Cornell & Diehl Mountain Camp

Purchased when C&D bulk was on sale, I didn't know what to expect since I'm still kind of new at this. Mountain Camp is the perfect name, it doesn't have any "flavors", but it does have a nice earthy tobacco taste to it. It may have a small bite to it, but if you slow down and don't get the bowl to hot it get's a smooth smokey taste. My choice for a rainy Sunday afternoon or a weekend getaway in the white mountains of N.H. Strength and Taste are medium to strong, and the smell might not be pleasing to everyone, so I would say Room Note is tolerable (no worse than cigarettes).

Aptly named, this blend did evoke memories of camping long ago in the Blue Ridge Mts, mostly in the fall when lingering smoke aroma from burning leaves back home (back when we could burn them) reinforced the smokey camp fires. This blend at first struck me as a cousin of my favorite Engine 99, just not as sweet and lacking the Orientals of the Engine. Similar red Virginias it gives this even a roasted marshmallow hint. The generous Latakia permeates the dense smoke, but the higher burley content in Mountain Camp (MC) yields a more potent smoke. While not the visceral punch of, say Morley's Best, it is heavier in nicotine than Engine 99 which is on the lighter side of medium. I attribute this to the higher burley and perique here. Rather than stumble around let me just say that (using similar C&D blends) I prefer Engine 99, Red Odessa, Odessa in that order and that this just edges Morley's Best behind those in my opinion due to the more pleasant aftertaste and lower potency. Others. I am sure, will have other views.

I don't necessarily like being a comparison reviewer but the first several times I smoked this blend, Dunhill's Night Cap came to mind. Now my experience with the Dunhill blends is very limited and to EMP, MM965 and Night Cap, in bulk and the Orlik versions. Therefore, the comparison may not be fair. I remember Night Cap being heavy and having quite a bit of a nicotine kick to it. And that's what I got out of Mountain Camp and was on the verge of tossing all 8 ounces in the can. I'm not a fan at all of vitamin N and it was a bit too much in this blend. I didn't toss it and have held onto this blend for over a year and recently revisited it. It's apparently mellowed a bit and has turned into something I really enjoy. All the reviews below hit this on the head. In the bowl, it has plenty of deep notes along with an earthy, leathery and smoky aroma. With all this, it still has a very rich and creamy quality that makes it very enjoyable to smoke along with a peppery taste. Smoke it slow in small amounts and you'll avoid the nic kick. Love the room note too.

Usually I don't mix ny Latakia and perique - it feels like I'd be doing something akin to drinking a vodka martini. What the hell!

Upon first light I was nose-slapped to the curb with Latakia. Midbowl, the perique chimes in like a schoolgirl choir in plaid uniforms. The finish, a little bitter.

Images evoked: a stegosaurus thigh fossil discovered to have been colonized by a bee hive.

a pleasureable, heavy smoke. the Latakia and Per join forces and wollop you with musty smoke that is hinted with a flowery (African Violet?) background and taste. you can get lost in this one. Good for outdoors.

Great stuff....I loved it in the am with my coffee on my ride to work. Also great standing out in the cold on breaks. I'll always have a love for it, but C&D and Pease did it one better with Deacon's Downfall. Definatly give it a try. Can be spicy if puffed to hard...B.o.b can be bitter at times, through I found no ryme or reason for this...

A very nice English-type blend. I smoked some Squadron Leader after a bowl of Mt. Camp and it tasted rather weak by comparison. If you think S.L. is strong avoid Mt. Camp. A very nicely balanced mixture with a rather rich and assertive Latikia presence. I don't rate room note as I smoke almost exclusively outdoors. Update: As a first English of the day, the Latakia was strong and a virtual solo act. Could venture to say I never tasted anything else with the slightest hint of Burley. No Perique at all Virginnia a no-show. Think Latakia.

Upon opening Mountain Camp, I get the expected latakia tin note. The tobacco is near perfect moisture and ready to light (perhaps a little dry time).

Latakia is the lead after lighting giving this a nice smokey, leathery start. Perique and Virginia come through as well with a dark fruit, figgy flavor and that spicy perique tongue tingle. The perique becomes even more noticeable during the 2nd half of the bowl, and even seems to edge out the latakia at times.

Overall, an enjoyable smoke, but a tad too periquey for me to consider it a favorite. Recommended for just about any English fan, and highly for perique lovers.

This is an excellent C & D blend made especially for the warm & homey Jack's Tobacco. This, along with Pirate Kake & Cordial ought to be tinned. Mountain Camp brings to mind other C & D blends I've tried: Black Duck mild? Valle Crucis without the ginger? Not sure, though this has a surprising interplay of flavors & aromas, especially near the end of the bowl. The perique & latakia play off each other nicely. I'll say it again: I am amazed at how C & D & McClelland can take basically the same 2 or 3 themes & create subtle variations on each. I'm not a lover of bulk blends, but this is really one worth trying. Get some if you visit Jack's.

Three and a half of five stars