Cornell & Diehl Sansepolcro

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Updated 3-1-2024

Sansepolcro has not be released since the 2020 batch until the revamped 2024 release. This 2024 release has changed drastically. The virginias a mixture of 2 different red VA's and one Bright VA. The cavendish is cigar leaf based. The Italian dark fire is practically the same as prior releases. It is now in full flake cut instead of ready rubbed form.

Overall this version is very elegant. The melange of Virginia's accent the dark fire very nicely with a sugary sweet and creamy undertone. Still can't detect the cavendish, but If it was removed from the blend, you would probably know it.

HIGHLY impressed with the 2024 release.

Overall the 2024