Cornell & Diehl Purple Cow

Bought a 2oz. tin. Been smoking this about a week now. I wish I got an older tin to try. I dumped this into a mason jar to age awhile. I think I will enjoy it even more then. I prefer to buy in bulk. This is a good blend with burley the main player and cigar note and latakia rounding it out in the background. I am a fan of C&D 412 Billy Budd, and if you like that, you would probally like this one too.

First, I am an occasional cigar smoker. Very much enjoy them, however I am more a pipe smoker, and the marrying of these two is genius. An all out great blend.

Now for details, because this deserves it.

The strength is pretty high because of the great latakias, and cigar leaf. The cigar leaf adds great flavor and room note. Something you can't get everywhere.

The flavoring is obsolete because it does so well on its own. Which brings me to the taste, and cigar, which is arguably the best iv'e tasted.

The room note is not too pleasant for your non pipe smoker, in which i'm giving this room note a tolerable. The wife was a bit afraid.

All in all this is a must have in my collection and yet another C & D favorite, kudos.

I bought this vacuum can of Purple Cow in January of 2010 and cellared it unopened for a year and a half before trying it. This was done of course to improve the blend. Immediately upon opening, I was surprised to find the tobaccos were completely shredded and diced giving the appearance of being floor sweepings from the C&D factory. I almost had a cow! I was further astonished to find the tobacco was completely dried out even though it was vacuum sealed. And I mean completely dried out. I almost had another cow! I packed a bowl which burnt like paper all the way through in under a minute. I tried a second bowl with the same result. Almost having my third cow I was at a cross-roads: I had no choice but to re-hydrate the blend or throw it out. Opting to re-hydrate, I emptied the tin in a plastic container and placed a sponge dampened with distilled water along side the tabacky. I sealed it up and after two weeks the blend was moist and smokable.

After all that effort, the blend wasn't bad as a once in a while smoke. I'm a big English/latakia blend smoker and like a "cigar" blend now and then. My problem with cigar blends is that I don't smoke cheap maduro cigars and I can't imagine tobacco houses using great maduro cigars when making pipe blends. Lots of "cigar blends" taste like cheap maduros. I smoked Purple Cow intermittantly, outside, as part of my English, flake, and aromatic-now-and-then rotation.

Ultimately, the maduro cigar flavor dominated and it wasn't necessarily a great maduro taste. I've enjoyed other cigar blends more. Purple cow is worth a try for an intepid English smoker. Maybe I had a bad batch.

Maybe the cow is purple because he inhaled this stuff?

Blend: C&D Purple Cow Blend type: English/ Scottish Cut: Ribbon Topping: None Taste: Full Bodied Strength: Med/Strong

So this comes in the typical C&D tin, which is beautifully packed when opened. The tin note is actually quite sweet (I think this has to do with the amount of virginia in the blend) and the Latakia is a bit more prominent and deliciously smokey. This blend as an added bonus has Maduro cigar leaf, which as a cigar smoker, is one of my favorites.

It packs well and lights like a charm, I find an average amount of relights will do. Once you do light up, I think you'll find that it won't win you any favors from those around you. But room note is always such a subjective thing and I find it really pleasant.

As you light up, the smoke has a very full body. The smoke has a hay-like sweetness and that is from the Virginias. The Latakia adds a very incense like taste, smokey yet complex. I think I find that the maduro leaf adds to that incense like complexity but also gives the blend some meat and a light nuttiness. I find the smoke very consistent in taste and if you are looking for a similar blend with a little bit more Latakia, I'd recommend C&D's Billy Budd.

The taste is full bodied. Lady N is not here to play around. I stand up and feel it in this one so some food on the stomach is a decent idea, but it isn't as potent as Night Train or Bow Legged Bear.

All in all this is a great smoke and one I plan on keeping on hand.

Right up front I have to confess I'm not a fan of the name. Call me finicky but Purple Cow was never going to make it in my rotation.

As for a review of the blend, I love cigars and find the addition of cigar leaf to pipe tobacco a genius idea. I'm a fanboy of robust full bodied cigar blends. Purple Cow is cigar forward and the burley enhances that aspect, however it isn't as creamy and/or complex as Habana Daydream, Key Largo, Billy Budd, or Robusto. I love those blends. In this one the cigar and burley flavor profile really dominated with cigar and dark espresso notes. I keep asking myself... why not just smoke a good cigar? All things considered its much easier.

An interesting oddball blend. I first tried it when it was initially released and have returned to it on occasion. On review sites, Purple Cow is typically categorized as a "cigar leaf blend" but truthfully I'd place it squarely in the "Other" category. While not as unusual as something like Haddo's Delight or Dark Star, I think it's fair to say that Purple Cow doesn't taste like anything else out there.

I'm always interested in the experimental blends and Purple Cow is suggestively named. In fact when I first encountered it, I was skeptical that it was anything more than a novelty tobacco for the unserious smoker--both the tin art and name suggest a (misleading) sense of whimsy. But after learning it was a Bob Runowski blend (hero of C&D and the American pipe tobacco scene), I suspected there was more to this product than a bit of fun. Indeed, Purple Cow is a serious blend and unusually heavy too. There is an lasting oily heaviness to post-smoke mouthfeel that's not unlike that of strong rope tobacco such as Gawith, Hoggarth Brown Bogie. There's a lot going on with this one--with burley, latikia and maduro leaf fighting for your attention, Purple Cow is a rich smoke.. probably too rich to smoke regularly.

I appreciate the innovation and ideas behind this blend more than I love the blend itself. Don't get me wrong it's good stuff, but only when you're in the mood.

Cornell & Diehl Purple Cow is an excellent, ribbon cut English blend. Right from the tin there is a strong note of brine from the Latakia with hints of cinnamon and earth. The tobacco has just the right moisture content to be ready to smoke immediately as well.

The Latakia is definitely dominant here with the typical notes of brine and bbq smoke. However, there is some maduro cigar leaf in the blend that lends a bit of smoothness to the flavor. There are also notes of earth, a good amount of pepper, and some bitter cocoa. It definitely smokes like a full bodied Nicaraguan cigar.

Overall Purple Cow is easily one of my favorites and I’ve been smoking it quite a lot lately. The tobacco burns easily and required very few relights. It is a full bodied blend that I wouldn’t recommend for the Virginia or aromatic smoker.

I found this one of the more interesting C&D blends.

The burley is strong in this one and the nic hit can be too. The cigar leaf is noticeable (similar to Country Lawyer) but I could have done with less latakia in this one.

Burns great without any complaints.

I'm not a big cigar guy but I could see cigar lovers liking this one a lot.

Gigar and latakia take the lead out of the chute through to the half-way mark. Then the blend smoothed out, allowing the Virginia to come through, particularly on the retrohale, Cigar leaf could be improved upon to balance the blend. Burned clean on one post-char lighting. 2+.