Cornell & Diehl Briar Fox
(3.02)
An exceptionally smooth crumble cake of Virginias and burleys.
Notes: The personal blend of well-known Danish pipe maker, the late Peter Heeschen. One of C&D's most popular tobaccos, Briar Fox is pressed into an old fashioned crumble cake.
According to Cornell & Diehl head blender Chris Tarler, there was a little Burley in it.
Details
| Brand | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blended By | Peter Heeschen |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | Virginia Based |
| Contents | Burley, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Krumble Kake |
| Packaging | 2 ounce tin, 8 ounce tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.02 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 41 - 50 of 179 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 22, 2020 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Briar Fox is a strange animal. I have no idea where this belongs in my rotation. On one hand, it tastes like a straight virginia with all the notes of grass and hay. On the other, it has that deep burley earthy flavor with some subtle spice and floral notes. I’ve seen many comparisons to cigarettes and cigars and I have to agree. This description might do a disservice as there are many negative connotations about cigarettes. I should note that it leans more towards an earthy cigar flavor in my opinion. If someone told me this blend was just chopped cigar, I’d probably believe them wholeheartedly, though I know this isn’t the case. It’s just that subtle addition of burley that makes the blend so.
As many have noted the appearance of the cake is very attractive and a tiny bit shaggy. Very pleasant to look at and one of the finest presses I’ve seen, which I’ve now come to expect from C&D’s cakes and flakes.
As far as the smoke, it couldn’t burn any better. It has nice luscious plumes of smoke with every puff and requires very few relights, despite it being lightly damp in the tin. I find it’s at a perfect moisture level - not to dry, not to wet. Breaks down and packs nicely. The nicotine level is a nice medium and won’t lay you out like Haunted Bookshop and similar burley based blends.
I’m currently smoking this during the mid to late Spring and it feels a bit out of place. It practically begs to be smoked during the Summer and early fall. I kind of want to compare the taste to Carter Hall or maybe Half & Half, due to some of the died fruit and earthy notes from the burley, but comparing this to an OTC is really unfair given how well this behaves. For a nearly straight VA, it doesn’t get too hot on me.
But the problem remains, where the heck should I put this in my rotation? I really don’t know where it belongs. And that’s not to say that this blend doesn’t belong somewhere or that you shouldn’t get it. I just want to point out how much of an outlier it is in the pipe tobacco world.
I’d highly recommend this to someone looking to transition from cigs and cigars if they wanted to enjoy that flavor. I’d also recommend this for people that like straight VA’s but find themselves wishing for a cooler, gentler smoke that you don’t have to baby as much or isn’t as sweet and sugary.
Overall, I think this is a great blend that’s at least worth trying once to see how it suits you. Even if it’s not what I’m used to, it packs, lights, and smokes excellently and has a cool dry smoke - which is really what I’m looking for in a premium tobacco. For that, I have to give this a recommendation. But don’t take my word for it, see for yourself if this is something you’d enjoy or not. I’ve heard of people loving this one so much they buy a full pound of it in cake form! [insert joke about pound cake]
As many have noted the appearance of the cake is very attractive and a tiny bit shaggy. Very pleasant to look at and one of the finest presses I’ve seen, which I’ve now come to expect from C&D’s cakes and flakes.
As far as the smoke, it couldn’t burn any better. It has nice luscious plumes of smoke with every puff and requires very few relights, despite it being lightly damp in the tin. I find it’s at a perfect moisture level - not to dry, not to wet. Breaks down and packs nicely. The nicotine level is a nice medium and won’t lay you out like Haunted Bookshop and similar burley based blends.
I’m currently smoking this during the mid to late Spring and it feels a bit out of place. It practically begs to be smoked during the Summer and early fall. I kind of want to compare the taste to Carter Hall or maybe Half & Half, due to some of the died fruit and earthy notes from the burley, but comparing this to an OTC is really unfair given how well this behaves. For a nearly straight VA, it doesn’t get too hot on me.
But the problem remains, where the heck should I put this in my rotation? I really don’t know where it belongs. And that’s not to say that this blend doesn’t belong somewhere or that you shouldn’t get it. I just want to point out how much of an outlier it is in the pipe tobacco world.
I’d highly recommend this to someone looking to transition from cigs and cigars if they wanted to enjoy that flavor. I’d also recommend this for people that like straight VA’s but find themselves wishing for a cooler, gentler smoke that you don’t have to baby as much or isn’t as sweet and sugary.
Overall, I think this is a great blend that’s at least worth trying once to see how it suits you. Even if it’s not what I’m used to, it packs, lights, and smokes excellently and has a cool dry smoke - which is really what I’m looking for in a premium tobacco. For that, I have to give this a recommendation. But don’t take my word for it, see for yourself if this is something you’d enjoy or not. I’ve heard of people loving this one so much they buy a full pound of it in cake form! [insert joke about pound cake]
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 02, 2018 | Medium | Very Mild | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I am a hardcore Virginia lover, and have smoked hundreds and hundreds of bowls of the world's finest Virginias. And this does not remotely merit being including as one. I'm smoking a bowl that has been sitting in my cellar for 5 years. It's got plenty of age. This should never even be called a Virginia tobacco. It reeks of Burley and only a hint of Virginia exists in the smoke. That being said, it's not a bad tobacco. I can see why some people like it. But I doubt those people are true Virginia smokers. Honestly, if I wanted to smoke Burley, I'd reach for Carter Hall before this stuff.
Pipe Used:
Peterson Straight Billiard
PurchasedFrom:
Beehive Cigars
Age When Smoked:
5 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 15, 2017 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
Briar Fox leaves me a bit into ambiguity. I like it because the proportions of White and Dark Burley allow me to appreciate them better than in the Burley Flake series; but their proportions is still high enough to the point where they, sadly, smother the virginias' taste. That makes, thus, Briar Fox more of a Burley than Virginia krumble kake. As I purchased BF because It as presented as a Virginia based mixture, my verdict is ambiguous. There is nothing wrong with BF per se; 4 years of aging makes for a smooth and rather rich and tasty smoking experience. The nicotine is also right. But I would have liked to see a dominance of the Virginias instead of the Burley. Therefore, I appreciate the stable, cigarish and slightly bitter aromas and taste from the dark Burley; but I get very little grassiness, hayness, sweetness and citrus notes from the Virginias. A few weeks after opening, the virginias have a more pronounced presence; but despite throwing a bit of sweetness and hayness in there, it still remains a burley blend. This, in the end, makes for a rather overall boring tobacco as where, if there had been more Virginias, it could have proven a rather very pleasant venture developing some complexity. Too bad. If you love Burley, by all means, you will be conquered by BF. At that level, I can understand why it's C & D's top seller. It makes for a very good all day smoke. I, personally, lament the too small proportions of Virginias.
Age When Smoked:
4 years 2 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 07, 2017 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
There’s nothing very exciting about Briar Fox. But nothing to displease you either. It is an easy, well behaved tobacco with natural tobacco taste where neither the Virginias nor the Burleys stand out. It has a cigaretty quality but cigarettes do not come as good and natural. And there’s also a bit of the Burley nuttiness and some mild tangy sourness to make it more varied. It’s not complex but it’s not monochromatic either.
I find Briar Fox to be a good solid tobacco which is perfect when you don’t want anything complex but instead a good “meat and potatoes” blend. In a category of natural-tasting and not "in your face with flavour" Briar Fox is an excellent blend. 3.5*
I find Briar Fox to be a good solid tobacco which is perfect when you don’t want anything complex but instead a good “meat and potatoes” blend. In a category of natural-tasting and not "in your face with flavour" Briar Fox is an excellent blend. 3.5*
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 06, 2016 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
A lot of the more negative reviews stem from the way the blend is touted as virginia spiced with burley. Many smokers just aren't fans of burley. I'm not one of them, I happen to love burley of all kinds, and this blend definitely has more than a smattering off burley in it. I'd wager there's at the minimum 50% burley content, probably higher. So I can see why many might be put off from the outset. Sort of like taking a big swig of what you thought was milk only to find its buttermilk instead. If you already enjoy burley, it's likely you'll enjoy this blend a lot more.
The crumble cake brick looks like a piece of rotted particle board and breaks apart quite easily. Moisture content is about perfect, almost on the dry side. It imparts a pleasant aroma of hay and fermented fruit, almost fig-like. I find the flavors more pronounced in a cob packed much more loosely than you would pack a typical virginia. The flavor is dominated by nutty and vaguely sweet burley, and the virginia just serves as a little extra body with accents of hay. I really enjoy the flavor, gently puffed while absorbed in a book. It's like carter hall without the topping and taken to the next level. Pairs very well with a cup of coffee.
All in all, this is a pretty enjoyable vabur made with the quality burley C&D is known for. Just know up front that what you're actually getting with BF is more burley spiced with virginia...or tempered with virginia anyhow. It can burn very hot when pushed, which doesn't bite or ruin the smoke, but makes the experience less enjoyable. Solid 3.5 stars for me and one I believe I'll keep in rotation.
The crumble cake brick looks like a piece of rotted particle board and breaks apart quite easily. Moisture content is about perfect, almost on the dry side. It imparts a pleasant aroma of hay and fermented fruit, almost fig-like. I find the flavors more pronounced in a cob packed much more loosely than you would pack a typical virginia. The flavor is dominated by nutty and vaguely sweet burley, and the virginia just serves as a little extra body with accents of hay. I really enjoy the flavor, gently puffed while absorbed in a book. It's like carter hall without the topping and taken to the next level. Pairs very well with a cup of coffee.
All in all, this is a pretty enjoyable vabur made with the quality burley C&D is known for. Just know up front that what you're actually getting with BF is more burley spiced with virginia...or tempered with virginia anyhow. It can burn very hot when pushed, which doesn't bite or ruin the smoke, but makes the experience less enjoyable. Solid 3.5 stars for me and one I believe I'll keep in rotation.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 04, 2016 | Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
SP lists this as C&D's best seller, a combination of Virginias and Burleys. While accurate, there's Va/Bur and then there's va/BUR. This is the latter. If you're looking for complex Virginia undertones, look somewhere else.
It's appropriately dry and easy to rub out, although laziness has led to me just knifing some of the cake off and dropping it in a pipe. It burns just fine that way too. I tend to smoke it at a glacial Virginia-appropriate pace, but this could be bitey if pushed - it might make the Burley pop more to smoke it hot though.
As far as flavor goes, it's a nutty Burley. Briar Fox is the apex predator of drugstore blends. There's not a lot here, but folks looking for a simple Burley blend will find it pleasant enough.
It's appropriately dry and easy to rub out, although laziness has led to me just knifing some of the cake off and dropping it in a pipe. It burns just fine that way too. I tend to smoke it at a glacial Virginia-appropriate pace, but this could be bitey if pushed - it might make the Burley pop more to smoke it hot though.
As far as flavor goes, it's a nutty Burley. Briar Fox is the apex predator of drugstore blends. There's not a lot here, but folks looking for a simple Burley blend will find it pleasant enough.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 04, 2016 | Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
Beautiful large brick of cake in the tin. Smells fermented, sour, slightly sweet, hayish, with hints of prunes. Not what I was expecting.
Easy to break off a chunk and rub out. Perfect moisture right from the tin. Easy to load into a pipe, but don't smash it down too much as it expands a bit when lit. Lights very easily and remains so as long as your tamping is easy, but firm.
Flavors of nut, hay, dried fruit, and straight tobacco dominate this smoke. Hints of spice and chocolate toy with my senses, but are very light and mild. One can sense just a tad of tongue bite, I assume that is from the alkaline nature of the burley. It's not overpowering and keeps quite smooth throughout the smoke. It is different than most of the other blends I have tried, but I'm not one who has smoked a lot of burley blends either. The smoke is not complex and is one you can enjoy on a nice summer day. Sit back and enjoy the flavors and relax. Definitely a nice blend that I will enjoy from time to time.
Easy to break off a chunk and rub out. Perfect moisture right from the tin. Easy to load into a pipe, but don't smash it down too much as it expands a bit when lit. Lights very easily and remains so as long as your tamping is easy, but firm.
Flavors of nut, hay, dried fruit, and straight tobacco dominate this smoke. Hints of spice and chocolate toy with my senses, but are very light and mild. One can sense just a tad of tongue bite, I assume that is from the alkaline nature of the burley. It's not overpowering and keeps quite smooth throughout the smoke. It is different than most of the other blends I have tried, but I'm not one who has smoked a lot of burley blends either. The smoke is not complex and is one you can enjoy on a nice summer day. Sit back and enjoy the flavors and relax. Definitely a nice blend that I will enjoy from time to time.
Pipe Used:
Cob, Neerup Billard, Rattray Rhodisian
PurchasedFrom:
Pipesandcigars.com
Age When Smoked:
Tin Age 05/2015
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 02, 2016 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The tin note is red Virginia all the way but more earthy then sharp. First half of the bowl is that same red Virginia and after that the burley starts to come thru stronger as the bowl goes done eventually washing the Virginia away but a slight sweetness still remains. A good blend but it's kind of dirty tasting also. I think it's the burley doing that. It's good but not a wow for me.
Revisited 6-7-2020
After being more involved with c&d over time, Briar Fox has grown on me. The Virginia's are smooth, sugary sweet but not too much with bready tones, the burley gives it more body and a slightly nutty quality. The black cavendish helps meld it all together while deepening the flavors and adding a good amount of creaminess. Definitely has great aging potential. It's much more sophisticated then my first impressions. Overall a nice silky smooth any time of the day blend.
Revisited 6-7-2020
After being more involved with c&d over time, Briar Fox has grown on me. The Virginia's are smooth, sugary sweet but not too much with bready tones, the burley gives it more body and a slightly nutty quality. The black cavendish helps meld it all together while deepening the flavors and adding a good amount of creaminess. Definitely has great aging potential. It's much more sophisticated then my first impressions. Overall a nice silky smooth any time of the day blend.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 28, 2015 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Cornell and Diehl Briar Fox: hot air, accompanied by prose so purple you'd expect Fabio to be shirtless on the tin instead a cartoon furry with a pipe.
Age When Smoked:
13 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 09, 2015 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
This a a good tobacco. It feels very old fashioned like something my grand father would have smoked. It's a no non-sense straight ahead type of tobacco. It's a virginia and burley taste and not sweet. I got a tin about five years ago or so. I smoked a little then jarred it and forgot it. I just tried some again. It's pretty smooth now. It's a good smoke but won't be a regular for me. It's good for working in the yard or gardening when you don't need to focus on the smoke. I bet it would be a good all day smoke for someone who likes a stouter, stronger VA flavor.
Pipe Used:
briars, meers
Age When Smoked:
5 years
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