Cornell & Diehl Merlin's Choice

(3.00)
Cavendish, Perique and Turkish make this a fine alternative for you English fans.

Details

Brand Cornell & Diehl
Blended By Craig Tarler
Manufactured By Cornell & Diehl
Blend Type American
Contents Cavendish, Oriental/Turkish, Perique
Flavoring
Cut Coarse Cut
Packaging Bulk
Country United States
Production No longer in production

Profile

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

Average Rating

3.00 / 4
1

2

1

0

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 02, 2008 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium Tolerable
Smoke this leaf slowly and respectfully. Keep a glass of cold water or a pint of chilled ale close by to sip on, as the grey smoke produced rather dries the mouth. This is a tobacco for the pipe that tastes, moreso than any other, like a cigar. It holds this distinction for me even above those mixtures I have smoked that are supposed to contain cigar leaf.

The full bodidness of the rough cut burley predominates with a flavor so earthy as to be occasionally dirt-like. The Perique cannot be tasted en force and serves mainly to add a pepper spiciness. The Turkish lends none of the balsamic essence for which it is so renowned and essentially does nothing but make this stuff go straight to your head. A strong full smoke, beginning to end; perhaps even moreso near the end where it becomes, at times, cloyingly bitter.

Not bad, mind, but I doubt if I would want this mixture throughout the day. Truth be told, I had always imagined Merlin as smoking Grouse Moor.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 06, 2004 Medium None Detected Medium Tolerable
Because of the cut, Merlin?s Choice was easy to pack and light; and because it?s C&D it was an enjoyable, effortless smoke. Cool and dry right to the heel.

The first pipe I was smoking it in, Merlin?s seemed to be a predominantly Burley blend, with just the slightest hint of Perique. Change pipes ? change flavor focus. In a mid-large size Meerschaum, the Perique sings a peppery, spicy tune. The oriental aspect was much more pronounced as well. MC changed with the pipe more than any tobacco I can remember. As mentioned by the esteemed Noorrmm, above ? the burley in particular picks up more flavor as the bowl progresses.

If you try it and don?t care for it, just try it in a different pipe. Any tobacco will taste different in a different pipe? But with Merlin?s Choice the changes seem to be more pronounced than usual. You may just find a bowl material/shape combination that will make Merlin?s Choice your choice.
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 05, 2001 Strong None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable to Strong
Appearance: Predominantly medium red, with flashes of lighter and darker components. The cut is random with some medium width ribbon, but mostly small cut. Like most C&D blends, this is on the dry side.

Aroma: I smell the virginias as much as the turkish and perique. This may be because of the overall dryness of the blend.

Packing: Packing is easy in any size pipe, owing to the smallish cut. No special care was needed to get a springy surface with just a slight drag in the draw.

Lighting: Just average - char , tamp and relight.

Initial flavor: This was well balanced for its genre; a non-latakia oriental blend. The spicness of the turkish, and the mustiness of the perique were countered by the virginia weight and sweetness.

Mid-bowl: Continues to burn well, developing nuances of flavor. It remains cool and dry, a well behaved blend in every way.

Finish: I felt it became a bit stronger in taste at the end of the bowl (I usually do), but not overwhelming. The ash was pale gray, and the pipe was clean.

Summary: A very tasty, pleasant alternative to latakia blends. Definitely richer than C&D Oriental Silk which shares some of the same ingredients.
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 30, 2006 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
I tell ya, I love this tobacco. Very much a a great amer/english with a natural armotic affect. not a topping but the natural smell of tobacco is so good here you would swear there's a casing - but hence, there is none. starts from first light to the bottom a delight in just what the blend is - Cav/Turk/Per and that is what you taste in that order until the mid way point and it goes through changes..peppery sweet with a burley-like quality but I do not see this listed in the blend. must be the CAV. lots of good mouthfuls of tasty smoke. From what I understand, this is ordered from C&D quite abit pressed - I will need to try that.....
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