Cornell & Diehl Crooner

Absolute uniqueness. Tasty, naturally sweet, hints of vanilla and a far departure, most likely, from anything you've smoked. Pick up a sample at Tinderbox or from C&D if you're feeling frisky. My first impression was "how bizarre" but in an interested way. The only negative is that it is sometimes difficult to get burning; once it's lit, it will stay lit.

As to the diaphoretic nonsense, if you're a "tobacco purist" don't waste your time trying it. Duh! Unless you plan on filling your cookie jar with this and eating it by the pound while watching the latest edition of "Internet Arguments Gone Bad," you and your hydration should remain just fine.

http://www.scienceviews.com/plants/vanillaleaf.html

Over the last couple of weeks this has become my staple "after breakfast pipe." It's not so much a matter of like, dislke so much as fascination.

I like cube cut burley. The addition of the deer tongue to my palate is in all actuality very subtle; one doesn't so much get slapped in the face by the flavor as notice a shading of a vanilla-cinnamon-like taste.

In addition, this is one of the few tobaccos I have ever found that smells exactly like it tastes. The room note is actually discernable to the smoker.

I would suggest picking up an ounce if the opportunity presents itself. If nothing else, I'm sure you will find it one of the most interesting smokes you have ever had.

Crooner is hands down my go to smoke. It manages to please my need for a strong, bold, flavorful blend while still being pleasant for those in the room with me. The burley is typical of C&D. Bold, strong and full of nutty goodness. As everyone says, C&D knows their burley. The deer tongue however is what makes this a love or hate blend. Its supposed to have a vanilla/mint flavor to it but I pick up more of a floral note. Those looking for a vanilla/mint note usually end up hating it. I however was pleasantly surprised by the unique flavor of deer tongue. Crooner is now a daily smoke for me. Every afternoon after lunch. Those who hate it will hate it but i for one love me some crooner.

I have been smoking crooner for a few weeks now,and it has became one of my #1 go to tobaccos.I absolutely love it.The taste reminds me of granola bars and licorice.It does take a few more relights but isnt that bad after a little practice.I just gravity fill and smoke.I dont even tamp this one.The deertongue really stands out through the first half bowl.Then the sweet,nuttiness of the burleys sneak up on you.This is a great way to experience a flavorfull tobacco without having to smoke low-grade simple aromatics.This is one that I cant do without.

I have been smoking Crooner now for more than a week. I must say that I enjoy it very much. The Deer Tongue is ever present. The burley is top drawer.

But, it will be an acquired taste for newbies, and old-timers should get a kick out of the burley. English blend lovers will find this a pleasant diversion. I will definitely order this again from C&D. Craig Tarler is a genius and his burley is the finest in the land. Bar none. Nuff said.

Four stars from the Tennbard!

Being a dedicated phile of all things odd - I had to try this herbally based burley blend that has received so much...attention.

The odor in the one ounce sample dominated the box of my last C+D order. The scent carried strange nostalgia of the tobaccos my grandfather smoked... I am sure he smoked half and half - and other popular burley blends, but I now wonder if he had ever dabbled in deer tongue mixtures.

The pouch aroma is exceptionally pleasant, light and floral. Not in the lakeland tobacco way, but in the same sense as a grassy summer field.

This was by far one of the strangest tobaccos I've ever rubbed out - sticky clumps that seemed almost seed like. The green leaves emitting their vanilla aroma. Quite a bit of moisture and a number of relights necessary to get going. I suspect this sample will do well with some drying and aging.

Upon lighting and smoking - there is distinct nose of anise, vanilla, basil, and evergreen. This balances out to a fairly straightforward smoke with only hints of the herb coming through. I've never smoked straight burley, and will have to do so to determine whether or not the deer tongue "ruins" the burley taste and aroma.

Perhaps it is my inheritence of "generation X", but I seem to be among the dissenting number that much prefer Bing's choice of tobacco to his music.

While likely not something I'll smoke every day - this provides an interesting and naturally aromatic smoke that I'll more than likely return to in the future. 4 stars for daring.

Open up this bag and you see tiny little cubes of burley flecked with spots of green--that's the deer's tongue. If you've smoked straight burley then you should already have a good idea of what this is like, so you're probably just wondering about the deer's tongue. It adds a sort of sharp tanginess to the smoke, but is sort of a surprise to the smoke every now and then. It's like you're eating a well-done steak, no frills, just a good steak, and then you have your fork halfway to your mouth and someone sneaks up and gives you a tiny squirt of A-1 sauce. That's one of those little flecks of deer's tongue firing off. Further down the bowl it takes on a sort of fruitiness and finishes with a not unpleasant aftertaste. This is burley, no mistake about it, and the deer's tongue keeps it interesting.

I wanted to give this blend a try because of the deer tongue added to the cubed burley. This herb appears as green flecks among the light colored burley cubes. It packs easily due to the cut & should be gravity fed. It lights easily & produces a good volume of smoke. I find the deer tongue an interesting addition. It adds a grassy, vanilla, astringent tast to the first third of the bowl. After that it lightens considerably & the nutty flavor of the high quality burley takes hold. This is an interesting, enjoyable blend & I will use it to change up with my favorite cubed burley, C&D Canal Boat. If you like cubed burley you will probably like this.

Cornell & Diehl's Crooner is the American version of Samuel Gawiths 1792 Flake. Cousins if you will... American vs English.

---The Condiments---

1. Crooner contains deertongue. Deertongue contains the organic compound coumarin. Coumarin is what delivers the Vanilla like essence that we experience while smoking Crooner. Deertongue is a very American old-timey condiment for pipe tobacco.

2. 1792 Flake contains tonquin bean. Tonquin Bean contains the organic compound coumarin. Coumarin is what delivers the Vanilla like essence that we experience while smoking 1792 Flake. Tonquin Bean is a very English old-timey condiment for pipe tobacco.

---The Tobaccos---

1. Cornell & Diehl's Crooner begins as a Burley plug. The Burley plug is then cut up into little cubes. Cube cut, very American. Most American blends, especially old-timey ones, are Burley based.

2. 1792 Flake begins as a Virginia plug. The Virginia plug is then sliced into flakes. Flake cut is very common in England. Most blends from England, especially old-timey ones, are Virginia based.

So there you have it. American vs English.

It seems people always want what they can't have. So consider this, If you really enjoy 1792 Flake and are having a difficult time finding it, or it's just too damn expensive, save some dough and frustration and go American! Crooner is readily available, comparably inexpensive, and a damn good tobacco too. Very old-timey...

Oh yes, Crooner also delivers a pretty decent nicotine hit, as does 1792 Flake.

Hababababooo.....