Cornell & Diehl Warped: Until The End

Until The End is a cigar blend that is mild enough for those who wish to try the genre but aren’t sure they can handle strong tobacco, or they just want something smooth and mild, as cigar blends go. Note also that there is no Latakia in this blend. The reviewed tin is dated 05-19-20. In the tin, moist, well broken flakes feature varietals that run from tan to medium and dark brown, with a tin note like earthy, faintly musty, cigar-ish bread. The ribbons can be plucked straight from the tin, stuffed and smoked, or - better – dried some, then stuffed and smoked. Dried some, it handles, loads, lights and smokes down fine. I am not up to speed on cigar Cavendish, but this blend is mildly earthy, musty and cigar-ish, with added floral whiffs if snorked lightly, and it has a very nice mouth feel. The lot is very well melded, also consistent, top to bottom. I honestly can’t draw a bead on the KY, either, except to say it’s more nutty than smoky, and it has a little of the buttery tannin that I enjoy. The bright/flue cured VAs almost “sparkle” as they temper the mildly peppery cigar spices. There’s plenty of smoke. Strength ramps up to medium, with the nicotine trailing that. Tastes can get past medium if one tugs, as I tend to do. Room note is tolerable. Aftertaste is a lingering trailing off of the best of the smoke.

Until the End surprised me a little, as I was expecting something stronger and bolder. It actually seems like a “luxury” blend to me, in that it’s so smooth and generally civilized. It’s a perfectly good smoke, and I will smoke it all, but for me it does not quite make it to the top of the heap, either in its “class” or overall. 3 stars.