Cornell & Diehl Blockade Runner
(2.85)
C&D's true Navy cavendish crumble cake is made with hand stoved red Virginia and golden Virginia, soaked in a premium rum for seven days, then lightly stoved again, pressed and cut.
The seven days are the time it took our seagoing forefathers to sail back to New England from the Islands with the tobacco in their casks soaked with rum. The ship on the label is the Advance, the South's most successful blockade runner.
Details
| Brand | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blended By | Craig Tarler |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | Straight Virginia |
| Contents | Virginia |
| Flavoring | Rum |
| Cut | Krumble Kake |
| Packaging | 2 ounce tin, 8 ounce tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Medium
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
2.85 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 13 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 23, 2015 | Medium | Medium | Medium | Very Pleasant |
Update: 7-31-15. After smoking more of this I've found that the virginias used are just too harsh. Theres a bitterness no matter how you smoke it. If the tobacco is dry it's much worse. I find dry tobacco bitter anyway but this is very bitter dry. It's too bad because I love the cake and the rum used. It's fun to smoke while gardening but I reach for Navy Cavendish 9 times out of 10 instead.
Great range of virginia flavors with a wonderful rum flavor. Flavor seems to be only quality rum and like it was truly soaked in it. The cake is fun and nostalgic. The only problem I have is that the cut can rub out to be too small sometimes. I tend not to rub out as much as flake tobacco because I'm afraid I will end up with saw dust or fish food. I pack little bunches and put very small pieces on top.
One of my main smokes is McClelland's Navy Cavendish. I prefer NC to blockade runner. It's a better all around smoke. BR is good to have on hand though and I have it once in a while for a change of pace. It's not quite a regular smoke like NC, though.
High quality but the cut is weird! All in all good stuff and fun. It's nice to bring on a fishing trip or camping with some cobs for friends who don't smoke pipes much (cigar smokers). Most of the non smokers comment on how nice the smell is.
Great range of virginia flavors with a wonderful rum flavor. Flavor seems to be only quality rum and like it was truly soaked in it. The cake is fun and nostalgic. The only problem I have is that the cut can rub out to be too small sometimes. I tend not to rub out as much as flake tobacco because I'm afraid I will end up with saw dust or fish food. I pack little bunches and put very small pieces on top.
One of my main smokes is McClelland's Navy Cavendish. I prefer NC to blockade runner. It's a better all around smoke. BR is good to have on hand though and I have it once in a while for a change of pace. It's not quite a regular smoke like NC, though.
High quality but the cut is weird! All in all good stuff and fun. It's nice to bring on a fishing trip or camping with some cobs for friends who don't smoke pipes much (cigar smokers). Most of the non smokers comment on how nice the smell is.
Pipe Used:
briars & cob
Age When Smoked:
new
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 03, 2008 | Medium | Medium | Medium | Tolerable |
I've been struggling with this blend now for a couple of weeks, and despite at least half a dozen bowls, I just can't get it to work. I managed to come across a decently aged sample, dated to 2002, thinking this would be heaven. Unfortunately, I've had nothing but trouble.
Many reviewers have noted that their cakes have come rather dry in the tin, which is normal with C&D blends. Despite six years of age, my tobacco was soaking wet, a bit understandable considering the tobacco was doused in rum. I tried foolishly to smoke several bowls, in pure agony as my tongue blistered in pain. Then I got smart and decided to break apart the cakes, rub them out completely, and leave the tin open for as long as necessary to crisp the tobacco. This took a couple of days. I was ready to enjoy my stoved Virginia goodness.
I'm left with more burns and little to show for it. Blockade Runner just never materialized for me. The two stars are offered in respect for C&D's commitment to quality work. They certainly didn't cheap out on the ingredients, which is more than evident.
In my book, Blockade Runner is a rare miss from the folks at Morganton. Happy smoking...
Two of Four
Many reviewers have noted that their cakes have come rather dry in the tin, which is normal with C&D blends. Despite six years of age, my tobacco was soaking wet, a bit understandable considering the tobacco was doused in rum. I tried foolishly to smoke several bowls, in pure agony as my tongue blistered in pain. Then I got smart and decided to break apart the cakes, rub them out completely, and leave the tin open for as long as necessary to crisp the tobacco. This took a couple of days. I was ready to enjoy my stoved Virginia goodness.
I'm left with more burns and little to show for it. Blockade Runner just never materialized for me. The two stars are offered in respect for C&D's commitment to quality work. They certainly didn't cheap out on the ingredients, which is more than evident.
In my book, Blockade Runner is a rare miss from the folks at Morganton. Happy smoking...
Two of Four
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 08, 2015 | Medium | Medium | Medium | Very Pleasant |
The virginias used are harsh. The rum used and the cake are great but the virginias leave a rough aftertaste. I think this is the reason another reviewer said it tastes like they are soaked in tobasco sauce. I don't think it's the rum used because that has a nice flavor. The rum may be the virginias saving grace. Also some of the tobacco is cut too small. It seems to be partial ribbon and odd little confetti cuts. Because of this I'm wary to rub out fully. I pack little chucks of the cake. It's really too bad because I love the rum and the cake presentation. It's really a fun tobacco but I don't know what's going on with the tobaccos used. Everything seems like great quality but with an odd harsh taste. Seems a notch or two over medium in nicotine strength. I'll rate as medium strength though. Good tobacco to smoke around non-smokers. The room note is very pleasant.
Age When Smoked:
new
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2006 | Mild | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
This blend is beautiful in the tin, but my expectations about it were greater. It crumbles and burns easily, but the taste left me puzzled: the rum taste is not so strong, and this can be good, but the Virginias are raw, toasted, almost bitter...In my opinion, this type of blend requires more refinement and sweetness. As always, however, here you can smoke a good quality leaf but it isn't one of my favourites.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 14, 2013 | Medium | Very Mild | Mild | Tolerable |
Pipestuds review really summarizes mine. This tobacco was in my cellar since 07 and I was expecting something more austere! This blend is not what I imagined it would be. With the imagery on the tin I envisioned a nice full Virginia tobacco with a lot of body and strength. Instead I got a mediocre uneventful VA with hardly any punch and not much to offer flavor wise. It presented well out of the tin. A nice dark cake and a sweet aroma. This tabac rubbed out decent and lit and burned okay but lacked the sophistication and depth I was hoping for. Certainly not a horrible tobacco but not noteworthy. I most likely will not purchase another tin.
Age When Smoked:
About 6 years old
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 04, 2010 | Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This review is based on nearly a tin in several different pipes. I found the moisture content to be just about right. I fully rubbed it out and it packs well. I wanted to like this tobacco as I like tobacco's made with rum or cognac. However, it simply tasted very flat to me. Almost boring. I found the rum note to be very subtle. I can see how some folks would enjoy Blockade Runner, but it just isn't for me. I think that there are much better tobacco's out there in this class.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 16, 2008 | Medium to Strong | Medium | Mild to Medium | Strong |
I really like crumble cakes, and from an aesthetic perspective this is one of the nicest I've ever seen. It crumbles easily into your pipe, lights effortlessly and burns steadily while never growing hot. The Vas used are clearly top-notch, and I was pleased with the nicotine hit. But ... The flavoring used on this blend was literally nauseating to me, so much so that I tossed out the tin after four bowls. Others apparently like the taste and aroma, however,so I'm going to recommend this one for those smokers who want to try this style. I have no intention of ever smoking it again, but it's a home run insofar as burning characteristics, presentation, etc. are concerned.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 28, 2003 | Very Mild | Mild | Mild | Very Pleasant |
Ahhh the old Navy Flake tobacco of old when I sailed the seven seas and...well we didn't get to rape and pillage, but we did shoot the Mighty Mo's sixteen inch guns quite a bit. This tobacco is fantastic.The tin arrived in the new C&D tin with plastic sealing lid. It was rather moist and needed some drying out. The tobacco is HARD pressed (crumble cake) into three neat rectangular cakes. The tin aroma was of Rum and I do mean R U M, real one hundred percent Appleton Estate type Rum. The tobacco consists of Red Virginia and Golden Virginia that has had some stoving and then soaked in RUM for seven days. One might think that this tobacco would produce hellfire on the tounge and a wet pipe. Not so, oh brother of the briar. Packing is nice as the flakes are crumbly. Lighting is an ease, and the initial taste is just right. A dry sweet Rum, sweet Virginia, cool taste.In all I'd say it's a fair navy cavendish. (This was the second tin, as I had to send the other back because it was covered in mold).
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 24, 2023 | Medium | Medium to Strong | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This can smoke good and then grab it again and it is bitter. I find it to be picky about the pipe used.
C & D have heavily invested in red Virginia and so almost everything they produce (almost) has red as the base. I find their stock uneven, often overly woody and verging on bitter - like walnut pith.
When it’s good, Blockade Runner is very sweet and graham like. I think it needs more bright leaf and a lot more time in the can to be it’s best.
C & D have heavily invested in red Virginia and so almost everything they produce (almost) has red as the base. I find their stock uneven, often overly woody and verging on bitter - like walnut pith.
When it’s good, Blockade Runner is very sweet and graham like. I think it needs more bright leaf and a lot more time in the can to be it’s best.
Pipe Used:
Bent poker, billiards, Falcon
PurchasedFrom:
Iwan Ries
Age When Smoked:
Fresh to 2 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 08, 2011 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This tobacco is a high quality blend of stoved virginias. It smokes well and the crumble cake is fun to work with. But, for all intents and purposes, it is just that a crumble cake virginia. The promise of the added rum element starts and ends in the tin. The rum is definately present in the smell from the tin but never shows up in the smoke or room note. While it is a high quality virginia cake, IMHO it is not worth the price for a premium tinned blend ($51.00 / lb. + Shipping)without a stronger rum note.
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