Cornell & Diehl Eight State Burley 2021

Honoring historic US Burley growing regions, Cornell & Diehl's Small Batch: Eight State Burley showcases the often overlooked nuance and complexity of air-cured leaf, beginning with a specially sourced, matured blend of 2015 White and 2014 Dark Burleys — offering a mellow, creamy nuttiness, as well as a subtle, soft cocoa flavor on the palate. Top-tier Canadian Brights and SM2-18 Red Virginias (the same grade as in last year's run of Carolina Red Flake and Carolina Red Flake with Perique) complement those distinctive flavors with layers of sweetness, tang, and bready spice. Finally, Oriental tobaccos, well aged for 16 years, further contribute to the complexity of this unique Burley mixture: A blend of rare Sokhoum, Samsun, and Katerini sun-cured leaf from 2005 add a lightly floral, oily, spicy and tart flavor — their sweetness having deepened and their sour notes having muted with age. The blended mixture is pressed, sliced, and tumbled into an old-fashioned "chop-block" or ready-rubbed cut for an elegant balance of easy preparation and optimized aging potential. Eight State Burley is perhaps the most elevated rendition of a Burley blend available on the market today: Handcrafted in the Carolinas using specially sourced, rare varietals and components of the highest caliber, it evolves in depth and character from first light to final puff — offering a familiar, comforting, and nostalgic flavor that expands to challenge preconceptions and set the new standard for Burley blends across the board.