Cornell & Diehl - Bow-Legged Bear pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 51 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >
haredawg	04/29/2013	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable
I liked this blend. I agree with most of the reviews stated below, at least the parts not contrary to one another. I wound up with this by accident, sort of, I was in an eBay feeding frenzy, you know, one of those days where things work out right. And of course on eBay you can’t sell tobacco so the seller insists he/she/it is seller an unopened collectors tin and often goes through the whole legal spiel that looks like it’s eBay’s policy cut and pasted. For some reason that gets people bidding above retail for a year old can of, say, Dunhill’s 965. I could see going crazy if it was Penzance JF germains special latakia flake, something you can’t get for love or money. This seller avoided the spiel and just listed it as a sealed collectors tin. Looks like he’s giving up English blends. Anyhow I bid a buck or two below retail for a three year old can of this, a five year old can of Caravan and god knows how old a can of Rattrays Accountants Mixture, but with shipping it was all a bit below retail and the rattrays looks old, I mean I haven’t seen that particular packaging in a long time. I would have gotten around to Bow legged bear eventually. Yes, it’s a different sort of Balkan, a little sweeter, and a little nuttier, opening the tin doesn’t blast you with Latakia. Maybe it’s just me, but the only thing I don’t agree with is the strong nicotine. Granted I have a high tolerance, but still, I know a nicotine buzz when I feel one. Guess I’ll keep trying. I’m sure I’ll buy a new tin sooner or later, hope it’s not something I have to cellar at least three years. I’m giving it four stars for surprising me, and I’ll edit away a star if it becomes boring.
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ap	03/03/2013	Strong	None detected	Full	Strong
A great full smoke for late in the day, theres a lot of dif leaves in the blend but you will get a rounded taste with some spice notes from the Perique. Very good with a good Bourbon or Scotch to relaxe after a long day.
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bence	11/26/2012	Medium to Strong	None detected	Extra Full	Tolerable
The tin aroma is something weird. I mean really weird. When i opened it, i yelled a big heyyawhohhhuuuahh. Dirty, muddy, odorous. I prefere to smoke it in a big bowl. I tried it from filtered and non filtered as well, but since it is extremly full, and not a mild smoke, i think it is not a big problem to smoke trough a filtered airhole, we won't lose significant amount of flavor. Burns quickly, maybe, 'cause i can not resist to smoke it briskly…because it is an incredibly comlex, very tasteful baccy. How do i get to the bear? As i smoke it, i feel i’ve got an entire forest in my bowl, i mean all the things starting from the soil through the rivers, the animals, trees, bushes...i think a bear can feel the same, when he leisurely walks around his territory :) Very interesting, unusual outdoor baccy.
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StylesSharpman	03/02/2012	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable
was guna right somthin down here, but after reading the review below i couldn't think of much more to add. uh oh yeah just be sure to wash ur hands after rub out (of the tobacco)
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DK	10/10/2011	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Now this is an interesting blend. It contains everything including the kitchen sink and I'd hesitate to call it any certain type of blend, such as "English". It's almost a genre unto itself. Dark chocolate in color with a few brown streaks, this is pressed into a "crumble cake" that didn't crumble. It pulled apart fairly easily but not like some of the other C&D crumble cakes. Taste-wise, this is a moderately robust blend of several tobaccos, all of which gave way to the other. If you remember Deep Purple's comment of "everything louder than everything else", this was "everything quieter than everything else". All of the tobacco flavors were muted and that's probably a good thing. Otherwise there would be too much infighting. As it is, it worked. Some VA sweetness on top of a base of burley and perique, with some light latakia and oriental wisps floating around. I didn't find that this changed much throughout the smoke... what I mentioned just above happened from charring light to dottle. Reminded me of other good tasting but non-complex blends like GLP Odyssey and Lancer Slices, even though this tasted nothing like either of those. Nothing wrong with a blend being simple as long as it tastes good. And this one does. It's not a bear at all, it's kind of a sweetheart but perhaps one with a moderately strong personality. Three stars, and one for my occasional list. Good to try for those who like Vitamin N and casseroles. :)
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Pipe Gent	02/25/2011	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong
I highly recommend if you are an english and burley lover that you try this blend at least once--I have yet to experience a blend as richly nutty (in every sense of the word--the association of "nutty" and "burley" came through for me here) and unique as The Bear. While other reviewers might warn us of the towering nicotine inferno this blend can deliver, it surprisingly did not knock me to the ground (probably because I am accustomed to smoking stronger blends), but it was stronger than most tobaccos I have smoked. Hmm, I do recollect, however, that when a colleague of mine and I packed The Bear up to the top in our biggest pipes for our first taste. . . one of us didn't make it (but at least we were outside). This was still not enough to keep either of us away, and we both enjoy The Bear's company often (who thankfully has a sense of humor). If you want a unique, full strength, nutty, chocolaty/coffee tasting blend with character and enjoy some blends with a little strength, do buy a tin and sit down with The Bear yourself--he won't bite, I promise.
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Capt	02/18/2011	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable
I try to smoke at least 2 oz of a blend before I will give my 2 coppers. Upon opening this tin a few days back(dated 7/08), a sour, albeit pleasant smell filled my nose holes. I do not detect an abundance of Latakia in this blend, althoughh it is mildly detected. I was suprised the 5 different leaves got along so well together, something that is very difficult to achieve. Moisture content was great, easy to prepare and pack. Lghting took a few matches, but most cakes do. I do not know what 3 years of age has done to this, but it didn't seen to do any harm. Would pair well with Drambuie, 3 ice cubes.
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JohnnyMcPiperson	02/01/2011	Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Full	Tolerable
This is a very interesting English blend I think. The only issue I had with it was that my sample dried out very quickly. I should like to buy a tin of it though. This blend has the english taste, but then on top of that there are some excellent spicy notes that are very dominant in the blend, if I'm not mistaken this comes from the perique presence in the blend. It rubs out fairly well, though I thought the leaf pieces were a bit large which made packing a bit annoying at times, but this can be remedied once you are looking for it. This is a good summer night blend for me, bold and spicy, I like the combination of this blend on a warm evening with a beer and the smell of fresh cut grass!
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Tony	10/07/2010	Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable
Hey this a very satisfying tobacco to this Briarbrother. It's got a taste that stays with me for a few after the embers fade from a good sized bowl. The taste is strong enough to let you remember it for a while. And, makes me consider two bowls in a row, it's that good. One might think that two bowls being necessary it might not be all 'that'. It's 'allthat' enough to consider a second tin real soon so that I don't run out. The tobaacco arrives in the tin containing two crumble cakes which crumble very easily, almost two easily. I'm just about halfway through the 2oz tin and I see that i'ts necessary for me to handle the cakes gently. The tobacco is dry to the touch as such it breaks up and forms a dark dust on the table or in the bottom of my pouch. I'd suggest handling it as little as possible and keep it in a small airtight jar being as dry and crumble as it is. However it's a great smoke once it's in the bowl and fired up! Full enough to do wonders in time of stress or after a nice rich, spicy meal. It may be a latakia blend but the turkish seems to moderate everything. When I hear/see latakia blend I'd hope to experience latakia being predominate in the blend. Here it's a very honorable mention. Despite me finding it necessary to handle with care I'll probably will see it again in my stash. This blend gets Three Stars IMHO! UPDATE; 1/10/2011 Many folks mention here that BLB has so many tobaccos in it that they can't decern any particular ones. I see this tobacco as unique in it's own rite. All the tobacs here converge to make the taste that it it full, strong, no nonsense English. Yeah there's Burley and some say burley shouldn't be in an English but what I'm seeing, feeling and tasting is English all over the place; a blend of tobacco's with apparently NO flavorings. It seems that it's the way English's ought to be, right? On top of all that this is the time of year to smoke English cold, breezy, stimulating Winter time. At first I commended BLB. Now I highly recommend bow-Legged Bear to English blend smokers. Winter weather just exudes the necessity of a very bold blend like this one.
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ItarPeyo	03/11/2010	Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong
It's a strong bear, but cool and it doesn't bite.
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Doc Jake	02/27/2010	Very Strong	None detected	Extra Full	Very Strong
I smoked nightcap for years, but in terms of knock your socks off nicotine...this stuff takes the taco! First third of the bowl is great, rich and dense, almost creamy smoke and then it hits you. The bear tears into you; nicotine, and ash/cigarette tasting remainder. It almost turns into a "who's gonna win" match, you or the bear. Good tobac, just not my everyday cup of tea. All others, Enjoy!
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Kilmarnock Piper	01/03/2010	Strong	None detected	Full	Tolerable
Bears may seem cute and cuddly from a distance, but they can be mighty dangerous. Starting a fight with one of our smaller east coast bears is not recommended, while the larger bruins such as the Grizzly or the Alaskan Brown can easily decapitate a human with one blow. After reading certain reviews referencing heart palpitations, I tried this blend for the first time in a small pipe. This was wise: I don't think a large bowl of this would be something I could...bear. My sample is a ten year old Ebay tin. The seal was broken, but the plastic bag was still intact. The tobacco is a bit dry, but is bearing up well, though the cakes are falling apart. Unflavored; the tin bears only the pungent smell of the various tobaccos in the blend. I have been a regular pipe smoker for two years, so while I'm not a grizzled old pipester, I'm no cub either when it comes to strong tobaccos. However, when I walked back to the house from my "smoking den," I could see why this bear is called "bow-legged." The nicotine sneaks up on you and could leave one too giddy to bear oneself up, and it is good to bear this in mind. Seems to have a bit of Latakia, but there is so much else going on here that one doesn't notice it as much as in a more traditional English blend. Bow-Legged Bear is dark, heavy, and slightly sweet; heady yet not at all overbearing. I think it is certainly more refined and less rustic than the "Ursus Hillbillicus" on the tin would suggest. Sipped slowly, and taking care not to let it past the palate, this is quite a pleasant and rewarding smoke. Thanks for bearing with me!
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Thorre	12/26/2009	Strong	Very Mild	Very Full	Strong
Bow Legged Bear is a tobacco I have wanted to try for months. After reading the reviews about the legendary strength of this Bear, I wanted to see if I could handle it. I can. The strength makes my skin tingle. I love the Bear. It comes in large plugs, that remind me of plug chewing tobacco. It crumbles easy enough. It packs well, stays lit and burns to a fine ash. A smokey, spicy, and maybe a slight prune flavor. It left the taste on my tongue long after the fire went out. Which is a good thing. You can definitely taste the quality. For me it is not an all day smoke. I would not want to smoke this blend while reading the newspaper or mowing the lawn. It is a great smoke after a good meal. BLB is a good tobacco when you want some quiet reflection. Bow Legged Bear is like a bigger, and stronger brother to SPC's Plum Pudding.
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wdsmith	12/21/2009	Very Strong	None detected	Medium to Full	Very Strong
Tin Note: Sour, pungent, Oriental/English aroma. Cut: Thick crumble cake that seems to vary between one big chunk, sometimes, two small ones, depending on the tin. Very dark with specks of lighter tan leaf. Looks somewhat like a brownie. The moisture is just right as it is not as wet as say Black Frigate but not quite as dry as Briar Fox (Both of which are great C&D cake blends as well) False Light yields some spicy notes from the perique. I've smoked a good bit of BLB and this always seems to be the case. The next light let loose some of the smokey quality of the latakia. First Third: The oriental leaf seems to dominate this portion of the bowl with the other components faintly in the background. Still a bit of spice from the perique. Second Third: Ah, there's the perique. Some nutty burley stops by for a quick visit. Turkish and Va. seem to shine as I move to the final potion... Final Third: The strength seems to dominate by this point. Not 1792 or Irish Flake strong, but it will get you if you are not used to stronger blends. At this point, each component is working together but none the main player. Overall, a good, no nonsense smoke. Pure tobacco taste and plenty of nicotine. Though the room note will not win over any friends, I think it is just fine. This one will surely not garner one any of the "Oh, that's just how I remember Granddad's pipe" comments. Very good blend from C&D. 3.5 stars.
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Tripjoker	11/22/2009	Medium to Strong	None detected	Full	Tolerable
I have wanted to review this blend for some time now. At this point, I have smoked over a half pound and feel like I know the blend well enough to comment in a meaningful way without resorting to "one bowl wonder" statements. My personal preference is for tobacco that is rich, complex and strong enough in the nicotine department to satisfy me. Bow-Legged Bear fits that bill nearly perfectly. It has a wonderful variety of tobaccos that when you first start smoking, don't seem to harmonize all that well. They never get to the level of perfect harmony, there are rough edges, but after a couple of ounces you start to understand and admire the blend for what it is. A powerhouse of flavor and nic. stength that showcases well. It is deep, dark and not really sweet at all. An evening smoke for the more timid, a morning smoke for me. The latakia is well placed in the middle of the profile with the perique, burley and turkish filling out the bulk. The virginia is only there at the edges, and this blend could probably use just a bit more of the va. that they have chosen. It would take this to a four star level I believe. The blend can get a bit woody in the middle of the bowl if smoked hot. Again, a little more of the va. could round that out as well. All in all, a very acceptable smoke for the crowd that likes their whiskey straight and their tobacco strong. UPDATE 1-24-11 I am taking this up to the four star level. It gets even better with age! The strength is still great and the flavor has smoothed out considerably, taking the rough edges referenced in my original review off. I just love this stuff. Although I have moved on to other tobaccos, this is still in the rotation from time to time. 5 pounds sit in my cellar, and they will all be consumed slowly by fire. I will savor every single sip. I can't help but notice that the esteemed reviews of Pipestud are almost without fail opposite of my own, but no matter, I just use this as a reverse guide in finding what I will probably like! Go figure...cheers.
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Half-bent	09/28/2009	Strong	None detected	Full	Strong
Not a bad tobacco, by any means, but not one that I'll be smoking regularly. Its taste is full and vaguely interesting at times, but far too muddy on the whole. The components don't really gel for me, into anything sensible and pleasing. It's very confusing to my palate. Muddy is the right word.
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hillbillypalate	06/11/2009	Overwhelming	Medium	Extra Full	Extra Strong
This post is exactly one month after the facts. This must be recommended if you extremely hate your pipe smoking neighboor. Bought a tin at one of my local bakky shop. Upon smoking half way through the bowl with this blend I was almost sick to my stomach. I thought I was getting a heart attack or this tobacco had some kind of a rat poison. I had my wife rush me to the ER. I though it was the combination of the Porkchops she made and this blend that cause my Blood Pressure to rise. I seriously thought I was stroking out. This tobacco cost me $10 dollars for the tin and $1200 of hospital and ER bills. BTW I had no insurance.
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periqueguy	02/26/2009	Strong	None detected	Full	Tolerable
Simply put, this blend is great but not for the beginner. Full of heavy flavor and a satisfying tobacco experience.
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jankoez	02/22/2009	Strong	None detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is very interesting and good blend, although not for weak moments or empty stomach since it's strength.
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p4p4	12/21/2008	Very Strong	Mild	Full	Tolerable to Strong
Not an english blend, not an aromatic, not a burley blend, nor an oriental blend, not a VA-PER blend. I don't know what it is, but it's good ! Full taste, full pepperness, extra-full strenght. High complexity, every tobaccos play a role, no one everwelming the others. Aroma: smooth and smoky latakia and spicy orientals ( i think Izmir), a lot of plum and/or apricot cake aroma, pepperness from perique, nuttiness from burley. Burning qualities : wonderfull ! Easy to rub out, easy to burn, just grey ash at the finish. Full and genuine taste. A little overwealming and raw....
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 51 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >