Cornell & Diehl - Blockade Runner pipe tobacco reviews

Review

Please log in to add or edit a review. If you do not have an account yet, you can sign up for one here.

Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 45 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >
Perique	01/17/2013	Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Tolerable
A square block of old school navy cavendish, heavily cased with Rum. Stout and full-bodied. I really like this in the evening after I've spent a day smoking sweeter Virginias. I like the tactile feel of breaking off a chunk of this tobacco, rubbing it out, and seeing the dark patches on my fingertips. I usually smoke this with a sweet liqueur like Jack Daniels Honey or Cuarenta y Tres. Definitely recommended for anyone looking for something off the beaten path.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Dr. Watson	12/01/2012	Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Recently, my B&M had runout of BR and awaited for my tin to arrive. A week or two later, it awaited me on their shelf and promptly took this blend home. Initially, BR was my first "krumble kake" and lay rather moist in it's tin. After a good rub and a short spell drying on my desk, it lay ready for savoring. BR starts with a heavy kick of the classic aged Virginia aroma similar to McClelland's own Navy Cavendish, yet without the acidic aroma. BR greeted this eager smoker with a heavy alcohol smell, and of dark, muted cavendish. The kake's top had removed a portion of itself (mutiny?) and begged to get rubbed into pieces. As it dries, the smell becomes of the typical Navy blend with less spicy Periques to savor. Initial lighting yields a nice, smooth cavendish sweetness that tells of mellowed Virginias and a hearty flavor profile. The kick of Vitamin N can dizzy some, but smoke this easy for the Virginia is rather unforgiving in bite. The smell according to girlfriends and passerby as "nice" or "mmm...that's good". Burns slightly hot, but with some care it is definitely sure to please.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
cranse iron	09/04/2012	Medium to Strong	None detected	Full	Pleasant
I've smoked Blocked Runner off and on for about three years and was initially attracted by its old school qualities of a straight tobacco like what was probably widely available in America during the 19th century. I'm reminded of a civil war historical placard I read in Raymond, Mississippi, near Jackson, that told of a Union soldier's account of seeing one of his officers firing his revolver in the heat of battle until spent, stopping to load not his weapon, but a meerschaum with tobacco, followed by his weapon and then, nonchalantly, resuming fire on the Southerners lining 14 Mile Creek. If he didn't load a latakia blend then I'm sure it was something similar to Blockade Runner. By itself, this can be a bit harsh for my taste, although I recently struck upon a self-made blend that I'm very excited about. I take one disk of Escudo rubbed out fully, one half teaspoon of Prince Albert and one to 1 1/2 tablespoons of Blockade Runner, mix and stuff in a pipe. The blend can be on the sweet side like a good VA with a bit of zip from the Escudo and mellowed with the addition of burley. As I mentioned, Blockade Runner by itself can be harsh, but the best qualities of its old time cavendish nature are brought out by this blend. I love its toned down flavor, old school quality tobacco aroma and the sweetness that seems to compliment the VA/Perique of the Escudo. Lots of folks say they can smell and taste the Rum, but I'm not one of them. I think what they are smelling and tasting is the cavenish process used to make this tobacco which is a good thing in my book. The rum residue may add to the sweetness, but for the life of me, I can't taste a bit of rum and I'm a rum drinker too-- Pussers, thank you very much, so I know what rum tastes like. Give this tobacco a shot and if you don't like it by itself then try my blend or experiment with your own-- it's one of the great things about our hobby. Update: forget the Prince Albert and use Pipeworks and Wilke Nut Brown Burley instead. A huge step up in burley quality!!
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
ewlship	03/24/2012	Very Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant
Wowwie that is one powerful smoke! I am not shy with having my daily intake of vitamin N, however I found this blend to be full, strong, and hearty. Surprising for an all virginia blend. After about five bowls I decided I needed to smooth it out and water it down a bit by mixing two parts blockade runner with one part of a cavendish blend from my local tobacconist. I was impressed with the form of the cake when I opened the tin as it was a perfect block. I asked my wife if she wanted to take a bite of the new tobacco brownie I bought; she did not find my humor amusing. Right out of the tin Blockade Runner has a smooth rum smell to it (more Myers Dark than light Bacardi), not acrid and alcohol smelling like some other liquor blends I have had. The taste matches the aroma, smooth and full- not burny and thin. Good moisture, lights just right, and keeps on burning. My only complaint and reason for not wanting to buy this product again is that I found it to be too strong and full for my taste. I have been smoking this blend out on my porch in the evening, and several folks out walking have commented on how nice it smells, so I figure the roomnote is an "A". I will certainly try more cornell diehl products, as I was impressed by the quality of tobacco and that the company actually gave what is promised by the labeling on the tin.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Bucky19	11/15/2011	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
i did not like this at all. it tasted like whisky from hell mixed with the worst cavendish i hated it every time i had it. that taste was just putrid and it made me and my dad fell sick and we have never felt this in all of the tobaccos we have smoked. i dint like it but to each its own
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Pip	08/31/2011	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
This was my first experience with plug tobacco. I was intrigued. I cut off a slice crumbled it up and examined the tobacco. Nice moisture…nice leaf indeed with a very light scent. Sometimes I’m not sure if its rum at all. Some kind of alcohol for sure. I just can’t put my finger on though. I packed the pipe pretty loosely with the bacci and it lit up right away. Nice smooth sweet smoke with no bite at all. Burns to a nice white ash all the way down to the bottom of the bowl. All in all pretty good. Would I buy again, probably not.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
jhigh58	08/15/2011	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
Just starting pipe smoker. Several years as a cigar fan. I wanted an English blend with no flavorings but the reviews made me pick this even though it contains rum. There is not a noticeable taste of rum. I found this to be better if smoked slow and with a light draw. If not smoked slowly I did receive a few gurgles. Plenty of nicotine. Sit or recline and enjoy as a before bed smoke. I especially like it in my churchwarden.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
piedpipester	06/17/2011	Strong	None detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong
I've smoked a couple of tins and have decided that I like this tobacco very much. It's not an all day(or even every day)smoke for me, but I visit it on a regular basis. The rum is evident in the can aroma, but I can't really taste it in the pipe. I would describe the flavor as full virginia, sweet, dark and concentrated, and high in nicotine. I like fooling with plugs and crumble cakes when i'm at home, but not during the day, so this is a recliner/feet kicked up before I go to bed smoke. I alwasy try to have a little beverage with it so the vitiman n doesn't get me started hickuping. I will always have a can around to smoke when the mood strikes.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
char builder	02/08/2011	Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This tobacco is a high quality blend of stoved virginias. It smokes well and the crumble cake is fun to work with. But, for all intents and purposes, it is just that a crumble cake virginia. The promise of the added rum element starts and ends in the tin. The rum is definately present in the smell from the tin but never shows up in the smoke or room note. While it is a high quality virginia cake, IMHO it is not worth the price for a premium tinned blend ($51.00 / lb. + Shipping)without a stronger rum note.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
TK Pipe	12/10/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant
Blockade runner, Comes in a crumble cake form. When starting a fresh tin, I do the crumbling outside to minimize the mess. There is some dust, so I smoke this stuff in a filtered cob or a Dr. Grabow (1/2 a filter does the job) Smoking this while active is a waste, this is a recliner smoke to be savored, and what a smoke it is. Burns great, has just the right amount of Nic. and has a flavor profile that leads the pack in its genre. This is no small admission, coming from a guy that prefers burleys. If VA’s are your thing, this blend is a must try. 4 stars My personal raing 3/5
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Uncle Arthur	10/23/2010	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is a crumblecake that doesn't crumble. Which is no problem for me. A sharp pocket knife to whittle off a slice. A quick rub out to small chunks load up and fire up. The flavor is superb. It burns well and will have a home in my stash.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
dogwood	07/22/2010	Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant
i really like this blend. the rum flavor is at the right level for me- just enough. i like that there are no other flavors just the rum. this is one of the smoother cavs i've had but it still has those toasty strong off flavors to it. i think cavs are for advanced pipe smokers. you need to smoke them slow! i really like how this tobacco feels like an old time blend. very good stuff and fun to rub out from the cake and smoke. i wish the tobacco cut was a little bigger like with all C&D tobaccos.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Ugo	06/21/2010	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable
Being a Latakia lover, I use VA as a resting bowl, a way of cleaning up my smoking, or a beginning of the night start. This blend has a welcoming presentation trough a beautiful and appealing crumble cake, that easily breaks into small pieces to get into the bowl. Since I like not to rub flakes, I slightly broke it and fill the bowl with small pieces, not getting to a mixture aspect. Rum is just suggested into smell and taste, altrough some liquor was burning at the beginning. The rum note was slightly perceived at the beginning, but I clearly felt that it is a VA straight taste. For that reason, nicotine gets quicly into the taste and the evolution is quite flat. I will probably do not buy a second tin since some other Virginia, like SGawith flakes give to me a similar result, and here I was looking for a more aromatic option, the rum note being an uncomplished promise. But this is surely a good choice for VA lovers.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Davetopay	05/23/2010	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable
This is fun stuff. It comes as a crumble cake, but the rum has bonded the bits of tobacco together in such a way as to not crumble, but peel off in layers so as to create something of a flake. It smells interesting in the tin. Kind of musty, earthy, and faintly of molasses and rum. Mine seemed a bit damp straight from the tin when I broke it up, but it didn't need to sit for more than a few minutes before loading and lighting. Having been smoking a few different "Navy Blends" in the last few weeks I am really enjoying comparing these to each other and getting a better feel for the genre. There are some very similar notes to the VA with rum flavors you get in PS Lux Navy Flake, but the lack of Perique in this blend leaves it a bit more mellow. When compared to McC's Navy Cavendish, it seems darker, fuller, and has a MUCH bigger Nic kick. As for use, I just crumbled some up( go figure), packed it in a pipe which when compared to others in my rack might be considered small, and didn't force the density of the pack. I found that this stuff seems to prefer to be left on the loose side in the bowl, so don't get a crazy with the tamper. Getting it going can take a little work. For me it was light, puff puff, tamp, light, puff puff, light again. After that it was sit back and hold on for the ride. I can't comment on the room note to deeply as I tend to smoke alone, but I found myself thinking of a good double maduro from time to time when I would catch a whiff coming off the bowl. Don't expect it to be rum flavored like an aromatic off the drugstore shelf, but occasionally, there would be something you might discern as rum-like in the back ground. But for the most part it comes across as a melange of virginia leaf. Sometimes sweet, sometimes soft and buttery, and sometimes it fools me into thinking that the tastiest burley in the world is in there.....I don't think there is, but I like the effect. SOme folks have called BR boring , dull, or monochromatic. At the risk of sounding accusatory, I will declare user error! The flavors in this will change drastically depending upon you puffing cadence. I have had a blast through changing my pace and making the tobacco bend to my will. Get it a bit hot and you can snork that warm baking cookie/cupcake that good VAs are known for. Keep it on the cool side and I can find butterscotch or caramel with a hint of hot buttered rum. Somewhere in between I ran into a smooth, soothing note that makes me think of watching the ocean on a damp, gray day. I've been smoking it in two pipes, a Savinelli Milano deLuxe, and WWI era WDC Navajo. Both are smaller straight billiards with moderate bowl thickness and a very light draw. I haven't had any gurgles from BR, and don't have much if any need to swab with pipe cleaners mid smoke on either pipe. Also, this is as bite free a navy blend as I have tried. Just don't let bite free fool you into forgetting the vitamin N content. If you have a low tolerance, have a seat when you smoke this. If you have been wanting to jump into the world of navy smoke, give Blockade Runner a shot, and make sure to buy some other labels as well. Half the fun is in comparing them! ....if there was a 3.75 stars choice, this would get it. I was tempted to go for 4 stars, but I need to delve into more of the Navy genre and possibly rerate in the future. The above results are mine alone and may not be the same results YOU get.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Lombard65	05/21/2010	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Very Pleasant
Personally I threw money away.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
SteelCowboy	05/04/2010	Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This review is based on nearly a tin in several different pipes. I found the moisture content to be just about right. I fully rubbed it out and it packs well. I wanted to like this tobacco as I like tobacco's made with rum or cognac. However, it simply tasted very flat to me. Almost boring. I found the rum note to be very subtle. I can see how some folks would enjoy Blockade Runner, but it just isn't for me. I think that there are much better tobacco's out there in this class.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Funn	02/14/2010	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Opened up a tin of this several months back. Bottom label says 9/8/08, it is STILL moist. Filled an Ed Burak small bent prince/tomato briar. Comes in nice sized bricks. Just rub the sides and it forms granules perfect for packing IMHO. Seemed kind of strong in the Burak pipe,had to slow down to appreciate it. As it got to middle bowl it seemed to blossom into a milder va. w/a modicum of strength. When it got to what I thought was ashes it turned around into an extremely enjoyable smoke. Filled up a Ben Wade bent Acorn smooth and walked my grand dog with it. The larger bowl for me seemed to detensify the strength into a delicious Va. It tasted like raisins I assumed from the Red va.s but not as strong as before. Where the smaller pipe didn't allow the blend to develop into a mild good smoke,the larger bowl gave me fantasticness (Funn Dictionary) from the first match. Really can't tell if it's a rum flavor or not. But whatever it is it is great! Possibly the larger bowl and being outside calmed the blend down. Continued it in the car and finished it back in the house. Va. wise I smoke mainly mild pure Va.s,PS Va Longcut,Old Gowrie, Woodstock Races Va.Gentleman.et. al. This fits right in as being a little bit strengthier (Funn Dictionary) but it comes and goes. Nothing detrimental implied. Can't wait to try it in one of my Smooth Peterson Systems. Highly recommended for va. smokers. Pack it light and go slow,as you should w/Va.s. Will get some more at this year's CORPS Show. Burns down to a nice ash. Don't dump it from sight,tamp lightly and re-light..thats when it really gets excellent, just when you think it's done. Going back to my Va. pipes with this one!
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
BrSpiritus	12/15/2009	Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I decided to hold off reviewing this blend until I had smoked more of the tin. Now that almost all of it is gone I feel qualified to give a proper opinon. First off let me say that in the main I really am not a fan of Canvendish tobaccos but this one really opened my eyes to how good cavendish can be. Subtly sweet, mild and flavourful without the mailed fist taste of my preferred english blends. For me this tobacco is a diversion but a welcome one. I found myself taking it along to smoke on a day at the beach and a boat trip I took with friends. It's really a great no-nonsense tobacco that is easy to prepare (if not a little messy), lights well and stays puffing for a good long while. I have a 1935 Wally Frank Tidewater pipe dedicated to this blend and find myself smoking it about 4 times a week. Give it a go and you won't be dissapointed.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
RxMan	07/25/2009	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant
If nothing else crumble cakes are fun, sometimes only to experiment with, leave as chunks, rub out, sprinkle on top, what to do? I always picture myself sailing on a schooner in the middle of the Atlantic,(salt water enhances the taste and adventure), while smoking this marvelous blend. My tin arrived as I like to say "ready to load". I broke off chunks and rubbed out a little, packed pipe, sprinkled a little dust on top and sailed away. Some might call this "monochromic", whatever that means pertaining to tobacco, but really is a long lasting taste of smooth Virginias working together for a pleasurable, non-biting, subdued sweet taste of fine Virginias, just like the old days. As a break, sometimes daily, from English and VaPers, the experience of a true Navy cavendish is well worth the time. Truly enjoyable.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Big Nick	12/29/2008	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant
Some say it arives too wet, some say it arives too dry. Both are problems that can easily be corrected. Be patient and dry out or humidify. IMHO most aromatics or booz infused blends seem to burn better, taste better, and have minimal tongue bite when smoked on the dryer side, still pliable but not crunchy. My tin arived with the standard two chunks of crumble cake, perfect moisture and crumbled apart easily. Loaded easily and lit up very easily, in fact it started a little fire on top. I guess some Rum had burned off. Funny thing though, I never got any aromatic scense or flavor of Rum. There was an obvious added flavor of sweetness, but nothing like the tin note implies "soaked in premium Rum for seven days". All of that being said, This stuff is good ! Nice Virginia flavor with a little something extra. Not overly sweet, very pleasant and approachable. Meaning no tongue bite ! Steady from start to finish and burned nicely to the bottom of the bowl. Not very complex, but tasty from start to finish.
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 45 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >