Cornell & Diehl Carolina Red Flake

2020 Tin so won’t comment on other years release. I’m primarily a Virginia and Va/Per smoker but do enjoy a nice Oriental forward English also. Tin note for me is primarily cut grass, dry hay. A very slight earthiness and no sense of raisins, figs or other such notes. Moisture level was actually a bit on the dry side. It smokes dry and as such slightly fast burning. There is a some very good Virginia sweetness when smoked and that aged earthiness we all expect from a good red leaf. A very decent pepper tingle on retro-hale. A solid slightly sour earth note is detected if smoked gently. Midway through bowl and strength increases considerably. I noticed no bite. To summarize, this is a very good red Virginia tobacco and one that is worth cellaring for awhile. I can only guess that with some age it will improve even more.

This is about a fresh tin, produced in September 2021.

The appearance is fluffy strips of flake, easily diverging into individual fibers. The color is a uniform yellowish-brown shade of fresh foliage. There is no dust and no excessive moisture. The tobacco has the same consistency as Opening Night, just made for being puffed and smoked.

The aroma of the tobacco is wheat bread on freshly dried hay, tinged with the smell of sweet strong white wine and figs. It is somewhat more complex than the Opening Night flavor, which is not surprising - there are clearly more different varieties of Virginia. None of the notes of the flavor bouquet are knocked out or intensified, even if you sniff for a long time - only an almost imperceptible smell of white pepper appears. The tobacco smells deceptively sweet.

The initial taste is quite relaxed, baked bread with a slight note of bitter chocolate. The tobacco is initially rough on the palate, but not harsh, not biting. Also, this roughness quickly comes to naught while smoking. The flavor changes slightly toward the bitterness, adding to tobacco woody notes and replacing the bitterness of chocolate by about half a pipe, after which from the chocolate is left only a slight note in the smell of smoke. The tobacco is smoked cool enough, does not overheat the pipe, burns slowly, leaving a light gray fine ash. The strength of the tobacco is below average - I smoked two pipes in a row without feeling the nicotine hit. When smoking, the tobacco is moist - the moisture remains not only in the cup, but also in the mouthpiece. The tobacco has quite a characteristic caramel-malt aftertaste - as if you tasted a glass of red ale with your tongue - and this is markedly different from Opening Night.

The smoke is light, with a woody, grassy smell and the already mentioned note of bitter chocolate. Not irritating, quickly wears off.

Bottom line: an interesting Virginia blend that is definitely worth a try. It's a little less sweet than the Opening Night I tried earlier from the same producer, but the difference in flavor would be noticeable if you smoke them one after the other. The blends differ in smell and taste, and the aftertaste is different. However, they both have in common that they need to ripen for three or four years to gain more sweetness and smoothness. However, in my opinion, even fresh, this tobacco is more interesting than Opening Night.

C & D, Carolina Red Flake: The best red Virginia flake currently on the market

The tobacco is pretty uniform in color—arranged in thick cut flakes in the normal C&D fashion. The tobacco leaves have an interesting texture and seem to be a little bit thicker than other Virginia varietals I have tried. The smoke is earthy, in fact, it is one of the earthiest straight Virginia I have ever tried. It is rich, medium body, and a little sweet with a slight tanginess (but not in a citrus way). There is no chance of tongue bite, even when pushed. For such a straight forward flake, a bowl of Carolina Red Flake can mostly hold my interest throughout the smoke. While quite good, I prefer a more complex straight Virginia for my normal rotation.

When I initially opened the tin, I thought the moisture content was slightly high but very smokable . I also felt there was a slight Burley component ( like Orliks Golden Red). The smoke was sweet and tangy but seemed to be prone to bite if pushed.

One month later: the tobacco dried some and lost the bite and burley taste ( now more like GLP's Union Square) . It is now sweet and tangy, good on cold relights, no bitterness BUT,,,still not up to McC's Christmas Cheers.

Production date: Aug, 30, 2022 | #9,231/15,000 | Sugar Content: 13.53%

The first third of the bowl is impressive. It's sweet, tangy, tart, grassy, with absolutely no bite to speak of. Not even a hint. The retrohale is full, round, and smooth, but spicy, and present. They're not wrong when they say it has undertones of dried cranberries. I kept thinking of a dry Cranberry Tart.

The second third gets darker, richer, and earthier. The retrohale intensifies, and gets spicier, all the while maintaining an afterglow of the first thirds profile. It dries out my throat quite a bit, so I've been pairing it with black tea and honey.

Unfortunately the room note did not pass the wife test. Said It smelled a bit like cigarettes. I didn't smell that, but later I noticed my office smelled musty, and stale. It wasn't awful though.

It’s an interesting blend. I adore the first half of the bowl. I was hoping it would stay on the lighter, brighter side of the Virginia spectrum, but that's okay. I think I'll appreciate it more in the colder months with some age on it. I can totally see this being a Thanksgiving/Christmas blend. 3 1/2 stars.