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107: Haunted Bookshop

Brand: Cornell & Diehl
Blender: Bob Runowski
Tin Description: A predominantly Burley mixture with a touch of red Virginia and Perique.
Country of Origin: US
Curing Group: Air Cured
Contents:
Burley
Virginia
Perique
Cut: Ribbon
Packaging: Bulk



Average Ratings
Strength: Medium
Flavoring: Extremely Mild
Taste: Mild to Medium
Room Note: Pleasant to Tolerable
Recommendation: Recommended


The Reviews  

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Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 87 reviews of this tobacco
Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
brogreggblues 08/16/2010 Strong Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable not recommended
I received a 2 oz. baggie of this in a C&D sampler pack. I did not read TR's ratings on this blend before I smoked it, because I wanted my impressions to be my own, not tainted by others' reviews.

As I was smoking this blend, I immediately sensed a bitter taste and smell. Less than halfway down the bowl, there was an increasing sensation I could only describe as "sour", and "old sweat socks". Imagine my surprise when previous reviewers mentioned these same characteristics!

I'm a burley man. I love Boswell's Premium Burley, Granger, and Mild Kentucky Club. I also enjoy Prince Albert and Carter Hall. But not this stuff.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
Storm Watch 06/26/2010 Mild Extremely Mild Mild Pleasant to Tolerable somewhat recommended
Well, I've had worse. That's why it gets 2 stars instead of one. For the price I expected better. Heck, for the price I'll take Prince Albert over this. Not much on the flavor department unless you puff so lightly it constantly goes out on you.

Like the idiot that I am I have to try everything. I could have gotten twice as much of a drug store blend for the price of this stuff and been happier with the results.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
Puffingstuff 06/26/2010 Mild None detected Extremely Mild (Flat) Unnoticeable not recommended
I think I could blend this myself. Three parts dry leaves from the yard, two parts dry leaves from the yard last year. What is this? I find far to many blends from C&D that are pale and tasteless like this one. One reviewer on here gave it three stars because he likes the name? What? Sorry, C&D you ripped me off on this crap.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
Jeremy 05/29/2010 Medium Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Tolerable recommended
This is an odd little blend, and hard to really get my mind around it. It can be harsh on the char light, but smokes fairly smoothly after that if you smoke carefully. The VA and Per is more like a seasoning than a flavor. So, it isn't really a burley, or a VA or a Perique. You have to basically take it on its terms, much like some of the interesting little micro-brews that are out there that pay no attention to style categories. Fortunately, it's a decent smoke and burns nicely. Worth giving a try, but I suspect it's a take-it-or-leave-it kind of smoke with little room in the middle. I like it enough to buy about once a year for variety. Oh, and don't dry it out as much as you might like - it smokes better when not bone dry, but the burley in it likes to dry out very quickly.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
PeteSavinelli 05/12/2010 Medium to Strong None detected Medium to Full Tolerable not recommended
This tobacco is vile. The pouch note, if any, is moldy and sour. In the bowl it is horrid. I thought it was just because I wasn't a "Burley guy". No. While I'm not a "Burley guy", I've smoked Burleys which I would be happy to give between 2 and 3 stars. I wouldn't smoke this again if someone gave it to me free.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
Rev. E. A. Hernandez 05/11/2010 Strong None detected Overwhelming Tolerable not recommended
Like someone said of C&D's Purple Cow: I really wanted to like this. I'm a burley man. No objection to a few spiced points to a tobacco. Also naturally a Virginia fan.

This stuff, which I purchased a bit of, from bulk, was dreadful. I can't ever say I have tasted moldy gym socks, pepper, and stale Chinese food all-in-one, but this is it. It has a bite that I hated, and I'd also classify it as rather sour.

I noted the dryness of the sample I received. It was odd. Then I noted it had NO aroma of any kind. It doesn't even smell of tobacco. Is it possible I got something old, dry and with a hint of mold? Perhaps. It sure tasted like it.

The reviews here are vastly overrated if that is what that stuff IS supposed to taste like. It took a malted and a bowl of Lane's 1-Q to fix this mess.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
john1179 05/11/2010 Very Mild Very Mild Extremely Mild (Flat) Pleasant recommended
GREAT NAME! DIDNT NOTICE MUCH ABOUT THIS TOBACCO HOWEVER. REALLY DIDNT HAVE ALOT OF TASTE OR AROMA. JUST A REALLY GOOD STRAIGHT FORWARD TOBAC!!!


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
Davetopay 03/20/2010 Mild None detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable somewhat recommended
I got this in a trade, so I can't vouch for the average condition when you buy it in a shop. It didn't feel cased and doesn't taste to me like it is dosed with flavorings, but just tastes like good burley which has been spiced with perique and VA leaf in such a way as to create a very relaxed soft tasting blend. I have come to like it as a palate cleanser of sorts between bowls of my more pungent blends. The sweet/baked va shows up every now and then and the burley has a nice aroma without being perfumed. This is what I had always hoped more of the codger burleys would be like. A solid 2.75 star tobacco. Nothing wrong with it, not too complex or high falutin' and fancified. Just tasty, cool burning, easy going pipe smoking.

One little note...if you are a quick puffer, you won't get burned or bitten, but if you can keep this on the edge of going out it will show you a bunch of little surprises.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
don1688 03/15/2010 Medium None detected Mild to Medium Tolerable recommended
The flavor jumps around pretty nicely.

I don't taste the burley so "up front" throughout the bowl as most reviews have noted.

I taste the Va within all the time and it is the dominant weed in the first third. Burley does come through more there after and is the main character with perigue giving that pepper and fruit flavor in-and-out like a non-perique dominated smoke should, this blend progresses very nicely.

Nice tobacco and a blend I can see smoldering in some pipes all day.

I have smoked "fresh" and currently a tin I opened with 3 1/2 years age. I feel the aged tin has a more Va feel, but don't think this is one you must age to be satisfied. "beeftip" sums it up quite nicely.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
beeftip 03/15/2010 Medium to Strong Mild Medium Tolerable recommended
I get a kick out of reviews for burley blends that state the tobacco tastes like cigarettes. Cigarettes have burley as the main component. That's why burley tastes like cigarettes. Unless you sauce the hell out of burley, you're going to get cigarette "flavor" at some point. Even Aged Burley Flake, which is so highly revered by so many tastes like cigarettes.

It should be no surprise to anyone who knows anything about tobacco that Haunted Bookshop tastes at times like a cigarette. But it's a damn fine cigarette! If I could have bought cigarettes that tasted this good, I probably would still be smoking them.

The perique and virginia tobaccos lend themselves well to the overall balance in the fine blend. The perique goes from peppery to fruity and back again throughout the bowl. The virginia adds a nice but subtle sweetness that remains constant.

At times the burley tastes a little like chocolate, at others it's kind of nutty. It's subtle and if all you think about while smoking this is that it tastes like cigarettes, you'll miss it.

The first light is harsh. It takes a couple of minutes for it to settle down. It's not pleasant, but it is tolerable. Don't freak out.

It burns nice and clean. Easy to keep lit. It's a great burley.

Don't smoke it if you don't understand burley tobacco. This is a great blend and deserves to be reviewed by those who can appreciate burley for ALL of its flavors and nuances.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
SmokeKing David 03/06/2010 Medium to Strong None detected Medium Tolerable somewhat recommended
I am beginning to enjoy C&D burley blends, but this seemed too bitter. The leaf is of obvious quality, as you would expect from this blender...which earned this mix a second star. But Haunted Bookshop just didn't seem very enjoyable to me. Still, many smokers seem to like it, so try it and see for yourself.

Govern Yourself Accordingly.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
Matt 01/21/2010 Mild to Medium Extremely Mild Mild Pleasant to Tolerable recommended
This is my first burly based blend that wasnt an aromatic, that could be why I was looking for a bit more in this. Its not bad just alittle boring. If I go with non-aromatics Ill stick to Vir/Per. I can see what some of the other reviewers have said about it being dry in the tin but I thought it was just slightly drier than what im used to. It burned well with one relight and left my pipe clean.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
Matty 10/20/2009 Extremely Mild Extremely Mild Medium Tolerable recommended
This is a tobacco to go to and just smoke for awhile. When you do not want to think about what pipe with what tobacco for a while. Just pack it up and get to know the burly that comes through on the first few puffs. Do not let this discourage you the virginia is soon to follow. And when you let it pass through your nose you are glad they threw in the perique. A nice light tobacco taste is nice change for this flake and plug aficionado. I let all my other tobacco's age and just smoke this for a month or so. Ok so sue me I still hit the Condor too!


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
Baron Von Costume 08/31/2009 Medium Extremely Mild Very Mild Tolerable not recommended
I bought this tin, solely on the name alone. In the tin it smells like a mixture of old cigarettes and hay. It was rather dry if I remember correctly. As for the taste, well it was like smoking cigarettes. I have kept the tin in hopes that I could add something like McClelland's 5100 to improve it, but I have yet to do so. Not recommended.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
gillywalker 08/17/2009 Mild Mild Very Mild Tolerable to Strong not recommended
This was one of the first tobaccos I was able to successfully smoke probably because the bulk I ordered was slightly dry. The room note was more musty bookshop than haunted bookshop. I didn't get much of a taste out of it either, and no nicotine kick. Anyone around me said it smelled like I was smoking cigarettes.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
Kerdy 07/27/2009 Mild Mild Mild Tolerable somewhat recommended
This was an ok smoke. Didn't hit on much for me. Burned a little hot.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
Bub 07/17/2009 Mild Mild Mild Pleasant to Tolerable recommended
If you like a fine burley tobacco with just a hint of Virginia and Perique, you'll most likely enjoy this mild blend. Not too complex but more of an all day smoke. Slightly bland in flavor. Pretty good burley though.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
Captain bob 04/05/2009 Mild Extremely Mild Mild Pleasant highly recommended
I consider the three C&D blends of Old Joe Krantz, Haunted Bookshop and Riverboat Gambler to be closely related family members. However, I consider Riverboat Gambler to be the best of all three because, for me, it combines the best of the other two and then some!

Haunted Bookshop is a delightful and very mild blend. Virtually a non-aromatic. The extremely light topping strikes me as possibly just a touch of Anise. I consider it a non-aro. I enjoy the quality leaf, the easy light and comfortable smoke it delivers. I do highly recommend it. But you should also try the other two as well or you will be missing something.

This is an excellent blend for Burley lovers but it has a bit more character than a pure Burley. This is something that I welcome in a blend of this type.

Enjoy it. It could be an easy all day smoke if you are looking for one. It is a good investment and will likely not let you down.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
Punchy 03/23/2009 Medium Extremely Mild Medium Pleasant to Tolerable somewhat recommended
If Virginia and Perique is a Vaper, than Burley and Perique must be a Buper. The perique adds a nice edge to an otherwise non-descript burley. Smoke it slowly to enjoy its subtleties. Very cool in the pipe, but kinda boring.


Reviewed By: Date: Strength: Flavoring: Taste: Room Note: Recommendation:
Moe 02/20/2009 Mild to Medium Mild Medium Pleasant to Tolerable recommended
HB is a nice smoke that has a little topping but not overpowering. I find it kind of middle of the road in all ranges from nicotine, to flavor. Mild on the mouth. Id buy it again.


 
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 87 reviews of this tobacco

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