Cornell & Diehl Autumn Evening

At first, I did not like this blend. It tasted like I was guzzling maple syrup and caramel. After 5 smokes, I began to really enjoy it. The room note is amazing but the taste is dull. Either way, anyone could enjoy this blend.

The cut is flaky but not too dry. It's easy to pack into the bowl and stays put. The bulk aroma is quite intense, with a strong chocolate liquor flair somehow reminiscent of cardamom.

Pre-draw brings a slightly sweet vanilla. The first few draws show a combination of flavors that remains constant through the bowl. It burns eagerly and evenly. Smoke it with periodic pause and it will reward you. Gently tap down the very light ash to keep things going. The Virginias spice things up a little all over the tongue and mouth. The citrus and vanilla are distinct. There's a touch of a darker spirit. The draws remain sweet but this barely lingers, giving way to the more natural Virginia taste. The cavendish remains in the background.

This blend is easy to prepare, light, and relight. Though the tin note is rather strong, the flavors during the smoke are even and not overwhelming and balance out in favor of the Virginia. This is quite an enjoyable blend.

I really wanted to like this, but alas, it is flavorless for me. I’ve got 4 ounces I wish I could trade! Lots of tongue bite for me, kinda goopy after the 1st half of a bowl. Aromatics are like the worst kind of bait and switch; the smell promises ecstasy but the flavor delivers nothing but disappointment and pain. :,(

Yet another update, I have really grown so fond of this blend. I have been lightly coating the inside of my new cobs with a thin coating of maple syrup and breaking them in with Autumn Evening. The sugar from the syrup and the Virginia tobacco creates a rock hard cake very quickly. My mother is an anti smoking demon at times and told me today my pipe smoke in her house smelled very nice and much better than anything else I smoked. This is the highest praise an aromatic can get, my mothers room note review... If it passes her scrutiny it will pass anyone's 🙂 O and this is still the only pipe tobacco I readily inhale. As a cig smoker this goes down very smoothly!

3/9/2014 Update*** Wow I cannot believe its been over ten years since I reviewed this blend. I guess Im not a "Young Piper" anymore... Anyways this blend hasn't changed but I have, I find the blend much more enjoyable as I now have a decade under my belt of pipe smoking. I can handle a very hot blend. Virginias and maple sugar can be incendiary but this blend smokes cool now that I know how to smoke it. LOVE the artwork, I mean if it was named "griddle scrapings" would we all rush to purchase this? No... Hands off to whoever made the artwork, I would love a giant poster for my wall!! And wow a buck an ounce? O how I long to go back to 2004 🙂

Original Review: 2004-02-13 - I ordered this blend because i smoke townsman maple regularly and i wanted to try a maple blend without burley. Autumn Evening has much less maple aroma, and the taste is real tobacco. This is drier than townsman but does not have that great billowing clouds of pancake aroma. So that being said, those who love extremely heavily cased tobacco as i should try the MCC version. This is a nice change for me though. I bought several one ounce samplers from Outwest tobacco online. Good way to try new blends as they are only a buck an ounce.