Cornell & Diehl Burley Flake #4

(3.21)
A blend of dark and light Burleys and Latakia, with red Virginia for a touch of sweetness.

Details

Brand Cornell & Diehl
Blended By Cornell & Diehl
Manufactured By Cornell & Diehl
Blend Type Burley Based
Contents Burley, Kentucky, Latakia, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Flake
Packaging 2oz Tin
Country United States
Production Currently available

Profile

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

Average Rating

3.21 / 4
10

15

2

1

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 28 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 17, 2013 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable
When I mentioned to Chris Tarler that I wanted to explore some of his burley flakes he recommended I sample Burley Flake #4 with its Latakia component as he knows I favor his Engine 99 and Cordial blends as my everyday, all day smokes. He did not warn me however to remove my socks before firing this one up. This is a MAN'S smoke and I love it.

I've little previous experience with unflavored burleys in general and none with this presentation. Hence I was unprepared for just plain good tobacco ecstasy. This is sufficiently strong to satisfy my rather demanding standards, while not knocking me out into some delirium haze. If I was a pilot of an oil tanker navigating a ship through the Straits of Hormuz at midnight THIS is the blend I want in my pipe. It both relaxes me and focuses me mentally at the same time. It became, for as long as my small acquisition lasted, my 4 P.M. pick-me-up smoke. Liked it in a briar, savored it in a cob.

The Virginia and condimental Latakia are noticable but not overbearing. I consider them as seasonings to the potent burley goodness.

This passes my Desert Island test with plenty of room to spare.
28 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 26, 2017 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
The dark and light burleys provide a bit of earth and nuttiness, some wood, light molasses with a touch of cocoa, and very mild dryness with a hint of a rough edge. They are the major components with the Kentucky taking a little of the lead. The smokey, woody, earthy, lightly sweet Cyprian Latakia is an important condiment. The tangy, dark fruit sweet, earthy, woody red Virginia plays a back up role, adding much of the sweetness that you notice. The strength and taste levels are just past medium, and get a little more potent after the half way point. The nic-hit is just shy of medium. No chance of bite or harshness. Burns cool, clean, and slightly slow with a very consistent, mildly complex, deep flavor from start to finish. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires a few relights. Has a pleasant, lightly lingering nutty campfire after taste. Not an all day smoke, but is repeatable for the experienced smoker. Three and a half stars out of four.

-JimInks
17 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 15, 2014 Extremely Strong None Detected Full Very Strong
A very stout burley blend with a small amount of latakia to enhance the smokiness of the fire cured burley and just a bit of Va to sweeten it up a bit. I would smoke it more often but find the nicotine content a bit overwhelming, even after aging and smoking slowly in a small pipe. 1/2 bowl in a small pipe is all I can handle, but I enjoy it from time to time for it's smoothness and very full flavor. Not for the faint of heart. One could say it is economical since a little bit goes a long way. I love the pure, in your face tobacco aroma, but it will clear a roomful of non-smokers in seconds.
15 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 24, 2017 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
White and Bronze Burley are at the forefront with a wee bit of ripe Red Virginia playing in the background for sweetness. Then, a dash of Latakia to make things interesting for the smoker. Not a limp wrist, but no Arnold Schwarzenegger either in the strength department, and unique in its presentation, I rather enjoyed my tin of this one.
11 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 08, 2016 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium Very Strong
Conclusion: A straight burley with some condiments, if you are looking for some nuttyness this will hit home. Goes well with coffee.

Rubbed out it is mild taste wise, a sweet nuttyness and honey sweetness dominates with some faint latakia in the background. The latakia fades and turns mellow after a while, while the burley keeps rising and taking charge without ever really developing any spicy pepper-ish characteristics. I never really pick up the virginia or kentucky, this is really a burley blend all over. If one folds the flakes instead of rubbing them it brings out a bit more nuance, the flavours interchange more but the key elements are the same. This is one straight smoke, not much complexity here, but you always know what you get so that does not have to be a bad thing. Medium bodied, it does not fill one's senses to the brim.

Mechanics: Burns well, dry, cool and clean with no bite. Medium to full strength, but not a power horse like Old Joe Krantz or Big n' burley.

Edit 2019: Most of what I previously stated still stands, but it has grown on me. As I have grown more experienced the latakia now is evident. It is actually quite perfectly blended for my taste. That means the salty, savory qualities are evident now as I can tell the parts from each other. That, in combination with the wonderful burley of c&d, makes me bump this one up a star. This is one great blend. If only a flake version would be constructed out of the blueprint of Crooner...
Pipe Used: Cobs and briars
Age When Smoked: Approximately 6 months
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 07, 2010 Mild None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant
I was given a sample of this flake in June and so enjoyed it ordered a half-pound. This is a very nice Burley blend. On opening, Latakia makes its presence known as the predominate aroma to greet the nose and waft into the room. The flakes are thick and soft to the touch, which means this tobacco is not cased with sweeteners as Burley so often is. Even on the moist side of a newly opened tin, this tobacco does not burn hot or bite - EVER; It is easily an all-day smoke. The Latakia and Virginia offer a wonderful interplay and complexity to the blander base notes of Burley. I had to give up Latakia some years ago as it bothered my mouth, leaving a coated sensation on my tongue. Not Burley Flake #4! This is not a "Latakia dump"and has returned to me the opportunity to enjoy a Latakia blend again. The Virginia adds a sweetness that completes the smoking experience. There are some subtle note of cigar in this blend, which I also enjoyed. One observation: Like so many Burley blends, this one has a tendency to grow moist toward the bottom of the bowl. However, it did not become bitter like so many do. Highly recommended to Burley flake smokers.

Just an additional note: This tobac has a nicotine kick not for the faint of heart.
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 10, 2010 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
If you've tried C&D's "Big N Burley" and found it good tasting but too strong, meet BNB's little brother. Aside from the different cuts (this is a broken flake, BNB is more rough cut) and the fact that this one is milder, they could be twins. The flavor profile is very similar to my taste buds.

Lighter in nicotine and strength, this has the same cigar notes and rush of burley flavor that come on at first light and are maintained throughout the smoke. This one will bring the fire if overpuffed but sipped appropriately, this is a fine blend. I do happen to prefer its bigger sibling but this is a nice toned down version for earlier in the day. That said, I find this one to be the least realized of the C&D Burley Flakes. The other three seemed more unique somehow and contained a greater depth of flavor. Still, this is a worthy blend to sample if you like your blends heavy on the burley and light on the latakia and sweetness.
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 23, 2017 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable
Cornell & Diehl - Burley Flake #4.

Out of the C+D Burley Flakes I've had so far it was only the #3 that I didn't find too agreeable. This one, like #1 and 2, is a steadfast four star blend!

The flakes are almost broken, despite the appearance looks like they're whole they crumble with the gentlest touch. They're fairly dark, with a few lighter flecks. The moisture's faultless.

For a blend containing Kentucky it's the 'cleaner' variety. What I mean is it's not full of the acerbic flavour that can often hail from the Kentucky's curing process. The Burley takes the lead, giving a molasses-sweet nuttiness, but is given a touch of 'something extra' by the others. The Lat' adds a smoky character, and is easily recognizable. Like I said, the Kentucky doesn't cause the smoke to taste like a fire cured mess. I find the Virginia gives the least flavour, maybe a touch, but it's not in the same league. The burn from #4 is even, steady, and cool, generating a bite-free smoke.

Nicotine: above medium. Room-note: quite full.

Burley Flake #4? Highly recommended:

Four stars.

Pipe Used: Atinok Meerschaum
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: Three months
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 07, 2017 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable
I get mostly Kentucky with the other components in the background. The Virginias add a very modest sweetness. The Burley is barely discernible, but seems to smooth out the Kentucky to a small extent. The Lat does little more than make the Kentucky smokier. A fast pace will get you some harshness. I find sipping to bring out the best flavor and keep it cool and smooth. If you like Kentucky, and I do, you'll love the flavors here. There is no evolution so it may get a bit tiring. I have been smoking my bowls in three parts with long breaks in between. Can take a few hours to finish one bowl. A very satisfying smoke.

Body is medium to strong. Taste is medium to full. No added flavorings. Burns very well.
Pipe Used: MM Dagner Poker, Country Gentleman, Marcus
PurchasedFrom: smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: fresh
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 19, 2018 Strong None Detected Mild to Medium Strong
The Burley Flake line by Cornell & Diehl is a treasure. It's the finest Burley I've ever tried. Generally, making straight Burley blends is a risky business; few producers cope really well with that. Burley tobacco easily gets bity or bitter or, otherwise, bland (like in celebrated Solani Aged Burley Flake, a favourite of many but not of mine). In the case of C&D, however, the result is stellar: all four blends are superbly balanced.

All four varieties deliver equally good healthy dose of Nicotine, while flavourwise they are not overly full (they shouldn't be: it's Burley). The flavour is rather thin-bodied, like the flavour of a light liquor (say, tequila) against dark spiced rum. Adding to the similarity with clear liquors, the Burley smoke, instead of flavour fullness, has unique sensatory qualities, unlike most other tobaccos. It's hard to describe the feeling, I just can say I love that soft alkaline "throat hit" when inhaling the smoke a bit.

===

Well, that was about the whole line. And now to this exact variety, the Burley Flake #4.

The Blend #4 is unique in that way that an already delicious Burley blend is enhanced with a whiff of Latakia. It's nothing like Burley-forward "pseudo English" blends. Latakia is employed so sparingly that it actually doesn't manifest its signature smokiness. Rather, it creates, together with other tobaccos in the blend, a new distinct flavour distantly similar to the flavour of cigar leaf.

Great tobaccos. Try all four of them. You'll be rewarded with an experience you won't get with other blends.
5 people found this review helpful.
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