Cornell & Diehl Bayou Morning Flake

I will confess, I'm rather confused as to why this is at all linked with Bayou Morning. If I were to rework the C&D lineup, this one would be called Bayou Night, and the current Bayou Night would be something else entirely. After discovering how much I loved the Bayou Morning ribbon, I ordered two tins of this; one to smoke right away, one to age. The tin note was nothing outstanding; woody, some dark fruit, and the cheesy note of fresher perique. Like many of C&D's "Flake" offerings, it's more of a loose broken flake. Perfect moisture content upon opening. The unaged version was... Not great. I wasn't expecting a sweet Va/Per, but this was almost overwhelmingly woody and earthy, somewhat bitter, and had a tendency to be unpleasantly spicy. Considering Chenet's Cake is my all-time favorite, that means something. I soldiered through the remainder of the tin, and intentionally forgot about the other tin for a year. Given that that year was 2020, there were many other things to think about. Digging through my aged tins last week, I came across that tin again. The memory of pain fades, and I decided to give it another try. My word, what a difference a year can make. The smoke was now richly fruity, toasty, and still quite earthy, reminiscent in some ways of Boston Brown Bread. Still properly spicy, but not in a brash way as it was before. With at least a year of age, this becomes a fantastic smoke for a perique lover like myself. Doesn't bite, pretty decent nicotine content, room note is unpleasant if you don't smoke Va/Pers yourself. I will give three stars for the aged product; in that form, it warrants 4. However, I must subtract one star, as that is not the form it arrives in. I would be willing to pay more for it if it were aged prior to shipping. Addendum 04/22: Giving back the fourth star. I'm beginning to think the first tin I got was an anomaly; I've been through 3x 8 oz tins in record time. This is quickly becoming my favorite VaPer, and making a strong case for favorite blend overall.

Go ahead, I cannot compare it with its ribbon version because I have not tried it yet, although it will not take long to do it, since it seems like an interesting exercise.

When you open the tin, a broken flake cut appears in dark tones that gives off a very rich aroma of stewed fruits and some vinegar. Although tobacco comes a bit wet, it burns really well without the need to dry it and it can be smoked easily and carelessly without the danger of biting your tongue. The flake pieces crumble very easily, making this tobacco very easy to handle. Once lit, it burns slowly, providing a relatively long-lasting smoke.

Despite containing a not inconsiderable dose of perique, it does not feel overwhelming. As it cannot be otherwise, its presence is noticeable, but I would say that it is not even dominant, but rather it seems that it is very well integrated with the virgina that accompanies it. In taste it is less sweet than most va / per that I have smoked. In my opinion, it is dominated by earthy and slightly sour notes, sometimes salty, making it tasty and different. At times I have also found that I perceive a slightly wine-like taste. In relation to the amount of nicotine it has, I agree with the majority of reviewers on this page: its presence is noticeable.

As an anecdote I will say that I thought I was going to "dispatch" this review with a few lines, but finally I have been coming up with more things to write than I originally thought. I don't know why this has happened, but I will ponder the smoke-shrouded matter of this Bayou Morning Flake.

02/14/2022: I recently had the happy experience of smoking a 17-year-old can of BMF and it turned out to be what I expected: exquisite. The perique increased its potency giving it robustness and more sour notes. If you have a chance to get a tin, you should not miss the opportunity. I also smoked “Bayou Morning” and discovered that it is not a ribbon version as it has nothing to do with BMF. They only look alike in name...

Presentation: What I like about C&D is their exceptional broken flake. Has to be one of the best in the industry. Bayou Morning Flake is consistent with just about every other flake format I have found from this company. Inside the tin comes generally a large amount of semi-intact flakes with the scraps at the bottom. Great to break apart and comes at the perfect moisture. No dry time needed for this one.

Palette: Prune, fig, fermentation throughout. A lovely blend to stick your nose and and take a few whiffs throughout the day and completely different than the ribbon. Nice bready reds create the base and no doubt add to the lovely semi-sweet aroma that carries through the smoke. Not as sweet as some Va/Pers that include bright Va's, but in the realm of C&D, I find that their red VA's are par for the course, considering their flagship blend Small Batch Carolina Red Flake. Not too much pepper in the bouquet, but it is there if you linger for a bit. The pepper comes through in the retrohale. This is a bold black peppercorn taste. Just the right amount.

Performance: Burns exceptionally well, especially with a more firm packing in the bowl. Leaves a little dottle and moisture at the bottom, but really, what blend doesn't? Medium to high nicotine. A full meal is recommended before indulging as if a few hours have passed it tends to creep up quite quickly in the last 1/3. Not an all day blend but certainly repeatable, with some time in between.

Conclusion: It's been said multiple times in previous reviews, this is a different breed compared to the regular ribbon cut. Whereas the ribbon cut is more dry, haylike, and tended to burn hot for me, the flake format takes all of that an throws it out the window. The marrying of the flavors is noticeable and offers a more nuanced smoke. I didn't care for the ribbon and makes you wonder why all tobacco doesn't come as flakes instead. It just completely changes the experience for the better. I enjoy this blend from time to time when I want a stout in my face blend. I'm glad I decided to pick the flake up after trying the ribbon. While it is a mediocre smoke, I don't think I'll be buying any more tins in the future, as I have my Va/Per fix from GL Pease Fillmore. I'd say skip the ribbon cut and go straight for the flake. They both are similar in profile, but the flake is only marginally better.

It's pretty tasty, but I find it a bit strong and I would prefer less perique. Recommended for those who love a big dose of perique in their flake.

The flake version of bayou morning is VERY different from the ribbon. Totally different vapers, so dont assume one is like the other -- at all!

The ribbon has big hay, grass, and red pepper spices. Its raw, clear as day, clean sharp flavors. The perique comes through so spicy it's almost tobasco sauce hot, particularly prior to some jar time. It can get some sweetness but requires a year or so in the tin to get there, and even then it's not an overwhelming sweetness.

The flake is much more rounded, creamier, sweeter, and richer. The grassy/hay flavors are reduced in favor of a buttery richness. The sweetness is bolder and comes out stronger. The spiciness is not as intense and is plummier, although it's still spicier than escudo.

Both are excellent vapers, both unique and special, but for very different reasons and moods. I have never found a vaper with the raw hot pepper spice of the ribbon (think elizabethan with a kick), and have found very few with the rich every day smoking potential of the flake (similar to cabbies mixture or aged escudo). Both will stay in large quantities in my cellar.

I don't know why this doesn't have more 4 star reviews. This is my go to tobacco right now. The Virginia is sweet and of high quality. The perique has a nice nicotine kick. It burns smooth. Has little bite. Just really good tobacco. I think this is better than both Elizabethan Mixture and Acadian Perique. If you like VaPers or just Virginia based blends in general you will like this. The nicotine may be more than some can handle. But this has been my favorite blend as of late. It can be an all day smoke, but it will get a bit nippy if you go crazy with it like I do.

Opening the tin , woah there ! Very strong fruity figgy , strongest i have ever encountered! I smoked a medium sized bowl and was mildly nauseated. The Virginia is mildly sweet and the Perique fruity but peppery later on through the nose , I recommend for those who can take stronger blends but the good news for me is I did not toss this but blended it half and half with 515rc 1 . It is now great and in my rotation! Very high quality Virginia and Perique!

Pretty much a typical VaPer, a little harsh at times but will likely age into a smoother, richer smoke. Probably not the best to try for a first VaPer, but those who enjoy solid ones would find this a good addition to their cellar.

C&D, Bayou Morning Flake: An Unbalanced Journey to Flavor-Town

The red Virginia leaf is quite earthy with some tanginess and adds a pleasant body to the smoke. It has a distinct C&D fermented aroma to it, just like the Carolina Red Flake. The perique is strongly applied in this blend. I like perique, but the spicy and dried fruit flavors get lost in the intensity. There is quite a bit of flavor here and I can see why people like this flake. However, I would rather cellar and smoke GL Pease Telegraph Hill or SG Cabbies Mixture.