Cornell & Diehl Star of the East Flake

Presentation: Iconic tin with the train on the front.

Cut: Comes in a thick, broken flake. Very easy to rub out, and right in the middle moisture level.

Tin note: Smells mildly sweet and mildly smoky. I might smell some bread or wood but it's hard to pick out specific notes with certainty. Now that I think about it, it kind of reminds me of Key Largo's tin note.

Tasting notes: Smokiness will be the main thing you taste but it's not overpowering. There will also be moderately sweet bread, nuts, earth, wood. Every puff is not the same with this blend, it is remarkably balanced and keeps you interested for the entirety of the bowl.

Mechanics: Cool, slow burning blend. Requires a faster than normal cadence to keep lit.

Extra Remarks: This is an excellent blend. It took me longer than it should have to get around to trying it. I actually find myself liking it so much that I tend to smoke it too fast, then I have to set the pipe down and reel myself back. I could see anyone from novice to expert finding this blend enjoyable. 4 stars.

I was expecting an instant classic and instead I got a bland, nondescript mixture. Quite a shame actually, the name, the tin artwork, the cut, the smell off the tin and the reviews were really promising.

Smoking it off the tin, I was ready to drop it in a trash can. Since I almost always give second chances, I packed a second pipe and left the tobacco to dry for almost two days. This time it fared better, the Latakia is the main player here and the Red Virginia and Oriental only manage to change its taste from time to time. The smoke is overall dry and mellow but not creamy, bland when puffed fast and mild when sipped.

The Latakia is smoky and leathery but surprisingly for a 50% mixture, it's quite mellow. The Red Virginia attaches itself to the Latakia in spades and gives it some very subdued brioche accents. When the Virginia recedes, the Oriental gives a slight sour and floral note. All this happens by mid bowl, the best part. The last third rejoins the first part as a bland and nondescript mixture.

I somewhat recommend it because the leaf is of decent quality and it has no topping I can taste of. Maybe good for a beginner with Latakia mixtures but there's better to be found. Disappointing but no matter, G.L. Pease Kensington awaits.

Virginia lover

This blend was interesting. When you say high amounts of latakia what you is just that. Latakia strong and in your face but smooth and mild. That's what got me was how smooth and creamy the taste was. Flakes are whole but break apart as soon as you touch them. Lights and burn easy to a nice fine ash. It is never harsh, but you do get a little sour and bitter from the Orential. Nicotine is mild. Can be easily enjoyed multiple times in a day.

I have smoked this side by side with the ribbon version so this review focuses on the differences of the two. The review of the ribbon may also be helpful for those interested.

The lat is very dominate in this blend as should be expected in any blend claiming half of it being lat. It is smokey with a little leather and campfire note and a little sweet. It is more pronounced here than in the ribbon version and quickly takes over the blend. The red VA has some dark fruit sweetness and just a slight note of earthiness and falls way behind the lat. Still in this version the VA seems a little richer but just a little. The Turkish is woody like fresh sawdust a little sweet with a buttermilk like sourness and a very slight floral note that comes in on the rare occasion. When it is there there is also an incense like note that must be due to it and the lat combining. Overall this is a blend that changes enough to keep my interest but unfortunately the lat completely takes over very early during the smoke and overpowers all the other elements. Smaller pipes seem to help with the flake more so than with the ribbon and the lat does not become a one dimensional bomb quite as quickly. Still a good blend overall. Personally the lat is too dominate here and this is more of a 2.5 star blend but since I was expecting this with such a high amount of lat I am rounding up to 3 stars but I will not be revising this one.

This is my favourite tobacco, by a long margin. It's simply awesome from start (tin note) to finish! Smoky, earthy, it screams "Quality" and "Luxury". Fantastic Tin art and packaging. The Red Virginias and the Latakia form a great combination. This tobacco is very easy to pack and stays lit very easily. I highly recommend it to all those who love Latakia and also to those who want a great blend to start their journey on the road of English style tobaccos. Only con: not available in Italy!

Complex, spicy, smokey. First time trying this tobacco. A little creamy, and very mellow. Almost a vanilla sweetness, but I don't think a topping was added. A little moist, lights and burns perfectly after 15 minutes from being rubbed. Very attractive medium length short flakes. Instantly one of my favorite English like blends, I'd like to try this blend with some age on it. A sophisticated smoke

Opening a 3 year old tin... At times I like the use of superlatives, but this has got to be the nicest smelling "raw" Latakia blend I've had the pleasure to ever open. Extremely dark broken flakes with a tangy smokey molasses like sweetness and a bunch of delicious Latakia/Virginia/Turkish leaf goodness.

Packing and lighting was optimal and easy. From the very first puffs, I knew this was the real deal. I was enchanted and tickled by this blend. The virginias are sweetly sublime, the Latakia heavenly, strong yet not overpowering, and the Izmir irresistibly perfumy. This mixture will definitely remain in my rotation. Kudos to C&D for this very remarkable blend.

A very fowrard blend of latakia, a strong smokiness, but with enough sweetness to finish it off, but definitely is a bit darker than most English blends

This is more of a broken flake and is dark black to dark brown with a bit of medium brown mixed in. Smells like smoke, leather, wood, and fermented dank earth. Loads and lights easily and remains so with very gentle tamping.

Flavors of smoke and wood are strong from the Latakia and the Izmir provides some incense and slight floral tones here and there. All of these flavors mix together very well balanced by some sweet, sour, and tangy VA. Though the smokey, woodsy flavors are definitely more pronounced.

**Original Review** Good strong and rich English blend! Latakia abounds...it takes control of the train and doesn't let up. It's delicious though and is a great deviation from my normal english blends. It is a bit monochromatic, though still a great smoke!

This is my first C&D blend. I'm impressed and will be trying and reviewing more from C&D.