Cornell & Diehl Pegasus

Great burley blend.

The cut is a mixture of long Virginia ribbons, chunky burleys, a little cube cut, and flecks of black cavendish. The tin note is mostly nutty, malty burleys with a little sweet, grassy Virginia.

This is one of the most well behaved blends to smoke. It packs easily, burns clean and dry, and requires few relights, if any.

It took me awhile to warm up to burley blends, but this was the one that got me. It doesn’t hit you with a ton of flavor in the first few puffs, but it slowly coats your taste buds with a malty cereal note that will stick with you for a couple hours. I find C&D Virginias less sweet, and more earthy than most blenders, and they really compliment the robust burleys in this blend. There may be a slight sweet casing on the tobaccos, or it might just be the minimal inclusion of the black cavendish, but it’s just enough to keep things mellow.

This is the perfect blend for mowing the yard, or just sitting on the porch. It requires little fuss. You don’t feel the need to pay much attention to subtle nuances of flavor. It just pleases. The nicotine is a little strong, but that’s fine with me.

How so very disappointing. How so very disappointing that I just finished my last bowl of Pegasus from the 1 oz sample I bought, and I have no more of it to smoke. I'll leave it to the likes of JimInks, et al, to breakdown the minutiae of the constituent tobaccos and what they bring to the table, and I'll simply sum the experience up in a single word - Satisfying. Well, more appropriately and accurately with two words - Very Satisfying.

This is a very satisfying smoke with an excellent natural tobacco taste. I am primarily a Virginia, Oriental, and Perique man, but decided to try a couple different C&D Burley blends, since it had been some time for me since I smoked a Burley blend. I never really got into Burley tobaccos previously. I had no problem with them, they didn't offend me like Latakia can do when used at obnoxious levels in a blend. They just didn't grab my attention and I felt the flavor a bit lacking and diminutive. I think Pegasus has changed that, and I can see this Burley forward tobacco blend becoming my primary go-to throughout the day, something I never would have expected to happen with a Burley forward blend, as it is just so very satisfying. Highly recommended.

Update: It has only been about a month, but I have burned through about a pound of this stuff. I'm a man that still mourns the loss of McClellands, for nobody knew how to treat Virginia/Oriental blends like they did, and I have been a committed Va/Or/Perique smoker and I like to keep some pure Turkish on hand for cigarettes. I don't know what the hell happened here, but Pegasus is what I am smoking 99% of the time, and I just can no longer find satisfaction in my Va and Va/Or/Pr blends anymore, with Gawith's Brown Twist being an exception. This stuff is fantastic and so very satisfying. And while it is no Brown Rope tobacco from a centuries old Tobacco Purveyor across the pond when it comes to Vitamin N, it has decent amount of nicotine, especially if puffed fast, which I tend to do.

Great stuff, cannot recommend it enough.

Well folks, I know this is a great blend because of all the accolades it gets here, from more experienced pipers than I. But the truth is.....I just don't get it. Is it a bad blend? Does it taste terrible? Does it burn hot or poorly? absolutely not. Is it interesting for me at all? Nope.

In the bag, a mix of cube cut and ribbon. Mostly medium and dark. There is definitely a sour or acidic note in the bag, but I do really like the bag note. I have never liked the smell of burning cigarettes, but the unlit cigarettes in the pack? One of the best smells in the world, and this reminds me of that a bit.

No dry time needed whatsoever here, and definitely no flavoring added as far as I can tell.

Once lit....yup, it's fine. I don't mind burley blends at all, but I rarely reach for them for a wow factor. For me they are usually a fishing/mowing the lawn/ breaking in a new pipe blends. Carter Hall being my go to for these purposes. Maybe I expected too much from this. Maybe I thought this was going to a Carter Hall plus, based on the quality of the blend, and it is quality. In the end...not gonna lie, I personally prefer the Carter hall.

Definitely might be your thing though, so give it a go.

A favorite burley blend. Easy to smoke, not too much going on. Simple, enjoyable burley - cavendish and Virginias add a little interest but don't step on the burley too much. Bought a tin then turned around and ordered 1/2 pound. It's a pipe tobacco that tastes like tobacco .

Burley is the tobacco I love above all others. This is, simply, my favorite blend, smoked daily. I never want to be without a supply on hand. If you want to try a burley I highly recommend it; don't know how it ages because it doesn't last that long in the jar.

I see reviews going back 15 years. God that's awesome. I love this site. My experience with Pegasus was pretty low key. I'm surprised to see all the love here for this old codger style blend. It's a pleasing burley forward blend. Notes of oat, mildly nutty, toasty and earthy. C&D burley blends have an earthy bitter walnut note that I find really offputting if too strong. The note is still there in Pegasus, but its tame enough that It's not an issue and that alone makes the blend noteworthy. The Virginia and the topping seem to add enough sweetness to balance Pegasus perfectly. The Virginia also offers a bit of grass and hay. The cavendish smooths out the burleys even more, filling in all gaps with a little dark sugar. Good candidate for an all day smoke. Pace yourself and it won't bite.

Right off the bat, Pegasus looks like the good quality tobacco that it is. The ribbons are delicate and fluffy and feel nice to the touch; not oily or clumpy, few if any stems, and the moisture is just where I like it, on the moist side of dry. The aroma in the bag reminds me of freshly toasted bread, but there's not much else there, and I'm fine with that. A little simplicity can be a good thing, and Pegasus provides, but with just enough nuances in flavor to keep you interested all the way down the bowl.

The burleys are the principle players here. They come together beautifully, with a full-bodied, but mild, tobacco flavor and hints of nuts and toast. The virginias join in with a subtle, natural sweetness that builds up slowly but levels out perfectly about halfway down the bowl. The cavendish makes an appearance now and again, bringing a mellowing coolness with just a hint of complexity. Again, there's enough here in Pegasus to keep you interested without overwhelming your palette. Pegasus is predictable, something which I appreciate in my tobaccos, and what makes it perfect as an all-day blend.

No special preparation required with this blend. I just pack it in layers, and it lights easily, burns consistently, and--provided you pace yourself--doesn't bite or get soggy at the bottom of the bowl. If you let it go out, it relights without any fuss, and if you smoke indoors, it isn't thick nor will it hang like a fog in the room. Pegasus has a pleasant and fairly mild room note and if you open a couple of windows, it dissipates quickly, which is good for spouses or guests who might otherwise object.

Overall, there's nothing that I dislike about this blend. Pegasus is, for lack of a better word, perfect.

This is the opposite of a flavor bomb, just an easy all day smoke without funny tastes and with great mouthfeel, good strength and body, up a full notch from the typical OTC burley, and without any added flavorings.

Its plain-ness is both its strength and its weakness.

The black cav and the VA work very far in the background but may build a little as you go along. You may or may not really notice them.

It's very easy to like if you like burley, and it's hard to resist smoking two bowls in a row.

This burley forward blend consists mainly of light to dark brown ribbons, with a small amount of unflavored black cavendish. I taste, oats, nuts, hay, and has a mild sweetness to it. I do not detect any topping. It’s cool, dry and never harsh. I’ve smoked it in various briars and cobs. It’s plain, mild, natural, and works well as an all day smoke. I recommend it to any newbies or burley lovers.