Cornell & Diehl Mad Fiddler Flake

I bought this at our pipe club the other day and have been smoking it some throughout this week. Upon opening the tin dated 042518 I was hit with a very strong pungent smell that some other reviewers have described as spicy. The broken flake was very moist. For not being an aromatic this sure was pretending to be one so far. This has cigar leaf in it and since I am not a tobacco leaf expert, I googled Kasturi and one of the first things that popped up was deer musk. My first thought was I have had Musk Cologne but never in a pipe tobacco. I searched a little further and find this link, https://www.wholeaf.com/wholesale-tobacco/tobacco-leaves/cigar-tobacco-filler-leaf/indonesian-kasturi-cigar-filler/. Kasturi is an Indonesian cigar filler leaf that is primarily used to produce local Kretek (clove) cigarettes as stated on this website. So, with that dilemma resolved I fired it up. The tin note does not transpire much into the smoke but I also read this could be a ghoster so I used pipes that I was comfortable with in taking the chance. This to me is an odd blend and though I am sure good quality leaf and blending expertise I cannot begin a love affair with this one. So, I am giving this a two star only because I just don’t dig it that much. Glad I got to try it I may add but that is as far as it goes.

This was an interesting one for me. I found myself experiencing several shifts in impression over time. This was a generally quite highly rated, so, I’m a bit of an outlier.

I found the tin note unsettling and unpleasant when freshly opened - a cloying combination of spicy, musty and spoiled fruit aromas. I kept coming back to the tin for another smell to see if my senses were off when I first cracked the tin . No, same experience for about a week - off putting and cloying. After a few more days, I was close to giving the tin away when I noticed it smelled considerably better...a milder blend of apple, cinnamon, clove, with a heavy musty cigar element. Complete improvement after letting it settle a few days past a week’s time. It’s definitely topped with something, but not a full aromatic blend by any means. This is a robust, medium/full smoke. It’s very spicy and a rather rough at times, especially if rushed. It’s definitely got the whole earthy/musty drug store cigar-type flavor profile as the dominant theme, over which the other tobaccos add embellishment. It’s not true cigar flavor, but cigar-like. The fruity topping (which I assume is a topping due to the reduced tin note with time to off gas after opening ) is noticeable but subtle in the actual smoke - mostly apple and cinnamon. The broken flakes are easy to prepare and it takes a light without need for significant dry time. The first half of the bowl was the most the most tolerable part of the experience for me, as the harshness/spice increased beyond my preferred zone as I progressed . It might be a good blend for someone who likes a somewhat rugged, rough, fuller flavored tobacco sans Latakia. I lean more towards a medium to full English if looking to scratch the itch for something heartier. I love dark birds eye and the other heavy hitting gawith and hoggarth shag cuts, so I’m no stranger to stronger, darker blends. This one is better suited for autumn or winter as it’s a bit oppressive (to me at least) in the heat of the summer. I’ll revisit it in a year and see if my tastes have grown. I give it 2.5 stars, rounding up from 2.0, as I think it is fairly unique and accomplished what it was probably intending . I’m just not a the intended audience, no fault of the blender.

Edit 12/26/20

Still not feeling this one, and I like a variety of full flavored cigars and pipe tobaccos. Unfortunately, the overall flavor experience me reminds me of a long lost flavor variant of those budget Al Capone cigarillos . I used to impulsively buy Capones too often (no comment ) from various party stores in my youth. Mad Fiddler just seems overbearing, rough, and cheap tasting to me, like a budget cigarillo topped with spiced apple brandy. I guess I just don’t like kasturi. Sadly, two stars for this one. I’ll stick to the gawith and Hogarth dark offerings as well as my preferred Latakia blends when I want something robust.