Cornell & Diehl Safe Harbor Flake

This is my first review here on TR, and is based on a small sample I received in a ziploc from another piper.

My tobacco came in a ready rubbed format, more or less, nothing like 2015 or 5100, much less FVF or other full sized flakes.

It lit easily and burned well, if a bit hot.

The mouth feel was much like other burly tobacco, a bit dry in the mouth, and a bit acrid.

I did not get much from this other than a traditional burly taste.

Flavor and strength were both similar to Prince Albert, and I'd rather smoke Carter Hall or Prince Albert, especially given the $4 per ounce cost of this flake.

By reading the reviews, I noted a clear tendancy to a love/hate relationship to this tobacco.

I must admit I was disappointed: the tin description did not fulfill its promises. The tobacco was more into a very broken flake format, with a nice tin aroma. Smoking the tobacco was a disaster. A very strong peppery, discomforting taste invaded my mouth from the start. I had to surrender before reaching the mid-battle point.

By Jove, would I chance giving this to my Ship's Company, I would have to deal with a mutiny!

Upon opening the tin, what you will find is some dark, rich rubbed out burley flake wrapped in some thin white paper. Unlike most C&D blends,the tobacco itself is extremely moist and unsmokable. The tobacco has been lightly topped and the aroma very familiar. I don't know what is used but to me it smelled somewhat like egg nog.

Basically, it smokes wet and hot. There's little to be appreciated here. Even when dried out to a smokable moisture content, it's a foul tasting, mouth burning mess.

I can hardly believe that Craig Tarler would market something so utterly putrid as this tobacco.

***UPDATE***

Craig Tarler has announced that C&D is ceasing the sale of Safe Harbor Flake. According to Craig, the natural fermentation process has made this blend rather putrid. He states, "The fermenting is just causing a terrible odor and it is affecting the taste. I smoked a bowl today and it was definitely something I wasn't proud of."

Yuck! I though I was buying a burly flake not an aromatic!!! This was false advertising. Nowhere on the tin description or website did C&D disclose that there was a flavoring added to Safe Harbor Flake. I have since heard it was a liquor of some kind, but who knows.

There is no burly taste that I can detect. Also, this is the first blend that I actually had to dry to smoke. I smoked it wet at first, it was awful, so I dried it. Dried a bit, it was more burnable, but still not smokable. I am painfully working my way to the end of the tin and cannot wait to toss the finished tin and never look back.

If looking for burly, pass this up. If looking for an aro, you might want to consider this.

I'm a lover of Burleys and a lover of flakes. I bought this tobacco hoping it would be a Burley 'par exellance'. Liking everything C&D makes, I bought 2 cans.

Disappointing to say the least. Upon opening the can, the moisture and aroma hinted to Redman. Where's my chocolate, nutty aroma?

I gave it a weekend of air, then tried a few bowls. Nothing of note that justified the price.

This burley does nothing to justify the price. Go with Granger of Carter Hall for real Burley.

I had a very bad experience with this tobacco.

The tin aroma was awesome, close to something like molasses.

The broken flakes were dark coloured, which I enjoy. But they would break easily into the hand and were moist.

Smoking proved to be a disaster. It just got more and more peppery and hot.

After reading some of the reviews here, I tried a second tin to be sure I didn't get an anomaly. It appears I did not.

This is the worst effort I've tried from the good folks at C&D. I love many of their blends, with Haunted Bookshop being in my top 5. Maybe my negative opinion is due to high hopes for a burley flake from C&D, but I don't think so. I tried to like this blend, I really did. I simply could not find anything positive.

First, it is not a flake by any stretch of the imagination. I love Craig and C&D tobaccos, but this is not a flake. It falls apart immediately and soon turns to unsmokable dust. Finally, it comes far too wet and trying to dry it results in the topping evaporating leaving you with a bitter, dusty mess.

I simply cannot imagine what some of the reviewers here could be thinking to compare this to other quality burley flakes like Edgeworth Slices, Wessex Burley Slice, or Solani Aged Burley Flake.

With a fresh opened tin, I found this to be a smooth and unique Burley Flake that breaks apart upon the slightest touch. It loads and lights easy, burns dry and cool regardless of preparation method. Great with a cup of coffee. However, the topping begins to diminish after a tin has been open for a few days. This greatly changed the flavor in a negative way for me.

After the topping burnt off it was terrible. Just nasty stuff. I’m not a burley fan, but this was over the top bad. Just terrible. I understand why it is no longer in production. I regret keeping 2 tins in my cellar for so long 🙁