I can appreciate most every type of tobacco, from Balkans to bulk aromatics if they're done well, and Reverie is done very well.
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 22, 2006 Mild to Medium Mild to Medium Mild to Medium Tolerable
None of the Serad series C&D blends have been bell ringers with me. I am envious of William because his palate appreciates just about every tobacco blend on the planet. Unfortunately, mine does not. So, this Reverie is a dud.

The cubed Burley in this blend was interesting in that it provided a decent dose of nicotine, but the casing it and the black cavendish absorbed for the smoker's pleasure is too sweet for me. Hazlenut flavored Latakia and Perique? Not for this cowboy.

Positives: It burns well and the room note isn't too stinky.
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 09, 2006 Very Mild Mild Mild Very Pleasant
There are pipe smokers who would rather have candy in their bowls, and the wide array of heavily cased Lane Limited & syrupy drug store brands serve to fit their bill. Then, there are the true English smokers who shudder at the thought of any additives that distract from genuine tobacco flavor. Is there a happy medium? Indeed there is, and C & D has found it. Reverie joins Serad's formidable Serenity Series as a thoughtfully prepared mixture of English & Orientals with a light topping of hazelnut. The extract is pleasantly condimental in the tin & while burning, hums unobtrusively in the background. This is an excellent crossover choice for English smokers who would like something a bit sweeter as well as for aromatic smokers who are ready to sample genuine tobacco artistry. The McClelland 'Best of Show' & 'Easy Street' are also excellent aromatics (see my reviews), but those are dessert blends & are much more heavily cased. Reverie accomplishes its goal by being wonderfully aromatic without sacrificing the rich blend of complex tobaccos that comprise its base.

Four of five stars
aug 2006 update

Still good, but with several C & Ds I've tried, this too has changed. Craig Tarler's getting sloppy or stingy. The old Hazelnut extract is that same tooty fruity food flavor you'll find in Strathspey and others. It's still decent, but since Serad has pulled out of the collaboration, it's not quite the same. Good for the heat of summer, though, when a lighter, sweeter smoke is called for.

Two and a half of five stars
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 11, 2005 Mild Mild Mild Pleasant
I have sampled a few of the "Serad Series" blends and find this one to be the best of the lot. This really is a mild English blend with an aromatic "extract" applied. It is not a casing. This is a very natural hazelnut topping. It serves to enhance the flavor of the blend.I am a big fan of this style of tobacco. If you like Gawith's Chocolate Flake and some of the Germain blends I would venture to say you will find this appealing.The folks around you will also find this pleasant. It is a bit one dimensional in flavor ,but it is a good one dimensional. This will not set your world on fire but it is a very contemplative and relaxing smoke. When you have the time to settle in and relax,enjoy a bowl of this. It can be quite rewarding.
1 person found this review helpful.
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