Cornell & Diehl Cross Eyed Cricket

I truly love so much of what Cornell and Diehl has to offer (and they're really great folks). So the disgust that this blend stirs in me is more than a bit surprising. But I guess that's alright since one of C. and D.'s strengths, as a company, is its eagerness to suit every taste with its own niche blend rather than attempting to make a single blend that suits everyone. Which, in turn, leads me to infer that _somewhere_ there is someone who loves this stuff, and to that person I send my best wishes.

As for me, I had a tin of this weed open for more than two years. I tried a bowl and found it to be like smoking Hawaiian Punch (the red kind), but not in the good way (is there a good way?). Instead of the harmonious blending of rich flavors that I get from other C. and D. blends in which each taste supports and enhances the others, in Cricket the flavors clash in a cacophany of nastiness. Over the course of two years, I tried the stuff over and over, each time hoping that I'd find something about it to like, and each time I got the same horror. After more than two years, with about 1/4 of the tin remaining, a carpeting of mold appeared on what was left and I finally had an excuse to toss the thing out. I have subsequently tried Cricket several more times, at pipe shows, just in case I'd gotten a bad tin. But, no, they're all bad.

Like smoking a bag of ass mixed with unsweetened Kool-Aid.

First of all, let me say as much positive about this tobacco as I can. The moisture level in the tin is perfect. It packs well and lights with just one match. The smoke remains consistent throughout the bowl. It burns down to a clean white ash. There is no tongue bite. The tobacco is of an obvious high quality. Those are all of the positive things I can think of! Upon lighting, the rum punch flavor rushes out and never looks back. For comparison, let us say that the flavoring added is like stewed prunes. I have never actually tasted that dish, but this must surely be what it is like! The other tobaccos are very nice and the latakia is smooth as silk, but the rum punch runs the show. It never stops running the show. I smoke a lot of aromatics and I can safely say that this stuff is more sour than sweet. The aroma is that of baked prunes. Again, I've never tried them that way, but... The nicotine level is low for me and the pipe is flavored with the above-mentioned rum punch for days and days. I am fortunate that I only sacrificed a couple of cobs to try this stuff. Cornell & Diehl usually put out nothing but quality. And, the tobacco in the tin was certainly quality, but the rum punch drowns them out. I am not sure I will even finish the tin I purchased! And, for what tins are costing these days, that's saying something for me!

When I opened the tin of this "stuff", it reminded me of the cheap generic cough-syrup my mom would give me back in the late 70's. This blend has to be the most distasteful aromatic I have ever tried. I tried two bowlfuls and I could almost hear my pipe cry out in pain that I subjected it to this, whatever you want to call it.In fact,I should have known better because it made me cross-eyed just smelling it in the tin! This is definitely a blend that does not work for me, I cannot see how anyone could enjoy this stuff. What is worse,this blend left a terrible aftertatse in my mouth that ruined my ability to smoke anything else for the rest of the day. Thank God there are other C& D blends to enjoy.

This is one of the few tobaccos I've chosen, that I seriously disliked. I could not understand it, and didn't find it at all pleasant. It was somewhat damp out of the tin. I've tried it many times since cracking it open. The only way I can smoke it, so as not to waste it, is by blending it half/half with an English blend like, for example, GLP Westminster, which makes an interesting, puff-able combo. By itself, it just has an indescribable, strange flavor leaving me sorry I purchased it.

A few steps up from completely foul. I can tolerate a bowl here and there, but its one of those tobaccos i have to be in the mood for. The natural flavors of the tobacco are completely drowned by whatever the manufacturer refers to as "rum punch" casing. Latakia and english style blends should be left to their own devices IMHO. The tin note was good and it gave me high hopes for the flavor profile, but I was ultimatley dissapointed by a perfumey fruit taste that almost felt like it was laying down an oil slick in my mouth. I thought the room note was alright, my wife didn't have anything nice to say. I'll let this one hang out in a mason jar for at least the next six months before i try it again.

What on God's green earth were they thinking when they made this? This is by far the worst tasting (and smelling) stuff (imo). I'm not sure where they get rum punch.....it is certainly not rum punch

There are no words to express the horror that is cross eyed cricket. I know this is suppoded to be a "hybrid" blend, an aromatic latakia. However, there is nothing good, exciting, fun or enjoyable here. This is like a bad experience people repress and rightfully so.

I tried Cross Eyed Cricket after receiving a sample from a friend. I am grateful to him for keeping me from wasting my money.

This is a very unusual blend. It's supposed to be a crossover blend, but the only tobacco flavor that actually clawed its way through the topping was the Perique. The other tobaccos may as well not even be there.

The topping is strong. And really wierd. Rum punch? Well, maybe not in the flavor, but I guess it could be that in the room note, which I think would be popular with non-pipesmokers.

If this is a crossover, it must be a crossover from aromatics to super-aromatics. I was expecting more of an English aromatic. I was disappointed.