I'll let DK's spot on review below stand as representing my thoughts as well, I couldn't have said it any better!

So let's finish by doing it this way:

1st star: availability (yes, it gets a star for just being there) 2nd star: low pricing (and another because I can afford it) 3rd star: managability of the leaf during packing and smoking 4th star: interplay of excellent flavors

So, mixing the practical and the sublime...it comes up with a 4-star rating.

Updated 1/2/12= I've had this cellared for about a year and I've hydrated it slightly, and what a difference. The Turkish are more subdued , the Virginias and Periques are now noticeable. Perique provides some spice and interest. For anyone who has tried P&C "Marquee Series; Sweet & Savory" this is very close, not as smooth and no maple tin aroma but close. I will think about moving this to 3 stars but have other blends that I like better, still too spicy for me.

Updated 7/12/12- I'm still having problems with the heat/spice from this blend. It just isn't smooth enough to move to 3 stars. I have to agree with reviewer ,CaptnDan 01/29/2006, in that I also get a slight taste of Burley. Smoke this fast and you get a milder Old Joe Krantz. P&C "Marquee Series; Sweet & Savory" is better than this. I won't buy again.

Sometimes you get lucky with samples. Sometimes you fire up your first bowlful and, after just a few puffs, think to yourself that you have a winner. And sometimes that feeling lasts throughout the entire 2 oz sample baggie. This is one of those times.

As mentioned, the cut of this (wide ribbon with some chunks and narrower ribbon) looks like it would burn like tissue paper but somehow C&D has managed to make it burn nicely, if a tad quickly. I've smoked and reviewed all the McClelland Grand Oriental series and I enjoy several of them but this one adds a nice shot of testosterone to the flavor. This is a bolder smoke than, say, Drama or Smyrna in the GO series. Oriental Silk has all their flavor and then some but also a good deal more body and "satisfaction factor" (which may be simple nicotine). The room aroma is redolent with spices and incense and the flavor is a wonderful spicy sweetness. The perique is barely there but does seem to escalate the flavor somehow. It has a "bite" and I mean that in a positive way. It doesn't bite the tongue but it has a nice sharp burst of flavor, like Sobranie or Dunhill 965 does. The flavor of this demands to be actively experienced from the first puff. I wouldn't call this wildly complex; instead I'd call it excellent from charring light to dottle - just a wonderful flavor that I intend to go back to over and over. If I could smoke just one tobacco... well, I'd be irritable for sure but if I HAD to, this would be on my very short list of choices.

C&D has nailed the VaPerTurk! These guys continue to impress me, even though I don't appreciate the taste of all their blends. They are truly working to put something out for everyone. Most impressive blender!

Good job, C&D!

This reminds me of other C&D blends, including Virginia Gentlemen and even Sunday Picnic, both of which I also enjoy. If you like a clean, natural smoke with a noticeable amoount of Turkish, punch this ticket.

In fact, I screen it before smoking. Cornell and Diehl favors a rather fine cut (2-3 millimeters) to begin with, and the package contains a good deal of crumbs. Right out of the bag, the tobacco almost flares up, with the natural result that the smoke lacks flavor. It does indeed have some of the character of cigarette tobacco. Use a kitchen strainer (NOT the same one the wife uses--no amount of cleaning will prevent a lot of discussion) to remove most of the fines, and the blend takes on a darker, richer flavor and aroma. It's very satisfying that way.

Smoke it dry, too. Craig Tarler is famous for shipping his product without much moisture, and adding much water to this one will make it burn hotter and lose flavor. After screening, I put the tobacco in a Mason jar, add a teaspoonful of water, cap it and put it on the shelf for a month before cracking the seal. The bright Virginia gets better with age, up to perhaps 3-4 years, though of course it usually doesn't last so long.

Focus! A fill can go for an hour, hour and a half, if you concentrate. Counterintuitively, when the flavor's best, lay off for a moment rather than sucking on it. Smoking while working often means mindlessly pulling on the pipe, overheating the tobacco and getting a fairish nicotine hit but less of the subtle taste. Beginners could well choose a different blend; Oriental Silk calls for a bit of technique.

Definitely not one for the beginner, I believe that a bit of inattentiveness could produce a serious bite.

The Perique lends a nice backdrop for the interplay between the Va and the spicy Turkish. Neither the Va nor the Turkish dominate, rather they seem to meld into a spicy sweetness that at times produces an aftertaste that almost suggests the presence of Burley.

I realize that a good balance between the various typed of leaf is desireable, but in this case, the balance is almost too good. What could have been an interesting blend turns out to be a bit cloying.

Aroma: The predominant part of the aroma to me seems to be the musty smell of perique, backed by the dry "grassy" aroma of turkish. I don't detect much, if any virginia sweetness.

Packing: Packing is easy in any size pipe, owing to the smallish cut. No special care was needed to get a springy surface with just a slight drag in the draw.

Lighting: The tobacco lights easily, sometimes with one Vesta.

Initial flavor: I get a tingle from the perique first, followed immediately by the spicy nuttiness of the turkish. I don't get much from the virginias, they seem to be too light to contribute much weight or sweetness to the mix. The first impression is light, but quite tasty

Mid-bowl: It burns quite easily, but does not get hot unless puffed agressively. The orientals start to dominate the blend here, with the perique playing harmony, and the virginia still stays in the background. The smoke lacks density, probably because of the lack of more mature, darker virginias

Finish: Even smoked slowly, the bottom comes fairly soon. I detect a slight bitterness, and some added strength at the end. I also detect a slight dryness in my mouth when I finish the bowl. The ash is clean and pale gray.

Tried in the following pipes: Several Sasieni Family era Four Dots, a GBD Militaire.

Summary: This would be a great tobacco for warm weather, when darker virginias and latakia are too heavy for me.