Cornell & Diehl Bayou Morning Flake

I found this to be a hit or miss! Some days I liked the smoke and others days, not so much. I contribute that to the 25% Perque. That leave seems to play with my head. Perhaps to much nicotine for me.

I read one reviewer state that he preferred the ribbon cut over the flakes. Maybe I'll give that a try in time

a very tart and acrid blend. i did not find this blend very good due to the high bitterness and acrid taste. it might be a good blend for those of you that likes that special tartness and acrid taste of perique.

C&D- Bayou Morning Flake

If you are a C&D fan you know by now that anytime they mention flakes, its just a broken mix of used to be flakes.

This blend had 6 months of age on it. I must say this blend was moist in the tin, and after letting it dry for 15 minutes it was somewhat ready to smoke.

The perique was immediately there and if you enjoy the pepper spiciness in your blends this one will scratch this itch. The virginias were less hay and more fresh cut grass which seems an odd pairing.

I was hoping for more of a bready virginia to mix with the pepper spice.

I will re-visit this one in 2-3 years when the blend are actually ready to smoke as seems to be the case with many of the C&D Blends.

I love Cornell & Diehl tobacco. Exhausted Rooster, Pegasus, Old Joe Krantz....the Burly Flakes and After Hours. But I dont care much for this one. There are so many great Va/pers out there.....McClelland's Beacon and Beacon Extra, Gawith's St James Flake, Reiners Long Golden Flake....and quite a few more. But this feels harsh and I lose the taste in it. I love that it has a potent nic hit...thats not the issue, but compared to, say, Beacon Extra, also pretty potent, this is pretty rustic. Some may like that. Its great quality leaf, as is always the case with C&D, but Beacon Extra is much smoother and frankly much tastier. Aging might well help this one. I have a tin Im leaving alone for a year or two and then we'll see. But as is, Id prefer a number of other blends of this type that are out there.

This was my first foray into the world of VA/PERS and my second attempt at a C & D blend. So far, I'm not impressed. That doesn't mean C & D doesn't make a quality product. It's just that so far, I can't seem to get my arms around their tobacco. I love the idea of being able to buy locally blended products, but I'm having a hard time enjoying their smokes. I have three more unopened C & D blends that I will be reviewing at a later date and hope to have a better outcome.

Anyway, I'm not sure in this case if it's C & D or the perique. I'm not a big fan of pepper anyway, and this blend left my throat sore and just wasn't my cup of tea at all. In fact, I gave away the tin, minus about five bowls.

I will never condemn any tobacco because tastes are so different, and from reading the other reviews posted here, this blend is obviously well received. However, it just didn't work for me.

I found this to be a pleasant enough blend with enough perique to keep anyone happy. The Va's aren't very sweet, but instead remind me of the variety used in Briar Fox, of which this blend is a close cousin. At the Kansas City Show last year this stuff sold out in record time. So why not the higher rating?

I abhor the cut!!!

C&D is the only company that I know of who uses it, and I must say that it vexes me to no end. If it were only sliced thinner I think it would be much more manageable. Now before everyone gets going I should point out that Flake form tobacco is my favorite style due to the control one has over the tobacco. But these chunky slices come apart in sheets of tobacco leaf that do not burn well for me at all. I will stick to 633 and Escudo, both of which although burn hotter, are also sweeter, and much easier to control.

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.

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.