Tobaccos Cornell & Diehl - Sansepolcro (Small Batch)

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3046)	2016-11-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

The very woody, earthy, Italian dark fired florets have a multiplicity of flavors, and takes the lead. They offer a mild floralness, a touch of smoke, a little nuttiness, herbs, vegetation, and a sweet and dry, savory quality to them, the latter characteristics being the main feature of the lingering after taste. The spiciness is mild, and is more like the kind one would use in cooking rather than having a peppery quality to them, though the pepper is a little noticeable. As an important secondary player, the red Virginia is tangy, dark fruit and mildly tart and tangy citrusy sweet with a light fermented quality that reminds me of stewed fruit (raisins and prunes). It also provides a touch of spice, grass, bread with some earth and wood, and is a shade more perceptible in the last third of the proceedings. Well blended and well balanced, you’ll observe most of the inherent aspects of the tobaccos in the majority of puffs. The strength level is just past medium, while the taste is medium to full. The nic-hit is medium. While there is a roughness to the blend, it won’t bite, and has no dull or harsh moments. Burns at a little less than a moderate pace, cool and clean with a very consistent taste. Leaves very little moisture in the bowl, but does require a few relights. Has a sweet, pungent room note. Not an all day smoke, but the experienced smoker will certainly find it repeatable.

-JimInks

49 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2016-11-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

What I would categorize as a rugged smoke, but one that I really enjoyed. The tobacco is on the dry side and the tin note is relatively light and smells mostly like a straight unadulterated C&D Virginia, raisiny with a hints of spice and a light grassy, vegetal aroma. The red Virginias are quite sweet but also earthy with a slightly bitter edge. The Italian dark fired isn't smoky smelling or tasting like Kentucky dark fired is, but it does add a good amount of peppery spice to the finish as well as a unique woodsy flavor that sits low in the mix and plays exceptionally well with the flavor of the Virginia. The tobacco burns cool and smokes smooth with loads of naturally sweet flavor. As the bowl progresses, the Virginias really shine and some interesting darker complexities come forth adding to the pleasure of this clean but meaty tasting blend.

Overall Sansepolcro has a heady punch to it that's sure to please pipers that prefer intense but well balanced tobacco flavor. The tobacco flavor strength is medium-strong and the nicotine level is a firm medium. I would imagine, given the quality of the Virginias that this will age nicely.

27 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	moniker (220)	2016-12-21		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Update, 08-06-2017: Time spent in a jar has worked magic on this one. I't's not only easier to smoke but it's less cigar-ish and more floral, with a sort of "soft intensity" that reminds me of well-aged JackKnife Plug. Outstanding!

Original review: Cornell and Diehl’s Small Batch Sansepolcro is nothing remarkable in the tin, short, chunky ribbons ‘n bits that range from light-ish to medium red/browns. Scent is restrained, medium “depth”, well-aged VA tobaccos with a light topping of something like molasses, treacle, and a drop of anise. The lot smells like tobacco-ish brown bread. Nothing jumps out. Moisture is fine for smoking right from the tin. It loads easily and lights OK, and it smokes down OK, too, once it gets going. Stout but mature, earthy, sweet, air cured and lightly stoved red VAs start ahead of the Sansepolcro. At this point the lot is like earthy brown bread, with very faint meadow flowers, only slightly smoky, with a whiff of dark cocoa. It’s rich, but it’s not at all intense. I can see where someone might try to summon more flavor, but I advise against it, since the Sansepolcro rises and gets spicier, anyway, and IMO it could become too much of a good thing, at least for this blend. YMMV, of course. The Sansepolcro tobacco is loamy, a little musty, slightly smoky, and slightly bitter. As it comes up it reminds me more and more of dry Italian salami. Though there are “cigar spices” they are muted and condimental, the way I prefer to smoke it. If I puff harder, it starts to taste like those powerful little Italian cigars; pretty gnarly. I like to keep it as balanced as I can; then the lot becomes even richer and tastier for the rest of the smoke without ever getting too sharp, spicy, dry, or bitter. Strength builds smoothly to well past medium; likewise, the tastes. Aftertaste is smoky, VA-sweet black bread, and it lingers long.

C&D Sansepolcro is a fairly easy blend that’s tasty and rewarding; just what the doctor ordered; 4 stars from me. It’s easier than and not as complex as Savinelli’s 140 Year Anniversary blend (made for Savinelli by C&D), which also features (even less) Sansepolcro. I think anyone who likes 140, or GLP’s JackKnife Plug or Key Largo might like C&D’s Sansepolcro. For lots of fun, I recommend comparing this blend to Tabac Manil’s Le Petit Robin. FWIW, I am betting this will age well, as JKP and Key Largo do.

Pipe Used: various briars; group 4 preferred

Age When Smoked: fresh to 1 mo. from an un-dated tin

Purchased From: Cup o' Joes

Similar Blends: Compare/contrast to C&D/Savinelli 140 Year Anniversary, GLP JackKnife Plug and Key Largo; also, Tabac Manil's Le Petit Robin.

18 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Warwick (37)	2016-12-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Extra Strong

Rough, strong, scratchy.

Dry and smokable right from the tin. Packs and lights easily. Woodsy, smoky, spicy. Burns well. It scratches the nostrils and dries the upper palate. Outside on a below-freezing day, this carries through well and overpowers the cold. Its not that it is large and boisterous, it is that it is untamed and raw. A strong cup of coffee is a good accompaniment.

However, there is a tendency toward an accruing ashiness on the tongue. Smoked indoors, the room note quickly becomes unpleasantly strong, ashy and hangs like a pall for a long time. Not good.

In small bowls outdoors, this is ok. This is one of the few I won't smoke indoors at all. And the lingering ashiness on the tongue means I have no desire for another bowl anytime soon. Given these limitations, this will not be a repeat buy for me.

Pipe Used: Billiard

Age When Smoked: New

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2016-11-09		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Drums and JimInks have described this blend perfectly so I'll just add that this is delicious. If it were a blend that would be readily available I would add this to my favorites list in a heartbeat. This, my friends, is a wonderful smoke.

Medium to strong in body, nic is medium. No added flavoring. Taste is medium to full. Burns very well. Stock your cellars before it sells out.

Pipe Used: MM Little Devil Cutty, Little Devil Acorn, Marcus

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	GabrielCRT (115)	2016-12-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

As a cigar smoker, this blend really sang to me from the first bowl. Sansepolcro is an earthy, dry smoke that reminds me of a full-bodied Nicaraguan puro. The red Virginia is earthy with a very subtle sweetness that fades in and out. The woody and slightly smoky Italian dark-fired florets are rich and spicy with some cinnamon and black pepper. The C&D website says there is black Cavendish though I don't taste it. I have enjoyed this in cobs, briars, and meerschaum. An easy 4 stars!

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DeathMetal.org (231)	2019-05-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Summary: tastes like a dark beer, with deep fermentation flavors from the Virginias crested by a nice tangy smoky flavor.

The Virginia mixture in this blend -- mostly pressed red Virginias -- shines through once the initial light gives off a wave of dark-fired flavor. The vaunted Sansepolcro dark fired tastes basically like any dark fired Kentucky Burley, except maybe slightly subtler due to age. As the Virginia caramelizes, the cigar leaf makes its presence briefly known as a malt like flavor underscoring the fermented taste of the rubbed out red Virginia flake that is the basis of this blend, and the dark fired leaf melts into that with a molasses and roasted barley flavor. It feels smooth in the mouth, has a good degree of sweetness without being overpowering, and develops from complex to several simple tastes in balance. I could see smoking this all day and hope they bring it back using regular dark fired Kentucky Burley aged to take off the edge.

Similar Blends: Mac Baren - HH Bold Kentucky, Samuel Gawith - Brown No. 4.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Voyaging (80)	2020-04-25		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

Based on a tin dated 9/2017.

Tin note is somewhat tangy and sour and funky. Smells fermented, but still like tobacco.

It came pretty darn dry, which I kind of like. I dry it just a little more before smoking.

This blend is spicy and earthy, and there is a special roughness to it that is very reminiscent of a cigar. The tastes weave in and out of bready, creamy, tangy fruit, espresso, chocolate, toast, clove , and even a licorice taste sometimes towards the end. It's somewhat smokey like other dark-fired blends, and there is something very woody and floral about it, like slow-burning wood. It's a nice blend, but I would say that roughness is something I enjoy, yet I find it to be a drawback as well.

The strength is medium to strong. Nicotine is pretty high. Taste is medium.

I would recommend this to someone that likes the taste of cigars, and anyone that likes spicy, earthy blends. It reminded me a bit of G.L. Pease Navigator (one of my all-time favorites). I think this blend is unique in its spiciness and that roughness and that strong, fermented, tingly sensation it produces.

Update 8/7/2020

This blend grew on me. I just had to keep trying it. It's not as strong as it was at first, in terms of nicotine, but the body and flavor is still there. Floral, spicy (like chilis and cooking spices), herbal notes, chocolate, leather, some red wine notes. The flavors are rather subtle and I urge that some attention is given. This blend is special.

Highly-recommended. Four stars.

Pipe Used: Bent brandy,Canadian,Lovat,

Age When Smoked: Two years

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	the_dalai_lama_himself (43)	2017-04-18		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

First of all C&D has probably the best Red Virginias in the business. And this blend partners them perfectly with the Italian leaf. Spicy in more of a cardamom kind of way, woody, stewed fruit into vanilla, earth, lemon zest, it is a bit rough but in a very very good way. Burns perfectly, a relight or two perhaps. A good amount of nicotine as well. Got a couple tins to cellar and a couple to smoke as I find myself going back to it again and again like a relief pitcher. Clean on the tongue but a little harsh on the soft palate.. it is both balanced and rough around the edges. Excited to see how it ages. Somewhat of a cigar leaf quality as it approaches on that acrid kind of thing but the finish is unique and tamed by the sweetness/fruit of the Virginia. I wouldn't call it bready per say, if anything more like potato bread then a dark grain.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	bobspipe (14)	2017-01-17		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Extra Strong

An impulse buy, both the sansepolcro and small batch caught my eye at my local smoke shop. I have to agree with Warwick on this one. Seemed rough and scratchy to me, strong after taste that lingered, and the room note indoors seemed overpowering. I could see why a cigar smoker, those who enjoy dark-fired tobacco would appreciate this. Just not my cup of tea.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ATW (110)	2019-06-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

My tin is of the latest production from April 2019. I was a little skeptical of trying this blend due to its limited availability as a small batch but I'm glad I did. Since this small batch is almost double of the last production it is a little easier to obtain. My local tobacconist has stock a large amount of this one due to the fast disappearance of Carolina Red Flake.

The tin aroma is almost like a unsweetened dark fruit bowl. Very similar to what I've found with most C&D blends that are heavy in red Virginia especially briar fox. First light was a nice smooth flavor of red Virginia that is semi sweet with stewed fruit and bread. Into the first third the Virginia is joined with a creaminess akin to cigar leaf despite "technically" this blend doesn't have cigar leaf even though the Italian dark fired is used to produce Italian cheroot cigars. At this point this blend strongly resembles McClellands Dominican Glory Maduro especially when you retro hale. At the same time exhaling from my mouth the cheroot flavor really shines with a oily herb sweetness and leather. The flavors interchange with each other throughout to bowl. At the bottom of the bowl the flavors become more bold and finishes off in a nice grey ash with no moisture left. Burns cool and clean with no tongue bite what so ever. Throughout the bowl I do not pick up direct flavors from the black cavendish though C&D has it listed in this blend on their website. I believe it just helps meld all the flavors together and brings out the creaminess.

This is a great blend. I wish it wasn't small batch but that's what makes it great. Attention to detail is key to a great blend unlike a mass production blend. It's so well put together. Jeremy Reeves sure did a great job with this one. I'm glad I got to experience this while it's around. Unfortunately I think I found my ideal blend but sadly it will go. Thanks Jeremy for this experience.

Edit 7-1-20. I just opened a tin from last year's release. It didn't seem to age any due to the tin being pretty dry. My first 2 bowls were kind of harsh. But with a tad bit of hydration, it tamed it back down to exactly what I first reviewed.

If I can compare this to food, this reminds me of cajun dishes. Still highly recommended

Pipe Used: Missouri cob

Age When Smoked: Less than 2 months old

Similar Blends: McClellands Dominican Glory Maduro , Parodi Cheroot cigars..

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rufus T. Firefly (24)	2019-06-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I purchased this blend because the dark fired Italian tobacco content. I love dark fired Kentucky because of its similarity in taste to Latakia. This tobacco had none of that great smokey flavor. It got great reviews but unfortunately I can't give it one. I've smoked this stuff in several different pipes and with the same result, I hate it. It has little flavor and what flavor it has is less than desirable. I can't recommend this blend.

Pipe Used: BBB, Ashton, Ferndown

Age When Smoked: New to one week

Purchased From: Smoking pipes

Similar Blends: Nothing I've ever smoked..

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Contagio (3)	2019-05-03		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Full disclosure: I am admittedly a rookie pipe smoker (about 1 yr after cleaning up my Grandfather's collection). I typically am an English/Balkan blend smoker but bought this when Eddie Gray posted it available at his site. I am really enjoying this blend. I rely heavily on reviews here by Mr Inks, Drums and Beer and a few others. I don't have the palate yet to distinguish a lot of the flavors but did get a raisiny smell on opening the tin. And as for the smoke, retrohaling really gave me a sense of enjoyment. Smoked it slowly as I usually smoke medium Vit N tobacco. Planning to jar this and come back in a month as suggested. Maybe a little sooner.

Pipe Used: Medico Churchwarden

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: The Pipe Nook

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2080)	2018-04-05		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Cornell & Diehl - Sansepolcro (Small Batch).

I bought and cellared this about five months ago and got it out this morning solely because I couldn't decide which blend to smoke. The name Sansepolcro didn't make me think English, aromatic, VaPer, etc., I didn't even know it was a region of Italy until I read it on the tin!

This isn't one of the blends badged as a broken flake but some of the flakes are still in need of a rub, the tin contains a blend that looks more like thick ribbons. Mine appeared to be a little too dry when I removed the lid, not crunchy, but not suitable for long term storage.

Sansepolcro lights easily, but, as I suspected, can burn fast. Even though the mechanics aren't the best, it's still a nice smoke, though. The Kentucky leads with a robust flavour, but isn't quite as burly as Kentucky can often be. It has a delicate fragrance to it, which placates any harshness. The Virginia adds a fruity sweetness, creating a flavoursome support to the Kentucky. It can become too warm if it's not sipped.

Nicotine: above medium. Room-note: not great.

Sansepolcro? I'll put the dryness down as a one off. The flavour's good. Recommended:

Three stars.

Pipe Used: Altinok Meerschaum

Age When Smoked: Stamped 09/25/17

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bearded Piper 09 (5)	2017-10-14		Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Upon opening the Tin the smell is very light, grassy, little vanilla/sweet, i rubbed it out further than it was formed a wad and packed it, packs easily you have to be careful not to pack to tight as it compresses very easy. Nic comes on slowly and lasts for hours (at least for me) it packs a punch similar to Irish flake or a good burly. It has very nice dry smoke, lights amazing and tamps wonderfully. Burns slowly and steady needs reasonable amount of relights if your taking your time took around 1.5 hrs as i went back to it a few times during my morning smoke. Overall taste is light grassy naturally sweet but continues to gradually get deeper and deeper the Dark fired is very subtle but just a perfect amount of spicy/ tingly sensation on retro hale. the room note isn't pleasant and is strong not that of cigarettes but not pleasant enough for an indoor smoke. Some may consider this blend "Blah" but for me its a perfect weekend morning smoke enjoying the sunrise.

Pipe Used: Cob, Savanelli Hercules 121

Age When Smoked: 1 year

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	initials SG (29)	2016-12-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Yep, this is some great pipe tobacco.

Tin note is fragrant and deceptively spicy, the spice from the firecured tobacco tingles my nose a little.

Love the sweet red virginias, they run the full spectrum of red virginia flavor from a little bright citrus to bready with a lot of fruitiness in the middle. In contrast to the spicy tin note, I found the Italian dark-fired to be earthy, mellow, fragrant in a way that reminds me of kitchen spices, and very flavorful. Only a hint of smokiness. As others mentioned, there can be a slight rough edge to the smoke which I enjoyed.

Thanks to the C&D rep for hooking my local brick and mortar shop with this, since I only shop local I wouldn't have gotten it otherwise. Someone else got to all but one of the other tins, which I will cellar. Guessing that it will be pret-ty magical after a few years.

Recommended!

Age When Smoked: 1 month

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dixcreek (184)	2016-11-22		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Grassy, semi-sweet with a subtle spice note. Not your regular dark fire flavor. Very nice indeed! Darn near perfect moisture and cut straight from the tin. You would suspect this to be a strongman blend but it is toned down to a high medium in both taste and nicotine. I believe this will be a super blend after it spends a while in the cellar, will definitely get more for just that purpose! Excellent blend C&D😎

Pipe Used: MM devil cutty

Age When Smoked: New tin

Purchased From: Smoking pipes

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BingCrosby (162)	2021-03-15		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is one for people who like tobacco.. Nothing fancy shmancy here.. just rich layers of flavor.. it is definitely rough and rustic compared to many other dark fired blends.. it is even more cigar like than many cigar blends.. I like the way you occasionally taste the red Virginia poking through the bold dark fired.. Amazing the punch you get from those florets.. especially since there doesn't appear to be a high percentage in the blend.. they must be pretty potent.. the retrohale almost feels like perique.. but this is a different kind of spice.. more woodsy with some bakery notes.. it smells like a stogie as you smoke it too.. nice nic hit.. not ultra strong but clearly noticeable.. this is like the dirtier brother of hh old dark fired.. not refined but to the point.. very satisfying indeed.. not for everyone.. but with all the c and d blends out there it is nice when they actually create something different from the rest of their blends.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (401)	2020-07-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

At my somewhat local pipe and cigar store I purchased this a few weeks ago. The description says it is blended with Italian dark-fired florets. So, I did what most people do and googled floret. “one of the small flowers making up a composite flower head.” My first thought was that are they blending it with the tobacco flowers? It took watching this video to learn the truth. tps://. The florets are the end tips cut off the machine made dry dark fired cigars such as Toscano. The tips are sometimes used as pipe tobacco in Italy. From what I understand watching this informative video the current blend does not have the florets but rather just the leaf strips that are grown in the Sansepolcro area. I thought this blend would be darker since it has dark fired leaf but found it to be more medium/light medium reddish-brown ribbon. It has the usual sweet Virginia tin note. When smoking I got (to me) more of the VA profile and very little of the cigar. It is good tasting but not sure if this flavor profile is for me. Nonetheless, I would give this one a recommendation to try. Apparently, I had bought another tin of this sometime ago and forgot. So, I have a backup to age. Tin date 051420. 6097/8000.

Pipe Used: Meerschaum

Age When Smoked: New

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rustedrailsmokes (293)	2020-06-05		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I'm reviewing tin 2221/8000 of the new 2020 lot which was released in June 2020. The tin was canned on my birthday 05/08/2020 which means it had to be good right?

I tried some of the original smaller release the first time it came out a couple of times but never wrote a review, but also didn't stock up on any at the time.

The ribbon cuts are a mixture of light and dark. The tin note to me was heavy on the virginia "Hay" side. The moisture straight out of the tin was great and didn't require extra drying for my preference. The ribbon cut makes it easy to pack, prepare and light.

The taste to me started with the high notes of the grassy/bright virginias that i love during the summer. Building up through that (and overpowering it at times) is a spiciness which tasted in my mouth peppery. The pepper continued to build through each bowl.. but seemed about half way to reach a point of balance where it was not overpowering.

I'm not a big cigar smoker, except for sweet ones from time to time. Usually that leathery/pepper isn't what I want in a relaxing smoke and I usually tire of cigars before I finish them. I can see cigar smokers really enjoying this blend though.

I've made it through about 5 bowls in different shaped pipes and find it smokes the best in taller bowls and really great in my radiator pipes. Very little moisture at the end.

Wife thought I was smoking a cigar in the house when she smelled the roomnote.

Pipe Used: various

Age When Smoked: 1 month

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	KingDuncan83 (25)	2019-05-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

i have smoked this and HH ODF back to back and can say that each is fantastic and different from each other. This blend is a spicy floral bbq treat! Dont confuse floral with that lakeland crap, just gotta get ya some and you will understand! I suspect that this will age like a champ.

Pipe Used: cobs and briars

Age When Smoked: 1 month

Purchased From: local tobacco shop

Similar Blends: mcb hh odf.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	steppx (186)	2016-11-26		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I just finished two tins over the last month or so. Boy this is good stuff. Yikes. I live in dread of C&D running out of it. It reminds me a bit of dark bird's eye crossed with something like old dark fired or kendall kentucky. Its ribbon cut, which it the only thing I don't love about it. But it does make it easy to pack and smoke. Its got a pretty big nic hit. Its a nice all day smoke if you can handle the nicotine, and I can ....ergo i smoked these two tins pretty fast. The flavor is smokey but not burnt. Its more a tangy bitey sort of spiced smoke. All tobacco all the way. Great stuff.

Purchased From: 4noggins

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pipesINpairs (19)	2021-07-07		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Excellent, but not for the faint of heart. Vaper smokers who like something with a little extra strength and complexity will love this. It's a special take on a VAperK; instead of Kentucky there's that lovely Italian San-se-pol-cro, which is not too hard to pronounce if you recognize there are 4 syllables in the word.

It's a bit raw when fresh, which is great if you're looking for a punch in the teeth to remind you you're still alive. With a couple years age the red Virginias become sweeter and the blend becomes better balanced and all the various flavors meld as they should - the edges soften and the Italian dark fired smolders in the background. The effect is like a subtle Islay scotch that takes you by surprise in its complexity, and starts to radiate through your body with warmth and a bit of excitement - the smoke is there, but it's a byproduct of the curious alchemy that's turning everything into a ruddy hue of gold. I wax poetic - it's great stuff.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LiterarySmoker (143)	2021-04-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I bought a few of the small batch releases from C&D last year and I managed to snag 3 tins of this to try. The label is very informative and attractive on this one. When you open up you will see a broken flake consisting of light yellows and dark browns. The smell in the tin is bready, nutty, and earthy with some autumn leaves. Now it could be the fact that my tobacco has been sitting in a jar, but it's a touch dryer than I typically like. It packs well and lights well.

I've loaded up my Savinelli Oceano Poker and upon first light some delicious white smoke from the Dark Fired comes up. Taste wise the Italian Dark Fired is very interesting it has a typical Burley nuttiness coupled with soft spice, cocoa, leaves and cedar wood. The Red Virginias form a soft bready, and dark fruity base, offering a little sweetness to balance everything.

The taste is medium. Nothing's trying to take my tastebuds by storm. The strength doesn't hit me in the way Dark Fired normally does, so I give this a medium. The room note is slightly cigarettish from the burley. All in all a very good blend to sit with. I will open another tin in a year or so and see how age treats it.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Oceano Poker

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RAV (12)	2021-03-14		Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

Very cigar like with an above medium dose of nicotine. An earthy outdoor smoke if that’s what you are looking for. Dark fired leaf is more than condimental, which for me is a bit too much. I’m sure it came out exactly as blender intended but didn’t resonate with me.

Pipe Used: Castello Brucianaso

Age When Smoked: One year

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: MB HH Old dark fired.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CivilWar (9)	2019-08-13		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Sansepolcro comes out of the tin fairly dry and smokable; no drying time needed. It has a sweet earthy cigar like fragrance right out of the tin. You can smell the Virginia's mixed with dark-fired florets. The dark-fired florets are are not used heavy handed more as a condiment. The smoke is not like smoking a cigar. It has sweet robust flavor, a bit earthy with savory cigar like nuances.

This is delicious. Bought several more tins when it came out again in 2019.

Age When Smoked: 2016

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RonR (85)	2019-07-15		Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

3rdGuy

Beautiful blend of dark fired florets and Red Virginia. Usually cigar leaf is added for body more than flavor but you can really appreciate the florets in this. Curious to see how it ages. May get interesting if the cigar drops back a hair and the Red moves up. In any case it is a solid blend. Can be packed fairly tight for a longer smoke without issue. Lights and burns well.

Pipe Used: Narrow chambered worked the best.

Age When Smoked: 4/12/2019

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PKT (30)	2019-05-25		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

First sampled at my pipe club at Liberty Tobacco in San Diego. Based on that sample purchased 2 tins from Watch City to round out an order. Flavorful and enjoyable. Particularly enjoyed the taste of the dark Italian. Similar to Savenelli’s 1040 which I found a little richer and smoother.

Pipe Used: Charitable pot, Bones author

Age When Smoked: Fresh from tin

Purchased From: Watch City

Similar Blends: Savinelli 1040.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Randy Tuggle (46)	2018-02-21		Very Strong	Mild	Very Full	Tolerable

A friend of mine passed on this tin I gave to him as a Christmas gift and gave it back to me. He didn't like it. As for me, I'm enjoying this one. It's manly and will put hair on the chest of the fruity, light aromatic smoker. Strongest thing that I notice is the prominent flavor of what seems similar to dark-fired Kentucky in this blend. Retrohaling will bring the cloves to the palette as well. Being a cigar guy who switched to smoking pipes over the years, this earthy kick appeals to me. I'd say this is a good blend for cigarette smokers as you can freight train this stuff and feel the nicotine really kicking in. Not at all an aromatic to me, but that's what Cornell & Diehl are claiming. Should cellar very well - and that's what I'm doing with the remainder of this tin.

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum Cobbit

Age When Smoked: 3 months

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	toddsmith7378 (41)	2017-12-01		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Ok, so I see some great reviewers on here who get me imagining a lot.......In the dark fired realm I think I've had Navigator, GL Pease Jackknife Plug, and maybe one other I can't think of. I definitely know that type of taste.

I have to say its primarily in that ballpark. It's a stout flavor, but not as pronounced and strong. It's a bit more subtle then those. So, It's not quite as overwhelming as Kentucky dark Fired blends with that flavor. It's like a less strong dark fired Kentucky flavor with a lot of what I think is Red Virginia.

I absolutely love Red Virginia blends and this Italian dark fired tobacco doesn't completely overwhelm the Red Virginia taste I love. All the other dark fired blends I've tried are super flavorful with that and its hard to notice much else but that stout flavor in them. This Italian stuff isn't quite like that, so I would prefer it any day to those. It's still pretty stout though, just not as much as the Kentucky, if that makes sense.

If you like Red Virginia and would like a bit of dark fired mixed with it, that's about what I'd say this is like. I still get the Red Virginia though, so if you like Red Virginia blends, this really hits the spot there too.

If you like full bodied stuff, its still fairly strong and It's kind of nice for a nice after dinner smoke, not one I'd smoke on all day, or in the morning. It' not a complete favorite, but its nice to have in the rotation of Red Virginia blends, if that's your thing.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrT999 (318)	2017-10-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A nicely earthy blend, the rough cut, not quite a thick ribbon not quite a true broken flake, is slow-burning. Unlike some other reviewers, however, I found it pretty monochromatic. Unsurprisingly, a bit cigar-like at times, so those who favor those types of blends should give it a try. Ok as an occasional change of pace, not for my regular rebuys.

Pipe Used: briars, cobs, and meers

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	p120d16y (22)	2017-05-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Sansepolcro is a well balanced sweet red Virginia and dark fired blend. The exceptional Italian dark fired varietal adds a good strength and spice, while the VA sweetens to just the right amount. A good nicotine medium blend that I find very satisfying. Wish I could have cellared a few tins, but glad I was still able to get one a few months after the release. In the right pipe, it'll make my mouth water. Smells excellent in the tin. I'm assuming it's the same red Virginia that was used in the Small Batch Carolina Red Flake, or very similar.

Pipe Used: Zenith ceramic, various briars, Meerschaum

Age When Smoked: Few months tinned

Purchased From: SmokingPipes

Similar Blends: Vaguely similar to Jack Knife Plug, but not in flavor or complexity. Only similar in the way both use dark fired tobaccos and Virginias..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JaWiBr (557)	2022-11-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Tin 1221 of 8000 has a note of bread, Rasins, and mild smoke. The tan, brown and dark brown broken flakes have a reddish hue and needs only minor attention on the few bigger flakes. Tobacco is a little moist, no drying needed. Burns relatively slow with multiple relights. The strength is medium to strong and nic is medium. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and consistent, with notes of wood, earth, cigar, slightly grass, slightly floral, mildly sweet bread, mildly dried bitter fruit, mildly tart, mildly lemon and a very peppery retro. It seems like Italian dark fired and Red Virginias are playing high stakes poker while smoking cigars. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

Pipe Used: 2016 XX Ashton Pebble Grain Lovat

Age When Smoked: 3 years

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2020-10-12		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I finally got to popping one of the tins of Sansepolcro I purchased upon its release. I am a sucker for blends with Burley and Cigar Leaf, so this one seemed right up my alley.

One thing not noted in the description is that there is a topping on this blend and it distinctly includes an Elderberry liquer and I could have sworn the description here on TR did once say this. This is the reason for the floral essence as far as I can tell. It almost comes off as minty to my tastes. It also makes this blend somewhat unique for this type of blend. It brings to mind only one other blend that I would say is close and that is Perettis Cuban Blend which I believe has a sort of mint topping. Smoking Sansepolcro though has me thinking that CB may also be topped with elderberry. I wish that I could have smoked these back to back as it has been a while since I have tried CB

Having said all of that this is an enjoyable blend, that is certainly burley forward to my tastes, but I feel the elderberry is a touch too much. Maybe it is because I like Perettis Cuban Blend so much that I nit-pick this one. I really don't have anything bad to say about it. It is the perfect moisture content in the tin, it packs nice, burns great, doesn't bite, but after all of that, I am left thinking that I would rather be smoking Peretti's Cuban Blend. It is this reason that I would put this at about a 2.5 star, but I will round up to 3, since it is unique and I really can't find any real fault with it.

Age When Smoked: 3 years 7 months

Similar Blends: Peretti's Cuban Blend.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TobaccoGonSPM (9)	2019-10-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

When you open the tin you find a nice broken flake tobacco. I can only smell the Virginia, grass, wood, raisins, and floral notes, also a little of fermentation kind of smell.

Once lit it delivers a velvety dry smoke, with sweet, bread, hay, earthy flavors, very consistent flavor. I also detect some honey, brown sugar, cinnamon and nut notes. It gets more piquant as you go down the bowl. I get bread, hay, earthy, citrus, raisin and sweet notes from the red Virginias. The florets give toasty sweetness, woodsy and floral notes along with nuts, black pepper and cardamom flavors. Half the way down the bowl it gets sweeter, and some raisin/dark fruits flavors appear. These Florets from Sansepolcro are unique, they are not very toasty like regular dark fired Kentucky and not so sweet and smooth like Rattray´s dark fired Kentucky. They are more floral, and exotic. Very similar smoking experience to a Toscano Cigar.

It lights very well and burns cool and clean, perfect moisture level out of the tin, and tongue byte free. The nic-hit is a little more than medium level. It leaves a pungent room note (grass, pepper and slightly sweet). Not an all-day smoke in my HO, suitable for the end of the day smoke, very satisfying.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Punto Oro, MM Marcus, Washington

Age When Smoked: Fresh, 3750/4000 Oct 2016 (26/09/2017)

Purchased From: smokingpippes.com

Similar Blends: Toscano Cigar.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	FlatCapMatt (59)	2019-07-13		Medium to Strong	Mild	Mild	Tolerable to Strong

Another one I got as a small sampler, while determined to try new tobaccos. My first thought, was ooh that's a bit stronger than I expected. Felt the nicotine buzz quite a while before the bowl was finished. It was worth trying for sure, but it won't lure me away from my usual aromatics. Out of the handful of non-aromatic samples I tried over the last 2 weeks or so, this is probably the one I'd least likely want to try again. I just didn't see any reason to choose this one over Hyde Park or Shanna's Blend 2.0 for example.

Pipe Used: Corncob

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: tobaccoblends.com.au

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Antonius Blok (192)	2022-12-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

I am reviewing tin 1189/8000 from the 2020 batch. The smell of tobacco in its container is very light, primarily virginia and slightly cigar leaf. It comes with the right point of humidity for direct loading, even a little on the dry side.

Once the pipe is lit, the Kentucky looks very well balanced with the other tobaccos and is the type that I like. To give the reader an idea, it's not in the style of Mac Baren's Old Dark Fired or Lakeland Dark or SG's 1792 (mixtures all stronger than this one). Certainly, as some review has said, there is a similarity with Jacknife Plug and although I have not tried Savinelli's 140º, I have smoked the 145º of the same brand and there is also a similarity in the use of dark fired Kentucky, although in the latter case, the 145º is more “perfumed”.

Either way, Sansepolcro has its own personality, largely thanks to the addition of the cigar leaf that makes it different and compatible with the Jacknife Plug. -G.L. Pease-, as well as having a slightly spicier flavor. It has body and robustness. I really enjoy smoking it accompanied by a good whiskey. Four stars and a toast to C & D "small batch" mixtures.

Age When Smoked: 2 years

Similar Blends: Jacknife Plug -G.L. Pease-.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2019-07-07		Medium to Strong	Strong	Very Full	Pleasant

Its good blend its the best very smooth as Rattarys and WhiteKnight Its really simple and easy and wish its just didn't finish thats all twink

Pipe Used: Savinelli rome 656

Age When Smoked: 4 m

Purchased From: Smokingpipes

Similar Blends: Rattrays and WhiteKnight.

Nobody has rated this review yet.