Cornell & Diehl Mississippi Mud

"Voodoo Magic, Mon."

With the claims of sense altering potency and mysteriously flavorful ingredients, this was a must try for me.

Within the black, finely cut ribbons I found at first - a deceivingly cool, easy and sweet smoke. Then the earthy flavors and strength build. The nicotine, while not overwhelming, seems to augment the strangely sweet and spicey tastes of this blend.

The description claims it is a flavor unlike any other. I concur. A comparision to Nightcap is inevitable. It does not seem to have *quite* the astringency and nuttiness of Nightcap but it also loses that bitterness that Nightcap seems to always produce. It also seems to dull the palate less than Nightcap.

The cavendish and latakia are oddly at home with the perique. Which I have not yet found to become at all unpleasant through out the smoke. A bowl lasted me nearly two hours. Smoke it slow and even; it is rewarding.

This is certainly a special occasion tobacco. It is rich like liquor soaked chocolate. The can I have just sampled is fresh, with only about two weeks "breathing" time. I have two more cans stowed away. I can only imagine the depth and potency will increase with age.

I tried this one day from an open sample can (I love browsing tin brands) and loved it from the start. My normal favorite, Dunhill Nightcap, has the one flaw that as one gets to the end of the bowl, gets too full and bitter, and I can never have too much perique (in my taste).

This has a strong, "peppery" taste, which lacks fullness, so the flavor would be one dimensional for some. Adding some oriental would fix that, but this brand filled my desire for a strong latakia/perique blend that tasted strong, but would overwhelm me if I smoked it more than once a day. In other words, a strong blend with a taste to my liking, that I can almost treat as an all day blend (which one can't of course, but close).

It packs nicely, lights up well, and stays lit easily. The initial puffs are on the medium side, but the latakia/perique begin to assert in a few minutes, and by the middle of the bowl are in full play. However, it's a flavor like a hot sauce as opposed to a gravy, and it burns well without bite. As you get to the end of the bowl, it can get very srong. Smoked once, you don't notice, but if you try to smoke it again too soon, you do.

I smoked it in a variety of contexts, and it's a good relaxation smoke, as it's not a good one to use when working or engaging in any type of activity that increases heart beat. Unlike some, I like a strong blend in the morning and to relax to at night, so that's mainly when I smoke it, and after meals of course. If I'm working on a project (putting something together or walking about) I smoke something lighter if the need to smoke arises.

It's a nice change of pace for those who smoke the traditional English blends, but I doubt it would become a regular smoke. Those who like burley/latakia mixes who want more punch might find this one more to their liking.

Not a smoke for beginners, but for anyone who's been around, worth a try, especially if you're a perique fan.

Oooooh Woooowww, Deja Vu! Look at all the colors!

Yes, folks, this is some strong tobaccy!

Appearance: Dark ribbon only, hence the name:MM

Tin Aroma: Reminds me of strong fudge and prunes.

Moisture: a little moist, but not overly.

Packing: easy.

Lighting: Two vestas, easy.

Initial Flavor: whoa! The cavendish and perique dominate with the latakia slightly behind. The cavendish is not overly sweet or cloying though.

Mid-Bowl: intensifying with my throat telling me that there is lots o' perique.

Bottom of Bowl: The world is spinning, my stomach is turning, get me a bed quick! The flavor of this blend will stay with you the rest of the day. You will not be able to taste anything else.

Overall: this is a very strong flavored blend, but ironically, I could not distinguish the latakia very well. I knew it was there, but the other leaves overwhelmed it. The flavor is very monochromatic, at least to me, with it just intensifying until all you have left is a dry, dark mottled ash left. Due to the high quantities of perique, my allergies were triggered with a vengeance. The nicotine in this blend is also very high, too much for me. It left me sick for the rest of the day. I know that there are some of you who like this kind of "in your face" blend, more power to you. The quality of leaf is unquestionable, but this just was not my style. After 1.25 oz's, gave the rest away.

Rating: 2 out of 5 Points

I see dead people. Not normally, mind you, only when I smoke Mississippi Mud. This is sense-altering with questionable legality.

Never having dredged up a handful of sediment from the Mighty Mississippi, Craig Tarler has probably duplicated the experience analogously with his latest tobacco offering. I imagine now what that must be like, especially toward its delta in Perique country.

Opening the standard, round, resealable tin in which Cornell & Diehl packages its premium products, MM looks like Danish Black Cavendish.

The tin aroma says that the similarity ends there, for the short, black course cut is about Latakia. There is not a hint of sweetness.

MM is no glucose fix upon lighting, either. Instead, the Latakia and copious Perique take turns smacking you upside the brow.

Forget the first third, second third and final third tasting notes. MM starts where others end, then going what seems impossibly deeper.

It turned the smallish group 4 billiard used into a Refinery's chimneystack. Forget migration of flavor. This is excavation, down beyond Earth's crust.

MM is much like a dark, Cuban cigar, minus the spiciness such a stogie would profile. Adding a touch of Burley to MM might end the need to smuggle Castro's contraband.

MM barely requires more than a charring light if allowed to dry a bit prior to packing (which is quite easy, too). No re-lights required.

Mega-flavored and plumes a plenty, this is very strong, cool and dry smoking. It burns to a white ash. Try MM in a small pipe before you load your Maxima Maxima.

MM is along the lines of Dunhill's Nightcap, but making NC seem sweet and medium-bodied.

Perhaps try sprinkling MM in an English or Balkan blend needing stouter legs, or possibly spice your favorite Virginia blend.

MM is fine quality and should please many a pipster left with an occluded palate after heavy piping.

This is a very enjoyable blend it packs a lot of pepper form the Perique but is balanced with the Latakia and Black Cavendish all in all a good after dinner smoke.

Opening the tin brought out a musty smell. The Latakia is clearly there, but not overpowering, the Perique is also there but somewhat hidden from me, and there was a third note that must be the Cavendish. Overall once the initial smell of the tin calms down I got a pretty unpleasant smell of pet droppings, and unfortunately this smell instantly coloured the tobacco in my mind. Any other time I've opened the tin, or even smelled the pipes it's been in I get this smell.

The tobacco was at perfect moisture, a tad on the wet side, but that's never a bad thing. Overall I like the C&D tins.

I've been smoking it for a week now, as I have an OCD to finish open tins, counter-intuitively the tins I like the least are the ones I smoke fastest, while whatever I really like I try to savour as much as possible so tins last much longer.

The predominant taste is of Latakia, but that might just be me, I'm going through a period of sensitivity to Latakia and feel that it overpowers everything. There's some sweetness here and there, and the Perique shows up only once every couple of puffs for my unrefined palate. The pity is that the stars don't align often while smoking it - because when the sweetness came up, along with the Perique the taste was wonderful, so overall my impression is that it's a mildish Latakia blend. It does coat the mouth though, and thankfully the...other smell does not translate a lot into the smoke. I have a feeling that while smoking Mississippi Mud I'm safe from muggers and robbers though.

I left the tin open on the balcony for three days, the other smell subsided quite a bit - but it is still there - and overall it has become more enjoyable. Still my impression is what it was at the start, that it is a mild Latakia blend. Interesting experiment perhaps, really makes me understand the purpose and value of orientals in combination with Latakia though so not all is lost.

I'll finish the tin, likely will donate some to a friend who also smokes a pipe if he's interested to try it, but won't miss it.

I won't be buying it again.

Unique combination of Sweet, spicy, and smoky. Due totally to the tobaccos used. Easy to take fire, requires a minimal number of relights and burns completely with little or no dottle. I find it has an ample amount of nicotine and strength of taste. I like this blend very much! Will smoke as many as 5 bowls in succession, I can’t say that about many blends as I tend to have a short attention span and quite often smoke as many as 6 different blends a day. Will definitely lay some more of this fine tobacco in the cellar. Well worth your attention.

Pipe Scott Klein Age 6 11 18 Young Taste Smokey with a little sweet and spice I like this blend but desire just a pinch more of Perique to display the joy of Louisiana. There is a nuance of earthiness that lingers on the pallete that makes you long for more. It entices the salivary glands and makes you dive in with abandon. A really good smoke with more than enough contemplation on what's next. With the latakia forward approach you palette has left for the day. Smoke only if you are going to be on Lat blends for the day.

This is a unique blend, which needs some time to be appreciated, IMHO. At first, I was not impressed and could not understand why so many people like it. Then, I got used to it, and I started to appreciate the smoky, earthy notes of this wonderful blend. The tin art is great, too! 🙂