Cornell & Diehl Black Duck

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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?... 🙂

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.

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.