Cornell & Diehl Sun Bear
(3.40)
A blend of the finest red and bright Virginias balanced by Basma leaf from 2014 and Izmir Orientals from 2013, Sun Bear showcases select varietals by highlighting their inherent characters with a range of unique and nuanced casings. South Carolina garden-grown honey — harvested from the personal beehives of C&D's head blender, Jeremy Reeves — combines with a whisper of silver tequila and elderflower to augment the fruity and floral notes of the choice Orientals and Virginias.
Notes: 2019 - 4,500 tins produced. 2020 - 8,000 tins produced.
Details
| Brand | Cornell & Diehl |
| Series | Small Batch |
| Blended By | Jeremy Reeves |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | Aromatic |
| Contents | Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Alcohol / Liquor, Honey |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 2 ounce tin weight |
| Country | United States |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.40 / 4
|
Reviews
Please login to post a review.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 09, 2019 | Medium | Medium | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The tangy dark fruity, earthy, woody, bready, lightly floral, slightly spicy, slightly citrusy red Virginia takes a tiny lead over the other components at times. Strongly vying for attention for the first slot and often getting it are the dry, sour, lightly tangy sweet, woody, earthy, floral, spicy, smoky Basma and Izmir. The bright Virginia provides some tart citrus, grass, a floral and spice note in an important support role, and ranks a slot below the Orientals and the red Va. The smooth, sweet honey is the most obvious topping, while the lightly fruity, earthy tequila rises a little above the “whisper” mentioned in the blend description. Its effect tends to vary a tad, though it seems just a little more potent half way through the experience. The tart, grape and berry-like, acidic, floral, herbal, sweet elderflower is always in the background. The toppings sublimate the tobaccos to a moderate degree. The strength and taste levels barely reach the medium threshold. The nic-hit is just past the center of mild to medium. No chance of bite, and while it’s not exactly smooth, there’s very few rough edges, and has potential for a hint of harshness that chiefly comes from the Izmir. The flakes easily break apart to suit your packing preference. They are lightly moist, but needs no dry time. Burns cool, clean, and a little slow with a modestly sweet, minimally sour and savory, mildly inconsistent, complex and nuanced flavor. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires some relights. Has a pleasant, short lived after taste. The room note is a rung stronger than the after taste. Can be an all day smoke.
-JimInks
-JimInks
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 02, 2020 | Mild | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
This is a solid blend, but not amazing in my opinion. The smell out of the tin very nice. Literally makes me want to chew the tobacco. It's light, slightly floral, sweet, smooth and satisfying. The honey is in the forefront which is wonderful in its own right while the tequila is a subtle, supporting player that you can only pick up if you focus on it, but it is definitely there. The red and bright Virginia's are the major players in this blend while the Basma leaf and Izmir Orientals are an excellent inclusion that gives the blend a little something extra. They are more subtle than the Virginias. It's definitely a unique blend that I cannot compare to anything else because nothing else comes to mind given the honey additive. The very first smoke I would have rated around a 6.5-7 out of 10, because I puffed a bit quickly. The next 5 bowls I slowed down, was mindful of my cadence and focused a little more and now I would rate it at 8-8.5/10. Great blend that gives a little variety to my rotation since I'm primarily a straight Virginia smoker. Definitely worth a try if you can snag a tin. Well done Jeremy Reeves and C&D. This is a good addition to the market.
Pipe Used:
Savinelli Oscar 115
PurchasedFrom:
B and M and Online
Age When Smoked:
1 year
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 2019 | Mild | Medium to Strong | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
Cant say enough about this one. Its that good.. I've already smoked 2 tins and im getting nervous about my stores! My favorite blend atm. The Tequila and Honey, and elderflower play well with each other!
Pipe Used:
SMS Meer
PurchasedFrom:
Tobaccopipes.com
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 01, 2021 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
The toppings have the edge over the tobaccos, but the Red VA is easily distinguishable, and the other VA and Orientals provide a pleasant background. The tequila seems to be mostly (but not entirely) reduced to a 'boozy' note, but the honey and elderflower are present. Overall, the topping are just strong enough to prevent it for being an 'all day' tobacco for me, but it is a lovely summer change of pace.
Pipe Used:
cobs and briars
PurchasedFrom:
smoking pipes
Age When Smoked:
2 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 03, 2021 | Mild to Medium | Medium | Medium | Pleasant |
Cracking the tin, I smelled, first of all, a dense aroma of floral honey and elderberry. The bread and grassy flavor of Virginia held in the background, and the spice and incense were a faint additional note. The tequila that the manufacturer mentioned in the description was barely detectable.
The color of the tobacco was rye and wheat bread, almost uniform. The consistency was a loose, broken flake that kneaded easily. I stuffed a medium-sized Billiard with it and had no trouble smoking it.
The tobacco is initially smoked easily, cool, by the middle of the pipe becomes a little hotter, but does not lose comfort, the pipe is easy to hold with your hand. The strength is slightly below average. Smokes smoothly, nicotine hit the smoker is definitely not a threat.
The tobacco flavor was to be expected - like bread spread with honey. A subtle spicy oriental note runs through it, slightly salty, as if you put a little white pepper in your mouth. A slight viscosity in the flavor, as from an unripe fruit, increases as you smoke, but does not become obtrusive. Towards the end of the pipe the viscosity disappears, there is only sweet tobacco. There is no moisture in the pipe.
The smoke is sweet, not heavy, with the smell of the same honey and elderberry. Hangs in the room long enough, but not annoying.
A strange mixture. For my taste, it is unaccustomed and perhaps a little heavy on tongue, but I can't call it 'aromatic' (though, it is!). . I'll keep another tin in my collection and come back to it in four-five years - let's see how the tobacco changes.
The color of the tobacco was rye and wheat bread, almost uniform. The consistency was a loose, broken flake that kneaded easily. I stuffed a medium-sized Billiard with it and had no trouble smoking it.
The tobacco is initially smoked easily, cool, by the middle of the pipe becomes a little hotter, but does not lose comfort, the pipe is easy to hold with your hand. The strength is slightly below average. Smokes smoothly, nicotine hit the smoker is definitely not a threat.
The tobacco flavor was to be expected - like bread spread with honey. A subtle spicy oriental note runs through it, slightly salty, as if you put a little white pepper in your mouth. A slight viscosity in the flavor, as from an unripe fruit, increases as you smoke, but does not become obtrusive. Towards the end of the pipe the viscosity disappears, there is only sweet tobacco. There is no moisture in the pipe.
The smoke is sweet, not heavy, with the smell of the same honey and elderberry. Hangs in the room long enough, but not annoying.
A strange mixture. For my taste, it is unaccustomed and perhaps a little heavy on tongue, but I can't call it 'aromatic' (though, it is!). . I'll keep another tin in my collection and come back to it in four-five years - let's see how the tobacco changes.
Pipe Used:
Peterson 106
PurchasedFrom:
Online
Age When Smoked:
2020
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 2020 | Very Mild | Medium | Mild | Very Pleasant |
Finally a limited edition tobacco that champions sustainable apiculture. Tobacco has come a long way from the factories at Bristol and Liverpool.
The Oriental grounds the Virginia, which might otherwise have the trademark unpleasant treble notes. This is a very harmonious mixture. It's unassuming but charming and complex. Never overbearing. There is real body here, a real heft that never weighs on the senses. There is no sharpness, no acridity. The smoke is voluptuous and sensuous. There is a vibrance and floral joyfulness in the nose. Sweet, but demure.
Like a furtive summer romance, I'm not sure I care to know the particulars about what makes this tobacco what it is. Aromatic or not, it just works and wasn't meant to be overthought.
The Oriental grounds the Virginia, which might otherwise have the trademark unpleasant treble notes. This is a very harmonious mixture. It's unassuming but charming and complex. Never overbearing. There is real body here, a real heft that never weighs on the senses. There is no sharpness, no acridity. The smoke is voluptuous and sensuous. There is a vibrance and floral joyfulness in the nose. Sweet, but demure.
Like a furtive summer romance, I'm not sure I care to know the particulars about what makes this tobacco what it is. Aromatic or not, it just works and wasn't meant to be overthought.
Pipe Used:
meerschaum
PurchasedFrom:
Cup-O-Joes
Age When Smoked:
fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2021 | Mild to Medium | Medium to Strong | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
From 2020:
Tin note is honey. A floral and sweet aroma. Some tart and hay like Virginias in the back ground. Nice broken flakes, moisture level is perfect.
The taste is very much the same. Lots of sweet honey, floral notes, woody spice, some grassy and slightly tart notes. The honey dissipates half way though but there’s still plenty of sweetness. The tequila became more prominent as the honey dissipated and took the lead on the second half of the bowl. There is a sharp retrohale but you’ll pick up some sour and floral notes. The orientals are definitely noticeable in the blend. I wouldn’t push this one but when kept cool at a moderate pace it was quite enjoyable on a summers day. A different kind of Virginia blend. One that I would try and pick up again.
Tin note is honey. A floral and sweet aroma. Some tart and hay like Virginias in the back ground. Nice broken flakes, moisture level is perfect.
The taste is very much the same. Lots of sweet honey, floral notes, woody spice, some grassy and slightly tart notes. The honey dissipates half way though but there’s still plenty of sweetness. The tequila became more prominent as the honey dissipated and took the lead on the second half of the bowl. There is a sharp retrohale but you’ll pick up some sour and floral notes. The orientals are definitely noticeable in the blend. I wouldn’t push this one but when kept cool at a moderate pace it was quite enjoyable on a summers day. A different kind of Virginia blend. One that I would try and pick up again.
Pipe Used:
Briar
Age When Smoked:
1 year
target="_blank"
