Tobaccos Cornell & Diehl - Engine 99

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3046)	2016-06-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The smokey, woody, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia has a strong presence, though this is no lat-bomb as the other components always have their say. The burley is toasty, earthy, woody, nutty with some molasses in a back up role, though it’s inconsistent as to when it shows up. The red Virginia is tangy dark fruit sweet with a little earth, bread and wood, and generally underscores the experience. The Oriental/Turkish is woody, earthy,herbal, vegetative, mildly floral, lightly spicy, sour and buttery sweet as a regular support player, and here and there, seems a little more obvious than that. The earthy perique is almost minimal, though you’ll mostly taste a little raisin and plum along with a mildly more active spice. The strength and taste levels are medium. The nic-hit is just past the center of mild to medium. There’s no chance of bite. No harsh spots either, though it does have a few rough edges. Needs light hydration. Burns at a reasonable pace with a cool, clean, smooth, deep flavor. Requires few relights, and leaves hardly any moisture in the bowl. Has a smokey, woody, lightly lingering after taste and room note. Not an all day smoke, but it is repeatable for the veteran.

-JimInks

40 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2013-10-13		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This is a near perfectly balanced English/Balkan blend. I love it and am going to cellar a few pounds of it. Burns great. Tastes great. Strength is just right. Can't beat the price and it's available in bulk. What's not to like?

38 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	musicman (131)	2012-01-19		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

Engine Engine 99, coming down Chicago line, see it sparkle see it shine, Engine Engine 99.

I really like this blend. This is like pirate kake if it didn't take steroids. It is a lot more sophisticated in the balance department, and the deep flavors are very lush.

The evil genius's over at C&D have done it again with this one. This is an english that I feel can stand up to the majority of fancy tinned english blends out there. Just as good but at a better price point.

Get some smoke some you wont regret it. Highly recommended.

29 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2009-04-22		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Very Pleasant

Engine #99 purrs nicely... and quietly. Not a lot of strength or strong English flavor (IMO). I never have been able to figure out exactly what a "Balkan" style tobacco is, but I do know that Perique is not a Balkan component. Engine #99 is indeed a little spicy, but does not contain any Perique. The Latakia and Oriental leaf are quality components of this blend and combined for a bitter sweet, subtle smokey flavor.

If cool, calm and quiet can be adjectives for flavor, then those are mine for this nice blend.

22 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Trumpetboy (19)	2014-03-20		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is a very enjoyable tobacco for fans of a good quality English blend with some backbone. On lighting, I detected the fruitiness of the Perique along with the smokiness of the Latakia, which is not overwhelming, but very smooth and balanced. This is an amazing blend for a bulk blend--I can't believe the quality, and I love the cut. Much chunkier than, say 965, and as a result smokes much more slowly and much more flavorful. To me, it is most similar to H&H Armada, but the Burley in this one gives it slightly more N and a little more firmness in taste. I'm very taken with this one--most highly recommended!

Pipe Used: Billiards--Larrysson, and Castello

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

Similar Blends: Nightcap (minus the Burley and Cavendish), H&H Armada (again, minus the Burley).

21 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Capt (339)	2012-11-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Just by reading that this was the same components as Pirate Kake had me excited, and I bought a pound without so much as even having a sample. That was a few years back. A good pipe forum friend sent me some saying it wasn't for him, so I just added what he sent to the jar.

Once again, another perfect English blend from C&D. I am not a fan of their Burley forward blends, but they have English down to a science.

Packs and lights with ease, minimal relights needed. This blend opens up with a medium density smoke. Aroma of your standard C&D Latakia, but a certain sweetness accompanies the smoke. Latakia is not as up front as Pirate Kake, nor as chewy. This blend smokes extremely cool and dry, and leaves a nice clean finish on your palate. Puff as hard as you wish, it won't bite, but it will change the flavor profile to burnt rubber. If you like Pirate Kake, but looking for a bit less chunkiness, this is your blend.

16 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kokinhenik (93)	2012-09-27		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Bulk Blend Smack Down: This is a fantastic bulk buy! What stands out about this is the bang for the buck! The price point is a steal! For roughly $2.10/oz your getting a smoke that rivals many $4.00+/oz tins. Strong nic hit is a plus right off! Lat was nice and buttery…right up front in the flavor profile. Nice toasty notes in the mid bowl. This might be a serious contender to replace Dunhill Nightcap.

15 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StrongMixturesOnly (17)	2013-08-04		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Engine 99 is a great mixture in which to begin transitioning from medium English blends to strong English blends. It is not overpowering but it's strength is noticeable when compared to many medium category English mixtures. It is a good blend to make one's standard. Heavy in Virginia and Latakia with a rich Turkish undertone. The Black Cavendish cuts the more robust tastes of the Oriental leaves with it's sweetness while the Perique spice cuts on the sweetness.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tleek (51)	2012-06-18		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable

This is one fantastic tobacco, and an almost instant favorite. I ordered a five blend sampler pack from C&D, and this was one of my chosen five. . I am certainly glad i chose this! having smoked about six or seven bowls of it, i can already tell it is. Going roto be one of my all time favorite tobaccos , and perhaps in the near future my all day smoke.

It is a full flavored english Latakia blend, which is smoothed out incredibly by the cavendish, and sweetened by the virginia and burley. the perique is faint but positively adds to the complexity, and the turkish serves the same sort of purpose but in a different way.

An All round fantastic blend for anyone who loves English tobaccos, I am very impressed.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Joeray (61)	2014-06-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is another favorite blend to put on cellar and fit as my daily smoke. The cut is very well so is very easy to pack it into my Stanwell 11 Black Diamond. I just make a 3 layer method packing, a good cherring light, and the journey of pleasure is starting. Great smoke, right moist, and great taste.

Probably this is one of the sweetest english blend (without flavor added) that I ever smoke. The virginia and burley is just at right composition to make it balance with the smokey latakia, and the spiciness just came with smooth that not overwhalming. I just puff it slowly and the light is easy to keep and burnt very well on my pipe.

Other pipe smokers says if this blend is highly recommended and almost similar with the Dunhill Night Cap and I totally agree. This blend is very good with ascending taste from the beginning untill finish the bowl. It started with medium taste of the smokey of Latakia and soon the sweetness of virginia follows. I almost can not detect the burley accept smokey Latakia and the spicy oriental, but at the middle of the bowl I start to taste a thin fruity plum like taste, perhaps from the perique but it not dominant the taste.

The blend has a complex taste and very enjoyable. Sure I want to buy another tin and highly recommend this blend.

Pipe Used: Stanwell 11 Black Diamond

Age When Smoked: 1 year

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	piedpipester (19)	2011-05-23		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I've smoked about 2 pounds of engine #99 so I think I can write my impressions of it now.

Engine # 99 is composed of some fine first quality tobacco. It is to me a wonderful, smokey latakia filled treat for a night smoke. I would not classify it as being super strong. It has a naturally dark taste which makes one think that it's stronger than it really is. I don't get nicotine overload at all, in fact, it's very smooth. It's a little complex, starts out slightly sweet with the virginia easily detectable, mid bowl the perique kicks in and the flavor intensifies. If the perique content were higher, it would definately have more kick, but as it's blended, the perique content is right for me, you can tell it's there, especially at the bottom of the bowl, but it's light enough not to make your mouth burn. Imho, A must try for all who love latakia blends....4 stars

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	albfneto (184)	2013-05-17		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Very Strong

I'm very well impressed with this tobacco.

Is an modified MI, complete and very rich in latakia, as Pirate Cake.

The cut is more easy to fill than Pirate Cake... and for me, is very similar, the same flavour, the same taste but this in even better,,,

not complex, only for the people that loves Latakia. Medium to Strong Nicotine.

Is an improvement od Pirate Cake, and i've not smoked Odessa, but mau be also an improvemenet of Odessa.

4 Stars and goes to my favorites.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DeathMetal.org (231)	2019-05-04		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

Summary: an English light on Latakia but heavy on Virginia flavor.

This is my preferred substitute for Dunhill "Nightcap," as I detail (http://www.deathmetal.org/news/substitutes-for-dunhill-pipe-tobaccos/) elsewhere. You taste a lot of Latakia, but it is not a Lat-bomb per se; instead, it seems to be a mix of "Cube Cut Burley" and "Virginia Flake" with added Balkan touches like a lot of Turkish relative to the Latakia, and Perique rounds this out to give it an aged, stewed, and zesty quality that nicely complements the dark fired Latakia. Englishes are tricky, because like death metal, they are easy to make but difficult to make well. This one comes in a rough cut and seems like a mess, but it burns well, tastes sweet, and has multiple dimensions of flavor that emerge slowly just like "Nightcap." It seems weird that one of the best English blends comes from America, but every time I lose faith in the venerable English, I turn to this one and find my faith restored.

Similar Blends: Dunhill - Nightcap.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	balkan_boy (49)	2015-10-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is an awesome blend. As with most C&D blends, it's not straight by the book like let's say Dunhill English mixtures. First part of the bowl, you get some unusual taste that goes away after few puffs. It's like dried out latakia with Perique in a bad way. After that you catch the Burley here and there, Latakia in the background, followed by some very fine sweetness and oriental deliciousness. Perique isn't peppery and for my account, it's not even detectable. Maybe it brings just a little sharpness to the blend. It develops a wide spectrum of flavors from the beginning to the end. Smoky leathery latakia on one end, aromatic orientals in the middle (although faint), metal nuttyness of the Burley and sweetness of the virginia on the other end. Perique just enough for to avoid blandness. And they all play in harmony. And it's not a picky tobacco either. It's good in every occasion. Just stuff it into your pipe, and enjoy it, either as a connoisseur, or just for relax, it's good. I love C&D blends. They never fail.

Pipe Used: Stanwells

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	atomicbuster (79)	2014-07-12		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I've got to say this is a very good English blend. Whatever the mix, it really agrees with me. All it took was one day drying. Smells great and balanced moisture right out of the container. The texture turns a bit ashy quickly. The smell and taste are "deep", if such a word can be used to describe smell and taste. Perhaps "sophisticated" is better. Definitely smooth and rich. Anyway, bite was minimal. Packing and lighting was easy. Also, I try to get inside the name of the blend and make associations. This definitely evoked a sense of the heyday of steam engines. Very cool, very classy. This might become a favorite of mine.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tantric (321)	2016-10-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Strong

A nice English smoke. Hevay on the orientals and, as it happens with most C&D's, with a strong Burley presence. A good, quiet smoke but nothing to write home about. If you like a slightly muted English/American smoke, this is it.

Pipe Used: Peterson Aran

Age When Smoked: N/A

Purchased From: Joshua Ward.

Similar Blends: Most Burley/Latakia/Virginia blends..

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2080)	2016-10-04		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Cornell & Diehl - Engine 99.

A low point in my pouch, is one I've had with a few C+D bulk's: twigs. But, that problem can be easily overcome by simply not loading any into my pipe!

I find the smoke gives quite a buttery quality upon first light. Once this has settled down I get some strong cedar from the Latakia. The Oriental/Turkish are still present, but a little bit behind. I don't really get much Perique from #99; there's a delicate fruitiness but nothing particularly sharp or spicy. The rest of the flavour's nutty and rustic; it makes a good platform for the others to work with. Likewise, to the Perique, the Virginia gives me very little. Engine 99 burns consistently enough, but it's too bloody quick; it goes like the clappers!

When I first took a puff of #99 I felt quite impressed, but after about ten minutes the enjoyment lessened somewhat. Towards the end of the bowl I felt bored:

Somewhat recommended.

Pipe Used: Big Ben Bora

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (401)	2019-05-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

About a month ago a fellow pipe club member gave me what was left of a 2 oz bag he had picked up somewhere. I had three small bowls of this in an Acorn Corn Cob. I like Pirate Kake though I have never tried the Red Odessa but find this blend nice and smokable. So many Latakia blends out there I do not know how to describe them to differentiate them from each other. Also, three bowls really aren’t enough to give it the proper review and respect it deserves but I may buy some more down the road. I would give it a try.

Pipe Used: Acorn Corn Cob

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pryhosm (248)	2018-12-28		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Pipe smoking is an amazing hobby. I smoked cigars for 20 years before I braved my way into pipedom. You can never go back to a good cigar and see if it changes over time. The caveat to that is, I guess, you are wealthy and buy boxes of several cigars at a time and can go back to a box with the same, exact cigars. I am revisiting some C&D and GLP blends. I decided early on that I would start a tobacco collection that allowed me as much variety as my wallet would allow. I am blessed and have dozens of open tins in jars along with unopened tins put down to age on a whim. I know the range of my pallet and try to buy blends that I know I will like, not to many wide ranging purchases. C&D and GLP have so many lines that appeal to certain tastes, that you cannot say this blender will have a "type" Each line has a type. As I have broadened my collection I realized that I had to backtrack and re-experience some blends. Having gone from John Bull pouches to Penzanze and back again, I had found my preference and upon revisit rediscovered some amazing blends. Engine 99 was one of them. This tobacco is something you cannot appreciate until you appreciate Red Virginia's. This English takes in the earthy, mellow and spice character of the Red VA and plays it off of the other varietals of leaf masterfully. The Orientals and Latakia are the stars of the tin note. Sour, smokey are the two that hit you first, the sweetness of the VA and some dark fruit is also in there but way in the distance The smoke is really interesting. My first pass on this was Latakia and classic English. Not a Balkan, I think the Perique is what kills the malty flavor I love in Balkans, but that does not mean that it kills this blend as a leader in this genre. The lead flavors come from the Red VA and the Latakia, to my palate they are in a dead heat. The Latakia is smokey and sweet and it plays wonderfully with the Red VA. The earthiness and the smokey sweetness are prominent from first light to the end of the smoke. The Perique provides a white pepper spiciness that work well with the Turkish/Orientals that are woody and a bit buttery (I think that is from the interplay of VA and Oriental). There is Burley in here but I cannot call it out as a "flavor" in this blend. I think in all great blends that you are not supposed to be able to call out each leaf, we only try to show off in our reviews, the Burley is a complement to all of the other leaves in this blend. I really like what C&D did here, I can't say it is a favorite but it is an amazingly good blend and each time I go back to it I am surprised all over again at how good it is. A must try.

Pipe Used: Briar's, meerschaum and cobs

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	noquarter (23)	2015-11-26		Mild	Extremely Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

Very nice and mild English for my tastes. This and Star of the east very much comprises my English/Balkan rotation. Tin note and aroma is just wonderful.

Pipe Used: various briars and cobs

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Otis56 (31)	2015-02-01		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

Not a bad smoke. But not a great smoke either. Pretty much one dimensional. I find it very much like a hundred other English blends out there now. It is a bulk mixture and priced accordingly. An ok smoke all day tobacco but nothing I would purchase again. Judge for yourself. Peace.

Pipe Used: Bringham bent billiard.

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: 4noggins

Similar Blends: A lot of other run-of the mill English blends..

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2011-11-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Strong

I just recently purchased this in bulk, so this review is based on a blend that has not had a chance to age. I find this very one dimensional heavy Latakia blend. If you like latakia, as I do, I think you should try this as the price is right. Right now it is spicy and harsh, but I will update after 9 months of cellaring as I feel it will improve. I also tried this back to back against Pirate Kake (3 months age) and PK is much smoother and also allows some of the Orientals to play ( PK is my choice).

Updated 6/11/12 I'm now torn between, Nightcap, and this for my Latakia blast. I'm keeping at 3 stars. I think Odyssey & 3 Oaks Syrian are more complex and have nicer Oriental backgrounds, and Nightcap burns so well? choices , choices.

Updated 8/10/12 I've just tried, Engine 99, back to back with, Pirate Kake, both bulks, and I find PK better . You had better have a liking for Latakia with both of these blends, more so with PK that gives an almost oily taste. E99 is not as sweet and doesn't bring much Oriental, is not as creamy and is very one dimensional. I've decided to give it 2 1/2 stars but I would rather put my money towards PK.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tripjoker (65)	2011-01-27		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I passed by this blend many times while shopping for interesting English styles. I read and reread the numerous reviews many times thinking this might be one to try sooner or later. I have to say that it was Briarpatchs' review that made my interest pique. As with all things consumable, you tend to find people who have like tastes, never identical, but similar. His reverence for Standard Mixture Medium was one of the indicators that we could share some flavor profile interest. I have to say that I was correct, at least on this blend.

To begin, I agree with the assessment that this is a very solid blend. Plenty rich and full flavored with a solid English profile with one very overt exception. Perique. Now don't get me wrong, I really am a perique fan, and like it alot when it works in a blend. Here is the exception to that rule. The perique content is very, very low. But, the flavor is there. It is detectable. And that is where the rub is, because it just doesn't work in this blend. It would be a solid four star blend if it didn't have any perique. It would be even better if there was just a breathe more Turkish. Maybe replace the perique with a like proportion of Turkish.

Having said all that, this is a tasty tobacco. The flavor of the perique here just holds it back alittle. It doesn't ruin it. I would recommend this to anyone who likes the English genre and doesn't mind a pinch of perique flavor in the mix.

The burn rate is good, not exceptional. The vitamin N content is on the low side of medium and picks up to just short of a solid medium level at end of bowl. Packing was a breeze, although I rarely have problems packing any tobacco. No bite detected even when pushed a bit. A slight bitterness detected if you heat it up though, so go slow and take your time with this one. The complexity level should keep most smokers interest throughout the bowl. A good one to smoke while I write at the computer, and equally good for moments of quiet contemplation.

Verdict: three stars...will keep a good supply on hand to cellar...perique haters need not apply...otherwise, give it a try. Cheers!

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-01-16		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Excellent! One of the best English style mixtures I've smoked in a while, with rich earthy and woodsy flavors and gentle nuances of sweetness and spice. A glimpse of perfection.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	FrostyPipe (7)	2019-09-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

What briars are made for.

I find the balance of this to be spot on.

A luscious English blend with all the right components. Nothing over done, nothing lacking.

Cool, dry smoker, with flavour and complexity...it’s what you dream you’ll one day be smoking when you start off enjoying a pipe.

Produces a luscious smoke with a mouthfeel that just left me quietly smiling.

Easy to tame in the bowl, minimal lights, zero tongue bite...just about the most enjoyable smoke I’ve had in quite awhile.

It is gentler/smoother/richer than I recall some of my older Dunhill blends...just as robust, but with a subtle refinement...the best of old with the hard edges burnished in all the right ways.

I highly recommend this blend with absolute confidence in your enjoyment with it.

Pipe Used: Brigham Chinook Canadian

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: 4noggins

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Knightsmoker (218)	2019-02-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

The lat leads the way from the start. It is smokey and sweet. Unfortunately, for me, it takes over at just after the half way point and is too dominate crushing the other components. This keeps it from the fourth star for me. Otherwise it is a great smoke. Behind the lat is burley which is nutty and earthy with notes of molasses and a very faint cocoa nuance once in a while. The orientals are there as well, they are woody, slightly sweet with a nice sourness that I associate with them. I also get a creamy flavor that may be from them as well. They also have a slight musty note on occasion when they move forward. The VA always stays in the background for me but they do have a tangy dark fruit note that I find in red VA's. There is also a very vegetative note that comes and goes and I am not at all sure which variety this is coming from. The perique is almost unnoticeable. I do get a faint pepper note here and there and perhaps a raisin like note that comes and goes but is also rather faint. The nic is really closer to mild it will not satisfy a craving but it could be someones all day lat blend if the lat does not overwhelm the palate like it did for me. Still for those of you who love higher percentage of lat without heavy nic this would be a good one to try.

Age When Smoked: 6 months

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Precious Paul (20)	2018-10-26		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Damn fine blend that can be had for cheap in bulk, which is how I came to a 4 Oz purchase. Bought exclusively on aroma alone and was tickled it was a mix of Pirate Kake and Odessa. Really is a buttery smooth Balkan and I find no fault in it whatsoever. Fantastic in a shorter pipe. Some may find the room aroma offensive as there’s a fair whack of Latakia present. A worthy investment.

Edit This is becoming a my defacto house blend. Terrific.

Pipe Used: Nose warmers mostly

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Toasterbottom (13)	2015-06-07		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

I don't have a lot to say other than I really like this and it's great value. I just wanted to vote it up and you can't do that without commenting. I bought both C&D's Star of the East and Engine 99. Perhaps they're different things ... I dunno, Balkan, English, Oriental ... I don't know! All I know is I like tobacco with latakia and with some ooomph. SOTE doesn't do it for me, while Engine 99 is a great, full, flavourful tobacco! And they're both cheap. So, if you're like me and want to buy a reasonably priced tobacco in bulk that has an authentic English taste, get yourself a couple of ounces of this and skip the SOTE. Wish I'd bought more of this.

Pipe Used: briars of all shapes and sizes

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: 4noggins.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cmhpipesmoker (21)	2010-10-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This is one of three recent C&D blends I purchased, the other two being Star of the East and Mountain Camp. After much research, I felt confident in buying 8 ounces of each, hoping I would not be disappointed. Engine 99, by strength, is in the middle of the pack and, to me, seems to be fairly close to what I consider to be my definition of a standard English mixture (even with the Cavendish and Burley). It does get a bit heavy towards the end of the bowl though. The basic components are there, the sweet/sour aroma of the Virginia along with the heaviness of the latakia. I can't detect much of the Perique it contains (but not really an expert though) but does have a somewhat "nutty" flavor to it. I assume this is the Burley tobacco. I'll say you can't go wrong with this blend. It's a very middle-of-the-road English (not great but not bad at all), readily available from C&D direct or from several on-line stores and very reasonably priced as most of the C&D bulk blends seem to be.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Demetri (113)	2009-08-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I am on my ninth bowl of this new purchase - ninth in 36 hours, which is a long time for me to smoke one blend only (ever since Finck's English changed). This is a sleeper, and a surprise for me. It's been on the shelf at El Fumador -Sewickley, PA- every time I've been in over the last six months and I just passed it over (maybe the name of the blend did not resonate for me). However I finally bought 4 ounces last Wednesday afternoon on way into work. I cleaned out a still-warm partial bowl of a McClelland Grand Oriental in order to give this an immediate test; this was the wrong thing to do as my first taste might be ghosted by the Classic Samsun (as indeed it was). At lunch at tried another bowl to better effect. On way home yet another, followed by yet another two hours later. If one gets the impression that I was impressed with this blend then one would be correct. Obviously Engine 99 is an evolutionary blend of two other C&D blends one of which itself is a variation of yet another. But is works well. The blend is poised with no one component fighting any other, but all complementing each other. Contrary to smoke other opinions I find this to be a complex experience with a lot happening in the bowl and all of that is just plain good and tasty. It is also what I call a thinking man's smoke- extremely pleasant without being distracting. Perfect smoke for times of other tasks such as creative writing or programming...or just thinking (if indeed that is what I do). I've only had one bowl of Balkan Sobraine in my life - traded with my college roommate for a bowl of my Dunhill #965 and hence I have virtually no experience with which to liken this to any other. For Room Note, I had to guess as Tester (wife) was not within nose range this morning and made no unsolicited comment.

Temporary rating of 3 stars - might go to four later.

Update: OK, after 17 bowls, this gets kicked up a notch to 4 stars.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bassel_L (7)	2020-05-28		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable

You love Latakia or English blend? This is definitely for you! It is a perfect definition of a strong latakia blend. I used to love nightcap and didn't want to try a similar blend, but this one has totally got my attention. Great loose cut, very easy and fun to pack. Latakia is the dominant flavour here, with a noticable perique hit when retrohaling. Very recomended for all english and latakia lovers out there.

Wish you all a happy smoke!

Pipe Used: Big Ben Bent Pipe

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Peterson - Nightcap (Dunhill replacements).

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TCody (15)	2020-01-02		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

The Cornell and Diehl range of burley based and Latakia spiced tobaccos are similar to tobacco shop products prior to the vanilla Cavendish boom. They take me back to my early days of pipe smoking. These mixtures are good when new, but superior after two years of aging. Engine 99 is no exception. Enjoy.

Pipe Used: Several medium sized briars.

Age When Smoked: New and two years.

Purchased From: Internet

Similar Blends: Wilke Highhat, Plantation Evening, Sutliff Number 5, Ted's British Emperial..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Shaun_Pearson (21)	2019-09-22		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This was a perfect English Blend in my eyes. Nothing was overbearing nor lacking in flavor. Majorly I tasted a lot of nuttiness and earthiness with a topping of molasses. The aroma wasn't overpowering like some English Blends. I personally would find this blend ideal in the early morning or late evenings after a hefty meal.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Trevi 904

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Twins Smoke shop (Savinelli Trunk Show Event)

Similar Blends: Dunhill Nightcap (strength-wise).

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	nkulk8r (90)	2019-01-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I've only had this out of the tin -- and many tins of this I do have -- it's just fantastic stuff. Rich, creamy smoke -- a perfectly blended, classic English that I reach for any time of day, all year round. 4-stars.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sybariten (61)	2015-09-17		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is one latakia heavy blend, that needs to be stated early on. If one is not looking för that, this surely won't be a snug fit. The second thing about it one should know is that it is not sweet. Rather there is a wood-ish quality about it reminiscent of that of a cedar infused cigar, however not quite as pungent. There is not much to this one in terms of complexity, it offers up a straight profile that does not change throughout the bowl. For me, that does not matter. I enjoy it, quite so actually! For a latakia smoker who feels like smoking something straight, no surprises, it delivers. And for that price, one can not really ask for more.

Pipe Used: Äs nr64, MM Country gentleman

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: 4noggins.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bruck (27)	2014-12-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I'm a big fan of Latakia/English blends and this one is a keeper! I found it while exploring said blends at a cigar/pipe tobacco shop and was drawn in by the canister aroma (kind of like the cookie stores in the mall). While I prefer a somewhat stronger tobacco, this one is smooth, burn well, and does not produce a lot of extra moisture when smoked at a slow-to-medium rate. Flavor is broad but not too hard of a kick in the palate.

Pipe Used: Altinok Meer, cobs, Dr. G. Omega

Age When Smoked: 6 mo.

Purchased From: B&M

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Virginia lover (218)	2014-05-15		Medium	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

An American type mixture that for me is in the category of a dime a dozen, nothing really special, mild tasting and not much strength. All the flavors are balanced but very subdued. 2 stars for the quality leaf and price but a waste of time for me nevertheless.

Virginia lover

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BigCasino (27)	2013-12-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

This is Pairate Kakes little brother, not quite as strong , but still a pretty good amount of Latakia, the Red odessa really tones it down tho

Pipe Used: La Rocca, Fantasia

Age When Smoked: all ages

Purchased From: Alegheny Smoke Works

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2012-03-16		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I'm nearing the end of the two ounces I recently ordered, and this one is right up there with Pirate Kake for me, as I'm a big fan of heavy latakia blends. My wife likes the smell too, whenever I'm smoking it she thinks someone is grilling with hickory wood or using their fireplace. After smoking a couple bowls of this the other night and coming home from work the next day, we were greeted with a very fireplace-esque room note upon re-entering the apartment.

However, wifey dearest does not like how it makes my breath smell, so be sure to keep some mints on hand just in case!

All-in-all, I love the depth that this blend offers and will definitely be ordering more of it in the near future!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Irishlefty (22)	2009-04-20		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

When first I tried this blend I thought it was o.k. Not great but still good. I found the baggie with Engine 99 in it today and decided to give it another try and my opinion has changed. It is fairly full flavored, which I like, has enough nicotine to satisfy my craving, smokes very easily. It may not be the best full English blend I've had but it must be in the top 10, certainly good enough to keep some around and return to frequently.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-04-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Preface: I have been smoking Dunhill Standard Mixture Medium for near-on 30 years, believing that it has no equal anywhere on earth. But it is gone now, and so I begin a quest for my Holy Grail: A substitute to replace the standard on which all English tobaccos are based:

Engine 99 could 'ave been a contender! But, alas for me, the mixture contains Perique of which I am not a fan. But if you are, everything else here is good. Smoky & rich, good quality, good looking tobacco. If you are following my reviews, like my picks, and like Perique, give 'ol Engine 99 a whirl!

Cornell & Diehl says of Engine 99: "This is a full English blend -- a combination of #968R and #970.

968R "The same blend as #968 with red Virginia substituted for the Cavendish cut burley."

968: "Cavendish cut burley, Turkish, Latakia and Perique."

970: "A smooth, robust blend with LOTS of exceptional Latakia accompanied by Turkish and cavendish cut Burley."

So, if I am following this correctly, Engine 99 is a blend of red Virginia, Turkish, Latakia, Perique, & cavendish cut Burley. Sounds right to me except perhaps the cavendish cut Burley from Pirate's Kake was left out.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dualkarnain (75)	2006-09-28		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

This is, perhaps, the best non-2friends C&D blend I've smoked. The Latakia depth reminds me of Penzance but with a different body.

Recommended!

Images evoked: a wickedly happy nightmare dancing upon the clouds of reason.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sasha (228)	2006-04-06		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

First of all let me disagree with who considers this a full blend. Not at all, according to me, neither in nicotine punch nor in taste. This is a medium blend, a pretty good one indeed, but the fullness is somewhere else. The smell upon opening the bulk reminded me of Pirate Kake, while the moisture is the usual C&D...dry! I put it into a jar with humidifier and left it there for about a week before it became at least smokable. It was still pretty dry the first times I smoked it, and it was good, smoky and very easy to keep lit. There was a fine balance between the predominant latakia and what seemed to be a good Burley content. After some time in the jar it was moist at a good level, but the taste started lacking "definition", with the flavours mixing into a strange mish-mash with a certain sourness: definitely better when dry, that's probably why most C&Ds are packed with that moisture level, it's perfect for them. One thing's for sure: it doesn't remind me of Balkan 759.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JB (44)	2006-02-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

If it were more complex, I would have gone for the fourth star. As it is, it is still a very satisfying English blend. I have to say that it doesn't remind me of Sobranie 759, but no matter.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-01-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is a Balkan? OK, that aside, this is a nice, smooth heavy Latakia blend. It smokes very well, and nice and cool.

If you like a lot of Latakia, it's here. Not much in the way of complexity, but plenty of flavor throughout the bowl.

I liked Engine #99, I'll keep some on hand.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-12-29		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This blend is easy burning, flavorful and a worthy addition to the library of English blends. That being said, things get even better after a few weeks of allowing these leaves time to breathe - not an unusual condition for a number of C&D blends. Quality ingredients and an experienced hand are, to me hallmarks of blends that will and have endured. One of these days, I'm going to get a road trip going to visit the scene of the crime, so to speak 'cause they keep taking my money with their smooth blends. Kidding aside, this is another fine blend put out by C&D. Is there room for improvement? Maybe try a coarser flake to smooth things out even more. Good smoke, for sure.

Meerschaum Man Smoking a Yanik Meer

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-10-27		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

This is by far one of my favorite tobaccos-- I don't know if it comes in a tin, I've always smoked it in bulk. Regardless, its delicious for those who like a full-powered tobacco.

As an English blend, its got a certain spiciness to it that reminds me of some Balkans. When filling the bowl, I noticed (like many of Cornell & Diehl's tobaccos) I thought the strands seemed extremely dry. However, this is NOT the case when you smoke it-- it does not burn too quick or too hot.

Some people say this is one very strong by the time you finish the bowl-- I think because I am constantly setting my pipe down and smoking slowly however I am not getting the entire punch of the nicotine as some others.

Note on Room Note: I work in a tobacco shop, so I'm not sure what others make of the aroma-- they're too busy smoking themselves!

Taste- complex, but not "busy". Overall, very satisfying-- HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ivanhoe (36)	2004-10-04		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

Cornell and Diehl tobaccos are among my favorites and I was prepared to like this one. I normally smoke English mixtures and Virginia blends. However, I found the flavor to be harsh and biting from start to finish on first tasting. So, I let it age for 6 months and tried again. It was still unpleasant and I gave it away to a friend who likes strong Balkan blends. I haven't heard from him since then, so he may not have liked it either. I won't be spending any more time riding on Engine 99.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spike (296)	2004-10-02		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

I would rate this higher but there are too many other Full English blends out there. I notice this is listed or described as a Balkan type. I perceived a medium English. Good but not exceptional. Good value and better quality than something like "Proper English". Recommended. Will revisit this review if needed at a later date.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-01-15		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Very Strong

C&D tobaccos have always been some of my favorites. Where else can one find such a large variety of high-quality tobaccos at such reasonable prices? Given this large selection, until now I have been unable to sample the majority of their Latakia/English selections; an oversight that I am glad I was able to partially correct, since I would now not hesitate to put these blends up against almost any competition. Engine 99 is a rather good example of the species. The bag aroma is leathery and earthy, with a hint of sweetness and spice; strong, but not so overwhelming as many Latakia-based blends. The leaf colors seem to be an equal mixture of black and medium to dark browns, with a small portion of yellow thrown in. The cut is varied, mostly medium in length and width but with many broken fragments. The moisture level is standard for C&D tobaccos ? very dry, almost requiring rehydration of some kind (for myself, anyway). Packing is easy, if the powdered fragments are first sieved away from the rest. The tobacco takes a flame very quickly and burns well, needing a below-average number of relights. In the first third, the Latakia flavor is rather strong, dominating but not overwhelming the other flavors. The smoke is complex, but not all that well-integrated, and there is a trace of harshness present. The flavor is dry and somewhat dark, pretty much free of sweetness. The harshness has lessened in the 2nd third of the bowl; otherwise, things remain much the same. There are still numerous, complex flavors, presided over by the dark Latakia: a fairly typical representation of English tobaccos. Also, there is some moisture in this part, taken care of by a single pipe cleaner. The final third is by far the best part of the bowl. The smoke is smoother, totally lacking harshness or bite, and the complex flavors have darkened and melded somewhat. I can taste that ?Sweet/Sour? note that to me is representative of high-quality English tobaccos. There is almost no moisture in the bottom of the pipe at the end. Overall, a good blend, especially towards the end. I believe that some aging would eliminate the slight harshness and allow the flavors to merge much more effectively. Nevertheless, this is a good blend even newly made, recommended to anyone who enjoys Latakia in tastefully large amounts.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2001-06-27		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

General Comment for All C&D Blends. So far, all my samples have burned clean and dry. They contain quality ingredients. If purchased fresh from C&D, I find that I must adjust the moisture content, and let them rest for 3-6 months before sampling. They change flavor dramatically in just a few months.

Engine #99 is listed as similar to Balkan Sobranie 759. My sample is now 5 months old. In appearance, there is a full range of light to dark ribbons and flakes. The pouch aroma is definitely one of a deep heavy English blend with plenty of Latakia. Packs and lights with ease. The flavor is deep, rich, heavy, and wonderful for those that tend to favor English Latakia blends. It has a decent nicotine content. As long as one is careful, there is no bite. Flavor is consistent from top to near the bottom of the bowl. The very bottom of the bowl tends to be a bit stronger. Typically, my sample burns clean to the bottom leaving a very dry white-grey ash without any re-lights. This is definitely one of my favorite C&D blends. For experienced smokers that enjoy rich English blends, I highly recommend Engine #99.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	A. Crowley (1)	2020-10-06		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I love this blend and smoke it all the time great English/Balkan for a steel...I was looking to create my own blend, an English/American Exotic.. For an all day smoke to replace cigarettes.and I had something very specific in mind, I've smoked a lot of English/Balkan blends and love them I also enjoy a good vaper. So, I wanted something with a decent Latakia rich flavor but not over powering I also was looking for a Perique payload.. But not over the top either... Engine#99 the bastard child of Red Odessa and Pirate kake is an inexpensive bulk blend by Cornell & Diehl and was just what I was looking for, for Part One.. Part Two was Haunted Bookshop another great bulk deal by C&D Bookshop and 99 use the same tobaccos in different proportion with the exception of 99 has Latakia and Oriental/Turkish.. They are both Burley, Virginia, Perique.. Again in different ratios.. So, after experimenting for about 6 months I came up with an all day blend that I absolutely love.. It seems to me these two blends were made for each other.. My mix is Haunted Bookshop forward at 50% Engine#99 at 30% and here's the one that will start an all day argument with the Tobacco Purists 20% Lane Limited BCA Before you go nuts,, I am 100% with ya,, I like my whiskey straight.. But.. I've been in the Engine room of the restaurant bizz since the mid 70s if I've learned anything it's how to combine flavors and ask any chef msg is not off the table as a flavor boost,, we spike sauces with sardines and chicken livers and you never know it but they amp the flavors through the roof. That's what BCA does for this blend. It elevates the fermented fruit flavors in the Perique almost to a Dark Rum but "Not Sweet"... It also rounds it off and creates a rich and creamy smoke.. I'm not sure but, I think it smokes cooler.. Better room note for sure.. I added BCA slowly over a long period of time in small batches using a kitchen scale and made notes when I could finally detect it in there I backed it up a few grams and made my big batch using the same care.. so I can't really tell it's in there other than a fleeting bca ghost Now and then but I like that it's illusive and keeps me looking for it to show itself... Usually in the room note. Well, that's my all day smoke its better than the flavor vision I had in my head..( Wet hay, Morning Stable, leather, fermented fruit, dark rum, Turkish coffee, old attic, antique steamer trunk.. And a hint of old railroad tracks on a hot day ) absolutely Delicious and easy to smoke..C&D has a Black Cavendish without added flavoring.. Just A thought... Over and out.

Pipe Used: Brier & CG Cob

Age When Smoked: Fresh & 6 month cellar

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars and 4 Noggins

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Falliver (42)	2019-12-08		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Though it may be due to being stored in an post box I was unable to open for far too long, the sample being dry as tinder, was too dry for my taste. However, this was a might fine further-introduction to English/Balkan blends.

Though no Latakia-bomb, it is the main player, strongly supported by the Balkans - delivering warm and sweet woodiness on the tongue. Some burly toastiness is also detectable, but I am most impressed my the raisin-figgy sweetness lurking in the back of the smoke. I truly enjoy it, though it’s unfamiliar grounds for me, and so not sure how much I like it personally as of yet, I must acquire another sample soon to be sure whether it’s a three or a four stars from me. But as of yet, I will highly recommend it, maybe even more so than the Pirate Kake.

Pipe Used: GL Lillehammer 64

Age When Smoked: Bought in July of 2018

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rustedrailsmokes (293)	2018-09-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Extra Strong

As a railroad fan I've looked forward to trying all 4 of the Engine Series. Now that fall is getting here (at least on the calendar in Georgia) I figured it was time to work them into my rotation.

First up is Engine 99.

Tin/Jar Note: Smell the latakia front and center. Seems really dry in the jar but it was in the bulk bag too.

Packing: no problems, standard 3 step pack. I haven't found the twigs that others have described.

Smoking: Easy to light, burns well. No tongue bite. The first 1/2 of the bowls I felt was latakia dominated. I got hints of orientals and a little pepper from the perique hiding in there somewhere. The second half of the bowls seemed to be spicier and stronger with a good flavor that lasted to the bottom of the bowl.

So far through several bowls I haven't been amazed enough to move it up to 4 stars and place in the "all-star" list, but It's a solid 3 and I think its a great value especially in bulk. (even more if you catch it on sale).

Room Note: Wife threatened bodily harm if I EVER lit this in the car again.

Pipe Used: Morgan Bones Poker

Age When Smoked: fresh to one year

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rufus T. Firefly (24)	2018-01-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is a great bulk blend for the money. It's got a good flavor and smokes cool right out of the bag. My only issue with it is it was that it was full of twigs. This is a good bang for the buck bulk.

Pipe Used: Ashton Sovereign, Ferndown Reo

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Payless Pipes

Similar Blends: English Blends.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmoothGentleman (5)	2017-06-09		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

What a delicious blend! A complex smoky, sweet and spicy blend! The only thing that I do not like about it is that it is inconsistent in the bowl. You either need to age it first or press it (which yields fantastic results!) to get a perfectly consistent bowl of pure goodness.

Pipe Used: MM diplomat / dane egg

Age When Smoked: 1 week

Purchased From: 4 noggins

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	kppeterson (19)	2016-11-25		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is some great tobacco. A healthy dose of latakia but not one dimensional. The perique addition is nice but not too spicy. Sometimes burley can overwhelm and ruin a good english/balkan but it doesn't here. It does have a bit of a nicotine kick (from the burley and perique I presume) so I have to be a bit careful with this one. If you're not sensitive to nictotine then this should not be a problem but I'm kind of a wimp in this department especially on an empty stomach. This is a bit too full flavored with too much vitamin N to be an all day smoke for me but it's excellent all the same. The room note is strong and I have to take a shower before the Mrs. allows to hang about the house or sleep in the same bed. Smoky, slightly tart/sour/acrid, not much for sweetness and full flavored. Very good stuff and recommended.

Pipe Used: Cob, Stanwell, Laughing Moon, Radice

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Star of the East (slight family resemblance).

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LannarkGent (145)	2014-08-21		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a nice comfortable English blend. I get a little tongue bite from this occasionally as I have a tendency to smoke this too fast. As a daily blend, it is not bad .

Pipe Used: Raw full bent

Age When Smoked: 3 months

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-05-10		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

Storng, and flavorful. A great mix between of Red Odessa and Pirate Kake. If you like Pirate K ake, this one should please as well. Unfortunately, when buy this in bulk, you may need to add some distilled water, drop all the contents in a jar, and allow it to age for about 6 months. The flavors realyl begin to marry and the moisture content makes it smokable. Past that, load a bowl and hang on, it's gonna be a latakia filled ride.

Enjoy,

JP

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-01-18		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

A good and economical heavy latakia blend . Definately worth a try for the latakia lover .

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	apizzlefoshizzle (4)	2023-05-13		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Engine #99 is an awesome bulk option for a full English. I purchased 2 oz from my local brick and mortar where it was in a jar. The tobacco was extremely dry so I rehydrated it slightly, but this tobacco will feel fairly dry compared to most tobaccos fresh out of a tin. And I believe this actually serves as a decent reminder that we should all probably be drying our tobacco out more before smoking. This blend’s mechanics remind me of Haunted Bookshop - it smokes cool and dry without any possibility of tongue bite. Hard puffing will produce more acrid flavor but that’s it. It requires a below-average number of relights, and is just the second tobacco (the first being the aforementioned HB) that I can consistently smoke down to pure grey ash with no Doyle. If you’re an English-lover, this would be a wonderful tobacco with which to break in a new English-dedicated pipe.

The Latakia leads the way upon lighting, but I wouldn’t describe it as overwhelming at all. You get cedar and smoked meat and incense, backed up by a nice background of earthy and semi-sweet flavors from the virginias and burleys, as well as some plummy flavors which I’d attribute to the periphery. About halfway down the bowl, a little spice from the perique becomes noticeable, and the flavors darken and deepen a bit. By the bottom of the bowl, the flavors are dominated by leather and woody incense and spice.

The nicotine is medium, it’s noticeable by the bottom of the bowl but shouldn’t overwhelm the average piper.

I would describe this blend as moderately complex, it’s not going to have poems written about it like Penzance but it’s not a one-dimensional smoke by any means and has enough going on to keep it interesting if you want to pay attention. But this blend is so easy to smoke that it’s also perfect for having a bowl that you don’t need to pay much attention to while reading or working while still enjoying great full English flavor. The room note is standard strong English, it’s not going to change anyone’s mind about tobacco smoke, but my wife generally prefers the aroma of Latakia-heavy blends to those of straight virginias or, god-forbid, straight burleys (sad face).

This is a strong recommend, especially at bulk prices. It’s my go-to english these days.

Pipe Used: Peterson 106

Age When Smoked: Fresh, 1 yr

Purchased From: Local b&m

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TheOtter (70)	2023-02-15		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

This dances the line of being a latakia bomb and a balanced blend. It is very smokey, hence the name which evokes a coal-fired engine in my mind. Those who love English blends will appreciate this, especially those who prefer a lat-forward blend. Go ahead and try this, you won't be disappointed even if it doesn't become your favourite.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	nach0 (35)	2021-10-06		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

There´s some kind of tobacco that delivers their magic at first contact, this is definitely one of them. simple one of my favourite EM from all times.... do not need many relights, smokes cool and dry, the nicotine level is just perfect, good body, dense smoke, full of flavor, this is exact what i expect when smoking an EM.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Desertislandtoolworks (18)	2020-04-22		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is my go to tobacco at least for the time being as I'm still early in my journey. I love the campfire smell of this tobacco. I find it a touch peppery, smokey and full bodied. I don't get much of the virginia other than a hint of sweetness. This is my favorite "english" if it can be called that in my local cigar shop.

Pipe Used: Weber Shellbrooke, basket briar, meerschaum

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Ohlone Cigar Lounge

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