Cornell & Diehl Hearthside

Two friends english chocolate would be the easiest way to describe this blend, i wish there was more to it. This however comes in more former brittle flakes (typical of C&D) in a sense the latakia is standing out more in the blend appearance so you can pick the leaf accordingly with less or more latakia in each bowl which i liked. The taste is identical to the compared blend, slightly sweet and smokey. The room note is more smokey but not very unpleasant. Burns good with minimal drying time. Good for what it is but not superb.

Tin note of smoky dark chocolate. Tobacco is a flake of a marbled brown, dark brown and black. Moisture content is great. Flakes break apart and rub out easily. Burns slow with a few extra relights. The strength is mild to medium and nic is mild. Flavoring is mild, with notes of cocoa. Flavoring was mild throughout the smoke, mostly in the background. Taste is medium and very consistent, with notes of mild cocoa, smoky, toast, incense, spicy, buttery, fermented sour, spices, wood, earth, herbal floral hay, dry bitter musty vegetation, a sharp grassy, tangy citrus background note, and a peppery retro. Latakia is leading with Virginia and Flavoring supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

I’m not an aro guy, but this one isn’t bad. Typical C&D broken flake of Virginia and Latakia topped with chocolate and vanilla. The smokiness of the Latakia combined with the sweet toppings give it sort of an oatmeal cookie tin note. There’s a line for me where the aromatic toppings ruin the tobacco. Hearthside comes a few steps shy of crossing that line. Not bowling me over, but I am able to enjoy it for what it is. Two and a half stars.

This is an exemplary VA aromatic for tobacco lovers. Very present, bready, yeasty, VA flavor (and nicotine). Wonderful, warm, toasty, slightly fruity topping. Great for the holidays. A VA blend that can stand up to cold weather. I’m very impressed!

Came free with 2019 Peterson Christmas pipe. And I'm so happy that it did.

Beautiful rich broken flake. Easy to pack and smoke. Excellent tin note which, if I didn't know the content, I would've said high quality creamy chocolate-cherry with a hint of alcohol, but not the chemical type. Blend is very balanced, with the Latakia playing a secondary role, with just the right amount of smokiness and a bit of spice.

Since it's so well balance, I wouldn't be able to label this as either straightforward aromatic nor Latakia blend, although in the end of the day it is an aromatic. Very delicious and can be a everyday, all-day smoke, if there was only enough of it out there. Instead, I'm going to save this for special occasions. Until this disappears from stock, I'll buy a few more tins.

Can't give it 4 stars yet only because it's not as exceptional as some other similar blends, but it's almost there. Maybe just a bit more of chocolate-vanilla would've done it.

Wanna taste Christmas? I'd go for Cornel & Diehl's Hearthside.