Cornell & Diehl Canal Boat

essages

---

Recently, I had the good fortune of obtaining a generous sample of one of Cornell and Diehl's new blends (available in late June 2001). This blend was humorously introduced at the Chicago show as "The Constipated Cockroach", complete with appropriately scatological graphic, in a limited run of 200 tins. Since the tobacco was rec'd with so much favorable response, the Tarlers decided to release it in the Summer catalogue. Hereafter, it will be known as "Canal Boat".

What can I say about such a subtle pleasing blend? Good pedigree from a reputable blender; conceived and suggested by William Serad,tobacco reviewed and commentator, of note, and Craig Tarler, blender. It is a cube cut burley,latakia and unsweetened black cavendish blend with great pouch aroma. Visually, there are browns and blacks of the components. It would appear that there are equal amounts of each component tobacco. The latakia and cavendish are quite discernible in the aroma but there is an undertone of the warmth and nutty quality of burley. It is a little moister to the touch than the regular C&D blends, but not overly so.

To date, I have had about twenty bowls in six or seven different pipes, and each provided a consistent experience. It lights easily and stays lit. The first taste sensations seem to be the sweeter cavendish but not with the sweetness of a cased blend, which leads to the spicier qualities of the latakia balanced finally by the earthiness of the burleys. After about 1/4 of the bowl, the smoke evens out with a smoothness and an interplay of burleys and cavendish. You know that there is latakia but it never overwhelms the tastes. The smoke is fairly consistent throughout, tamping easily and w/o much moisture. The last 1/4 of the smoke, perhaps less, fades away gradually w/o any bitterness. The dottle was fairly dry and about 1/2 the time almost non existent. It smoked better in a medium pipe than a large bowl, but I will try smoking it in a larger bowl. Canal boat smoked best, I thought, in a large bent meerschaum, a pipe of which I was not particular fond but may have been rescued by this blend.

I have to say that I enjoyed the smoke w/o much qualification, although I did not smoke 3 or 4 bowls in succesion in the same pipe which I will do to judge the "everydayness" of a tobacco. I think that those of you who are aromatically inclined might give this one a try, for its pleasant natural aromas w/o casing.

I am an unapologetic fan of C&D tobaccos. Their venture into burley based blends have done much to restore the credibility of burleys to a new world of smokers. Even so, this new blend is an intriguing venture in balancing the natural aroma of the unsweetened black cavendish with the cube cut burleys. Very tasteful and light on the palate even after smoking bowls in succession.

It has been a couple of years since I've posted any C&D blend reviews and I have smoked nearly 100 tins of their various offerings in that time. So, it may be awhile before I get to all of them.

William Serad is one of those people with such a large knowledge base that when he puts together a blend you know it is going to be good and Canal Boat has been a C&D favorite of many since it hit the market years ago. The extra large and thick chunks of pure unadulterated Burley combined with some smokey Cyprian Latakia and bits of Black Cavendish (flavor enhanced?), make this a worth compilation for the pipe. Best enjoyed (for me), in the evenings when I had time to sit and actually savor what I'm smoking. Delightful stuff!

All I can say is this is a winner, the Burley and Latakia taste great together and the Cavendish add's alittle sweetness. Good job!