Cornell & Diehl Berry Good

I'm new to the pipe smoking scene and am a fan of aromatics. This sounded delicious in the description and I was really looking forward to receiving it in the mail. Upon opening the blend it smelled absolutely delicious and I was looking forward to the taste. It is a nice smooth blend, not to wet, not to dry, easy to keep alight, unfortunately the taste was quite disappointing compared to the tobacco aroma. I couldn't find any berry taste. I have yet to experience the aroma whilst passively smoking.

Yet another update 3/17/2017

I am removing another star from this. I just finished the 8oz I just purchased and it wasn't easy. The vanilla coming from the Cavendish was all that was enjoyable to me. The berry topping just came off as artificial. So from three different trials of this blend. The first was fantastic, this 8oz was terrible. The sample sent me from a friend lied somewhere in between.

The bottom line is I will no longer order more of this as I just don't know what to expect. I think if one does really enjoy the berry topping that is on this blend, then that person would be happy with all three of these trials that I had. I only like it if it is lightly applied and that is something I can't know upon ordering. So I am dropping an additional star and will leave this one at two stars for inconsistency.

Update 11/30/2015

I am removing a star from this one as two separate trials of this blend following my review have left me perplexed.

To start, I was so enthused by this that I ordered 8 ounces and was responsible for purchases by quite a few forum friends to whom I raved about this blend. My first puff of this newly purchased 8 ounces was yuck. It was heavily topped. The burley was disguised. Otherwise, it performed similar. I still have some of this 8 ounce purchase despite giving bits and pieces of it away over time.

Enter about a month ago, a sample from a forum friend who asked if I ever tried it as he was sending me something else I had yet to try. I told him my tale and he decided that I should try his sample as it will give me a third opportunity to evaluate the blends.

I tried this third sample and found it in between the two. What did I learn from this? I don't know. My first suspicions is that this is a consistency problem with C & D aromatics as I had a similar experience with Autumn Evening, but I was reminded that all three of the samples I had tried were bulk options and it is impossible to determine what happened between when it was made to when it got to my door. Including how much time it sat around.

I guess I won't know until or unless I try some various tinned samples of the same. I don't see this happening any time soon. So for now, I am dropping a star, because It can't stand at four stars, but it is still a good aromatic, and at times, great. Plenty of nicotine and burley body backing up the sweetness.

Original Review 1-10-2013

I think this is a wonderful Burley blend that happens to be an aromatic. I don't know whether my four stars is for a burley blend or as an aromatic blend, but I think moreso for the former as I think true Aromatic fanciers may find this to lack the sweetness that the burleyphile will love.

The quality of the burley is great as can be expected from C & D, the nicotine is just right IMO and the taste is great. My only complaint, and it is quite minor, is that it tends to burn fast. It does not burn hot though and I think it may be impossible to get this one to bite. At least it was for me.

It's a good quality tobacco. But for a aromatic blend, for me, its not aromatic enough. I like C&D's ... & Cream series better!

The raspberry flavor is immediate upon the first light, hand stays with you for half a bowl or so. After that it gets a little more toasty, and at times gives me a cigarette feel which I'm not crazy about. Ok overall, not one I'm dying to get back to, but not a bad smoke either. Lights well, and didn't need hardly any relights til close to the end of the bowl. No tongue bite. Recommended for aromatic & burley fans; maybe for those coming off of a cigarette habit too.

Cornell & Diehl - Berry Good.

I fancied a bit of an aromatic day so opened my pouch of Berry Good after smoking Black and Lemon by McClelland. I bought this about four months ago but never got round to smoking it, so it sat in my cellar. It must have been too moist at first because after all this time in the loose pouch it hasn't dried too much.

For the first third the berries monopolize the smoke. They're very tart, sweet, and slightly bitter. Once the vanilla joins in it calms the effect from the 'berries, bringing a gently creaminess to the smoke; albeit, it's still in an emphatic second place to the raspberries. The Burley has a crisp flavour. It behaves well mechanically.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: pleasant enough.

Berry Good? It's okay but I wouldn't have it regularly. Somewhat recommended:

Two stars.

C & D Berry Good V 2.0 By: Christopher I must give a review on Berry Good because from what I am reading by people who buy this blend and then are let down because they are expecting a Cavendish based sweet aromatic with a nice strong and sweet berry taste and not taking into consideration that C & D do not blend those type of tobaccos. So before you go running off and buying this pipe tobacco blend please understand a few things. This is NOT a sweet aromatic berry blend with the traditional Virginia, Burley and Cavendish. This is a Burley blend that is oily and nutty with a slight hint of berry topping and I mean slight that is ever so light allowing one to reflect on the earthy robust tobacco taste that is medium bodied and has a decent amount of nicotine in it. When you smoke this others will smell a light cigar like smell with a hint of sweet and berry but still a stronger side of tobacco so keep that in mind. A english style smoker would appreciate this tobacco blend more because in leans on the stronger side of things and would be recommended more for those kind of smokers who would like a different change in there rotation if they desire a touch fruity taste bit still being a natural tobacco taste in full. If you are a Burley smoker then you will absolutely enjoy this blend because this is a 100% Burley pipe tobacco blend with depth and weight to it delivering a nutty and velvety texture all the way through. To a new comer this blend can put a not in your throat and can bite very badly if smoked to hot leaving a bitter taste in your mouth so these are things to keep in mind if you wish to smoke Berry Good. The only reason this blend is classified as a aromatic is because it does have a topping but I can tell you it barley fits the profile. I taste no vanilla in this blend and the taste is not the greatest berry blend I ever had and sometimes I'm in the mood for this stuff and most of the time I am not. I can appreciate the burley part of this but that's about it. I am not a huge C & D fan I will say they are the top dogs of burley and purchase the most burley in the United States for burley based pipe tobaccos so good for them on that level but I also consider them the TACO BELL of pipe tobaccos, how many variations of pipe tobacco blends can one make using the same tobaccos all the time and producing blends that mostly all taste the same, its like there on a mission just to see how many different kind of blends they can make and sad but true there mostly boring not smooth or unique and taste kinda crappy (no offense) there highly over rated seeing that a majority of reviews most pipe smokers don't praise there blends all that much and I am one of them because there really not that great. There is not much else to say about Berry Good and I will give it 2 stars because its not the worst tobacco blend but at the same time I am fair and honest when I give a review, I still recommend this if you love burley, this blend trips me out in a way that once in awhile it will taste good and smoke smoothly but its bipolar it can also smoke bitter and taste awful and I will end up dumping the bowl out, C & D products are the only pipe tobaccos I have ever dumped out of my bowl except when I dumped out Mixture #79 but thats because the burley is just yuck!!! and here's the thing I LOVE BURLEY!!! I mean love it!!! So good luck with this one you'll need it, sorry this review sucks, I do not really give negative reviews but Berry Good it is what it is, God bless you and God bless America, stand up for your smoking rights and support your American tobacco growers and producers even C & D God bless them to.

Meh. It’s not bad but with the name, I’d expect aromatic flavor. There wasn’t any. And the room note was weak at best. If you’re looking for a very, VERY lightly topped aromatic with more tobacco flavor, this is it. No bite; smoked fine. Just no flavor to me.

When I think of a berry aromatic, I always think of the epitome of berry aromatics (or just aros in general) Boswell's Berry Cobbler. so far, I have yet to find a blend that even comes close.

The pouch appearance of Berry Good is a 3 color phase of brown, and some black bits. But how, as the description states its just burley? Hmm....

Moisture is a bit higher than most C&D blends, but it is still good enough for packing and immediate lighting.

If you are searching for a non-cloying, non-sticky, non-artificial aro with some backbone, this is probably up your alley.

The topping is done very light, and it seems as if it's a natural, not artificial topping added. it's not sickly sweet and doesn't goop up your pipe. The burley has a good amount of nicotine, so it will satisfy those searching for an aro that has some kick.

Smoked slowly, the raspberry stays with you the majority of the smoke. Although I never once got a hint of vanilla.

But like most burley blends from C&D, this one seems again to smoke ashy and leave the same on the palate to me personally. 2 stars from me.

Berry Good! is not a bad blend and not a great blend. Normally I smoke English blends but this is good for a break from time to time. The topping is light but is detectable throughout the bowl. But it adds something to the room note that the wife finds acceptable. Good for a house smoke, just enough vitamin N to get the job done. I like to keep a couple of ounces on hand.