Cornell & Diehl Bijou

(3.24)
Choice 2003 vintage, Eastern North Carolina red Virginias crown this jewel. Accented by sweet bright leaf and rounded by small-leafed Katerini, Bijou is married with a hint of honey before being pressed and sliced into delicate flakes. This gem requires no adornment. Just time. Estimated peak: 10-15 years.
Notes: Pre-released at CPCC 2016; retail launch date Friday, May 13, 2016.

Details

Brand Cornell & Diehl
Series Cellar Series
Blended By Jeremy Reeves
Manufactured By Cornell & Diehl
Blend Type Virginia Based
Contents Oriental/Turkish, Virginia
Flavoring Honey
Cut Flake
Packaging 2 ounce tin
Country United States
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Mild to Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Very Mild
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.24 / 4
19

25

5

1

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 11 of 50 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 13, 2024 Mild Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
I would describe Bijou as a Straight Virginia "Plus". That's how it feels, that's how it smokes. It's exactly the kind of Oriental that I like (Katerini) added to already delightful Virginias. Light, citrussy, sweet, floral, herbal. Perfect summer blend.

Bijou is the blend that I pack in my deepest bowls because you can just enjoy it for a long time without you or your palate getting tired of it. Some complexity to keep you engaged but not too much that it would feel like a sacrilege smoking it while doing other things. 

There's only one thing with it: Smoking it I often find myself "searching" for some Perique. It's hard to describe but somewhere far in the background, my tastebuds seem to be missing something. And I think a small doze of Perique or Kentucky would satisfy that itch.

If you like straight Virginias, you'll definitely find Bijou a very pleasant change and addition. 3.5 stars.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 08, 2016 Mild to Medium Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
The first thing that hits you as you light up is the Turkish Katerini, quickly followed by the moderately tangy dark fruit sweet 2003 Eastern North Carolina red Virginias. The red Virginias also have some earth, wood, a little bread and sugar along with a very minor spice note. The lightly smokey, fairly woody, earthy, herbal, floral, vegetative sweet and mildly sour Katerini also offers a gentle spice. After a few moments, the Katerini recedes into the background as an important secondary player that underscores every single puff. There’s a touch of bright Virginia leaf that chips in a dab of tart and tangy citrus, tart lemon and grass. The honey topping is very mildly applied, adding a slight smooth sweetness that rounds out the blend without sublimating the tobaccos. It’s not always noticeable, and weakens a little after the half way point. The nic-hit is in the center of mild to medium, though I observe it a tad more toward the finish. The strength is a couple of steps past that center, while the taste is a slot or two short of medium. The flakes are a bit on the thin side, mildly moist and very easily manipulated to suit your packing preference. I saw no need to dry it, and recommend you smoke it as it is. Burns very cool, clean with a consistently smooth, woody, floral sweetness at a slow to modest pace. Requires a few relights, and has no dull or harsh spots. Won’t bite even if you push it. Leaves a slight bit of moisture in the bowl.

It will burn to ash, but in a big bowl, you may have to stir up the last quarter just a little. Also, the tanginess from the red Virginia seems to speak out just a little more in a smaller bowl, so I will recommend a small to medium size pipe for this blend. The after taste is very pleasant, and doesn’t linger too long. The room note is like temperately sweet campfire smoke. An all day, subtly complex blend that wears well during the day. Three and a half stars out of four.

-JimInks
68 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 28, 2017 Mild Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Very Pleasant
It has been a couple of years since I've posted any C&D blend reviews and I have smoked nearly 100 tins of their various offerings in that time. So, it may be awhile before I get to all of them.

I was gifted a tin of Bijou about six months ago and wanted to let the contents sit before opening the tin. No need for that as the contents were exceptionally ripe already. Two kinds of Virginia weave a tapestry of intrigue with every puff and I detect a slight addition to the tobacco that just slightly sweetens up the overall presentation. Rich and rewarding, the overall impression is that of a combination that has been carefully selected, treated and blended to produce an exceptional outcome for the smoker. And wait'll you get the smell and taste of the sweet and spicy Orientals in this one. Thanks C&D!
33 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 19, 2016 Mild to Medium Very Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
The tobacco is a "soft" flake. It rubs out easily or can be crumbled. Moisture level is good, and I have been smoking it "as is." Pouch note is slightly agricultural. The first smoke was in a GBD pot, and it seemed like a good combo, so I dedicated that pipe to Bijou while smoking up the sample.

This is a very good Virginia-forward blend with condimental+ orientals. The Katerini provide a fairly consistent spice and a hint of an herbal note from time to time. The Virginias are slightly heavy and sweet with a little citrus. I can believe it has a honey topping, but if it were not in the description, I don't think I would have found it and might have just thought it was part of the Virginia flavor profile. It all makes for a great smoke.

Smoking characteristics were good. It was easy to pack and smoke. I did not have a bunch of relights and flavor was good throughout the bowl. It was a little more earthy at the end, and I found that puffing brought out a more tart red Virginia and spice. Sipping brought out the citrus and herbal. There is a lot of subtle flavor to enjoy here.

I understand this Cellar Series is intended to be packed away and savored later. I find it to be quite good now and it is easy to recommend. I should say I am predisposed to like blends with orientals, and I found that component to be very well done for my palate.
31 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 09, 2016 Mild to Medium Extremely Mild Medium Pleasant
Others have detailed the finer nuances of the tobaccos used here and they did a fine job of it. I'm going to speak in more general terms.

To me this blend boils down to sweet vs sour. A little more specifically, sweet and fruity vs sour and woody. The balance struck is just slightly to the sweet side. I would prefer a stronger lean in that direction and it may very well get there with aging. It's a stark contrast in the first half of the bowl. The Virginias get more earthy in the second half and the sourness seems to recede just a bit and that's more to my liking. I look forward to smoking this with some years behind it. From a fresh tin I give it a 2.5, but I'm optimistic that it will improve so 3 stars it is. I think it has the potential to make the 4th one day.

Mild to medium in body. Medium in taste. Flavoring is extremely mild. Burns very well after drying. I haven't tried it otherwise.
Pipe Used: MM Little Devil Cutty, Little Devil Acorn, Marcus
PurchasedFrom: smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: fresh
20 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 26, 2017 Mild to Medium Very Mild Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
An elegant tasting flake with a very distinct, almost floral flavor to it. I have tasted something similar to this before in a few blends and I think the floral note comes from the honey more than it does the Oriental leaf, but I could be wrong. The Virginias are very good and lend plenty of semi-sweet, toasty flavor. Bijou is well balanced and smokes smooth with a hint of spice from the Katerini which asserts its own unique flavor from time to time, and has what I can only describe as a light phenolic, adhesive bandage like aroma.

Down the bowl the flavor intensifies and I taste more of the Grecian leaf here which is quite good, and at times it’s fairly spicy. I have been enjoying Bijou even more now that the weather is cold, as the overall flavor leans more toward the darker side of the spectrum. This is a solid blend from C&D and an interesting take on the often under-appreciated Virginia/Oriental combo.

I am always on the look out for blends that contain or highlight a distinct Oriental leaf without Latakia. That said, I have enjoyed smoking through most of this tin & I have squirreled away a few more for future enjoyment.
13 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 05, 2018 Medium Mild Medium Tolerable
Bijou is quite different than what i was expecting given the reviews to date. I've smoked several bowels just to be sure I was on the right page with this stuff. In my opinion, Bijou is a medium strength smoke that tends to dry the palate. I can detect the honey on brief occasions, however the overall flavor is quite sour with some spice and does not have a hint of sweetness as others have stated. The aged red virginias, while good on paper, are a little "rustic" and though should improve with a few years age. Overall, not overly impressed unfortunately - it's a quality blend, just too sour for my taste.
PurchasedFrom: 4Noggins.com
11 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 08, 2017 Medium Very Mild Mild to Medium Very Pleasant
Cornell & Diehl - Bijou.

The flakes are quite well broken, the same build as the Castello Fiammata I posted a week or so ago: long, very thick, ribbons. They're dark brown and have great hydration. Filling a bowl is simple, they crumble to perfection as they're stuffed in.

Bijou lights easily, giving a good burn. The tobaccos give a good flavour, to me they seem well balanced. The Oriental/Turkish's are easily detected, with the Virginia giving an equal proportion of flavour. The Virginia has more of a rustic taste, than a fresh one, if that makes sense? This quality works impeccably alongside the zesty Orientals. I get quite a sweet honey flavour, just enough to liven, yet not dishevel the smoke. Bijou doesn't bite, and the smoke's relatively cool.

The room-note's nice, and the nicotine's medium.

I think Bijou is nice enough, but it falls short of four stars.

Recommended.
Pipe Used: Davorin Denovic Morta
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: 6 months
11 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 27, 2016 Mild to Medium Extremely Mild Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Bijou greets the nose with a little earthy and a little sour note. The flakes are ready to load with no dry time needed which is saying something for me because I prefer to smoke my tobacco on the dry side. Even though I really like it this way, it does make me wonder how well it will age as tobacco needs a decent moisture level for the best aging results. (around 12%). I think there is enough there, but the speed it will age may be slower. As far as the taste is concerned, it is quite delicious now. The red Virginia offers a wonderful sweetness and a little tang along with the honey-like topping. The Oriental component is in a supporting role, but the portions of each are done really, really well. The bright Virginias are there, but I don’t taste them very well which to me is a tribute to the way this was blended as it all really comes together nicely. My guess is that this was aged for some time prior to tinning as Bijou offers up some aged flavor. In the late stages of the bowl, the strength picks up a bit and the sweetness is more muted. The small amount of spice is more of a player toward the bowls end as well. I do get a little bit of ashy flavor near the bowl’s end too, but this isn’t enough of an issue for me to keep it from being a four star blend.
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 06, 2017 Mild to Medium Mild Medium Pleasant
This is a really good blend, and no doubt it will get better with age, as intended. The red virginias are in the foreground throughout, and are terrific and rich, with that nice bottom note of spice (for lack of a better adjective) one gets with red virginia presented in flake form. Its a broken flake but it smokes as flakes smoke. The Katerini is present but never overshadows the Virginia. The Oriental Katerini is sour and pungent, but stays in the background. The honey is subtle but you are aware of it. It tastes the way rum often tastes in fact, and its a welcome mitigating factor to the Virginia. It is part of the reason this is such a nice cool smoke. Now the way the FDA is going, its possible nobody will be smoking pipes in the recommended 15 years of cellaring. But I am pretty sure this will age beautifully. As is its a 3 star blend, and maybe 3 and a half. Check with me in fifteen years to see its a four star. I bet it is.

It is philosophically in the same basket as Exhausted Rooster or Pease's sixpence.
PurchasedFrom: 4noggins
8 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 22, 2017 Mild Mild Mild Pleasant
Component Tobaccos: Virginia ('03 vintage) and Oriental (Katerini)

Flavouring: Honey

Cut: (Broken) Flake, it's advertized as a flake but good luck getting a flake out unbroken.

Tin Note: This smells like a fresh-cut lawn with the delicate scent of honey wafting over the top. It's delightful

Body: 4/10

Strength: 3/10

Nic: 1/10

Moisture From Tin: Slightly on the wet side

Mechanics: For a flake this burns surprisingly well, even with it being slightly wet. It can burn hot if you aren't careful.

Taste: At first I don't get any Virginia, just the subtle sweetness of the honey. The bowl begins to taste faintly of curry spice and there is a mouthfeel similar to perique. The Virginias are not very prominent, I can taste them and their bright, grassiness but they are not upfront. There isn't much evolution through the bowl. It's curry, honey and grass all layered together.

Thoughts: There really isn't too much to say about this blend. It is interesting, Bijou has flavours I have not found in any other tobacco: Honey and curry, mixed with the very familiar bright VA. And I cannot decide weather I like it or not.

Overall: ??/10

Additional notes: So I was curious about the 'curry' flavour and began to look into the profile of Katerini, the oriental that is in Bijou, and found that's where the curry flavour is coming from. It's interesting.
Pipe Used: Meer, others
PurchasedFrom: Smoking Pipes
Age When Smoked: New Tin
8 people found this review helpful.
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