Tobaccos Cornell & Diehl - Black Duck

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	strongirish (249)	2009-12-11		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I was gifted a tin of this and for some reason, i have not cracked it open till now. I like Latakia Blends in the morning with my tea, so I cracked the tine and was immediately rewarded with an earthy, semi sweet, and musty aroma that is very typical of Latakia. THe toabbo is a rought cug flake and lighter colored ribbon cut mix, hitting the spectrum from very dark to medium brown in color. THe flakes are larger than the norm but still very easily loaded into my Peterson Irish Whiskey o3 bent pipe and it was the perfect moisture content. I love C and D Blends as they dont use anything but distilled water in their blends and it is very common for the moisture to be perfect right out of the tin. This blend was a two match light and then it stayed lit almost all the way to the bottom. One more match and it was a dark grey ash with little dottle.

From the first puff, I was rewarded with a very silky, creamy, smoke with no bite at all and with the Latakia being the dominant flavor but not overwhelming in any way. By silky, I mean just that, this stuff just flows right off the tongue with a great taste but not overwhelming at all. It stays a medium flavored smoke all the way down. The room note to me is heavenly but I like the campfire aroma of Latakia, but it would not get any great comments from non smokers. But the black cavendish in this blend does give it a smoothness and roundness to the smoke and adds a sweetness to the room aroma. I liked this blend so much this morning that I have smoked several more bowls of it today and it has been a great smoke each and every time. This could easily be an all day blend without it getting too much for the palette. I can easily recommend this to anybody liking English style blends but I don't go the fourth star on this as it is somewhat one dimentional, a good one but it does not have the multi layers I give a four star blend. I will however keep this around, what a great blend this would be camping and deer hunting or soing outside chores.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2002-04-23		Extremely Strong	None Detected	Extra Full	Overwhelming

This is an honest blend. It does not tout itself as elegant or refined. It certainly is neither and as far as I'm concerned, this duck can fly south for the winter and never come back!

It packs easily because it is ground into what looks like charcoal. It tastes like charcoal too! I detected a burnt, smokey taste the moment I got it lit, and the taste and smell never let up. If you smoke this blend outdoors, somebody's gonna call the fire department!

The taste lingers in your mouth and in the room for hours, so, be prepared to sleep alone.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	A. Morley (97)	2006-08-19		Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

Black Duck has managed to present me with something I long sought, but never expected to find: a base of Burley and a proportion of Latakia which allowed me to taste to comforting and much-beloved earthiness of the Burley with the exotic note of Latakia. I have tried many Burley blends with Latakia and all have come up short, usually because of the Latakia, which I found to totally overtake any Burley flavor that could be asserted. Somehow, someway though, Mr. Tarler has managed to do what I had become convinced was impossible. The Burley is there, moreso at the start of the bowl, but noticeable throughout and like unto Carter Hall or Edgeworth Slices; the Latakia provides a hearty, almost musty backup that would seem perfect smoking for a cool autumn, even if I did smoke all of my tin during the summer months. What?s even more interesting is how the Latakia, which I have oft' had a problem with in burning hot, is, in Black Duck, cool smoking and outright gentlemanly.

What surprised me was that there were so damned many other things in this blend as well. For the life of me, I could detect no characteristics of Cavendish or Oriental or anything else but the pleasing combination of Burley and Latakia. This may well be because the tin I smoked was rather old and a bit on the dry and powdery side. All the same, this tobacco is highly recommended.

Regards,

A. Morley Jaques

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Go Corinthians (2)	2013-10-26		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

It's an original and different Latakia blend. I don't exactly why, but I found myself smoking it again and again... Black Duck is round, with a rich natural tobacco flavor and no bite.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2082)	2017-05-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Cornell & Diehl - Black Duck.

It's been so long since I smoked Black Mallory so I can draw no comparison. And that was the modern version, so even if I piped it yesterday it would be like a blunt pencil: pointless!

So, the fresh blend appears as a well hydrated, mid-size, fairly uniform, ribbon. The colour's mostly medium brown with a few ribbons showing some diversity by being lighter/darker shades.

The first thing that I found slightly perplexing was the strength; I'm unsure whether the 'surprise at strength' the description mentions is aimed at flavour or nicotine, but I don't find it too strong, and I consider myself to be fairly susceptible to Lady N! The taste is relatively full, and quite complex: the Latakia takes the lead for the initial part of a bowl, giving way to more of the Turkish Oriental as the burn settles. The Kentucky adds to the smokiness, but if I'm honest I don't find it too bad a taste. The Cavendish calms things down, somewhat, by keeping any astringent qualities grounded. I can't acknowledge any sweet notes, it's more of a scabrous flavour.

A negative with Black Duck is the speed, it goes quickly! And the room-note isn't exactly nice.

I'm torn between two and three stars, it's not 'bad', but neither would it make my rotation. I'll go with my gut instinct and give it two, with a view to maybe raising it in a few months.

Somewhat recommended.

Pipe Used: Peterson 150th Anniversary P'Lip

Age When Smoked: Three months

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2014-06-21		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

Ribbon cut of about 60% black and 40% various lighter browns. Very deep and rich tin aroma of latakia front and center.

Creamy and smooth, this is not. A clone for Black Mallory, this is not. Where BM is luxurious and silky, this is rough and boisterous. The BM I'm used to is from the 1980's, so perhaps C&D was basing it on an earlier iteration. I don't know but this bears little resemblance to the BM I know... and I cracked an aged tin of it to be sure, plus compared this to the more recent Black Mallory in my rotation. Not much alike, either the aged tin of Black Duck or the new tin.

I found it interesting that the 2013 tin and the 2000 tin exhibited little differences, except that the newer tin was somewhat more moist. Both were latakia forward but not lat bombs. I didn't exactly taste the Kentucky but that could have accounted for the less refined characteristic. The orientals were in a supportive role but were reasonably tasty while the Cavendish did its best to smooth things out. I shudder to think what this would have been like without the Cav. My overall impression is that this is an also-ran in a crowded field, and nowhere near as creamy and lush as the Rattrays. Not recommended as a replacement for Black Mallory, but might be something to try as a standalone. Not terribly interesting to me, however.

Pipe Used: meerschaum and morta

Age When Smoked: 14 years and 1 year

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2008-07-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This isn't the blend you take to a formal affair and smoke in your best Dunhill dress pipe, rather one you put in a falcon or comparable garage pipe, and go take a walk in the woods with. This blend will never make you any friends, the room note is too strong. The blend does have a lot of complexity and will make for a good companion is solidarity. The blend is a replica of the old Black Mallory and does seem to do a good job in imitation. The Turkish element is wonderful and spicy and the Latakia is cool. I only wish that it did not get a bit one dimensional twards the bottom of the bowl. I am not sure if it is a lack of flavor or whether my brain is overloaded. Overall this is one fine blend. Not perfect but darn close.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2016-08-02		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

The flavor profile is dominated by a mildly sour woody note. Along with that is a light smokiness and a very mild spice. There is only a hint of sweetness. I find it to be a bit bland and boring as there is basically no evolution as the bowl progresses. Not my cup of tea, but also not something I would toss in the trash. It fits into the "I'll play with it and try to make it better" category.

Medium in body and taste. No added flavoring detected. Burns very well.

Pipe Used: Moonshine Stoker, MM Marcus, MM Dwarf

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Old German puffer (106)	2015-07-11		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have about 50 tins of this blend. I enjoy the flavor and it is spot on for a warm autumn evening. I smoke this weekly maybe once the air cools starting in September. I open a new tin. Pack my pipe and the jar the leftovers. Always a hit at pipe club. I smoke this in a GBD. It packs easy and I tend to drop a lot into my pipe. Lights well if left to breath out for about an hour. Solid ash with no relight needed. Lasts for me in an average size pipe for about an hour. I admit there are times I smoke this back to back. I keep 4 pipes just for this in my rotation.

Pipe Used: GBD

Age When Smoked: Tin - 2 years plus

Purchased From: WASH. DC

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2011-06-04		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

First let me say that my tin that Im reviewing is from 2001. I must say that I realy enjoy this blend. If you go by the tin description you would think that this is an everything including the kitchen sink kind of blend. While there are many ingredients in this blend they are blended masterfuly and it is quite a complex blend. The flavors are big and bold and change throughout the bowl. The latakia comes on strong in the beginning and about midway through the bowl the orientals come on strong. There is alot of variance of flavors through out the bowl and I never get bored while smoking it even in my very large pipes. This blend is not very picky as far as pipe shape and size is concerned and taste very good in all of them. The burn is cool and smooth and does not bite a bit for me. I highly recommend this for those that enjoy complex and bold latakia / oriental blends!

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dr.sadik (120)	2009-01-21		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

strong tobacco with a strong oriental presence lataia leaves a promenet foot hold within the mixture and to tell the truth ive detectedastronger bitter taste frm this mix,,its not a typical rewarding english but the burning is slow and perfect to a clean ash tamping is required as plugs of ash will be formed from the riugh tobaco cut,,itsfor those who want a sharp taste may be it needs bit more mellowing agent but whom m i to judge,,give it a tryu might love it

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2007-10-06		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

This is a blend that rarely gets mentioned, but deserves a much wider fanbase. It's C&D's tribute to the old Black Mallory (which I never had the opportunity to try) and one of Craig Tarler's best creations. Anyone who likes medium English blends with a lot of orientals should like this one.

It's unusual in that it consists of unsweetened black cavendish, Turkish, and latakia. It comes in a wide, chunky cut, and thus smokes exceptionally cool. If this isn't an all-day blend, I don't know what is. It's smooth, rich, and spicy, but mild enough that I like it as my first pipe of the day. The unsweetened cavendish lends a slightly salty taste to the smoke, which I like. I usually smoke 2-3 bowls of this daily and it's very consistent from tin to tin.

If you haven't tried Black Duck yet, do youself a favor and buy some. It's well worth it.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Fumeur (6)	2007-05-16		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Unnoticeable

The flavor of this is that of a pretty straightforward Latakia, with very little complexity. As such it's nice enough. The problem for me was the fact that it tends to smoke hot and wet. Wetness is the bigger problem, and it actually gooped up the bowl of one of my pipes. I got some bite from this as well, which was disappointing, as I enjoyed the flavour. I probably won't be getting any more of this.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sasha (228)	2006-03-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

The thing I admire the most about Cornell & Diehl is their ability to mix many different leaves and make a well balanced and tasteful tobacco. This, as Bow-legged Bear, is a clear example: there's a distinct base of kentucky burley, which gives body and a nutty-cigarish toasted flavour, while the orientals and latakia are present but not overwhelming. The appearance is very dark, with few orange-light brown flecks, the cut is pretty rough and mixed, I suggest to work it a little to shred it into similar ribbons to pack it easier. The burning is good, even, though it can be hot and wet if rushed. It comes very dry in the tin, so it will be better to humidify it into a jar for a couple of days. This isn't a refined and elegant blend, but it's a good companion when you look for a strong flavour without a lot of subtleties.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2005-06-17		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I really liked this one! My tin was dated 2002, and oh,it was good!The minute you open the tin you smell nothing but pure Turkish leaf.The latakia comes second and then the sweet note of the cavendish.Upon lighting the bowl the flavors you experience follow the same order.This is really a blend for Turkish lovers who don't need a lot of Latakia.It is understated and smooth.I have a feeling this is as close to a NATURAL-non cased aromatic you will find.An extremely unique taste that will pretty much only appeal to Turkish/Oriental afficianados.If you fall in this category give it a try.Excellent and mild! 3.5 of 4 Turkish stars!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Noorrmm (192)	2002-01-29		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Appearance: Mostly dark, some ribbons and some random pieces.

Aroma: Very full Latakia aroma with goodly amounts of darker Va, and black Cavendish (unsweetened). Some Turkish in the background.

Packing: Seemed to pack best in larger pipes, with a light touch needed.

Lighting: Took flame readily when not overpacked

Initial flavor: Very big, rich and mellow. The Cavendish led the parade with its smooth nutty taste, the Latakia lent it a smokiness that was just right.

Mid-bowl: No single flavor dominated the mixture, but all of them weighed in to form a nicely layered, complex, undemanding smoke. Cool at all times, can be enjoyed alone or with any beverage of your choice.

Finish: No surprises at the end, just a bit more Latakia presence.

Summary: This tastes like a clone of Black Mallory (Mallory---Mallard---.Duck?). Bad pun, good tobacco. Thank you, Craig.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dark Passage (4)	2017-05-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I really enjoy this tobacco's deep rich flavor. While I taste the varieties of tobacco in the mix, I think that it is more of a creamy rustic blend rather than an elegant one. Something about the flavor always hits me as being similar to black liquorice, but as a natural tobacco taste rather than an aromatic.

Pipe Used: Various briars

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Various

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2011-04-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Im not a huge English tobacco fan,but this is the first English that I seem to be drawn to.All the ingredients meld together so well,and theres just enough Latakia in the mix without being drenched with the stuff as so many Englishes seem to be.I love this blend alot and always have some on hand when the English bug calls.Ever notice the duck on the tin seems to have a little gas problem?... :)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Postie (9)	2009-09-05		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Overwhelming	Strong

I love many of C&D's blends, but this one is sad to say, not one of them. Now, don't get me wrong, it's not the tobacco blend that is the problem, it's a strong blend more suited to someone who prefers the stronger unflavored blends. I gave the remainder of the tin to a buddy at work who loves this. So, get this if this kind of smoke is your thing, it just isn't mine.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Scottgun (11)	2008-07-03		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

A got a tin of this as part of an auction for a pipe I wanted. I didn't really care about the 4 tins of C&D that came with it and I thought they would end up as trade fodder. On a lark, I decided to open up the Black Duck and give it a whirl.

What a pleasant surprise! It was ready to smoke right out of the tin without needing drying. It has a lovely creamy latakia presence. It lights without a fuss and stays reasonably cool. It's light on nicotine. I'm susceptible to tongue bite and it never happened with this blend.

Only two minor things keep me from giving it four stars. As I got to the bottom of the bowl, it started to take on the flavor of burnt toast. Not overwhelming, but noticeable. Also, in the tin there were solid clumps of dark tobacco which resembled miniature charcoal briquettes.

This is an excellent blend and certainly makes me want to explore more C&D offerings.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2005-09-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I purchased this one upon recommendation of a friend. I had tried the magnificent Cordial (see my review) by C & D, but unfortunately, that one is only available in sampler packs or in bulk directly from the manufacturer. I believe C & D needs to tin that one & make it more widely available. Nevertheless, I was told that this is in the same vein as Cordial without the sweetened Cavendish. I agree; this is excellent, though a bit on the dry side. I've wetted it with distilled water, but now it's smoking a bit moist. A couple more days and it should be fine. It has the characteristic nuttiness & tangy flavor/aroma of the Cordial, but there's just slightly something lacking: probably the curing of the Cavendish or a slight topping. This reminds of a toned down Two Friends blend. Yes, the Orientals & Burley play the center stage, while the Latakia hums softly in the background. How C & D manages to take the same types of tobacco leaves & make hundreds of interesting variations on them is anyone's guess. That's the mystery & pleasure of pipe smoking. For the time being, I'll enjoy Black Duck as a very fine substitute to the even richer, more delightful Cordial.

Three and a half of five stars

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RCUSElder (244)	2003-06-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I am a fan of C&D and this blend while showing the commitment to quality that C&D is known for, just didn't do it for me. It smells wonderful in the tin, you are greeted by medium cut dark and medium brown leaf. It lights easy, stays lit, you may need one swipe of a pipe cleaner in your pipe while you smoke this. The reason it didn't do it for me was that the flavor just did not mix well with me. I think that there is too much of the cavendish in it . The latakia and burley just never came out and said "here I am!". The turkish never came out either. I tried this blend in different sized pipes to see if it was size sensitive, but to no avail. On the positive, there was no tongue-bite, smoked cool, left no dottle, is as advertized: a straight forward blend. I will go back to "Canal Boat", "Longevity", and "Da Vinci" instead. Sorry........

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2001-09-04		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

I've dedicated a pipe to this blend for over a month now, and have noticed a difference from my first reaction to this blend. As I found to begin with, it ends flat, but the real complexity of the blend is now apparent from the charring light. It starts out with an earthy body but a noticeably mossy-sweet overtone. (This combination of tastes somehow reminds me of sweet beef jerky.) These qualities of earthiness and sweetness play at each other throughout most of the smoke, but by the very last portion of the bowl the play is dead and the smoke becomes boring. I don't find this blend to be exactly pleasant, nor do I find it repugnant. Black Duck is, for the most part, intriguing--the interplay of contrasting flavors keeps my attention through most of the bowl. I would recommend trying C&D's _Black Duck_, but be willing to let your pipe and palate adjust if you don't like it at first.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Honest&Simple (25)	2021-10-13		Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I had high hopes for this one. C&D blends have been hit or miss for me. This one I put on the left side of decent.

Some bowls that I have the ingredients marry and its a pleasurable smoke. Other bowls just never mesh and it feels like the tobaccos are fighting for a divorce.

I found it to be on the higher side for nicotine and it did behave well in the pipe.

Just not my thing, with all the English blends out there I won't buy it again.

Pipe Used: Briars and cobs

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Smoking pipes

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Nuvoleazzurre (36)	2020-12-05		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium	Tolerable

Personalmente adoro il Latakia. I C&D sono davvero eccellenti, peccato si debba andare oltreconfine. La Scatola è simpatica col paperotto con la pipa in mano. Il tabacco è giustamente umido e ben tagliato. All’olfatto si percepisce subito il terroso del Latakia però superato dal Cavendish più fruttato, zuccherato quasi. Il taglio ribbon è però irregolare.

Accendiamolo siamo avvolti dal sentore terroso, quasi muffito del Latakia quasi immediatamente superato dai sentori di stalla del Kentucky e poi dal Cavendish che amalgama e attenua questi sapori maschi.

La fumata è regolare, praticamente un tabacco che si fuma da solo. Questo non vuol dire che sia un tabacco semplice, anzi è un tabacco nobile, complesso. forte, da non sottovalutare. Non fortissimo, ma un prodotto da non sottovalutare.

Questo tabacco regala un fumo molto setoso, cremoso. Per setosità, intendo un fumo che scorre appena sopra la lingua con un ottimo gusto. In bocca rimane un sapere ottimamente persistente, mai amaro La nota della stanza per me è paradisiaca, mi piace l'aroma tipo falò di Latakia, che sicuramente non è apprezzato dai non fumatori. Il Cavendish in questa miscela gli conferisce morbidezza e rotondità al fumo e aggiunge una dolcezza all'aroma della stanza.

Posso facilmente consigliarlo a chiunque ami le miscele in stile inglese, ottimo tuttogiorno, eccellente anche quando ci si cimenti in una fumata senza bisogno di essere concentrati sulla stessa.

Il giudizio finale 4,5/5 stelle.

Pipe Used: Ulrik, Brebbia, Peterson

Age When Smoked: one

Purchased From: Tabaccheria Dubini, chiasso, svizzera

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Joeray (61)	2013-10-23		Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

When i try this blend at the 1st time, at the 1st light i can taste a quite strong the smell of Kerosene (i'm using a zippo lighter or wooden match when im smoking a pipe), i think this came from the lighter that i use to light it but at the other chance at my 2nd and 3rd bowl i get the same smell even im using wooden matches to light it. This blend feel's so natural, earthy and sometimes little bit salty. But i like this blend to smoke it at night time.

Nobody has rated this review yet.