Cornell & Diehl Engine 99

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.