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 1 - 11 of 120 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 09, 2014 | Mild | Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
Yep, watched White Christmas, treated myself to this blend and a Savinelli Bing.
First, let's baseline: I tried Crooner in a brand-new "bargain" bent briar (not the Savinelli). I am an occasional/pastime aromatic pipe smoker. Once in a great while I also enjoy Full Virginia Flake in the bowl but always go back to the aromatics, probably due to my infrequency with the briar overall. More frequently I enjoy medium-full premium cigars (unflavored) and imbibe in these more frequently than the pipe.
I have to enjoy a few more bowls of this blend and intend to update this review, but wanted to give some initial impressions now, since it is T'is the season and I hope this review might help others to decide.
Firstly, I did not find this blend to be "out of bounds" as it may pertain to the spectrum of aromatic blends in general. So despite some of the emphatic reviews for and against, don't let those scare you off. The 8 oz (bulk-bagged) I ordered and received did strike me as "Grape Nuts" like in texture as others have noted. My initial thought was that the tobacco seemed drier that it should be. Loaded the bowl via dipping the briar into the blend and then tamping to 3/4 full. I had no issue keeping the bowl lit through the first 2/3 or more of the bowl. In fact, after tamping down the char-light, it remained lit. The tabac burned nicely and evenly requiring more tending in the last 1/3 of the bowl. Ash is black.
Room Note: Significant other and son rate the room note pleasant and very similar to blends they have smelled before, nothing exotic or different yet at the same time they paused and mentioned that they found it interesting. Room note was warm and rich, honey-like, very nice.
Taste: I did not feel the deertongue produced any significant taste (or room note), but would have to compare a similar blend of burleys that does not have it in order to indicate what it adds/detracts from the taste, enjoyment or room note. Those keeping cadence with their briar and routine blends will no doubt be able to elaborate on this nuance. Having been away for a while, I will not opine on herbal/vanilla/flora/spice notes. I found the flavor to be pleasant, enjoyable, nothing especially remarkable either in favor or against. I could sense the nicotine kicking in during the last 1/3 of the bowl, but this could of been due to smoking it a touch too fast at the end as I was outside and the temperature was dropping from the 20's to the teens! Still, I don't remember an aromatic doing this to me before, even if I had to "hurry it along" (rather than stop and empty).
Until further update: Don't let the ranging love-hate reviews dissuade you from trying a few ounces. My bet is if you are an aromatic blend smoker, you will not dislike this. The question is, how much will you like it.
First, let's baseline: I tried Crooner in a brand-new "bargain" bent briar (not the Savinelli). I am an occasional/pastime aromatic pipe smoker. Once in a great while I also enjoy Full Virginia Flake in the bowl but always go back to the aromatics, probably due to my infrequency with the briar overall. More frequently I enjoy medium-full premium cigars (unflavored) and imbibe in these more frequently than the pipe.
I have to enjoy a few more bowls of this blend and intend to update this review, but wanted to give some initial impressions now, since it is T'is the season and I hope this review might help others to decide.
Firstly, I did not find this blend to be "out of bounds" as it may pertain to the spectrum of aromatic blends in general. So despite some of the emphatic reviews for and against, don't let those scare you off. The 8 oz (bulk-bagged) I ordered and received did strike me as "Grape Nuts" like in texture as others have noted. My initial thought was that the tobacco seemed drier that it should be. Loaded the bowl via dipping the briar into the blend and then tamping to 3/4 full. I had no issue keeping the bowl lit through the first 2/3 or more of the bowl. In fact, after tamping down the char-light, it remained lit. The tabac burned nicely and evenly requiring more tending in the last 1/3 of the bowl. Ash is black.
Room Note: Significant other and son rate the room note pleasant and very similar to blends they have smelled before, nothing exotic or different yet at the same time they paused and mentioned that they found it interesting. Room note was warm and rich, honey-like, very nice.
Taste: I did not feel the deertongue produced any significant taste (or room note), but would have to compare a similar blend of burleys that does not have it in order to indicate what it adds/detracts from the taste, enjoyment or room note. Those keeping cadence with their briar and routine blends will no doubt be able to elaborate on this nuance. Having been away for a while, I will not opine on herbal/vanilla/flora/spice notes. I found the flavor to be pleasant, enjoyable, nothing especially remarkable either in favor or against. I could sense the nicotine kicking in during the last 1/3 of the bowl, but this could of been due to smoking it a touch too fast at the end as I was outside and the temperature was dropping from the 20's to the teens! Still, I don't remember an aromatic doing this to me before, even if I had to "hurry it along" (rather than stop and empty).
Until further update: Don't let the ranging love-hate reviews dissuade you from trying a few ounces. My bet is if you are an aromatic blend smoker, you will not dislike this. The question is, how much will you like it.
Pipe Used:
Brand new bent briar.
PurchasedFrom:
PipesandCigars.com
Age When Smoked:
3 days after receiving order.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 03, 2013 | Mild to Medium | Medium | Medium | Strong |
I'm highly suspicious that Bing smoked this since we know for a fact he smoked Hayward Mixture in the 1950s. Anyway, the floral, herbal, vanilla properties of the deer tongue overwhelmed its minor mint notes. The dry, nutty, earthy, woody, sharp, sour white burley is also sublimated by the deer tongue, and the whisky lurks in the background. The strength and nic-hit are almost medium, while the taste is medium. Won't bite, but it does sport some rough edges, and fast puffing may result in a harsh note or two. Burns cool and clean a little slow with a very consistent tart and tangy sweet, floral flavor from top to bottom. Being a cube cut, it requires some relights. Leaves little moisture in the bowl. Has a pleasantly lingering after taste, and pungent room note. Not an all day smoke. The smell just about drove m'lady and friends out of the house when I tried it. It got more complaints from innocent bystanders than anything I have ever smoked.
Update: 2-25-2017: I have given this blend another try. The formula has been tweaked since I last smoked it. The deer tongue seems to have dropped a percentage point or two, which allows a little more of the dry, nutty, earthy, woody, sharp and sour white burley to peek through. While the aforementioned inherent properties of the deer tongue are obvious, they are very mildly less so than before. Also, the cubes are smaller than before, which affects the burn rate, and though it’s not a fast burner, it burns closer to a moderate rate than before. It requires fewer relights than before, but still needs a few. The strength and nic-hit are a slot below the older version. The taste is medium. All other noted aspects remain the same. It will ghost a briar. I have upgraded my rating to two stars to reflect my current thinking regarding this blend. Your proclivity for deer tongue will certainly decide whether or not this blend is for you, which is another reason for the neutral two star rating.
-JimInks
Update: 2-25-2017: I have given this blend another try. The formula has been tweaked since I last smoked it. The deer tongue seems to have dropped a percentage point or two, which allows a little more of the dry, nutty, earthy, woody, sharp and sour white burley to peek through. While the aforementioned inherent properties of the deer tongue are obvious, they are very mildly less so than before. Also, the cubes are smaller than before, which affects the burn rate, and though it’s not a fast burner, it burns closer to a moderate rate than before. It requires fewer relights than before, but still needs a few. The strength and nic-hit are a slot below the older version. The taste is medium. All other noted aspects remain the same. It will ghost a briar. I have upgraded my rating to two stars to reflect my current thinking regarding this blend. Your proclivity for deer tongue will certainly decide whether or not this blend is for you, which is another reason for the neutral two star rating.
-JimInks
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22, 2014 | Medium to Strong | Medium to Strong | Very Full | Very Pleasant |
Being a Bing Crosby fan I decided to give Crooner a go, and I must say, Bing had fantastic taste. Crooner has a base of dark burley tobacco which provides a silky, oak and nut flavor to the smoke. The burley alone would make for a fantastic blend but the addition of deer tongue brings this blend into a whole nother dimension. The dark woodsy burleys are sharply contrasted by sweet, floral notes provided by the deer tongue making for a complex, interesting smoke. Deer tongue blends tend to lean toward the love or hate area and this is a definite for Crooner. Personally, I am 100% on the love team. However, I can see why others would not enjoy Crooner. The burleys are very strong, leaning toward harsh while the deer tongue adds a flavor not often found in the tobacco world. Crooner is a blend for those who seek out bold, unique, adventurous flavors and who are not afraid of a bit of a nicotine hit. I urge everyone to try Crooner at least once. You'll either love it or hate it. No in between on this one.
Pipe Used:
Savanelli Bing's Favorite
PurchasedFrom:
pipesandcigars.com
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 16, 2014 | Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant |
Having never tried a blend with deer tongue, I chose this one as my intro. I think I got lucky. I love this stuff. The Burley is top notch. Earthy and nutty. The DT adds notes of herbs and definitely vanilla. It also gives this a nice freshness that I can see some interpreting as minty. There's also a nice sweetness in the mix. Medium in body and flavor. Can't get enough of this wonderful blend.
One last thing. This blend expands like crazy. I found it best to gravity feed and fill only to the 3/4 mark of the bowl. Otherwise the ashes are spilling out all over the place. Happy smoking.
One last thing. This blend expands like crazy. I found it best to gravity feed and fill only to the 3/4 mark of the bowl. Otherwise the ashes are spilling out all over the place. Happy smoking.
Pipe Used:
MM Freehand, MM General
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
fresh bulk
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22, 2014 | Medium to Strong | Mild to Medium | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Definitely a long time favorite. A friend had this blend for a a couple months, and it always kept me interested. It lasted for a while and the room note is still one of the best.
So I had to try it. First time round the strength seemed a little high, but after a while I very much enjoyed it. It turned into almost a daily smoke. Flavor wise it is a strong burley, but its the deer tounge that's different. People look for a vanilla and mint taste but I would say more of a light floral flavor.
The room note is nothing I have smelt before. The wife loves it and can always distinguish it. Can't really describe it however, something you need to experience yourself.
I could go on for hours, but in the end it's a gorgeous smoke and I have the up most respect for both the blender and the man who created it.
So I had to try it. First time round the strength seemed a little high, but after a while I very much enjoyed it. It turned into almost a daily smoke. Flavor wise it is a strong burley, but its the deer tounge that's different. People look for a vanilla and mint taste but I would say more of a light floral flavor.
The room note is nothing I have smelt before. The wife loves it and can always distinguish it. Can't really describe it however, something you need to experience yourself.
I could go on for hours, but in the end it's a gorgeous smoke and I have the up most respect for both the blender and the man who created it.
Pipe Used:
Nording Poker
PurchasedFrom:
Pipes & Cigars
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 14, 2009 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This was an epiphanal blend for me upon smoking the first few bowls. A nice vanilla taste without casing - how cool is that??!? The deertongue flavor remains throughout the smoke, although it becomes more subtle as you get down to the last 1/3 bowl where it becomes more of that nutty burley flavor.
Crooner is a high quality tobacco. My rating is less about if I would recommend it than how it hit me. What happened is that after the first 4 or so bowl, the deertongue flavor wore me out. I don't know why or how. Perhaps I'm just not used to it.
Two stars for how I liked it; four stars for recommending it as something everyone should try once. But for God's sake, give it a dedicated pipe! The flavor is hard to remove from a briar pipe.
Crooner is a high quality tobacco. My rating is less about if I would recommend it than how it hit me. What happened is that after the first 4 or so bowl, the deertongue flavor wore me out. I don't know why or how. Perhaps I'm just not used to it.
Two stars for how I liked it; four stars for recommending it as something everyone should try once. But for God's sake, give it a dedicated pipe! The flavor is hard to remove from a briar pipe.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 03, 2016 | Strong | None Detected | Very Full | Very Pleasant |
I am obsessed with Crooner. A 2oz sample quickly became 16oz for the cellar. I have a few pipes now dedicated to this blend (it ghosts) and will most likely dedicate some more. The cube-cut makes this blend easy to pack. A quick gravity fill is all you need. I never dry this one any either it is immediately ready.
The Burley here is nutty sweet and quite strong. It delivers a solid kick with some spice too. The Deer Tongue is delicious. Floral/minty with some vanilla. There's a noticeable cinnamon flavor I get in every bowl. The room note is intoxicating as well. Extremely pleasant.
The Burley here is nutty sweet and quite strong. It delivers a solid kick with some spice too. The Deer Tongue is delicious. Floral/minty with some vanilla. There's a noticeable cinnamon flavor I get in every bowl. The room note is intoxicating as well. Extremely pleasant.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 27, 2013 | Strong | Mild to Medium | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Wow! What a blend! This is my first time to try deer tongue. In the pouch it is fragrant. The deer tongue (I suppose) has a pouch aroma similar to flowers, mint, herbs and a little vanilla combined. After lighting, it has very full and fresh flavor! It has a "burst in your mouth" kind of feel. I can taste the minty, herby, floral essence of the spice used. The room note is just similar to good pipe tobacco. The aroma is just pleasant burley (to me). The nicotine hit is strong! Perhaps from the burley. I smoked this in a medium billiard. It smokes cool and has no tongue bite. But it does make my tongue feel "numb" a bit, as if an anesthetic was applied to it. It's a good smoke to try in the evenings after dinner. Totally different experience. You must try it and judge for yourself.
Pipe Used:
Meerschaum lattice billiard
PurchasedFrom:
SmokingPipes.com
Age When Smoked:
Fresh from order
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25, 2007 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
While I do enjoy Bing's music, I think I'll take a pass on his tobacco preferences. Yep, I tasted the deer tongue loud and clear while working my way through a recent bowl (and believe me, it WAS work.) And for anyone who cares, I copied the following description of deer tongue from an herbal website:
Description---Herbaceous perennial plant, composite distinguished by a naked receptacle, oblong, imbricated, involucre, and feathery pappus, fleshy basal leaves obolanceolate, terminating in a flattened stalk. The leaves are used to flavour tobacco. Their perfume is largely due to Coumarin, which can be seen in crystals on the upper side of the smooth spatulate leaves.
Now I ask, is the above description going to make you head off lickety split for your nearest tobacconist?
The Burley in Crooner was top-shelf and burned easily. But the strange taste provided by the deer tongue just flat put me off. I don't know, maybe it was the "oblong, imbricated, involucre feathery pappus, fleshly basal leaves" that just didn't work for me.
And finally, Crooner is the only Burley based tobaccos where I had to rub out the chunks before loading up. Now I've got deer tongue all over my fingers....
Description---Herbaceous perennial plant, composite distinguished by a naked receptacle, oblong, imbricated, involucre, and feathery pappus, fleshy basal leaves obolanceolate, terminating in a flattened stalk. The leaves are used to flavour tobacco. Their perfume is largely due to Coumarin, which can be seen in crystals on the upper side of the smooth spatulate leaves.
Now I ask, is the above description going to make you head off lickety split for your nearest tobacconist?
The Burley in Crooner was top-shelf and burned easily. But the strange taste provided by the deer tongue just flat put me off. I don't know, maybe it was the "oblong, imbricated, involucre feathery pappus, fleshly basal leaves" that just didn't work for me.
And finally, Crooner is the only Burley based tobaccos where I had to rub out the chunks before loading up. Now I've got deer tongue all over my fingers....
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 05, 2019 | Medium | None Detected | Full | Pleasant |
This blend has all the elements of good, cube cut Burley, but with a little something extra. The deertongue seems to be what everyone focuses on as the make it or break it component to this blend. Between Crooner and plain Cube Cut, I can't say that the flavor is really all that strong, but it is noticable, and I could see how some might not appreciate it. The flavor of Crooner is fairly simple: tobacco forward, a little nutty, subtly sweet at times, with a herbaceous, floral note that weaves throughout. But I think most of the negative response to Crooner comes from whether or not the smoker likes burley, or how it's being smoked and the size of the pipe being used. Crooner seems to just burn and burn. Too wide or too tall a bowl will be overwhelming; For this blend, I usually smoke half bowls, in average sized pipes, and it lasts an hour or longer. The cubes expand quite a bit as you light and smoke it, so the extra space will save you from spilling embers all over yourself. Mind your tamping; too much or too hard and as the cubes expand and you'll reach a point where your draw gets obstructed. Best to just dip your pipe in, tap the side of the bowl a couple of times to settle everything, light it, tamp it gently, and smoke it slow and easy. If you puff too hard or too often, it can heat up fast, and bite you hard. If you smoke a lot of straight pipes, like I do, be aware that this blend can build up moisture. On that note, if you want to color your meerschaums in a hurry, you could do worse than this blend. This is a blend that I've never managed to kept lit the whole way down, so keep your lighter or matches handy.
Pipe Used:
Meerschaums and various billiards
PurchasedFrom:
SmokingPipes.com
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 03, 2004 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
Appearance: Mostly medium brown cubes, with a few smaller greenish bits. The cubes are substantial in size, but can be rubbed out a little.
Aroma: Mellow Burley aroma, with a hint of sweet herbiness. The aroma is elusive, but puts me in mind of Tarragon, or Summer Savory.
Packing:. Works best in medium and larger bowls. I simply pour the cubes in all the way to the top, add a few bits of rubbed out tobacco and then tamp lightly once.
Lighting:. In spite of the large cubes, the tobacco is not hard to light. Typical char, tamp and relight get it going well.
Initial flavor: The initial taste is good nutlike burley, but there is a hint of the Deer Tongue. The flavor when burning still reminds me of some delicate kitchen herb.
Mid-bowl:. The Deer Tongue provides a layer of flavor which interplays with the Burley in a beguiling manner. The Burley is excellent quality, and can stand on it?s own, but sometimes needs a counterpoint. This combination works for me. The blend burns cool and dry, but stays lit well.
Finish:. No noticeable change at the bottom of the bowl. Generally leaves a clean dry pipe.
Summary:. This is an excellent all day blend for the Burley guy. It would be a great change of pace for anyone willing to broaden his horizons, be he an English fan, a Virginia lover or an Aromatic devotee
Aroma: Mellow Burley aroma, with a hint of sweet herbiness. The aroma is elusive, but puts me in mind of Tarragon, or Summer Savory.
Packing:. Works best in medium and larger bowls. I simply pour the cubes in all the way to the top, add a few bits of rubbed out tobacco and then tamp lightly once.
Lighting:. In spite of the large cubes, the tobacco is not hard to light. Typical char, tamp and relight get it going well.
Initial flavor: The initial taste is good nutlike burley, but there is a hint of the Deer Tongue. The flavor when burning still reminds me of some delicate kitchen herb.
Mid-bowl:. The Deer Tongue provides a layer of flavor which interplays with the Burley in a beguiling manner. The Burley is excellent quality, and can stand on it?s own, but sometimes needs a counterpoint. This combination works for me. The blend burns cool and dry, but stays lit well.
Finish:. No noticeable change at the bottom of the bowl. Generally leaves a clean dry pipe.
Summary:. This is an excellent all day blend for the Burley guy. It would be a great change of pace for anyone willing to broaden his horizons, be he an English fan, a Virginia lover or an Aromatic devotee
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