Cornell & Diehl Haunted Bookshop
(2.80)
A predominantly burley mixture with a touch of red Virginia and perique.
Notes: Another of the late Bob Runowski's blends, named in honor of the famous novel written by Christopher Morley, Haunted Bookshop is a burley and Virginia blend with just a touch of perique.
Details
| Brand | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blended By | Bob Runowski |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | Burley Based |
| Contents | Burley, Perique, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Coarse Cut |
| Packaging | 2 ounce tin, 8 ounce tin, bulk |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
2.80 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 49 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 05, 2014 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
A very American blend with a very English name. Well, "haunted bookshop" sounds very English to me, anyway. Here in America, people don't really read. It'd be like "haunted Walmart" or something.
I struggled with this blend. When I first tried it years ago, I thought it was too strong, so thought "Well, I don't really like strong tobaccos." I mean strong, robust, LOUD, as in flavor.
This has turned out not to be true. I love many very robust pipe tobaccos. Byzantium, also by C & D, is one of my faves.
Then I thought it has too much vitamin N for me, which also has turned out not to be true. I enjoy many blends these days that have a bigger kick.
I thought maybe I didn't like burleys: not true. I thought maybe I didn't like burley and perique together: not true.
In other words, I was trying to blame my lack of enjoyment of this tobacco on myself, on my tastes, but what it boils down to is that I don't like Haunted Bookshop because it is poorly done. Musty, stout, heady, spicy, dark, full--and very unbalanced.
You would think this blend would work and be delightful, but it just doesn't. Of course, as with everything on Tobacco Reviews YMMV.
It's a blend that tries to be 'rustic' and thinks 'rustic' means lacking any and all subtlety or nuance, and being completely off balance.
The same thinking that creates these modern craft beers with stupid, ridiculous levels of hoppiness also created Haunted Bookshop.
Cool name, though.
I struggled with this blend. When I first tried it years ago, I thought it was too strong, so thought "Well, I don't really like strong tobaccos." I mean strong, robust, LOUD, as in flavor.
This has turned out not to be true. I love many very robust pipe tobaccos. Byzantium, also by C & D, is one of my faves.
Then I thought it has too much vitamin N for me, which also has turned out not to be true. I enjoy many blends these days that have a bigger kick.
I thought maybe I didn't like burleys: not true. I thought maybe I didn't like burley and perique together: not true.
In other words, I was trying to blame my lack of enjoyment of this tobacco on myself, on my tastes, but what it boils down to is that I don't like Haunted Bookshop because it is poorly done. Musty, stout, heady, spicy, dark, full--and very unbalanced.
You would think this blend would work and be delightful, but it just doesn't. Of course, as with everything on Tobacco Reviews YMMV.
It's a blend that tries to be 'rustic' and thinks 'rustic' means lacking any and all subtlety or nuance, and being completely off balance.
The same thinking that creates these modern craft beers with stupid, ridiculous levels of hoppiness also created Haunted Bookshop.
Cool name, though.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 06, 2017 | Medium to Strong | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Another C&D blend of rather crude, high nicotine burleys. I can't understand why people can like this blend. Despite it's whole grain character with slight tang and fruit from the trace amount of perique and red virginia, the taste is just acrid and ash. I have smoked much smoother whole leaf burley than this stuff and I have to wonder where they are getting this leaf from and why choose it to blend with. There are much better choices with smoother taste for those looking for a robust non-flue cured tobacco i.g. Tabac Manil Semois, G&H/SG dark-fired shags, ropes, flakes, Five Brothers. Despite coming in a tin there is nothing premium about this product and definately is not worth the typical price for such a pathetic blend of unrefined and crude burley.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 20, 2019 | Medium | None Detected | Full | Very Strong |
There is a great deal of hype around this blend - and many will be disappointed. Some will describe this as "bold", "strong" and "earthy". It's none of these. It is just an unbalanced, ash-tasting smoke.
Some of the positive reviews here negatively address people criticising this blend for its cigarette-like taste, justifying this by stating it's a "bold burley", or whatever. I am a 12 year piper, I am familiar with cig's and cigars too, and I will tell you that this smokes like a cigarette. I may as well have bought a pouch of roll-you-own-cigaette tobacco and put that in my pipe (I have done this in my student past, and it was a similar experience.)
I did get some natural tobacco sweetness coming through towards the end of the bowl, but not an awful lot, and this may have been due to ghosting.
This is a blend for recovering smokers who have turned to the pipe.
Room note: Wife says it just smells like I am chain smoking cigarettes and asked me to never smoke this inside - she hasn't asked this of me in the past
Some of the positive reviews here negatively address people criticising this blend for its cigarette-like taste, justifying this by stating it's a "bold burley", or whatever. I am a 12 year piper, I am familiar with cig's and cigars too, and I will tell you that this smokes like a cigarette. I may as well have bought a pouch of roll-you-own-cigaette tobacco and put that in my pipe (I have done this in my student past, and it was a similar experience.)
I did get some natural tobacco sweetness coming through towards the end of the bowl, but not an awful lot, and this may have been due to ghosting.
This is a blend for recovering smokers who have turned to the pipe.
Room note: Wife says it just smells like I am chain smoking cigarettes and asked me to never smoke this inside - she hasn't asked this of me in the past
Pipe Used:
Dunhill Dublin
Age When Smoked:
fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 30, 2016 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Strong |
I'll preface this review by stating that I tend towards VaPers, Orientals, and some aromatics. I don't mind burley at all, but prefer it way in the back of the bus. This has clearly influenced how I feel about Haunted Bookshop.
I wanted to really like this blend, but it is just rather blah. The tin note is earthy, with that classic tobacco smell - oddly, I do get some licorice notes in there. The taste is med, but (IMO) lacked any depth or imagination. It starts out tricking you into thinking that this might be a nice experience, but is soon replaced by an ashy, heavy taste that just never stops. I'll admit there are these little moments where it tries to seduce you again - but don't be fooled!
The room note is somewhere between leafy detritus, and a homeless man smoking a butt he found on the road. If you have a partner, don't to expect to get any compliments on how awesome it smells - trust me, you'll be outside and on your tod.
It packs well, lights well, and stays that way for pretty much the whole bowl. Please don't let my experience put you off, but if you are like me, don't say I didn't warn ya'.
I wanted to really like this blend, but it is just rather blah. The tin note is earthy, with that classic tobacco smell - oddly, I do get some licorice notes in there. The taste is med, but (IMO) lacked any depth or imagination. It starts out tricking you into thinking that this might be a nice experience, but is soon replaced by an ashy, heavy taste that just never stops. I'll admit there are these little moments where it tries to seduce you again - but don't be fooled!
The room note is somewhere between leafy detritus, and a homeless man smoking a butt he found on the road. If you have a partner, don't to expect to get any compliments on how awesome it smells - trust me, you'll be outside and on your tod.
It packs well, lights well, and stays that way for pretty much the whole bowl. Please don't let my experience put you off, but if you are like me, don't say I didn't warn ya'.
Pipe Used:
Vauen 1014
PurchasedFrom:
Smoking Pipes
Age When Smoked:
1 month
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 14, 2016 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Overwhelming | Tolerable |
Why? Why selltobacco that tastes of ashtrays? This is the worst tobacco i´ve ever tasted. It only tastes harsh. It´s jarring to your senses. Stay away!
Pipe Used:
Straight billiard size 5, straight prince size 2
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes.com
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 24, 2017 | Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable to Strong |
First let me say that I love burley. Burley based blends like C&D's Big n Burley are very good, straight burley's like Solani 656 are wonderful. This, this is a different animal. The smell out of the jar is simply burley, a nice mild smell. The entire sample is a light brown, where is the red VA, I cannot see it, its not in the aroma at all. A very small smattering of perique by the look of things too. Taste is no better. I get a sourness that is not really present in burley for me. Don't confuse sour for bitter, a slight bitterness comes in good burley with a note of cocoa. This is not that, it is sour. Occasionally a little pepper comes in from the perique but no dark fruits nor are there tangy elements from the VA. I don't think this has any red VA in it! At about mid bowl it turns from this sour mess into a harsh ashy cigarette like flavor profile that continues until I have had all I can take. This is not from the pipe. I have tried it is several pipes I have cleaned my pipes and tried it again with the same result. I will not finish the sample.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 08, 2014 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This mixture is not my cup of tea, it was too harsh for my taste. I think it taste somewhat cigar´ish but not in a good way, more like a 1$ cigar from the gas station. But in other hand I also found that the taste was a little nutty in the background, which I liked. But that did not weigh up to the taste of cheap cigar
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 02, 2014 | Mild to Medium | Medium to Strong | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
Maybe it’s just me. I really enjoy the VaPer blends such as GLP’s Haddo’s Delight, and even Dunhill’s Elizabethan Mixture. This was my first foray into the burly/perique territory and will be my last! The sweetness and perique just doesn’t mix well on my tongue. The aftertaste was not the usual for perique and there must be other casings in this mix which did not add any enjoyment. After the charring light a strange goo taste and texture began to emerge. Then the bitterness of the hot smoke kicked in.
Honestly, I have VERY seldom dumped a bowl halfway through, but I did with this junk. Sorry, C&D , you have some excellent blends, but this is certainly not among them. Even Cater Hall is a burly blessing compared to the dusty and dank bookshop.
Honestly, I have VERY seldom dumped a bowl halfway through, but I did with this junk. Sorry, C&D , you have some excellent blends, but this is certainly not among them. Even Cater Hall is a burly blessing compared to the dusty and dank bookshop.
Age When Smoked:
new
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 05, 2013 | Medium | Medium to Strong | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
When I called C&D to place an order for the tobaccos I usually smoke, such as Briar Fox, After Hours, Habana Daydreams, etc., I added one more tin for a trial, on a whim, as I was attracted to the name. This was my first foray into Haunted book shop and became my last.
The nose delivers the damp smell of English antique furniture, which matches the images the said name gives. The musty smell of old books. Taste: dusty, bitter, and earthy. I am a big fan of C&D, and I love VA/PE blend, but it's not my taste. So far, I skip this one in my next order. At least, until I come back to it some day with some more experiences.
The nose delivers the damp smell of English antique furniture, which matches the images the said name gives. The musty smell of old books. Taste: dusty, bitter, and earthy. I am a big fan of C&D, and I love VA/PE blend, but it's not my taste. So far, I skip this one in my next order. At least, until I come back to it some day with some more experiences.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 31, 2009 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Very Mild | Tolerable |
I bought this tin, solely on the name alone. In the tin it smells like a mixture of old cigarettes and hay. It was rather dry if I remember correctly. As for the taste, well it was like smoking cigarettes. I have kept the tin in hopes that I could add something like McClelland's 5100 to improve it, but I have yet to do so. Not recommended.
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