But that's not how I "grade" or "rate" tobacco blends. I basically judge the quality of components and how well the blender hit what he was aiming for. Obviously this isn't supposed to be a Dunhill Nightcap taste-alike. If William Serad and C&D were trying to come up with a Latakia bomb I'm certain they would have left out most or all of the black cavendish, all of the hazelnut flavor, the burley, and exchanged those for more Latakia and Turkish. We'd then have yet another V-L-O English/Balkan.

What I'm guessing they were aiming for, and what I believe they achieved, was a pleasant, flavorful, relaxing, all-day blend.

That's what Reverie is to me. I'm not going to pidgeon hole it as a crossover, aromatic, hybrid, or anything of that sort. Labels like that are pretty meaningless. This is pipe tobacco, and good pipe tobacco at that. It makes me think of something someone would select to fill their pouch in simpler times, long before the Latakia boom.

Balance is as close to perfect as one can come when so many components are at work - at least six tobacco components and the added flavor. All work wonderfully together, complimenting each other.

I expected some problems with the burn but experienced none. Some of the blends containing cubed burley leaving C&D's doors give me issues in this area, Canal Boat being one of them, but Reverie does not. This blend lights and burns well.

I experienced no bite or excessive palate fatique. The flavor is smooth, rich, and sweet without being cloying. The hazelnut is applied sparingly - enough you'll know its there but certainly doesn't rule the pool as it would in a aromatic.

The product of all this effort is a very refined blend of pipe tobacco. Its quality stuff.

To be honest, this is a blend I picked up as a wild card. From time to time I'll add a tin of something that doesn't even sound good - something I normally wouldn't order. This pays off and I'm pleasantly surprised quite often as I was with Reverie. I can appreciate most every type of tobacco, from Balkans to bulk aromatics if they're done well, and Reverie is done very well.

The cubed Burley in this blend was interesting in that it provided a decent dose of nicotine, but the casing it and the black cavendish absorbed for the smoker's pleasure is too sweet for me. Hazlenut flavored Latakia and Perique? Not for this cowboy.

Positives: It burns well and the room note isn't too stinky.

Four of five stars ------------------------- aug 2006 update

Still good, but with several C & Ds I've tried, this too has changed. Craig Tarler's getting sloppy or stingy. The old Hazelnut extract is that same tooty fruity food flavor you'll find in Strathspey and others. It's still decent, but since Serad has pulled out of the collaboration, it's not quite the same. Good for the heat of summer, though, when a lighter, sweeter smoke is called for.

Two and a half of five stars