Cornell & Diehl Cavendish Cut Burley

This is a very tasty VaBur that comes at an attractive price point. It is slightly sweet and easy smoking. It is not an aromatic but has a gentle medium-mild tobacco flavor. It is on the mellow end of the mellow->harsh spectrum. It is mostly a medium short ribbon with a few chunks, and it comes a little dry. I smoked it as packaged and enjoyed this a lot. Despite the manufacturer's description, I did not get much citrus in the Virginia. There is a little bitter in the finish, and it is enjoyable to the end.

This is a basic "all-day" smoke. I am not basing this observation on a single bowl. I have actually smoked back-to-back six bowls of this and did not regret the experience. There is enough there to interest me and not so much that I decide I need to give the taste buds a break.

If you like VaBurs or cavendish processing, you will like this. This is not a black cavendish, but is a little similar in taste profile to PS Natural Dutch Cavendish with a little more burley sour/bitter in the flavor.

The white burley is a woody, earthy, mostly dry tasting component with a light sharpness and rough edge, and a little sour. The dark burley offers some toast, earth, wood, some nuttiness, and a hint of molasses as a supporting player. The Virginia has a little grass and hardly any citrus, with a couple drops of honey in the background. The strength and taste levels are just a little closer to medium than they are to mild. The nic-hit is just past the mild level. Won’t bite, but fast puffing may get you a harsh note. Burns at a reasonable pace with a very consistent, slightly sweet, slightly more sour, dry consistent flavor from top to bottom. Those flavor aspects also translate to the after taste. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires a little less than an average number of relights. Can be an all day smoke.

-JimInks

This is a very good smoke. Nutty, sweet, and a certain slight "fresh" taste from that hint of citrus. Smoked at a moderate pace, it's smooth and tasty. Don't push this one too hard or it can get a little harsh and ashy. If you behave, the tobacco will also. This is very pleasant and satisfying.

Mild to medium in body and flavor with the flavor leaning a touch more toward medium. Comes a bit dry and ready to smoke. Burns perfectly. A firm 3 stars.

Cornell & Diehl - Cavendish Cut Burley.

It's been rubbed into not too coarse a ribbon. There are some chunky-ish pieces, but none that need discarding. It's mostly medium brown, with a few lighter coloured ones. My pouch was too dry.

Because of the hydration issue it lights easily, extremely easily! Then, being fair, has good flavour. The description says the Virginias are 'sweet with just a hint of citrus', and this isn't a marketing ploy. The sweet/sharp Virginias are a DEFINITE addition. The white Burley is dry, coarse, particulate, and 'no-nonsense', and pairs perfectly with the nutty-sweet regular Burley. CCB generates 'Plumes' of smoke, so maybe open a window?! Because of the dryness it burns a touch quickly, and is too hot.

Nicotine: mild to medium. Room-note: not good.

Cavendish Cut Burley? If it weren't for the lack of moisture I'd give it three or four stars. But, as is, it gets just two:

Somewhat recommended.

A very versatile tobacco, I like it straight and its a great balanced base for blending to suit individual tastes. The burley is the headliner here, and I think there is more dark burley than C&D are leading on as it's bitterness and aroma are evident on the palate and room note. The white burley levels it off and the VA is subtlety sweet but not center stage. The cavendish slices are not densely pressed which gives this blend a bit quicker burn rate but it marries well with a cob for a short smoke break. Thick plumes of slightly sweet and nutty white smoke are produced, it does start to get a case of the burly bitters toward the 2nd half of the bowl, but that's about the norm I'd say for this type of mixture. Good all day smoke, and a well behaved blender that gets along with anything you can throw at it. Should be on any burley or VA/BUR smokers list of trys.

This is a good deal sweeter and more complex than C & D’s white burley which is meant for a mixer as opposed to smoking straight, but this one can make it on it’s own or mixed with some good Virginia. Probably meant more for experienced smokers as there are no gimmicks with this one. Burns cool and doesn’t bite and leaves o moisture in the bowl.

The name of this mixture is a bit deceiving. There is nothing aromatic or cavendish(ed) about this blend. It is a straightforward blend of white burley and bright per the manufacturer and it performs predictably.

The aroma of raisins greets the nose upon opening the bag, and is quite mild. This is very natural tasting with no obvious topping or even casing. There are some dry citrus notes on the char light and first few puffs. This decays to a roasted nutty and earthy experience. Very plain Jane regarding flavor and depth. The aroma of the pipe after the ember goes out, or during DGT, reminds me of toasted bread. This does not translate to the taste when smoked.

On the flip side, I imagine this would make an excellent base for home blenders. It is simple, unobtrusive, and has a very simple and classic tobacco taste. The room note is a bit like cigarettes. There is nothing particularly objectionable about this blend, but I just can’t get excited about smoking it. I have in fact tried. Hard.

The moniker is somewhat misleading because it contains no Cavendish at all. In the description it reads "no flavouring," but I can detect a topping of some sort with vanilla-like characteristics. The flavour profile of what appears to be its main two components, that is, bright Virginia and white burley, is down to the point, but I would have preferred oriental leaf in substitution of the bright virginia, and of course, no topping. The taste profile is medium, but it packs a medium to high nicotine punch depending on your tolerance. It is less sharp and acidic than you would have expected and leads to a bready mellow flavour profile quite consistent throughout the bowl. I have not detected any sharp edges or downsides apart from the topping. Not quite an aromatic, but disgusting enough to reject it if you are a seasoned and experienced pipe smoker. All and all, I guess it is OK, but won't buy it again.

21-05-2021 (edit)

I have been smoking this blend for a couple of days now, and whereas my initial impressions have not changed much yet, I want to say the following. For starters, I want to say I am thoroughly enjoying it. My main issue is with the topping, not so much the blending components. I understand this blend is intended for a broader audience, so I cannot hold C&D responsible for it, but me being a purist in the English traditional sense of the so-called "purist laws," I can only reject this blend on the account it has been contaminated with a foreign substance that is alien to tobacco itself. This is probably the most European or Danish style tobacco I ever had from C&D, and will probably appeal to those more accustomed to OTCs or industrially produced market blends, but I am all in for artisanal stuff. To put it simply, apart from the commercial aspects of this blend, I do not see the point in it. Having said that, I must say I did enjoy the dimension this added flavour brings onto the original formula, but that's beside the point. So please take my review with a pinch of salt because I am biased. If you want to try, just go ahead and buy some so that you can make up your own mind.

23-05-2021 (edit)

OK, I will upgrade to four stars. Narrow-minded people learn nothing.

Solid smoke! C&D has one of the best Burley leafs out there to me! The unburnt aroma is very mild, almost unnoticeable and seems so damn natural due to this fact.

But the taste makes it feel even more natural! Typical as any of C&D's blends with Burley, the Burley is very earthy, very woodsy, decently nutty and pleasantly spicy with solid body to it. The Virginias contribute some mild sweetness and freshness to make this a wonderful All-Day, Every-Day smoke for the lovers of Burley tobaccos.

Not as strong as OJK, Haunted Bookshop or Big n Burley, yet satisfying enough to keep me entertained and come back to it again and again. Due to the mild strenght this is a great choice for the first smoke of the day, when the other Burley blends are to strong and bold for those hours. Very natural taste, very refined and balanced, simply awesome! Favorited!

UPDATE 4/16/2023: A few years of age really enhances the flavor of this blend, making it a simple, satisfying experience.

ORIGINAL: This reminds me of Prince Albert but with much better quality tobacco. An easy burning, bland tobacco which I think is more appropriate for blending than smoking straight. There is nothing wrong with it, but there are far more satisfying burley blends from C&D than this. If you are a Prince Albert fan, give it a try, it has all of it's positives without the negatives.