Cornell & Diehl Craig Stark's Blend

a very good CD blend - the cocnut topping reference may throw you though, I guess if you used you imagination it is there. I like it but not easy to get a hold of. Has to be ordered.

I will rarely say something is amazing,but this truly is.It is labeled as an aromatic with Latakia and that it is.THe flavor is very rich,not complex-just rich.It is predominantly a burley blend with some perique and latakia for body and depth.Although the description says "a light coconut topping " the flavor of coconut is very pronounced.It again, is a rich not sweet coconut.It should be a crossover aromatic,but really,it is an aromatic with wonderful English components and body.In most of my reviews I find it helpful to compare a blend to something similar.In this case it was actually easy.In Milwaukee Wisconsin there is a wonderful shop called Uhles.They have something called IRISH AROMATIC.That blend is excellent,but this is spectacular!I wonder if C&D also makes that for them? A question to ponder. In any case you must try this blend. 4 of 4 stars!

First, my standard warning -- I am a new pipe smoker (less than a year)! So beware; I don't have the palate or the jargon down yet, but if you want to hear what a new pipe smoker thinks, read on. Ok, I really like Craig Stark's Blend! It comes in a very heavy plastic bag (at least my 2 ounce sample did), and upon opening, has a pleasant but "can't put your finger on it" smell. Not quite vanilla, but not quite coconut. The tobacco is brown and black, ribbon cut, packs easily in the pipe, and lights well. I've never had any trouble keeping my pipe lit with this tobacco; an occasional tamp is all that I needed. The smoke is very thick, and white (not gray, but white!). The best part of Craig Stark's Blend is that just when you think you're smoking too fast and going to get a bite, it backs off! I've never had tongue bite with this brand, and I tend to smoke pretty fast. I really enjoy the "tease" of the coconut topping, and at least for me, there is usually a mild kick from the nicotine. The aroma is not exactly displeasing, but not a crowd pleaser. It has a quality that I really like, for reasons I simply cannot explain. It must be complex beyond my present ability. C&D have a loyal customer in me for this blend, as I'm sure as I mature as a pipe smoker, I will find more and more subtleties to discover. C&D catalog this blend as a "premier latakia", meaning not really aromatic, not really english, but something inbetween.