Cornell & Diehl - 068: Epiphany 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:
< PREVIOUS Showing reviews 61 through 79 of 79 reviews of this tobacco
Bub	07/13/2009	Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is probably the best English tobacco I've ever had. Everything about it is perfect. I can't think of anything I'd add or take away from it. It is perfectly blended. All of the tobaccos in it are in perfect harmony with each other. They come together to form the perfect smoke. If you like English tobacco you'll want to give this a try real soon. Excellent!
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
DaveS	07/03/2009	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I have been smoking a pipe for 35 years. In that time I have tried hundreds of different blends. As of 2 months ago I had narrowed my rotation down to Penzance, Full Va Flake, Westminster, and Opening Night. Then I tried Epiphany!! I no longer have a rotation. This is by far the best tobacco I have ever tasted. Exquisite taste, burns cool, no bite, and you can smoke it all day and NEVER tire of it. There is no other tobacco I can say that about. I held off writing this review for 2 months for fear I would tire of it. Just the opposite. I look forward to it more every day. Thank you Cornell & Diehl.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
beaupipe	03/29/2009	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant
It took me a while to warm up to this fine blend, I have to confess. When the big tin arrived a few months ago, I tore into it with abandon and found myself disappointed. It was kind of like sex with a perfect starlet--plenty of buildup, an aching sort of anticipation, and then the pimples, the appendix scar, the stretch marks from the weight loss. The tin aroma was gorgeous--a sort of subtle Mirabelle overlaying the frank smell of Burley. But that first smoke I found hot and bitey (speaking of that starlet). I began to resent the cut, which was neither ribbon nor broken flake nor shag nor crimp. It was a whole new thing. Haphazard, I think it's called. I resented it all. Ah well, I thought. Live and learn. I went back to Epiphany a handful of times over the next few weeks and though it was more enjoyable, it was hardly revelatory. The last few weeks, however, have been busy for me at the computer and when I'm busy at that thing, I like nothing better than to load up a few cobs with various Burleys, chomp, and puff. In that context, the delicacy and outright friendliness of Epiphany really came out. I put away the Carter Hall, put away the Old Joe Krantz, put them all away except for Epiphany. This little Americanized-English with the subtle fruit topping, almost non-existent Latakia and gentle nature had found its niche. It is, absolutely, a writer's friend. I still don't smoke Epiphany when I want the intensity of the smoke in the foreground. For that I go to the VaPers, the Balkans and the more Latakia-heavy English mixtures. Heck, I even go to Old Joe Krantz which is, for my money, the finest Burley blend that C&D has yet produced. But if ever I choose to have an all day smoke, I suspect that it will be Epiphany--a helper for the tired, a soft nudge to the fading mind, a friend in contemplation. Just don't judge it too quickly. I did. And I almost lost a friend.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Xeneize	03/22/2009	Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable
I hadn't the pleasure of trying the original Revelation, but if it was half as good as its imitation, then there's no wonder Einstein was a fan of it. Being a English/Balkan/Virginia smoker, I don't enjoy "American-English" mixtures, but this one has entered my rotation for good. It's a perfectly balanced, mildly cocoa and vanilla flavored tobacco that developes through the bowl, the topping fading slowly until you end up with an exceptional traditional English mixture in the last third of the smoke. I think this is what SG Perfection was supposed to be, being a good baccy on its own.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
churchwarden398	12/12/2008	Medium	Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Appearance: mostly medium brown mottled with black and flecks of white. This is my first foray into American-English blends and to blends by Cornell & Diehl. First off, my senses were hit. They were hit by a sharp note. It threw me for a loop at first. Was I experiencing tongue-bite? Surely not with the burley in there. When I thought about it it came to me - it was the Perique and Virginias acting like a Va./Per. As that came to me, so did an epiphany; it tasted like Dunhill's Elizabethan Mixture. That was when Dunhill was still Dunhll (almost thirty years ago now). At about mid-bowl the burleys and the latakia kicked in. This grew on me - and HOW!(he,he). No, really, I never had either the HoW version or the original. Yet if this is anything like either one it is no wonder it put The Great Physicist or anyone else for that matter in the mood for contemplation. Although my taste runs to Balkans or Scottish blends Epiphany has certainly earned a spot in my rotation.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
XDipper	09/13/2008	Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable
I hate when people start reviews like this but in fairness I really have to on this one. I'm not normally a huge fan of latakia blends. While the smokey taste really does appeal to me, I think body chemistry conspires against me with regard to any more than condimental levals of the camel dung weed. That said, Epiphany was spot on with regard to latakia level. Enough for that full smokey background but not too much as to cause what I like to call the latakia hangover (severe heartburn, mouth tastes like a smoldering tire, etc). This is full American English and there's no denying from the burley presence and manners that this is the handywork of Bob Runowski. It isn't as complex as, say Riverboat Gambler but there is a fantastic complexity and fullness which is atypical of Mr. Runowski and shared by both blends. Truth be told, it just could not be done any better. It has a very full (light English, expensive cigar) taste to it but at the same time is smooth, somewhat nutty and very burley, very old school. While I never had the pleasure of sampling the original Revelation, if it was half this good, it was indeed something special. While Epiphany could easily suffice as an all day smoke, it is to me a bit heavy to use it as such for a protracted period of time. Of course, YMMV but the one thing that cannot be disputed is at the end of the day this is a very fine smoke with something for everyone from the codger burleyphile to the English blend smoker looking for something a bit smoother and a bit less acrid. A while back, I figured out I had been way too generous with the four star rating and would only render it when it was totally warranted. No doubt it is warranted for Epiphany. In an effort to simplify my rotation, I decided I would shrink it to five blends and this made the cut. Really a very nicely done tobacco, fantastic morning or evening but probably best after a large supper, enjoying a cold drink on the porch and watching the sunset.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Max1a	08/18/2008	Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I have been smoking this tobacco regularly for close to three years now. I find it to be a unique, tasty and rewarding smoke. I can't really agree that it is like Revelation, but it certainly is like nothing else on the market today. I was tempted to give it 4 stars but then I realized that for die hard English fans it will come up short and for aromatic fans it will not please their sweet tooth. I like my tobacco, beer and spirits to be quality, and can enjoy just about anything if it shows quality. This is indeed a quality blend that shows that alot of thought went into it. If you are a middle of the road smoker, you owe it to yourself to try this one.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
leathertongue	05/31/2008	Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
C & D is certainly the most adventurous tobacco company operating in this PC, nicotine-hating world we live in today. And I am glad they have the gumption to recreate blends from the past which seem to be disappearing faster than new ones are showing up on tobacconists' shelves every day. Their newest blend, EPIPHANY, is a noble effort to recapture the "heavenly" REVELATION from House of Windsor, often described as a "drugstore" blend (not in any drugstore I knew of, though). As for appearance, Epiphany and Revelation are virtually identical, a black, brown and tan chopped ribbon; and likewise the casing/dressing tantalizes with a deep aroma of Juicy Fruit chewing gum with not a little menthol thrown into the mix to anesthetize the tastebuds (Yes, menthol!). I'd say the perique ratio is about the same as in the original, but, perhaps, of higher quality, i.e., more winey, raisiny. But here's the kicker... Maybe in earlier incarnations, Revelation contained much larger proportions of latakia, and, if that's the case, Epiphany is a more faithful replication of the original. Whereas Revelation offers but a soft whisper of latakia, in Epiphany it's a Rebel Yell! Many will prefer this---I don't. Epiphany arrived very moist in the tin and required a substantial drying out. Still, I would recommend this to any pipe smoker on both sides of the latakia fence (love it or hate it). There's really nothing else like it on the market today. For you Revelation junkies out there going through withdrawal, also try C & D's COMFORT blend.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
uncle corncob	05/04/2008	Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is a great smoke. bottom line. I tried at first to compare to HOW version, which is all I have to reference as far as Revelation is concerned, it doesn't compare at all. The only experiences I have of the "ol' american" style of tobacco is what blenders like C&D, have recreated for me. I have tried and liked Baily's Front Porch by C&D which was "like" Revelation as well. This though actually reminds me of Yale mixture alot. And that is a good thing. There is a deep wine-like chararistic to this from the Latakia and Va mix. Tin - Smokey, sausauge smell 1st light - As wonderful english style,the flavors of the Lat, VA and the burley make themselves known in a well blended way. Clean and smokey Mid bowl - This is "meaty" and as I mentioned "Wine-like" at the same time. the Va is playing pivot to the Lat and then to the burley. at times it tastes like a great Va/Lat smoke, and the next minute it tastes like a Va/Bur smoke with Lat in it. Bottom Bowl - Nicotine is good and solid now. the blend has come together and no longer varying. grey ash. no gurgle. I am one with the pipe, as you could say. Very good smoke, responsive like a cigar.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
MadMarv	04/01/2008	Medium	Mild	Full	Tolerable
UPDATE: I've gone back to this one after a year or so, and am now smoking it in warmer Mississippi spring temps. It's found a home here. Warm weather makes me appreciate the coolness of this smoke- something I didn't notice during my previous winter trial. Plenty of smoke, not too fast a burn rate. Raised to four stars - it deserves every one.. ORIGINAL REVIEW: Not much to add to the other excellent reviews here, but I did want to make a couple of points. The burley seems quite pronounced to me. I find it a very refreshing change from my usual blends. The applied topping is very well done, not at all over the top. It adds a delightful top note that blends very well with the fruity notes of the perique. The latakia is fully present but not overbearing. There was a little bitterness at times in some of my smaller pipes, but it was a black coffee sort of thing, not at all unpleasant. This was much less apparent in larger bowls, or with a lighter packing technique.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Rimshot	03/31/2008	Medium	None detected	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is indeed a fine tobacco. The nicotine is not overwhelming but still makes its presence known. It burns very cool and doesn't bite, even when puffed hard. Stays lit very easily, as do many burley blends, and leaves a nice fine ash. In my humble opinion, the burley gets lost in the virginia and rather strong latakia. A good smoke, I find the Latakia strong enough to dictate this be only an occasional smoke for me. I would compare it to bitter stout (which, by the way, it goes very well with): it's nice on a cold night and when you're in certain moods, but you wouldn't want it all the time. Definitely not an all-day or (for me) every-day smoke.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
smokey	03/19/2008	Medium	Very Mild	Full	Tolerable
Epiphany is said to be an accurate copy of the original Revelation mixture. Never having smoked that particular blend, I can't make the comparison but can say that this is one very tasty smoke. In the pouch, Epiphany is a pretty finely chopped ribbon that has an aroma that reminds me a little of apple cider with a Latakia aroma in the background. This probably comes partly from the topping and also from the VAs. It has an acceptable room note, not particularly aromatic but not pungent, either. Due to the cut, it packs, lights, and burns very well. Flavorwise, the burley nuttiness and the slight sweetness of the VAs are the first things noted, with a bit of sweetness also coming from the topping. Farher down the bowl, the Latakia shows up with its' smokiness in a supporting role. To me, the topping has been done exactly right, letting the natural tobacco flavors shine through. C&D's prices have gone up since Feb. 1st, reflecting increasing costs for both tobacco and taxes. I still consider their blends a bargain compared to many other premium blends on the market. Scores for Epiphany: flavor- 17 of 20; lighting and burn- 9 of 10; value- 8 of 10. 34 points equals a good **** rating. This has become another one of my regular smokes. Nice work, Craig and Bob!
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Beer	02/18/2008	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable
I agree very much with Pipestud's review of this blend: a tasty, hearty, simple tobacco that can be enjoyed regularly and doesn't require much attention. Sure, Revelation was better and more unique... but you really can't complain! It's nutty, moderately sweet, full of bold and pleasant nuances. A great balance between burley nuttiness, Latakia smokiness and leathery taste, slight Virginia sweetness and just a bit of Perique tang. It's stout but not heavy, not as nicotine-laden as some other C&D burley based blends. Very interesting for cigarette AND pipe smokers, it really fixes the occasional craving for a cigarette. Truly low-maintenance tobacco, in the good meaning of the term: it burns great, quite quick but never hot or with nasty aftertaste if you overpuff it. Absolutely no bad-burley bitterness here! Not a masterpiece of originality or class, but a very delicious tobacco for the real smoker.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
InTheBiz	02/13/2008	Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant
Over the years, there's been 3 different versions of Revelation. 1) The original Phillip Morris version (The best, in my opinion.) 2) The early House of Windsor version (visually different, but possessed the same basic flavor). 3) The last House of Windsor version (Large, chunky cube cut, fruit top note non-existent at times, difficult to keep lit, harsh on the tongue). Cornell & Diehl's Epiphany is a virtual copy of the original Phillip Morris product. A near perfect blending of Burleys, Virginias, with a touch of Latakia and Perique. The fruit top note is done with restraint, yet is evident for the entire bowl. A visually interesting mixture of small cubes, long cut Virginia, black bits of Latakia and Perique, and flakes of Bright Virginia. Beautiful! The pouch aroma is typical, old fashioned "pipe tobacco", reminiscent of times past. Flavor is creamy, nutty and smooth, with no single tobacco taking center stage. The sweet top dressing is a bit pronounced at first light, but settles down nicely, never interfering with the base tobacco flavor. Little to no bite is detected, even with vigorous puffing. Burning qualities are excellent, with very few re-lights needed. I've smoked bowl after bowl in various pipes, and never tire of the taste, always anticipating the next bowl. I can't say that about most blends I've tried. Usually, one bowl is enough, then on to something different. Not so with Epiphany. Overall, an outstanding rendition of an old, classic mixture. Craig Tarler and company have created yet another masterpiece. Bravo! Highly Recommended!!! CACooper
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Irishlefty	01/19/2008	Mild	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
Damn you Tarler and Runowski!! Now I have to add another blend to my regular list of purchases. After my first bowl of Epiphany in a Peterson's Kapet I thought it was a nice, pleasant light english blend with no bite. By the third bowl I had fallen in love with the blend. I smoked three bowls within a 4 hour period and still had no bite and wasn't tired of the taste! Packs easy, lights easy, stays lit, good taste without any overpowering features, good nico effect, non-offensive room aroma, no bad aftertaste. This is neither sweet nor harsh. Just a nice, cool, even smoke for those of us who like English/Balkan blends. This is a lighter smoke then my all time favorites - Nightcap, Odyssey, Crowley's Best but will join Peterson's Irish Whiskey as a must have smoke on a daily basis. Good for the 3 or 4 bowls in between the heavier blends.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Stan	12/26/2007	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is what it is - a light aromatic, American English. Smoked most all of a tin in a Benton and the remaining bowlfulls in an estate Dunhill. A little sweeter in the Benton. Looks and smells to me (and a friend) in the tin a little like the IRC Three Star series, but this does not have that level of sweetness. Nice burley with bright Virginias and some red added. Spiced a wee bit with both latakia and some Perique. It packs, lights, and burns easy and dry. The mild, fruity note is per the blender, plumb, as apparently the original version was. That's the main new information I can add to these reviews. Though the fruit note is light and balances with the tobacco taste, it does stay with the bowl to the end. The last half of the bowl picks up a little more of the spices from the condimentals. But it's not heavy by any means. So something for everyone -- burley, virginia, condimentals, and some added sweetness. It introduces the aromatic fan to a bit of spice, and provides some fragrance to a natural smoker. I found it an interesting change of pace, and could be a frequent to all day smoke for some. I give it three stars for its civility, but it is better than that really; just not designed to knock your socks off.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Talonr1701	12/22/2007	Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant
Bob & Craig prove once again that the old classics never have to fade into the past have given us what they claim to be an Homage to the original Revelation. I don't know about that-Was before my time. I will say that what they HAVE given us is a Classic. My sample came in a chopped format. A pretty mix of White ,black , yellows and a lovely Fruit smell- Like Vanilla and peach? Not overly sweet mind you like the recent Revelation- Who's Berry topping for me was a little over the top. Curiously the smell only translates to a sweetening of the natural mixture of the tobacco flavor to me. It did take a bit of drying, But took to flame nicely in a Mark Tinski rendition of the classic Kaywoodie 99B. The intial flavor was All American. No dominant flavor, just a loevly parfait of Virginias, Burleys, latakia (playing well in the background) and a bit of sweetness. All the way through the bowl I kept thinking of times I never got to be part of- Better times, Simpler times. I lost a pleasant hour on my backporch with this blend. This is a great all the time smoke. The room note is nice and not overpowering for the non-smokers. The Nicotine level is just right. You can't go wrong here. An enthusiastic thmbs up
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Pipestud	12/22/2007	Mild	None detected	Mild	Very Pleasant
I really did not find Epiphany to taste like the HOW Revalation at all. I did, however, find it to be similar in many ways to HOW's Country Doctor as all of the elements are similar in both blends. HOW's Country Doctor was tastier, IMO, but Epiphany is decent. The flavor is too subdued and not enough strength for my personal tastes, but I sure see where this one can ring the chimes of those who like lighter "English" style fare. Epiphany is easy to load, arrives at the perfect moisture level, burns easily and is a cool blend that won't nip, even when aggressive puffing is employed. No concentration needed when smoking this simpleton. A blue collar blend all the way.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
DoctorThoss	12/22/2007	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This blend is supposed to be similar to the old Revelation mixture, as it existed 20 or 30 years ago. I never tried the original myself, so I?m unqualified to judge whether or not this hits the mark of the original formula (although I have a friend who smoked it in his youth and swears this is a deadringer for it). Instead, I?ll focus on the smoke itself and my impressions, which were overwhelmingly favorable. Based on what I?d heard about Revelation, I had expected an American-English blend with a mild berry or fruit topping. This was only half-correct. When I first light up this blend, my impressions are of sweet Virginias and fruit. The overall effect can be compared to a very mild, burley-centric version of Haddo?s Delight, although the flavors aren?t identical. This impression only grows stronger after multiple bowls are smoked in the same pipe. This continues for the first third or so of the bowl, with only a slight hint of latakia. Then the blend seems to shift and I get a more traditional American-English taste of burley and latakia with the fruit/perique notes consigned to the background for the rest of the bowl (think of a sweetened version of Morley?s Best or Junkyard Dawg). The taste is great, and the room note is okay. I at first thought this blend was a little light on the nicotine, but I?ve since changed my mind. Smoking two medium-sized bowls of this in a three-hour period had me a little dizzy. It burns extremely well, if a little fast, and like a lot of burleys will grow hot if not smoked slowly. However, it doesn?t seem to bite unless I deliberately provoke it. In fact, I?m smoking some right now while drinking a Red Rock ginger ale with no problems, which is probably as good as a sign as any that it?s not too harsh on the tongue. Conclusion: This stuff is very nice, somewhere between 3 and 4 stars. There are points when I?ve thought a little more latakia would be in order, but other times I've thought it's perfect just as it is. Only time will tell, but I?m inclined to think that this will hold up far better over time than most American English blends, if for no other reason than it's quite a bit more complex but just as easy to smoke.
< PREVIOUS Showing reviews 61 through 79 of 79 reviews of this tobacco