Cornell & Diehl Cross Eyed Cricket

What a trip!!! This is far and away the most interesting smoke that I have experienced so far. I wasn't sure how I would like it based on the description but I'm glad I tried it. I love latakia blends, but I'm not a big fan of aromatics (except for Mephisto!), so I opened this tin with trepidation. I am fond of Bow Legged Bear, so I had to try it especially after seeing the tin. Opening the bag inside the tin didn't really help much either. It smelled like the tobacco was flavored with something a drunk, college chick drank at a frat party and then vomited all over the tobacco. Well maybe I exaggerate a little, but not much. Seriously, the rum punch they describe is in full effect here, and the mingling with latakia is probably not for everyone. I persevered however and got it loaded into a corn cob and put it to the match. Wow! Much better now. This is a very eccentric blend, but far from bad. In fact, I think this would be great for a latakia fix in the summertime heat when I just can't get into them normally. The flavor stays light and never gets to be too much. In fact, in the second third of the bowl, the flavoring simmers way down and the perique starts to assert itself with a little spiciness that keeps things interesting. It seems to me that all C&D blend are made with quality leaf, and whether you like them or not they are always well blended. The flavors move along seemlessly with the latakia always remaining in the back ground with a pleasant smokiness, and the unsweetened cavendish providing a nice full base. The turkish never really came to my attention much, but the way this blend stays so nicely complete, I'm sure it plays its part somewhere. The room note was appreciated by smokers and non-smokers alike. This blend came on the drier side, just the way I like it. I think this would be a good blend to recomend to a beginner or aromatic smoker who wants to try latakia. Just be sure to point out that this is not an English Blend- just one with latakia! All said and done this is certainly not a smoke that I could smoke everyday but will make a nice change of pace now and again.

I had to run to the kitchen when I opened the tin and smell the kid's Fruity Pebbles for comparison rum punch??? Whatever that is! Call me crazy! It does pack easily, and takes to a match very quickly, burning evenly, dry and smooth. This is one where the room note and the flavor are a bit different. Whispering seductively, the fruit note hints at the sour side, while the perique and Latakia boldly assert their distinctive flavors. It is in the room note where the fruit finds itself very captivating. I found it very interesting that the fruit punch - kind of like a tropical fruity rum drink - is predominant in the room note.

Hey, if you enjoy an aromatic blend, but want to venture into the world of Latakia and/or Perique, here is a pleasant diversion. Of course, if you are an English devotee, but also a closet aromatic smoker, give this a try - others will be glad of your change of pace and you will not be disappointed either.

2.5 out of 5 halos.

Wow. This is an aptly named blend. I was very unsure about this one when I opened it. The tin note was a sickly sweet fruit puch aroma, to the point I wondered if it was a good idea even lighting it up. I am really glad I persisted. The room note is fairly neutral, but I could definitely see people raising a crooked eyebrow mostly out of curiosity for what the hell is in the bowl. The flavor was really wild. There is greater balance between the cav and the topping than one expects which makes for an okay taste in itself. But then, they get enveloped in the richness of the orientals and makes the smoke really full bodied. This blend seems to be a love-it or hate-it kind of affair, and I would cetainly see why some folks don't care for it. I do recommend at least sampling a bowl if you can. Like it or not it is certainly unique.

I bought a tin of the Cricket this winter from a local tobaccanist. I probably would not have otherwise considered it, but the tin was dated 10/21/04. Even though I usually can't get enough flavor from an aromatic tobacco to make it worth my while, this one was different. It had a nice sweet flavor from the rum punch topping. Maybe the perceived taste and quality was because of its age? I just finished a bowl in a Peterson Return of Sherlock Holmes Hudson (bulldog), and it was a good match. Recommomended, at least if you can get you hands on a 7-year-old tin.

I just got my latest order of bacci in the mail consisting of 5 new bacs I never tried before.Only 2 of them I liked and this was at the top of the list.I consider this an english as the rum flavoring is a bit on the light side for me.But I realy realy enjoyed it.If you like english and want to try something with a little taste of aromatic...this is the one to try.And if you like aromatics and what to try something thats not 100% english thgis is for you.2 thumbs up C&D has a winner here.

Pure fun in a tin! A really different crossover blend. It has a solid English base with the addition of fruit punch as the flavoring.This will appeal to those who appreciate Shortcut to Mushrooms, Gotham Court, and Irish Aromatic. You can't go wrong as long as you know what you are getting into. A solid 3 crossover stars!

First of all, it is great to see this site so active! Second, this tobacco is proof positive that I am a bit schizophrenic or a Sadomasochist. I love this stuff!

It has changed a bit over the years, Cornell & Diehl has changed packaging also, my first tin of this was in a brass colored tin with the ?coffee filter?, the second two tins came with a 16mm film canister with a vacuum sealed bag (traded for a tin of McCranie?s ?83 red ribbon) and now the tin is like the one McClelland?s use. Also, this use to be a pressed cake form (have an old tin to prove it) now it is a ribbon. The one thing that hasn?t changed?the tobaccos (however it seems to have more Turkish and less Latakia) and ?lightly flavored with rum punch? topping.

Now for the review, this is heavily cased in a fruit punch concoction that has a musty smell from the Latakia and a spice from the Perique when the tin is opened. However, the smoking qualities are a bit different. When you first light this, the palate and room is overwhelmed by the fruity nature of the casing and the Turkish leaps out at you. (At least in the latest blend tin; labeled on the bottom as #120705 I guess that means it was tinned 07/05?) Then you get a very tasty smoke down to about the halfway point if you smoke it quickly you will get bitten so in that respect I cannot give this four stars. Then this morphs into a wicked Perique war on the senses, spice, nicotine and a clearing of the punch with a whole separate punch. The smoke finished with a mottled grey and dark grey ash with absolutely no ?goop?.

This is a pipe tobacco that in my opinion has to be tried by all aromatic smokers, but the pure VA and English smokers might want to try this as a change of pace or to please the ladies.

This leaf is the Moby Dick of tobacco, it is an annomoly. I admit that being a lover of straight VA's I am probably biased to them but I do venture into English and Orientals occasionally. I enjoy Penzance very much. As well as Nightcap. And I enjoyed Cross Eyed Cricket. I think this weed is just plain fun in a can, nothing to be taken very seriously, just leaves to burn for the fun of being able to enjoy fruit punch in a bowl! Really, the strength of the casing isn't that powerful. I'm sure it will impart the flavoring in the cake and pipe though, so I smoke this in my junk pipes, but its fun nonetheless. I was just amazed that this weed didn't disgust me!

Update: What a fun blend. There are some that will disagree, but what fun is that?

From the tin, it has the cork-like scent of latakia mixed with a fruity flavour that reminds me of a stick of Big Red gum. Unlike many other fruity tobaccos, this one is complex in its combination of flavours. In the pipe the mildly sweet flavour of vanilla cavendish, rich latakia and mellow fruit-punch fluidly intertwine with each other. Smoked slowly, it will change from pleasantly fruity, to sweet vanilla, to a mellow latakia taste. None of the flavours overpower the other, but constantly blend together to provide a long, cool smoke that doesn't get boring or repulsive. This mild and complex tobacco burns well and doesn't bite the tongue.