Cornell & Diehl Black Duck
(2.88)
Richly earthy and woodsy, this blend of unsweetened brown and black Cavendish (specially cured Kentucky Burley), Latakia and Turkish Oriental leaf is a hearty full-bodied blend indeed. Certainly not an elegant smoke, it is nonetheless charming and rather complex once the initial surprise at its strength and earthiness subsides.
Notes: Reminiscent of old original Rattray's Black Mallory.
Details
| Brand | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blended By | Craig Tarler |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | English |
| Contents | Black Cavendish, Cavendish, Kentucky, Latakia, Oriental/Turkish |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 50g Tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable to Strong
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
2.88 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 11, 2009 | 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.
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.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 26, 2008 | 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.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 11, 2015 | 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
PurchasedFrom:
WASH. DC
Age When Smoked:
Tin - 2 years plus
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 21, 2009 | 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
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 03, 2006 | 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.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 29, 2002 | 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.
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.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 03, 2008 | 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.
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.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 19, 2005 | 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
Three and a half of five stars
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 23, 2013 | 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.
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