Cornell & Diehl Virginia Gentleman

(3.23)
A unique combination of Virginias and burleys, with a slight touch of Turkish for added sophistication, create a superb all day smoke for those who enjoy Virginia blends, but find them a touch bitey for all day enjoyment.

Details

Brand Cornell & Diehl
Blended By  
Manufactured By Cornell & Diehl
Blend Type Virginia/Burley
Contents Burley, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Ribbon
Packaging 2 ounce tin, bulk
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

3.23 / 4
14

11

5

1

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 31 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 30, 2014 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
I was putting in an order on SP.com and imagining my cellar. I thought, "Mr. Motoyoshi, you sure do have a lot of latakia blends...." so I was on the search for a bulk VA. I had heard nothing of this blend up until that point and didn't really read the description after "Unique combination of Virginias and Burleys..." My haphazardness would deliver me a tobacco I will not forget.

I'll admit, I tend to lean towards the VaBur mixtures. I like how the sweetness from the VAs plays with the nutty earthiness of the Burleys. Nothing wrong with Latakia in my book, but it's just my preference to have these two tobaccos in my pipe.

The tobacco from SmokingPipes was just at the right moisture level when I took it out of the ziplock bag. Some part of me thinks this is just a coincidence. The cut and composition almost reminds me of Prince Albert's blonde brother, Prince Lucas 😉 There are some pieces that are much bigger than the others but I usually just put them at the bottom of the bowl to support the rest of the packing.

My first smoke:

Lighting this tobacco I thought I was just going to get a VA with some Burley in the background. But from the start I could tell there was something different ( Remember I didn't know there was Turkish in this). I puffed about 1/4 of the way down and was getting sweet caramel notes and some nuts but something else... I stopped my car (because I was driving) and got down to the half way point. "VA, check, Burley, check....but there's something else" Took out my phone and looked up and realized there was also Turkish in this lovely mixture. At the end there was nothing left but about a half a centimeter of ash and it gave off the loveliest nutty flavor before it got to the end.

I'm living in Japan now and trying not to stock up on too many tobaccos as I don't want to pay a ton of taxes when I return to the US for good next year. But, I can say without a doubt that I will buy a pound of this for my cellar in America. Easily an all day smoke and much more complex than your typical VaBur. The Vitamin N isn't really too strong in this one but if smoked too fast you may get a little bit of a Burley Kick. This is a great tobacco to be getting work done, or used for those pensive smoking sessions where the flavors bring your thoughts to another level.

The bright VAs give off a nice honey and slight citrus-like flavor while meddling with the Burleys that keep this blend smoking cool and support the flavor profiles (even absorbing some them as well) Turkish is just enough to give it some distinction without being overbearing. Smoked my way through 3 oz of this and my only regret is that I didn't get more.
Pipe Used: Ardor 1/4 bent apple
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
31 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 15, 2014 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
The Burley is the base here with the Turkish and Virginias pretty well balanced in front. Only at the end does the Burley try to assert itself. There are many nuances of flavor, sweet, spicy, sour, butter, earth, nuts, citrus. There's a lot going on. Medium in body and medium in flavor. Very, very nice.
Pipe Used: MM General, MM Country Gentleman
PurchasedFrom: smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: fresh bulk
26 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 07, 2015 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
#969 has always been a favorite of mine in the C&D line. I actually add a bit of McClelland's Blending Oriental to this blend to produce what (for me), is a taste similar to the old Balkan Sobranie White with Perique. I have noticed a difference in flavor presentation from tin to tin, and that could be caused by any number of things, so, I enjoy some tins better than others.

Pipestud
20 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 28, 2007 Medium None Detected Medium Very Pleasant
An interesting blend. One of those in my recent burley exploration. Very light grassy, straw-like scent. Mostly a light brown and dull yellow mixture. Not too fine of a cut, but plenty of small pieces.

The Virginia's used are light, citrus-like. The Turkish makes itself known right away with a little tingle. The burley acts to meld it all together in a fine smoke. After a few minutes a nice, light sweetness grows. I smoke a lot of my blends in large bowls and this one is well-mannered in a 1 inch Ben Wade. Plenty of flavor. Strength is just right for sipping. Another one of those blends that make my mouth water.

The flavor intensifies a bit as the bowl is smoked down, but never over-powering. Could be an all day smoke for some, in the right pipe. The lemony aspect to the room note should help it's acceptance. After the half-bowl point the burley tries to come to the front, more toasty and creamy flavors are noted. The Turkish fades a bit.

I will have to get more of this blend for the cellar.

Enjoy!

Carlos
20 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 11, 2016 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Despite the name, this is a burley/Va blend first and foremost, and I recommend every fan of burley/VA blends try it. I am a fan of several C&D burley blends, but sometimes find myself wanting their great burley taste but less strident and nicotine laden. This is it, and it is very good indeed. It leans a bit more to the Va side than such blends as Haunted Bookshop and the other Ronowski blends. This isn't blended by Bob Ronowski, but it keeps in his tradition. Better yet, unlike many C&D blends, it doesn't require a lot of aging to smoke well; I even liked it fresh off the truck. The additon of Turkish enhances the interest of the traditional interplay between the burley and Va. A natural, all-day blend. It might improve with more aging, but I smoked up my sample within a few months, and I didn't notice appreciable change after a month or so. There is an unusual lemony nose to it in the pouch which does not translate to it's taste. I suspect this is due to the Va which is used rather than any applied flavoring.
Pipe Used: Various
PurchasedFrom: smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: 0 to 5 months
14 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 04, 2014 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
This is a very pleasant VaBur with a distinct oriental zing. The Virginias are bright and citrus/hay. It is a fairly mild smoke, and while the burley smooths it out, there is not much burley here. It is a Virginia blend first. The Virginia is a little more dominant and sweet in the last half of the bowl. This is not an in-your-face smoke, and it does not dazzle you with complexity. If you are looking for a flavor bomb look elsewhere.

Having said all this, I will buy more. There is a light, tasty, simple quality to it, and if you like orientals (as I do), it makes an excellent smoke while reading or working in the office.

I smoke a lot of PS Norwegian, and this is a little like Norwegian kicked up a notch. This is a solid 3.
13 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 19, 2011 Mild to Medium Very Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
FUN WITH C&D SAMPLES, VOl III, No VIII

An odd one. The components should definitely afforded me a great smoke but this one missed the mark with me somehow. The last reviewer felt that the oriental component was too noticeable. I found it not noticeable enough. I picked it up in the room note but it was suspiciously AWOL in the flavor.

This is a light colored and light bodied blend that tasted primarily of lemon virginias. The burley did tone down the citrus flavor that I often find in lemon VA and turned it more grassy... which I appreciated. The existence of Turkish should have elevated this to something special but I found there simply wasn't enough added to give it the boost I felt it should have. As this was a sample directly from C&D, the remaining oz is going into my cellar to see how it behaves after a year. I'll update this review at that time. In the meantime, I find it hard to recommend this one. It's not a bad blend, it just doesn't distinguish itself as many of C&D's other blends do. As always, YMMV.
12 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 21, 2021 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
The Virginias provide a lot of zesty tart and tangy citrus, grass/hay, bread, mild sugar, light vegetation, earth, wood, floralness, spice, and a touch of acidity. They are the lead components by a small margin. The burleys (one of which is white burley) offer plenty of earth, wood, nuts, light sugary molasses, and a slight floral note as supporting players. Here and there, the burleys equal the Virginias in terms of effect. The floral, earthy, woody, sour and buttery, creamy sweet, mildly spicy, herbal, vegetative Turkish sits in the third position. Its effect varies a mite during the proceedings. Generally, it’s in-between being a condiment and a secondary supporting player. The strength and nic-hit are just past the center of mild to medium. The taste is a step beyond that mark. No chance of bite or harshness, and barely has any rough edges. Burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a fairly consistent creamy fruity sweet, mildly floral, spicy, lightly sour flavor that extends to the lightly lingering, pleasant after taste. Leaves little dampness in the bowl. Requires an average number of relights. Has a pleasant to tolerable room note. An all day smoke with some depth. Three and a half stars only due to the light inconsistency. Other wise, it’s a four star blend.

-JimInks
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 11, 2009 Medium Mild Medium Tolerable
I am and have been a fan of Craig and C and D. I tend to like most of his blends and rarely do I come upon one that I don't like. This blend is in the pouch a khaki and light brown flake with a very light and basic tobacco aroma. My sample is pretty dry which is how tend to smoke them anyhow. It loads into the pipe very easily and lights right up on first light. Immediately this blend tasted almost like an aromatic. A very chemical and unpleasant taste and the aroma was very perfume like. I know this could be the turkish I am tasting and smelling but it is way over the top. It smoked somewhat hot as well and all I got was the sweet acrid smoke similiar to a cigarette. I do not have anything good to say about this blend other than it smokes and stays lit well all the way down to the bottom into a fine grey ash. I will not venture into this one again. Too many good C and D blend to smoke this one again.

6/11/14 Actually, I did revisit this one as I still had a tin that has now aged for several years. Over time, this blend has melded together into a very nice blend that I have found to be a pleasure to smoke. It is now a nice not in your face blend that is smooth and creamy and has just the right sweetness on the palette and very little bite. Just proves that some blends do get better with tome and aging.
Pipe Used: briar, corn cob, meers
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 27, 2008 Mild to Medium Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
There's something about this tobacco that keeps me coming back. It's not particularly full, not too mild...It's just right!

This tobak has a clean simplicity about it. Very natural with a subdued sweetness that doesn't immediately jump out at you. Not a bite in the bowl. It's kind of a pure tobacco that isn't bland or boring.

If I have any caveat, it's that many Cornell and Diehl tobaccos seem pretty similar with one another. But seeking out the small differences can lead to a very rewarding smoke, such as Virginia Gentleman.

Govern Yourself Accordingly,

SmokeKing David
9 people found this review helpful.
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