Cornell & Diehl Longevity
(3.36)
A smooth, middle weight Balkan crumble cake with Syrian Latakia, Turkish and red Virginia ribbon.
Notes: Discontinued Blend.
Details
| Brand | Cornell & Diehl |
| Series | Serenity Series |
| Blended By | William Serad |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | English |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Krumble Kake |
| Packaging | 2oz Tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.36 / 4
|
Reviews
Please login to post a review.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 25, 2002 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Smoking "Longevity" was a venture in new waters for me. Normally, I prefer the burley based blends which I can smoke all day. I am not unfamiliar with latakia blends, having smoked all of the earlier (and much lamented for their absence)offerings of Balkan Sobranie. Normally, though, latakia is not my first choice. But, I was intigued by a sample bowl of this blend, and a few others which I tried at the NYC pipe show in June. So, I obtained a few tins of William Serad's blends. His reputation as an impeccable reviewer of tobaccos is well known, but Serad's hand as a blender is not largely unackowledged.
In any case, I opened the tin and was reasonably surprised at the dark rich quality of the tobaccos. large cubes of mostly dark tobaccos, pressed not flakes. The aroma is, well, rich and full. The smoky essence of latakia, the raisins and slight sense of fermentation of red VA, and an undertone of nutty turkish leaf. The latakia is present, assertive w/o agression. These were fearful waters for me, friends, exotic and unknown. But, the tobaccos separated easily and packed with a springy quality in an old full bent Gold Crown billiard, especially cleaned for this moment. Two quick lights and the room was filled with a blue pungent smoke. I waited for the catch and back-of-throat bite I usually get with latakia. It wasn't there, but a fragrant, pleasant smoke was. And, that same quality with minor variations stayed through the smoke. The bowl of this Gold Crown is not paticularly large, but there was an obvious interplay of the turkish and latakia throughout the smoke, bolstered by the sweetness of red VA. I purposely let the pipe go out to see if there was any bitterness on re-lighting but none was discerned in that smoke. The first smoke finished with a reasonably dry pipe and minmal dottle, which was also dry to the touch.
I moved then to two large Custombilt straight billiards which were also recently cleaned. The reaction both times was about the same as the first smoke, but the larger bowls permitted the tobaccos to reach a fuller flavor. You can pick up and re-light even hours later /o bitterness.
This is a very competent blend with staying power. I have to believe that a few months in the tin will meld those tobaccos even more, but Longevity is mature enough for a pleasant smoke now. Two thumbs up and I'll add the tin to my stand at the computer. Longevity is a good complement to a diverse smoking agenda.
In any case, I opened the tin and was reasonably surprised at the dark rich quality of the tobaccos. large cubes of mostly dark tobaccos, pressed not flakes. The aroma is, well, rich and full. The smoky essence of latakia, the raisins and slight sense of fermentation of red VA, and an undertone of nutty turkish leaf. The latakia is present, assertive w/o agression. These were fearful waters for me, friends, exotic and unknown. But, the tobaccos separated easily and packed with a springy quality in an old full bent Gold Crown billiard, especially cleaned for this moment. Two quick lights and the room was filled with a blue pungent smoke. I waited for the catch and back-of-throat bite I usually get with latakia. It wasn't there, but a fragrant, pleasant smoke was. And, that same quality with minor variations stayed through the smoke. The bowl of this Gold Crown is not paticularly large, but there was an obvious interplay of the turkish and latakia throughout the smoke, bolstered by the sweetness of red VA. I purposely let the pipe go out to see if there was any bitterness on re-lighting but none was discerned in that smoke. The first smoke finished with a reasonably dry pipe and minmal dottle, which was also dry to the touch.
I moved then to two large Custombilt straight billiards which were also recently cleaned. The reaction both times was about the same as the first smoke, but the larger bowls permitted the tobaccos to reach a fuller flavor. You can pick up and re-light even hours later /o bitterness.
This is a very competent blend with staying power. I have to believe that a few months in the tin will meld those tobaccos even more, but Longevity is mature enough for a pleasant smoke now. Two thumbs up and I'll add the tin to my stand at the computer. Longevity is a good complement to a diverse smoking agenda.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11, 2004 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
I see that most of the esteemed reviewers above love this C&D offering and after having just completed a tin, I certainly understand why. William Serad of P&T Magazine fame blended this offering for Craig Tarler in an effort to put together a true Balkan style blend in crumble cake form. Therefore, it in no way tries to resemble Penzance or Pirate Kake except perhaps the form itself.
This is a true Balkan, so it obviously contains no Burley or Perique. It has that familiar "Balkan" taste while smoking which brings the Virginia and Turkish leaf to the forefront with the Latakia acting to support the main cast. This tobacco arrives at just the right moisture level and is easy to pack. It tastes mellow, sweet and cool and packs enough nicotine wallop to please even the most addicted puffers out there.
Truly delightful!
This is a true Balkan, so it obviously contains no Burley or Perique. It has that familiar "Balkan" taste while smoking which brings the Virginia and Turkish leaf to the forefront with the Latakia acting to support the main cast. This tobacco arrives at just the right moisture level and is easy to pack. It tastes mellow, sweet and cool and packs enough nicotine wallop to please even the most addicted puffers out there.
Truly delightful!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 12, 2007 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Strong |
I recently finished off a tin of this dated 2002. Wow! (thanks Joe!) This is similar to original Balkan Sobranie, for what that's worth. (not much, I know) Come to think of it, this is better. Believe them when they say this is smooth. C&D's crumble cakes are great, too. None (or much less, at least)of the dust and wormdirt found in some others made from too fine a cut, before pressing. Although this is a slightly finer cake than, say, Briar Fox.
Equal weight from all the components in both flavor and body. And I think the body of the smoke affects the flavor bunches.-- A little smoky, a little sharp, a little sweet. (Smoky tasting smoke, amazing, eh?) But it all seems to work together. The age didn't hurt, either.
There's nothing overpowering about Longevity, but I wouldn't want to smoke this while driving or during work (unless I had a pound) because there's so much going on in terms of flavor profile. Anything but a good old sit-down-smoke-out seems like a waste here.
Tin aroma is indeed, whiny, I mean wine-like. I can't remember a tobacco I've sniffed so much. Not even my beloved Full Virginia Flake!
One thing wonders me though, why not make this today? There's still Syrian around.
Equal weight from all the components in both flavor and body. And I think the body of the smoke affects the flavor bunches.-- A little smoky, a little sharp, a little sweet. (Smoky tasting smoke, amazing, eh?) But it all seems to work together. The age didn't hurt, either.
There's nothing overpowering about Longevity, but I wouldn't want to smoke this while driving or during work (unless I had a pound) because there's so much going on in terms of flavor profile. Anything but a good old sit-down-smoke-out seems like a waste here.
Tin aroma is indeed, whiny, I mean wine-like. I can't remember a tobacco I've sniffed so much. Not even my beloved Full Virginia Flake!
One thing wonders me though, why not make this today? There's still Syrian around.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 19, 2005 | Medium | None Detected | Very Full | Tolerable |
this blend reminds me of another C&D tinned favorite, bow-legged bear. i've always liked crumble cakes; seems like the flavors just flow together into a more balanced taste. longetivity has got to be my favorite balkan blend at the moment. the dominant thing for me is that lovely latakia creaminess that's perfectly complimented by the sweetness of the virginia. easy lighting, nice burn rate, and fine gray ash burned to a nearly dottle-free finish make it that much better. four stars and a thank you to mr. serad.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 30, 2004 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Longevity is, perhaps, the crown jewel of the William Serad "Serenity" series from Cornell and Diehl. In presentation, aroma, flavor, and body it outdoes all the rest.
Longevity is packed as a crumble-cake into two-ounce tins. The two thick hunks of tobacco that are the contents of this tin are comprised of a wild & ribbon cut blend, pressed into a solid mass. I think this treatment is particularly suited to this blend, as the flavors of red Virginia, musty Oriental/Turkish, and smokey Latakia really have a chance to meld in such close contact.
Preparation is easy enough. Break off a 1/2" chunk of one of the cakes and then break it up to your desired consistency. I find that this blend smokes best (for me) when I leave some larger flaky pieces to fill into the bottom of the bowl, and load increasingly finer toward the top.
On first light, the flavors and aromas that hit you are all the Oriental tobaccos - musty, cedary, smoky, and leathery. After the initial light, these flavors settle down a little and the Virginia tobacco begins to add a bit of depth and sweetness. This is not a "sweet" tobacco, though. It is rather "dry" on the palate. The slight sweetness of the VA keeps it from being overly astringent.
As the bowl smokes down, the Orientals and Latakia will again come to the fore, intensifying as one progresses. The end of the smoke has a tendency to be a bit bitter, though usually not unpleasantly so. Throughout the experience, there is plenty of flavor to be had. This definitely cannot be categorized as a bland mixture.
Longevity is a robust, relatively full-flavored Balkan. I would recommend this tobacco to seasoned Latakia smokers - this would probably be too assertive for someone newly introduced to English and Balkan blends. I would also say that this is an "end of the night" smoke. As it finishes rather intense, it can wear out the palate. Nicotine strength is medium.
For its body, and excellent smokeability, I heartily recommend Longevity.
Longevity is packed as a crumble-cake into two-ounce tins. The two thick hunks of tobacco that are the contents of this tin are comprised of a wild & ribbon cut blend, pressed into a solid mass. I think this treatment is particularly suited to this blend, as the flavors of red Virginia, musty Oriental/Turkish, and smokey Latakia really have a chance to meld in such close contact.
Preparation is easy enough. Break off a 1/2" chunk of one of the cakes and then break it up to your desired consistency. I find that this blend smokes best (for me) when I leave some larger flaky pieces to fill into the bottom of the bowl, and load increasingly finer toward the top.
On first light, the flavors and aromas that hit you are all the Oriental tobaccos - musty, cedary, smoky, and leathery. After the initial light, these flavors settle down a little and the Virginia tobacco begins to add a bit of depth and sweetness. This is not a "sweet" tobacco, though. It is rather "dry" on the palate. The slight sweetness of the VA keeps it from being overly astringent.
As the bowl smokes down, the Orientals and Latakia will again come to the fore, intensifying as one progresses. The end of the smoke has a tendency to be a bit bitter, though usually not unpleasantly so. Throughout the experience, there is plenty of flavor to be had. This definitely cannot be categorized as a bland mixture.
Longevity is a robust, relatively full-flavored Balkan. I would recommend this tobacco to seasoned Latakia smokers - this would probably be too assertive for someone newly introduced to English and Balkan blends. I would also say that this is an "end of the night" smoke. As it finishes rather intense, it can wear out the palate. Nicotine strength is medium.
For its body, and excellent smokeability, I heartily recommend Longevity.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 09, 2003 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Longevity is a wonderful blend that defies an easy description. C&D describes this as a balkan, but it is not quite that. Others have described this as an english blend, but I do not consider this a traditional english blend either.
So, how to catagorize this stuff? Who really cares? Longevity is a fantastic smoke, flavorful and very cool. The tobacco is packed as a Krumble Kake with just the right amount of residual moisture: not too wet and not too dry. The Kake is easily rubbed out into the bowl. As I have discovered with other C&D blends, the size of the "crumble" affects not only the burn rate but also the flavor; larger pieces make for a somewhat sweeter smoke.
Upon lighting, you are presented with a a wonderful virginia flavor tempered by the other tobaccos in the blend. To my tongue, the Latakia is definately present but is slightly in the background. The orientals round out the flavor and add to the perfume of the smoke. The overall impression is a brilliant symphony of tobacco tastes; melded into a layered mix of complex yet refined flavors.
I love this stuff. I have not smoked anything else quite like it, and I find myself reaching for a tin of Longevity when I want something flavorfull but lighter than a straight english but deeper than a straight virginia or V/P blend.
So, how to catagorize this stuff? Who really cares? Longevity is a fantastic smoke, flavorful and very cool. The tobacco is packed as a Krumble Kake with just the right amount of residual moisture: not too wet and not too dry. The Kake is easily rubbed out into the bowl. As I have discovered with other C&D blends, the size of the "crumble" affects not only the burn rate but also the flavor; larger pieces make for a somewhat sweeter smoke.
Upon lighting, you are presented with a a wonderful virginia flavor tempered by the other tobaccos in the blend. To my tongue, the Latakia is definately present but is slightly in the background. The orientals round out the flavor and add to the perfume of the smoke. The overall impression is a brilliant symphony of tobacco tastes; melded into a layered mix of complex yet refined flavors.
I love this stuff. I have not smoked anything else quite like it, and I find myself reaching for a tin of Longevity when I want something flavorfull but lighter than a straight english but deeper than a straight virginia or V/P blend.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 07, 2003 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
Yes, I am a latakia lover and if you are one, you will enjoy this blend. The latakia content in this blend is not over the top but perfect for all day reflection. This blend is smooth, sweet, and smoky. It lights easy once crumbled into your pipe, very little relighting is needed and leaves no dottle. It is monochromatic though, with the same taste fom pipe to pipe and from top of the bowl to the bottom. It is the perfect blend for those who don't want to think about the tobac but are busy doing other things while smoking (like sermon preparation). This one is now in my rotation. Highly recommended.... Update: 10-07-03, I just opened a tin that I had cellared. It was dated 4-1-02. What a difference! This blend has smoothed out wonderfully. A bright, sweet note has developed and the smokiness of the latakia is more apparent. It tasted so good, that I smoked three bowls back to back in my group 6 Ringrain Poker without nary a hitch.The nicotine content has mellowed even more, which is perfect for a wimp like me. This is definitely a delicious all-day blend! Go out and get some and stash them away and you will be blessed a year from now. Rating: 5 out of 5 points. Enjoy...
target="_blank"
