Cornell & Diehl Crooner
(2.71)
A specially cut, cube-style burley and deer tongue tobacco, Cornell & Diehl's Crooner is an authentic copy of Bing Crosby's private blend, shared with C&D by one of his closest friends.
Details
| Brand | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blended By | |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | Burley Based |
| Contents | Burley |
| Flavoring | Deer Tongue |
| Cut | Cube |
| Packaging | 2 ounce tin, bulk |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild to Medium
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
2.71 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 21 - 30 of 120 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 24, 2020 | Medium | Medium | Medium | Pleasant |
Being a big Bing fan I have wanted to try this for a while. Never had the original so this rating in for this match. Even smoked it while listening to the Bing himself and in a Canadian to boot.
When I opened the bag the following aroma met me. A pleasing light earthy, woody aroma with a tough of nut with a background of whiskey. It seemed a bit dry but I put it out on a paper towel for about 45 minutes for I like to make sure excess moisture is gone and I find a brief airing seems to help the experience a bit.
This is a cube cut so i poured it in, tamped it an poured and lightly tamped it again. I was pleasantly surprised when I lit it, the charring lit stayed lit and the tobacco for some reason seems to expand greatly so it was like one of those old snakes we used to light during the 4th of July that used to smoke and crawl out of the package as it burned. So I tamped it down and we kept going. The smoke was medium and the room note pleasant. While this doesn't bite it does sometimes give a tingle and it burns medium and steady with very few relights. I see a lot of ppl claim it does't bite but it seemed to me if it was pushed it would bite, but it's tendency is not to unless pushed hard although I sipped and did get a couple of tingles. This left a little bit of moisture in the bowl. This burnt to a nice gray ash and most of the relighting happened in the last quarter of the bowl.
When lit I was met by mild nutty, earthy, woody flavors that were slightly tart, slightly sweet, and a almost unnoticed sour taste that was not a bad sour but a complimentary sour taste while in the background was a whiskey flavor. Several sips later a very faint taste of vanilla joined the and then suddenly a mild mint flavor appeared and after several sips was very faint. The mint which I am told is the Deer Tongue would dance back into the picture on and off through the smoke and I found it very pleasant. As the bowl progressed the the sweet taste became slightly sweeter and the tart taste slightly more tart and they complimented each other nicely. About a quarter into the bowl the different flavors would join the sweet and tart in the front dancing in and then slowly recede as another flavor would then move to join sweet and tart in the front. The ever present whiskey whirled in the background and the other flavors continued their dancing to the front and then receding throughout the whole smoke. While this was going on there was a pleasant sweet and tart with a touch of whiskey aftertaste. This aftertaste has lasted for an hour after the smoke stopped and there is also a touch of mint in the aftertaste that is enjoyable. This burned to the end and the taste did not diminish or the flavors disappear or become bitter.
This was very enjoyable smoke that kept me interested. IT does have some rough edges if pushed and I would not find this to be an all day smoke. The flavors and their dance is fun to pay attention too and my wish is that there was a bit more deer tongue. But, that is my own opinion, for I happen to like deer tongue. The rough edges and the tingle keep this from a 4 star. However, do try it, for it is a fun and enjoyable smoke . I think this will be a blend I will keep for special occasions and I give it a 3.4 out of 4 stars. Give it a try it is something everyone should smoke at least once. Bing and his friend did themselves proud on this and C&D did a great job with this blend.
When I opened the bag the following aroma met me. A pleasing light earthy, woody aroma with a tough of nut with a background of whiskey. It seemed a bit dry but I put it out on a paper towel for about 45 minutes for I like to make sure excess moisture is gone and I find a brief airing seems to help the experience a bit.
This is a cube cut so i poured it in, tamped it an poured and lightly tamped it again. I was pleasantly surprised when I lit it, the charring lit stayed lit and the tobacco for some reason seems to expand greatly so it was like one of those old snakes we used to light during the 4th of July that used to smoke and crawl out of the package as it burned. So I tamped it down and we kept going. The smoke was medium and the room note pleasant. While this doesn't bite it does sometimes give a tingle and it burns medium and steady with very few relights. I see a lot of ppl claim it does't bite but it seemed to me if it was pushed it would bite, but it's tendency is not to unless pushed hard although I sipped and did get a couple of tingles. This left a little bit of moisture in the bowl. This burnt to a nice gray ash and most of the relighting happened in the last quarter of the bowl.
When lit I was met by mild nutty, earthy, woody flavors that were slightly tart, slightly sweet, and a almost unnoticed sour taste that was not a bad sour but a complimentary sour taste while in the background was a whiskey flavor. Several sips later a very faint taste of vanilla joined the and then suddenly a mild mint flavor appeared and after several sips was very faint. The mint which I am told is the Deer Tongue would dance back into the picture on and off through the smoke and I found it very pleasant. As the bowl progressed the the sweet taste became slightly sweeter and the tart taste slightly more tart and they complimented each other nicely. About a quarter into the bowl the different flavors would join the sweet and tart in the front dancing in and then slowly recede as another flavor would then move to join sweet and tart in the front. The ever present whiskey whirled in the background and the other flavors continued their dancing to the front and then receding throughout the whole smoke. While this was going on there was a pleasant sweet and tart with a touch of whiskey aftertaste. This aftertaste has lasted for an hour after the smoke stopped and there is also a touch of mint in the aftertaste that is enjoyable. This burned to the end and the taste did not diminish or the flavors disappear or become bitter.
This was very enjoyable smoke that kept me interested. IT does have some rough edges if pushed and I would not find this to be an all day smoke. The flavors and their dance is fun to pay attention too and my wish is that there was a bit more deer tongue. But, that is my own opinion, for I happen to like deer tongue. The rough edges and the tingle keep this from a 4 star. However, do try it, for it is a fun and enjoyable smoke . I think this will be a blend I will keep for special occasions and I give it a 3.4 out of 4 stars. Give it a try it is something everyone should smoke at least once. Bing and his friend did themselves proud on this and C&D did a great job with this blend.
Pipe Used:
Tropical Paint Cleveland Canadian made by LHS
PurchasedFrom:
P&C gift from family member
Age When Smoked:
NEW
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 2020 | Medium to Strong | Medium to Strong | Medium | Tolerable to Strong |
MAN i absolutely LOVE this blend! WAY different from anything else i have tried as this was my first Deer Tounge blend and will not be my last. Picked up a 1OZ sample since this blend gets some mixed reviews. After a few days and many bowls later i decided to order more Crooner and some of the other Deer Touge blends (Old Tartan, New Market). Wish there were more tobacco blends with this unique herb.
The Cube Cut is interesting and wish more tobaccos were offered with this presentation. It can be cumbersome to keep in the pipe so you have to be careful not to accidnetly dump the pipe. Stays lit quite well and doesnt bite unless you are being reckless.
The flavor is mild sweet and the Deer Tounge adds what has been described as "Vanilla Minty" flavor and could see that comparison but is very mild and not a typical "Vanilla:" flavor. The NIC HIT is STRONG and is the only other Pipe tobacco that has given me a buzz (besides SG 1792) but don't let that put you off this is a seriously nice blend that is quickly becoming one of my favorite blends. Great stuff!
The Cube Cut is interesting and wish more tobaccos were offered with this presentation. It can be cumbersome to keep in the pipe so you have to be careful not to accidnetly dump the pipe. Stays lit quite well and doesnt bite unless you are being reckless.
The flavor is mild sweet and the Deer Tounge adds what has been described as "Vanilla Minty" flavor and could see that comparison but is very mild and not a typical "Vanilla:" flavor. The NIC HIT is STRONG and is the only other Pipe tobacco that has given me a buzz (besides SG 1792) but don't let that put you off this is a seriously nice blend that is quickly becoming one of my favorite blends. Great stuff!
Pipe Used:
Crown Garden Bent Pipe, Basket
PurchasedFrom:
P&C
Age When Smoked:
NEW
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 08, 2018 | Mild | Mild | Mild | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I never had deer tongue before so it was time to give it a try via Crooner. Well the tin note has that dive bar aroma to it. Right then and there I’m saying to myself do I really want to do this….of course I do! So here we go. Packed up my old Peterson B11 and lit her up. The tobacco itself was cut very fine and the moisture level was perfect.
You do have to be careful with the charing and true light because Crooner burns hot. Might be due to the cube cut but, its hot….I didn’t get bit but it wouldn’t take much. So I calmed it down and it settled in to a nice even smoke. You can definitely taste the burley. Toasty and nutty on the verge of bitterness if you take a big draw and heat it up too much. The deer tongue imparts a different taste ever so often. I’m not sure I can accurately describe it…herbal, kind of sweet, dry oak leaves, the forest….beer soaked wood perhaps, hence the dive bar smell. Different for sure.
What Crooner taught me is that I don’t really care for burley as this is a very burley forward blend and I’m not a fan of deer tongue either. Well I bought 2 oz of bulk so I’ll jar it up and put it in the cellar and try it again in 10 years. Live and learn.
You do have to be careful with the charing and true light because Crooner burns hot. Might be due to the cube cut but, its hot….I didn’t get bit but it wouldn’t take much. So I calmed it down and it settled in to a nice even smoke. You can definitely taste the burley. Toasty and nutty on the verge of bitterness if you take a big draw and heat it up too much. The deer tongue imparts a different taste ever so often. I’m not sure I can accurately describe it…herbal, kind of sweet, dry oak leaves, the forest….beer soaked wood perhaps, hence the dive bar smell. Different for sure.
What Crooner taught me is that I don’t really care for burley as this is a very burley forward blend and I’m not a fan of deer tongue either. Well I bought 2 oz of bulk so I’ll jar it up and put it in the cellar and try it again in 10 years. Live and learn.
Pipe Used:
Peterson B11
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 15, 2017 | Medium | Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
Really enjoy this blend. Tin note smells of a nutrigrain bar, enjoyable. Dark Burley for the base with white burley and deertongue and some whiskey in there as well that gives a slight tingle to the tongue. Gravity fill with a light tamper and you're good to go. Cube cuts are medium in size, my go to blend for the smaller narrow bowl of the clay pipe. Rich earthy nutty at times chocolate burley and vanilla, along with herbal mint from the deer tongue. I dig it as a change up, not exactly rotation for me but nice to switch it up and definitely 4 stars just to have and try bc of its uniqueness and possible connection to Bing Crosby.
Pipe Used:
Old Dominion Clay
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 18, 2016 | Medium | Medium | Medium | Very Pleasant |
Cornell & Diehl - Crooner.
The cube cut's very fine, in fact the bottom of my pouch is dust! On the plus side it's not too moist; that would turn it into sludge! This clarifies perfectly how Deer Tongue appears and tastes; the pouch is full of bright green flecks!
When I first lit this I couldn't understand all of the mint comparisons, until ten minutes had passed; there's a sort of herbiness that can give a minty impression. I don't get much of a vanilla flavour from it, the herby quality seems to rule the taste. Whether or not the added flavour's enjoyed, there's no arguing that the Burley's exceedingly high quality; toasty, nutty, and rich. The best feature of Crooner is easily the room-note; it's very flavoursome without making lots of actual smoke.
If you like Deer Tongue you'll probably love this, but as well made as it is, I can't give it more than two stars.
Somewhat recommended.
The cube cut's very fine, in fact the bottom of my pouch is dust! On the plus side it's not too moist; that would turn it into sludge! This clarifies perfectly how Deer Tongue appears and tastes; the pouch is full of bright green flecks!
When I first lit this I couldn't understand all of the mint comparisons, until ten minutes had passed; there's a sort of herbiness that can give a minty impression. I don't get much of a vanilla flavour from it, the herby quality seems to rule the taste. Whether or not the added flavour's enjoyed, there's no arguing that the Burley's exceedingly high quality; toasty, nutty, and rich. The best feature of Crooner is easily the room-note; it's very flavoursome without making lots of actual smoke.
If you like Deer Tongue you'll probably love this, but as well made as it is, I can't give it more than two stars.
Somewhat recommended.
Pipe Used:
Chacom Robusto
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 16, 2016 | Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is a love or hate blend. And that is due to the deer tongue. It seems people either love it...as in almost at an addictive level, or they just loathe it. Cant tolerate to smoke it at all. I am in the first category. Now, I tend to reserve burly blends for when Im driving long distance. Easy to keep lit and cool. One cant exactly smoke Blackwoods Flake while driving. Too much maintenance. So for me this is a great driving smoke. The taste is nutty burly with a good dose of that curious herbal minty (but not at all like peppermint ice cream or anything...closer to herbs like lavender) and vaguely vanilla flavor that is deer tongue. Whether Bing smoked this or not, its a great medium strength burly blend. The nic hit is medium...perhaps a notch past. And yes it can get hot if you puff too hard. Best smoked slow. But its easy to keep lit and burns down clean. Some have complained that it ghosts a briar. I have not found that, but its certainly possible. If you like Gentleman Caller, this is a more pronounced use of DT and a tad stronger smoke. I love GC but i think i like crooner better. Its worth noting that the old old old version of the classic drugstore blend Half&Half had deer tongue in it. Its an old school additive.
PurchasedFrom:
4noggins
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 08, 2014 | Medium to Strong | Medium | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
The quality of the cubed burley is awesome. The deer tongue isn't just floral, it has a spicy nip that's a bit like perique. What might seem like bite turns out to be just spice. Burley moisture level is perfect, but the deer tongue makes it seem dry; just light it and enjoy a trouble free bowl. My beard smelled a bit too pretty afterward hee hee. Initial light is a bit odd and I caught a whiff that smelled remotely of a less legal weed, but this passed very quickly. Very rich and effortless smoking comes quite quickly. Does Crooner ghost a pipe? Sort of, but it's such a harmless smell that seems compatible with Balkans, Orientals and any vanilla or fruity aromatic... it might even freshen up a sour pipe! But you may experience a troublesome ghosting of a different sort (read on).
On to my advice... I think anyone who is curious about trying Crooner should just get a couple ounces and try it because you really need to experience it. However, I did have a bit of a problem not related to the actual quality of the blend... Unfortunately, I ordered six other blends with the Crooner, including five rather expensive Gawith & Hoggarths and the very pungent Crooner saturated the entire shipment with it's floral scent. So now among other things I have a beautiful piece of Sweet Whiskey Twist that smells like Sweet Whiskey Crooner. I'm hoping that these other tobaccos will air out and lose that scent. Perhaps I will call smokingpipes? Anyway, if you do order some Crooner you might want to ask the seller to try to better isolate the Crooner from other blends in the same box.
On to my advice... I think anyone who is curious about trying Crooner should just get a couple ounces and try it because you really need to experience it. However, I did have a bit of a problem not related to the actual quality of the blend... Unfortunately, I ordered six other blends with the Crooner, including five rather expensive Gawith & Hoggarths and the very pungent Crooner saturated the entire shipment with it's floral scent. So now among other things I have a beautiful piece of Sweet Whiskey Twist that smells like Sweet Whiskey Crooner. I'm hoping that these other tobaccos will air out and lose that scent. Perhaps I will call smokingpipes? Anyway, if you do order some Crooner you might want to ask the seller to try to better isolate the Crooner from other blends in the same box.
Pipe Used:
MM Legend Cob
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes
Age When Smoked:
fresh bulk
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 19, 2014 | Medium | Medium | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
Old Crooner presumable replicates a private recipe used by Bing Crosby; it probably does, but Der Bingle did not smoke a single blend. What we have here is a cube cut burley laced with a significant amount of deer tongue.
Cube cut burley: anathema to burley haters, but not to others. The cube cut burns cool. At least in does if you can get a good light, which is not easy. Also any vigorous puffing intended to get or keep a good light can propel a lighted coal onto your clothes and burn a hole therein. Still, for those who enjoy burley, that part of the flavor here is fine.
Deer tongue biologically is a kind of wild vanilla native to the Southern Appalachians. Unlike the "real" vanilla, often from Mexico, used to produce vanilla extract, deer tongue has a less sweet, more flowery taste, and for some even a hint of mint.
Deer tongue, as with tonquin, provides a taste that engenders love it or hate it reactions. In days of yore, deer tongue was often used as a condiment, barely sprinkled in pipe mixtures. That way, many smokers did not even identify its flavor. But where the deer tongue provides a clear cut taste, the reaction of smokers varies sharply. Incidentally, deer tongue like tonquin (which comes from tonka beans, a totally different biological species) contains trace amounts of coumarin which in amounts astronomically more than you could get it a pipe is used medically as a blood thinner.
So how do I rate Old Crooner? I now hereby contadict my observation that it is a love it or hate it blend. I have purchased it twice. On both occasions I have enjoyed it-- as a change of pace. I had no yen to smoke it daily, however. So, neither loving nor hating Old Crooner, I award it a weak two stars.
Cube cut burley: anathema to burley haters, but not to others. The cube cut burns cool. At least in does if you can get a good light, which is not easy. Also any vigorous puffing intended to get or keep a good light can propel a lighted coal onto your clothes and burn a hole therein. Still, for those who enjoy burley, that part of the flavor here is fine.
Deer tongue biologically is a kind of wild vanilla native to the Southern Appalachians. Unlike the "real" vanilla, often from Mexico, used to produce vanilla extract, deer tongue has a less sweet, more flowery taste, and for some even a hint of mint.
Deer tongue, as with tonquin, provides a taste that engenders love it or hate it reactions. In days of yore, deer tongue was often used as a condiment, barely sprinkled in pipe mixtures. That way, many smokers did not even identify its flavor. But where the deer tongue provides a clear cut taste, the reaction of smokers varies sharply. Incidentally, deer tongue like tonquin (which comes from tonka beans, a totally different biological species) contains trace amounts of coumarin which in amounts astronomically more than you could get it a pipe is used medically as a blood thinner.
So how do I rate Old Crooner? I now hereby contadict my observation that it is a love it or hate it blend. I have purchased it twice. On both occasions I have enjoyed it-- as a change of pace. I had no yen to smoke it daily, however. So, neither loving nor hating Old Crooner, I award it a weak two stars.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 18, 2007 | Mild | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Very Pleasant |
Wow!
I have not cared for Burley's before. This blend is sublime. I agree with other reviewers that it is harder to keep lit than a traditional shag cut. And yes, the cubed burley is a bit hard and makes some powder waste in the bottom of the bag.
Having said that, I don' care. I will reorder this stuff in quantity.
As Achille Savinelli says: "It is better to use a few more matches or a little more gas than to burn your pipe. Haven't you noticed that old smokers in general are those who let their pipes go out more frequently?"
The folks at Cornell Diehl told me that this has some molasses on it. That accounts for some of the pouch flavor. It never leads to a hot, goopy, sugary smoke though. On the contrary. It touches off the flavor of what is obviously a top quality burley.
That first light simply sings!
I can't be sure if the deer tongue adds to that sweet molasses/vanilla note or not...
I just know that the flavor is complex, it stays interesting throughout the bowl, and is thoroughly enjoyable.
Becuase the burley cubes are a bit hard, you can't really pack this down after smoking a little. I have found that you have to use a poker to break up the tobacco that is partially burnt in the bowl. This will enable an easier re-light and less dottle.
Trust me folks, this one is worth the effort, and at least worth an earnest try.
I have not yet tried leaving a bit of this tobacco out to air dry yet to see if it makes it easier to keep lit. I don't want to lose any of that subtle flavoring. I count it a fair trade to have to light this a bit more, and get such a pleasant smoke.
I really can not recommend this enough. I find myself not wanting to smoke anything else!
I have not cared for Burley's before. This blend is sublime. I agree with other reviewers that it is harder to keep lit than a traditional shag cut. And yes, the cubed burley is a bit hard and makes some powder waste in the bottom of the bag.
Having said that, I don' care. I will reorder this stuff in quantity.
As Achille Savinelli says: "It is better to use a few more matches or a little more gas than to burn your pipe. Haven't you noticed that old smokers in general are those who let their pipes go out more frequently?"
The folks at Cornell Diehl told me that this has some molasses on it. That accounts for some of the pouch flavor. It never leads to a hot, goopy, sugary smoke though. On the contrary. It touches off the flavor of what is obviously a top quality burley.
That first light simply sings!
I can't be sure if the deer tongue adds to that sweet molasses/vanilla note or not...
I just know that the flavor is complex, it stays interesting throughout the bowl, and is thoroughly enjoyable.
Becuase the burley cubes are a bit hard, you can't really pack this down after smoking a little. I have found that you have to use a poker to break up the tobacco that is partially burnt in the bowl. This will enable an easier re-light and less dottle.
Trust me folks, this one is worth the effort, and at least worth an earnest try.
I have not yet tried leaving a bit of this tobacco out to air dry yet to see if it makes it easier to keep lit. I don't want to lose any of that subtle flavoring. I count it a fair trade to have to light this a bit more, and get such a pleasant smoke.
I really can not recommend this enough. I find myself not wanting to smoke anything else!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 18, 2006 | Mild | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Very Pleasant |
This was the blend that broke me from the goopy, extra-black-and-syrupy blends that I started with when just a pipe-smoking pup. This is simply what it says... cube cut Burley and Deer's Tongue(vanilla leaf) and nothing more. A bit difficult to pack initially, as I had never seen a cube cut before, but after a few tries I found gravity filling to work the best.
This was a very simple, very clean smoke that I found to be very flavorful. Nutty and cool, I could just taste a hint of vanilla. In the room, there's no quesion: people were asking me to refill my pipe shortly after I finished!
Crooner also offers a ready base for some interesting 'baccy blending at home. From time to time I like something sweet out of my pipe. A 50/50 mix of Crooner and either Butera's Sweet Cavendish or Hartwell's Evening Stroll leads to a nice desert-type of a smoke as the toasted cavendish, burley and Deer's Tongue come together in interesting ways. Definitely recommended, especially for pipe smokers looking to get away from the current batch of goopy aromatics out there.
This was a very simple, very clean smoke that I found to be very flavorful. Nutty and cool, I could just taste a hint of vanilla. In the room, there's no quesion: people were asking me to refill my pipe shortly after I finished!
Crooner also offers a ready base for some interesting 'baccy blending at home. From time to time I like something sweet out of my pipe. A 50/50 mix of Crooner and either Butera's Sweet Cavendish or Hartwell's Evening Stroll leads to a nice desert-type of a smoke as the toasted cavendish, burley and Deer's Tongue come together in interesting ways. Definitely recommended, especially for pipe smokers looking to get away from the current batch of goopy aromatics out there.
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