Cornell & Diehl First Responders

(2.55)
Re-release of GL Pease's renowned "Tribute" blend that was produced as fund raiser for the survivors of 9/11. A blend of red, bright and stoved red virginias with a dash of perique and toasted cavendish

Details

Brand Cornell & Diehl
Blended By Gregory Pease
Manufactured By Cornell & Diehl
Blend Type Virginia/Perique
Contents Cavendish, Perique, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Ribbon
Packaging 2 oz 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

2.55 / 4
2

4

3

2

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 11 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 13, 2014 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
This blend is based on Tribute, but there are differences. The Virginias here are a little sweeter and a little stronger, offering much fewer grass notes and more earth, sugar, and tangy citrus and dark fruit. The red Virginias are more prominent here, and used to good advantage. It's light on the citrus, which Tribute had a little more of. I get a hint of stewed fruit, which must come the stoved Va. The perique sports very light spice and plum note in the background. Has a mild nic-hit. No chance of bite, and won't get harsh. Well balanced, burns clean and cool at a reasonable pace with a fairly consistent flavor. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and needs an average number of relights. Has a pleasant after taste. Can be an all day smoke.

-JimInks
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 20, 2013 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
Opening a 1 1/2 year old tin of Cornell & Diehl's First Responders revealed coarse cut ribbons that were dominated with hues of brown with slivers of yellow, black, and blue. It was a little dry to the touch, but I like my tobacco a little dry, and it had the initial odor of dark chocolate. As I really got my nose into the tin a more smoked chocolate smell came through. If I could eat a brownie that smelled like this closer tin aroma, I would be a happy man.

An unlit sip consistently brought a sweet taste to my lips, but the initial light seemed to be inconsistent based on pipe/packing method. At times it was sweet, and at times it was spicy hot. Neither was bad. Overall it was a good dark and toasty smoke, with spiciness and sweetness vying for my attention. The best smoke I had with this was in a an old Jobey billiard that I typically just smoke when it's handy. This old billiard had me paying attention to it for the first time in years thanks to this tobacco. In this pipe there was an oily feel to the smoke, like some of my favorite maduro cigars. The finish was pretty unnoticeable to me for the most part, except in the Jobey where the oiliness lingered. I was told that the room note was very pleasant and it was described as a spicy tastiness.

First Responders grew on me over the course of smoking it. At first I didn't expect much and didn't get much, but as I tried it in more pipes and found one that it would sing it, it very much earned my appreciation. I think anyone who enjoys a spicy and sweet combination in a medium strength blend would enjoy this very much. I know I will be buying more, if nothing else to give my old Jobey something to do besides take up rack room.
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 12, 2018 Medium None Detected Medium Tolerable
Cornell & Diehl - First Responders.

There are a few chunky pieces of tobacco but a lot of my tin could be considered a shag. It's mostly medium brown with the occasional lighter or darker piece. I can't identify much in the tin-note.

The cut and decent moistness aid easy lighting. The initial word to spring to mind was 'Boring', until I got halfway into a bowl, at that point the flavour becomes deeper due to the Perique awakening, giving ample spiciness and dark fruit. Until then the Virginias have a clear lead over the others. It doesn't taste like a straight Va, but there's no mistaking which tobacco's in charge, and which leaves are a seasoning. The Cavendish is more controlled than the Perique, adding a gentle honey-sweetness without fluctuating in strength. The burn from it's reliable, but can become fast if puffed hard.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: tolerable.

I don't enjoy the first half as much as the second. So it misses out on four stars. Recommended:

Three stars.

Pipe Used: Altinok Lee Van Cleef: Friday pipe
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: New
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 27, 2012 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Looks like Tribute in the tin and smells like it as well. Same notes of dark chocolate but a bit less musty. Same mottled appearance and same wide choppy ribbon.

Taste-wise, it's clear to me that this is a fresh example of GLP Tribute. The blend has the same flavor characteristics of dark and toasty virginias with a touch of perique spice. But the flavor is a little rougher, a little less mature, as if the flavors simply haven't melded quite yet. Then again, it's youthful vigor might be just what some smokers want. It certainly appears to me to be the same recipe. I plan to age my other tin of this and see. But if you've missed out on Tribute, fear not. This one should fill the void quite nicely. It just needs a bit of seasoning in your cellar. Give it 6-12 months and enjoy.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 03, 2019 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium Tolerable
As a 20 year firefighter, (hence Capt) I remember 9/11 vividly. I was a 2 year career firefighting rookie, in Metro Detroit. I had just got off shift the morning of 9/11 and watched the horror unfold. I appreciate anyone who gives thanks and thought to my 343 brothers who died on that fateful day.

Tin date 05/2011

Tin appearance:

A dry blend, consisting of medium brown rough cut ribbons, with some light and dark tobacco as well. Quite obvious which leaf is which. Familiar aroma of raisin bran and grape nuts. Earthy, nutty and sweet. Toasty Virginia is pleasant to the nose.

Packing/lighting/Smoking:

Packing isn't too difficult, but because there are some long strands in the mix, those notoriously stick out of the top of the pipe. I just easily tear them away. Due to the dry nature of this mix, I pack it fairly tight to eliminate a harsh, hot smoke. First 1/3 of the bowl is uneventful. Stays lit, be careful of your pace. This can get harsh. 2nd 1/3 of the smoke develops into a toasty, almost oaky aroma. This is where I could use a bit more sweetness from the Cavendish. The last third is a powerhouse. I have a high nicotine tolerance but I sure feel this one. Even with some age, this blend is flat and monotone. I appreciate the thought and consideration given to this blend, but it fell way short for me. I almost feel bad for giving such a low rating, but I would never falsify my ratings and lead my fellow pipers down a road I won't travel.
Pipe Used: several
PurchasedFrom: P&C
Age When Smoked: 8 years
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 17, 2016 Medium Medium to Strong Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
According to the producer this is a re-release of the former “Tribute” under the new name of “First Responders”. Reviewers in several blogs report about differences, though. Since I have never smoked “Tribute”, I cannot compare. FIRST RESPONDERS is supposed to be a Va/Per with toasted Black Cavendish and no added flavouring or casing. In my over 30 years of pipe smoking I have come across of literally all sorts of Cavendish, Black Cavendish being the most prominent, but I cannot remember having smoked “toasted” Cavendish. Just to make it clear: Cavendish is NOT a species of the tobacco plant, it is a PROCESS of tobacco treatment. BLACK Cavendish is sauced, cased, steamed, pressed BURLEY, in difference to other kinds of Cavendish. Now, let’s light up this blend and see what happens.

Very good smoking mechanics. Virginia seems to be the backbone of this mixture, donating hay, grass, earth, some tanginess and sweetness. Although this obtrusive, astringent tanginess may come from that toasted Cavendish. To me, smoking this blend is like smoking an AROMATIC Mixture. It is not what one expects from a Va/Per. Before toasting this Black Cavendish it must have been heavily sauced or cased. It is definitely too much for me, as it covers up too many natural aromas. Even the Perique drowns. This mixture is not for me. I would only recommend this blend to Aromatic or Danish smokers.
PurchasedFrom: Internetshop of “Synjeco’s Pipe Smoker’s Haven”, Brissago, Switzerland.
Age When Smoked: New, out of the tin.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 26, 2015 Mild None Detected Very Mild Unnoticeable
This is honestly pretty bad even by C & D standards . I smoked a few bowls and simply could not get any taste out of it that I recognized . There was no real tin note and the tobacco was real dry . I just threw out the rest of the can .
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 13, 2015 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
All I can say is I like it. Mostly Golden Va with darker shades of leaf, the tin aroma is quite pungent. It definitively spells Périque. The leaf is a loose and long cut, very nice. Curiously (but, maybe not so much) and even tough it's never as dark in its composition nor a crumble cake, I find First Responders to be very akin to Kajun Kake - in terms of taste, of course. So.....If you like Kajun Kake....? 😉
Pipe Used: Luciano; Rattray; Stanwell
Age When Smoked: 1 Y 10 M
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 30, 2014 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
I'm really loving this blend. Looks and smells great in the tin and smokes like a dream. I love Vapers so this was a nobrainer to buy. I'm pretty sure this is GL peases tribute but renamed. It pretty much says so on the tin description right on the side.

I have never had a unenjoyable bowl with this. Different, yes, unenjoyable, no. This tobacco seems to react differently depending on pipe/bowl shape and packing method. Sometimes you get more sweet than peppery and other times it will be the opposite. I really really enjoy this blend. I find I don't have to work hard to smoke it. Its just pleasent and satisfying. I would highly reccomend to any VaPer lovers.
Pipe Used: Various briars
PurchasedFrom: Pipesandcigars.com
Age When Smoked: 1 month
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 11, 2013 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable
I wanted to like this blend as I like the name and the people it is honoring. But, personally I find it rather harsh and without any real feature that makes it enjoyable. Quite honestly it is just smoke. In the tin it is a rough cut in a mix of different colors of brown from light to very dark. It has a tin note to me somewhat earthy with a touch of sweetness and spice to the aroma. It is on the dry side which a lot of C and D blends are and to which I prefer. It does load quite easily into the pipe and is also very easy to get lit. It must be puffed rather often to keep the pipe lit. It does smoke dry and all the way to the bottom of the pipe. Problem is, it just does not have any sweetness to the smoke on the palette and it burns on the hot side. If smoked fast it will fry your tongue, smoked soft it is still rather hot and it has a harshness I just don't like. I just don't find it to be one of their better blends. The room note is nothing special, it has a pipe tobacco aroma but not one that anyone would approach you and say it smells good. On the other hand no one will tell you it stinks either. Because it smokes rather hot and harsh, it would not make a good all day blend. I would get tired of it quickly if I were to try as it does not have all that much taste to it. So I really cannot give this blend a high rating compared to one of the great blends by C and D I have smoked. On the other hand I have smoked worse so I am not giving it the bottom rating either. It is not a blend I would buy again. I have tried it fresh, aged for several weeks and now aged for 9 months without it improving any.
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