Cornell & Diehl Redburn

I was expecting a bit more sweetness as I get honey from the tin note. This tobacco burns well and not having explored many tobacco cuts I find the cake an interesting experience to utilize vs the ribbon I've used exclusively in the past. The spice of the Kentucky is clearly present as is the nutty flavor of the burley, I don't get much Virginia in the blend or sweetness. Overall a pretty easy smoking blend to enjoy. I revised from 2 stars up to three as this dried out a bit and some of the topping disipated over a few months.

Presentation: A eye pleasing crumble cake with mostly medium brown ribbon, and a few golds and darker portions speckled throughout compressed into a semi dense block. The same form factor as Black Frigate, Blockade Runner, etc. Tears apart easily and it fluffs out into a generous amount of tobacco. Grab less than you think you need.

Palate: Tin aroma is burley throughout with hints of the bright and red Virginia. The topping provides a brown sugar note and the rum is applied moderately. The main portion of burleys provides a nice semi sweet chocolate and molasses flavor that is also a bit nutty and dry. The Virginias are a nice addition to the natural flavors of burley and provide a nice earthy glaze on top. The dark fired is represented well in this cake, adding just a touch of spice when you need it and not overdone. The perfect amount to keep your taste buds interested.

Performance: Burns quite fast due to the nature of the cake. Essentially it's fine ribbons compressed, and it rubs out into smaller ribbons. You can either prepare this in small chunks slightly broken or fully turn it into it's each individual components. Either way, it burns with no effort applied to the draw. However, if you do decide to rub it out fully, be sure to leave a few thicker chunks at the bottom, as the smaller pieces can interrupt your airflow by being lodged in the shank. Medium nicotine hit. Not an all day smoke but certainly able to repeat it.

Conclusion: I'm a sucker for plugs, cakes and flakes and it's no doubt that I wanted this. This is like the Captain Morgan of tobaccos. It's a little sweet with the molasses and rum topping and a little spicy with the addition of dark fired burley. I prefer smoking this in the late autumn and early winter as it has a warming quality to it, just like a nice adult spirit. Opening a fresh tin the burleys are quite dry in taste and it's hard to detect the Virginias. I've had the remaining portion of this cake jarred for a year and it has turned into a pretty great blend. The rum has tapered off and the sweet chocolate flavors of the burleys have intensified. The dark fired burley hasn't changed that much but the Virginias have given the blend a nice toasty bread note as well. I'm not sure if I will buy this blend again even though I quite enjoyed it. Another tin might possibly end up in my cellar, but not anytime soon.

I've found that I really enjoy the Krumble Kake's from C&D. To me this one is a burley forward blend with just a little sweetness from the Rum on top. The VA and KY add some sweet and dark notes and it packs a bigger nic hit than you'd expect. My tin was 7 months old and I found the moisture content to be perfect to light up without drying.

It's not a blend to me that goes "Smoke me all day" due to that nic hit but I really enjoy it in the evening in my smaller pipes.

3rdguy

Just finished my tin. I am a sucker for anything plug or cake form. Burley drives the bus with the KY and Virginia showing up very little. My tin came bone dry. Zero moisture to it and the tin was just 6 months old from Smoking Pipes. Rum was readily apparent in the tin note and it actually did translate a bit into the actual smoke. Decent smoke, obviously burned without issue as dry as it was. No bite. Nothing bad to report really but nothing great either. I love burley and C&D blends some great ones so I will pick a tin up at some point down the road to address the dryness issue.

At first, my initial impressions of this tobacco were mixed. The tin note is sour and pungent in a way that promises the rum topping is prominent. Other scents remind one of wet hay and an earthy sweetness, likely due to the conservative topping of molasses added. That is all to the good, but I then found my cake did not have the moistness other reviewers described; on the contrary, given the casings added, it felt dry and took some meager effort to rub out to my liking. The result did issue cause for hope, however: the tobaccos looked healthy and of quality, with a good mixture of burleys and virginias. In feel and coloration, it reminded me of another famous Cornell & Diehl burley cake, Briar Fox. I would later discover this resemblance was more than just surface-level, for it tasted like the old fox as well.

The tobacco lights easily and cleanly, making relights uncommon and tongue bite a remote concern at best. Even so, the first fifth of the bowl or so had an ashen flavor, and for a time, the promises of rum and molasses felt far and away. Patience is rewarded with this blend, however, and I found that both of these flavors do showcase themselves, but subtly and quietly. For those who prefer that their burley tobaccos that are aromatics to err on the side of caution (that is to say, to not let the casings sublimate the tobaccos), this is welcome news indeed. Even so, I could not help but feel the casing could just be a hint stronger. Not much, mind you; but enough were that occasional lingering sweetness and boozy tingling played on the taste buds a bit more so.

The blend really shows its best at mid-bowl. The natural earthiness and woodiness of the burleys become apparent, and the hay-like sweetness of the virginias offer the proper accompaniment. When the molasses and rum play their notes in tandem with the tobaccos, it is a wonderful, old world medley. When they don't, it is still a solid but forgettable burley/virginia blend that reminds one of Prince Albert or other so-called codger blends, albeit a bit more quality.

That all being said, things work far more often than not, and I found my subsequent smokes went a little smoother and showed remarkable consistency. If you are a burley fan, this is well-worth a try, and may even earn a place in a full-time rotation. For others, it will be worth trying in a sampler or on sale.

One aspect of pipery that has always puzzled me is how much one's body chemistry effects their preferences. Furthermore, I'm finding those chemical profiles seems to change with time. I used to avoid burley blends for giving me horrific bite, but ever since I quit vaping I've found they are growing on me. I tried Redburn once before, several years ago. My recollections are primarily of cigarette-like flavors and a sensation like licking a cheese grater. However, after discovering the joys of OJK, I decided I would give Redburn another try. I'm very glad I did. Now, I can't get it to bite even when abused. I can pick up the toppings in the tin note, but not in the smoke; just glorious wood, nuts, and a few whisps of hay. This could make for a fine all-day blend with a touch of added Perique, but that would just make it OJK At Sea, wouldn't it? Room note isn't going to be winning any awards; burley blends always smell pretty cigarette-ey. One thing I should mention is that this stuff does come fairly wet; the cake is almost foamy in it's lack of density. Just crumble it up on a plate, leave the whole tin's worth in my garage for an hour (in the cold, dry air of Iowa December), and it's perfect. Will it replace OJK as my go-to Burley? No, but it's a nice change of pace. Update 01/22/22: Since I absent-mindedly left my tin of blending Perique open for a week in a dry basement (I know; I hate myself for it), I decided to rehydrate it by mixing it in with my second tin of Redburn. I then re-pressed it into the tin, making a "Crumble Cannister". I was both right and wrong about what would happen with this mixture. Adding an ounce of Perique to two ounces of Redburn does resemble Old Joe Krantz, but is both sweeter and a bit less harsh. I call the resulting mixture "Ahab", and I've been smoking it daily. Worth a try, if you make a blunder like I did.

As a lover of fishing and the water in general I have to say that the look of the tin art on Redburn is enticing. When you open the tin the cake looks mostly brown, with shades of yellow, red, and dark brown mixed in. The tin note smells of nutty, woody, earthy Burley, citrusy, tangy, fermented Virginias, and a hint of rum at the end. This cake will rub out easily into a fine ribbon that loads well. The cake doesn't need much dry time and lighting is pretty standard.

After the charing light I taste a very smooth blend. The Burley tastes nutty, oaty and earthy. The Virginias add sweetness, dark fruit, and bread. There is dark fired in here giving a slight spice and tang. The rum is apparent and it brings everything together with caramel, sugar and spice. This is a blend that's made for relaxation. The slower you puff the more you'll enjoy, just like Blockade Runner.

The taste is a solid medium. No bells and whistles but average. The strength is a medium too, don't be afraid to smoke this on an empty stomach. With the high Burley content, the room note probably will push away non smokers, but I like the smell. All in all a good blend, slightly more rummy than Blockade Runner. I give this four stars.

That this stuff is sold in 16oz bricks, yet has so few reviews is a mystery to me. Comes as a standard crumble cake, easy to prepare & perfect moisture for smoking. The tin note is an overwhelming cacophony of liquors and molasses, almost a bit overwhelming.

Fortunately the overwhelming tin note does not translate into it's flavoring while smoked, it's actually quite mild. Nuts, wood, molasses, brandy, spiced rum, dried fruit, cocoa, honey. A surprising amount of VA grassyness & just a tiny bit of sweet "dark fired" smokiness to round it out. expect a VA/Bur first and foremost with just a tiny bit of DFK character. Smokes best imo when puffed slowly in a large bowl. Plenty of nicotine to satisfy. Smokes very easily, without biting, but burns quite quickly. I find myself reaching the bottom of the bowl very quickly.

Overall a very solid simi-aromatic VaBur. Maybe not aromatic in the sense of pleasing those around you, but the toppings really do add to the experience and provide nice character. Hasn't ghosted any of my pipes either. A very warm and comfortable experience. I could imagine this being a fantastic fall/winter smoke.

Guys, if you're having trouble enjoying Redburn, dont give up. It's mostly white burley with added condiments to give it a little more profile. If you dont like rum, dont worry because it will fade away. Redburn just needs some time and a little assistance to enjoy it.

Yes it can be a little bland at times but as must of us know, white burley has a nutty, cocoa character. So my suggestion is this......

Dont rub it out. Just break a chunk off and put it in the bowl. Dont chef the hell out of it. Smoke normal like you're smoking your favorite blend. Eat your favorite chocolate bar while smoking this, or drink a chocolate milk shake, help out get the most of the white burley flavors and everything else will follow suit .

It took me a couple of years to figure it all out. Time after time I wasn't impressed but after trying out what I did, it became fantastic medium bodied Burley Cake.

Just try it out, it really does help out!