Cornell & Diehl Sunset Harbor Flake

This is definitely not a typical Balkan blend. The fact that this only contains Turkish, perique, and Latakia is what draws me to it. And honestly, this is not what I imagined.

The tin aroma is slightly smoky but a fruity sweetness is mostly dominant with a slight mustiness from the Turkish. Of all broken flakes that I've experienced, this is the most different and best one to handle. A very soft Flake that just falls apart but just touching it. Loads in a pipe very well. The first and second 3rd of the bowl is smoky, fruity and musty. I'm the last third, the izmir really pops through. It finishes to a nice gray ash. Burns cool and absolutely no tongue bite.

This was a very unique and pleasant experience. Also goes well with a chocolate milk. Wouldn't want to smoke it everyday but makes a very good treat while relaxing on a cold night.

Update 5-28-19. I've found this blend has by far became my favorite English/Balkan blend. It's so consistent bowl to bowl and no tongue bite with plenty of nice rich flavor.

My third of four reviews today and none will get more than 2 stars. This blend hung around as an open container for me for nearly three years. This is less an indication of what I thought of it and more an indication of how many open Latakia blends I have at present. This one was just forgotten.

This blend has a lot of latakia and its presence is nearly overwhelming in the blend. At least it is to me. C&D makes several blend with a lot of latakia. Pirate Kake, Mountain kake and Billy Budd come to mind. The difference of SHF to those is there is something more to the latakia that makes each bowl interesting. With SHF, all I get is smoke and the dreaded Lat tongue rendering nearly everything I smoke within a few hours after to be tasteless.

I don't have many good things to say about this blend, but will add this. It does have a lot of nicotine. This is something rather uncommon with heavy lat blends. If this is something that you desire then this may be the blend for you, but I would still recommend GLP Key largo over this to accomplish the same end as it will just deliver a better sensation on the palate. This one lies between 1 and 2 stars, but I am bumping it up to 2 stars, perhaps out of my bias to C&D blends which I enjoy so much. It does have their quality leaf.

This seems to be a hidden gem by Cornell and Diehl. For some reason, SHF isn't talked about as much as it probably deserves. This is a nice Balkan blend that is perfectly balanced and delicious. No component ever seems to take over, but compliments each other throughout the bowl, doing just enough to keep it from becoming boring. My tin was full of nice, dark, broken flakes that rubbed out easily. Some drying time was necessary to avoid relights but smoked great once dried. Any fan of Balkan blends should give this one a try.

Sunset Harbor Flake has a strong flavor and decent ingredients but lacks any real depth or complexity. I keep coming back to the tin every so often hoping that it was the wrong pipe or I was in the wrong mood the last time I smoked it. Nope. Just a very mediocre blend where the components never seem to get on well with each other.

I am continually unimpressed with C&D offerings and this one is no exception. It has all my favorite ingredients but, like the half dozen other C&D blends I've tried, it just has little to recommend it over much better offerings from other blenders. (Which is odd because Low Country's Cooper Flake is made by C&D and it is outstanding).

An excellent balkan flake rich in latakia and orientals but with a tender and placid sweetness. Good flavour and very good taste. It remains very very very long time in your mouth:a great pleasure! For relaxing moment. Four stars, of course !

This is a very nice, full flavored flake. I can't stress enough that this is big huge full power. I smoked it during the day once, and am afraid to smoke it again during the day or when driving because this knocked me on my a**! But this tobacco is full of flavor and I do recommend it. Just save it for the evening.

I have become a bit leery of Englishes. I have a pretty low threshold for latakia. But I recognize a good blend when I smoke one. I first tried this as a broken flake, and later as a normal flake. They smoked about the same. this will undoubtably change with ageing. My suggestion is buy 2. Open one and hold off 6 months on #2. Start up light does bring the latakia to the front as expected. But rather than being overpowering, it as a nice exotic backbeat from the izmir. Once cruising speed is reached, the perique adds some different spice, while the latakia calms a bit....Strength increases a bit toward the end, but not unpleasant. Overall this is a nice english flake. The overall effect is a plus. Nice estetic tin, Great presentation, Flavor is perfect for after dinner or a stroll in the cooling winter air.

Fine leather, aromatic cedar, sandalwood, black pepper. Smooth smoke that is full of flavor. I like to dry it completly before enjoying, but I prefer most blends dried well.

Sunset Harbor Flake is a distinct full English. It is a Latakia and perique bomb with a cedar smokiness and a spicy maduro like quality. There is just enough Izmir leaf to bring some kind of balance. Overall, it reminds me of a flake form of C&D Byzantium.

*This review is based on a small sample and limited life experience.