Cornell & Diehl Carolina Red Flake with Perique (2021)
(3.73)
We created Carolina Red Flake as a tribute to the Old Belt, to the traditional harvesting and processing of Carolina tobacco straight from Carolina soil. Building on that tradition, Carolina Red Flake with Perique elevates equal measures of stoved and unstoved, single-farm, North Carolina red-orange Virginia tips from 2020 with a generous portion of genuine St. James perique. The resulting flavor balances pepper and spice with undertones of port wine, stone fruits, and citrus. It's rich, deep, and complex. It's how a Virginia/Perique flake should be.
Notes: Carolina Red Flake with Perique represents head blender Jeremy Reeves' ideal impression of a Virginia/Perique blend. C&D's latest run combines equal parts stoved and unstoved, top-tier red-orange Virginia tips from a single farm in North Carolina, forming a naturally sweet, bready, and tangy foundation with deeper, more baritone notes that pair exceptionally well with its genuine St. James perique — grown, harvested, processed, and barrel-aged on a single farm in the heart of St. James Parish, Louisiana.
Layered with satisfying complexity, Carolina Red Flake with Perique offers an enticing melody of flavors and aromas, balancing pepper and piquancy with undertones of port wine and stone fruits alongside brighter citrusy highlights. The stoving process, together with the St. James perique, lends an unparalleled richness and nuance to the mixture, complementing the unstoved leaf's brighter notes with figgy sweetness, breadiness, and earthy spice. While incredibly complex right out of the tin, it's a blend that will no doubt increase in complexity and continue to improve with age.
Details
| Brand | Cornell & Diehl |
| Series | Small Batch |
| Blended By | Jeremy Reeves |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Perique |
| Contents | Perique, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Broken Flake |
| Packaging | 2 ounce tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.73 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 2021 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The stoved and unstoved 2020 red, orange, and floral lemon Virginias are the lead components. I notice the orange and lemon a little more than I do the red by taste even though the stoving changes the colors of the varietals to some extent. They offer a wealth of very zesty, fermented tart and tangy citrus, floralness, bread, a fair amount of grass and earth, some tangy stewed dark fruit, wood, vegetation, sugar, and mild spice with light acidic, sour lemon, and port wine notes. The Saint James perique provides plenty of earth, wood, sugary stewed plum, figs, pepper, and a touch of raisins. By design, the perique plays an important secondary support role rather than giving full support, which is an observation, and not a complaint. The strength and nicotine levels are medium. The taste is a step past that due to the floralness. There’s no chance of bite or harshness. As there is no topping, there are a few typically expected small rough edges. The flakes are mildly moist and easily broken apart. I saw no need to dry the tobacco. Well balanced and nuanced, it burns cool and clean at a slightly slow pace with a very consistent moderately sweet, peppery, floral, and rugged flavor with a sour undertone. Has a mildly lingering, pleasant after taste. The room note is a tad stronger. Leaves little dampness in the bowl. Requires a few more than an average number of relights. Despite its rich depth, it can be an all day smoke for the veteran, and easily repeatable for the less experienced. Should age exceptionally well.
-JimInks
-JimInks
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2022 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Well, first is first: I definitely prefer this in a smaller bowl. My preference is the Stanwell 242 small pot shape. This tends to smooth out and combine the flavors. However, if you enjoy some Perique strength, I found that in larger bowls the Perique comes out more, bringing with it some figs, mushrooms, and spice. However, since my favorite smokes have been in the smaller bowls, this review is written smoking one my 242s.
The tin note shows some subtle notes to dark fruits, wine, and sweet grass
After some playing around with the broken flakes I decided to do what I usually do and just rub it all out. Then it is easier to pack and smoke. Moisture is fairly good out of the tin, but I prefer to bring it to a drier state. This really depends on your preference. Smokes at a medium pace. Absolutely no tongue bite. Could be a happy all-day smoke if it wasn't out of production. The Perique is not overly strong, but rather well combined and balanced with the Virginia sweetness. The Red Virginia isn't harsh either. It is smooth and produce a sweet wine and grass, like in the tin note. I'm not getting much of the bready notes I expected. This is on the sweeter citrusy side, but doesn't go as far as a bright Virginia does. Retrohale brings a bit more peppery spice.
Medium-full body, mild-medium in strength.
When Red Carolina Red Flake came out in 2020 I was very happy with it. Despite its total simplicity, it was a pretty rich and satisfying smoke. This years' version, with the Perique, is wonderful as well. However, comparing it with other Virginia/Perique blends, I don't think that it stands especially high. It is a great blend, but definitely not unique. On top of that, considering that I felt a great difference between smoking it in a small bowl and in my regular medium-sized pipes, where it definitely didn't shine, I'll have to say that it's very good, but not incredible in any way. If you got some of this when it came out - great. If not, that's ok.
The tin note shows some subtle notes to dark fruits, wine, and sweet grass
After some playing around with the broken flakes I decided to do what I usually do and just rub it all out. Then it is easier to pack and smoke. Moisture is fairly good out of the tin, but I prefer to bring it to a drier state. This really depends on your preference. Smokes at a medium pace. Absolutely no tongue bite. Could be a happy all-day smoke if it wasn't out of production. The Perique is not overly strong, but rather well combined and balanced with the Virginia sweetness. The Red Virginia isn't harsh either. It is smooth and produce a sweet wine and grass, like in the tin note. I'm not getting much of the bready notes I expected. This is on the sweeter citrusy side, but doesn't go as far as a bright Virginia does. Retrohale brings a bit more peppery spice.
Medium-full body, mild-medium in strength.
When Red Carolina Red Flake came out in 2020 I was very happy with it. Despite its total simplicity, it was a pretty rich and satisfying smoke. This years' version, with the Perique, is wonderful as well. However, comparing it with other Virginia/Perique blends, I don't think that it stands especially high. It is a great blend, but definitely not unique. On top of that, considering that I felt a great difference between smoking it in a small bowl and in my regular medium-sized pipes, where it definitely didn't shine, I'll have to say that it's very good, but not incredible in any way. If you got some of this when it came out - great. If not, that's ok.
Pipe Used:
Small pot (Stanwell 242)
Age When Smoked:
10 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 01, 2022 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
2021 Version. Smoking now:
The tin note is like a jar of fruit preserves that were kept in a hay filled barn. Very tart, sour, fermented, yeast, hay. It’s exactly what you want to smell if you like vaper blends. Broken flakes that are perfect from the tin.
The taste is pretty much the same. Very tart, sour, fermented bread, hay. Very flavorful. This is one the sweetest vaper blend I have smoked in my memory (update: it’s sweet but more so it’s not white pepper spicy). The st James Perish Perique is not as peppery or spicy but rather a deep rich dried fruit flavor. The retrohale is pleasant for a vaper blend and does not sting my nose too bad however you will get some of that spice there. Mild after taste that will leave a little pepper for you to wash down with your favorite beverage.
I love how sweet and flavorful this blend is. For me this is the ideal Virginia Perique blend. Smoked and behaved as well as any other vaper blend. A real treat. I’m glad I stocked up.
**update 7-8-22**
Still one of my favorite blends I’ve smoked. All of the above still applies. Burns slow, amazingly consistent. Maybe my favorite Vaper blend.
*update 9-21-23*
Taste isn’t as tart, it’s still there, but more yeast, and bread. The perique has a black pepper corn herbal flavor and a nice spice. Doesn’t tingle the nose on the retrohale. I enjoy the taste of the perique in this and I usually shy away from it.
Final verdict: I do enjoy this but it’s not my favorite vaper out there. I’ll pop a tin in a few years and see what it did in the tin. It’s a heavy perique flavored blend and I normally don’t like that but the perique here isn’t spicy, it’s more of a peppercorn and fruit flavor which I do enjoy. Not bad at all.
The tin note is like a jar of fruit preserves that were kept in a hay filled barn. Very tart, sour, fermented, yeast, hay. It’s exactly what you want to smell if you like vaper blends. Broken flakes that are perfect from the tin.
The taste is pretty much the same. Very tart, sour, fermented bread, hay. Very flavorful. This is one the sweetest vaper blend I have smoked in my memory (update: it’s sweet but more so it’s not white pepper spicy). The st James Perish Perique is not as peppery or spicy but rather a deep rich dried fruit flavor. The retrohale is pleasant for a vaper blend and does not sting my nose too bad however you will get some of that spice there. Mild after taste that will leave a little pepper for you to wash down with your favorite beverage.
I love how sweet and flavorful this blend is. For me this is the ideal Virginia Perique blend. Smoked and behaved as well as any other vaper blend. A real treat. I’m glad I stocked up.
**update 7-8-22**
Still one of my favorite blends I’ve smoked. All of the above still applies. Burns slow, amazingly consistent. Maybe my favorite Vaper blend.
*update 9-21-23*
Taste isn’t as tart, it’s still there, but more yeast, and bread. The perique has a black pepper corn herbal flavor and a nice spice. Doesn’t tingle the nose on the retrohale. I enjoy the taste of the perique in this and I usually shy away from it.
Final verdict: I do enjoy this but it’s not my favorite vaper out there. I’ll pop a tin in a few years and see what it did in the tin. It’s a heavy perique flavored blend and I normally don’t like that but the perique here isn’t spicy, it’s more of a peppercorn and fruit flavor which I do enjoy. Not bad at all.
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