Cornell & Diehl Manhattan Afternoon

After a long debauch with strong dark flakes I felt the need for a lighter virginia. Remembering C&D's sublime Opening Night I thought it might be time to crack open that five year old tin of Manhattan Afternoon I'd been cellaring and give it a try. A light Va, delicately sweetened with honey sounded like just the ticket.

The smell on opening the tin was surprisingly strong and acrid, redolent of wet hay and young plums. Smoked right from the tin gave a bitey, acrid smoke that wouldn't let me parse the flavors correctly. Letting it dry out a bit gave a much more pleasant smoke, but still not the sweet Va with a hint of honey that I was hoping for. The honey is definitely noticeable if you slow down -- a lot -- but the honey doesn't integrate with the flake so much as sit lightly on top of it. One thing is clear, though, as others have said, this must be sipped very slowly to be appreciated.

bteddy says that it "has a somewhat barn taste". I think there's something to that. That's why I think calling this blend Manhattan Afternoon is a misnomer, since there's nothing simply elegant and urbane about it. I think Morning Hayride or Podunk Barnraising would be closer to the mark.

I can understand what others see and appreciate in this flake, but it was not what I was expecting. It's not a sweet nor a creamy smoke. Still, it's not a terrible smoke, so I'll finish the tin and update my review if my opinion changes.

Update 07/17/13:

I do not find this an agreeable flake. I'm almost through the tin, and I have not had a single relaxing bowl: the cut is difficult to work with; it smokes very hot; it needed constant tending to. The flavor occupies a unique alto range that I like, but I suspect the honey turns the flake acrid rather than sweet when burning, which gives it a sharp character that is unpleasant to my tastebuds.

I've had a few sips that revealed its secrets to me, but it's too little reward for the effort: the flake requires such a slow smoking rhythm, is too acrid, and requires so much attention when burning that it's not worth the trouble.

That said, though I think it's not a smoke that most will enjoy, I suspect there are some for whom the flavor will hit the bullseye, since it is a quality flake that occupies a unique flavor profile. So I think it's worth the gamble for the serious virginia flake lover who wants to try something different in a medium-key smoke that's acrid but with hints of sweetness. But it's definitely not for me.

Although monochromatic, the flavor is pretty nice. Hay and a touch of citrus with the honey adding sweetness and a very mild floral note. Heat and bite are the biggest problems. I managed to avoid both by either sipping or taking long, gentle draws and slowing my normal cadence by just a little. It's basically a pain in the ass for me to smoke. 2 stars.

Mild in body. Very mild flavoring. Mild to medium in taste. Burn isn't a problem at all.

The blenders at C&D, not to mention their many happy customers, must have very different palates to mine. I won't judge their taste, and trust they'll extend me the same courtesy. This was yet again a disappointment to me. Imagine making a sandwich out of untoasted white bread and hay. That's about the flavor I got from this, no matter how dry or wet or rubbed out I smoked it. Toward the end of the tin, after it had dried out too much and had to be re-hydrated, there was more sweetness (perhaps really a muting of the other flavors, allowing the sweetness to come to the forefront) and more nicotene. That was better, but still nothing to write home about. I still have some C&D blends in my cellar and in my list to try, but so far my luck with them is dismal.

Good tobacco; basically Briar Fox with a light honey casing. The honey seems to mute any underlying complexity. So don't expect nuances of flavor. But it burns pretty well and doesn't bite. All in all, a solid choice but not a bell-ringer.

This somewhat reminds me of MacBaren burleys, but I like the Macs better because I find they have more depth. The Macs are, to me, just more interesting and satisfying.

Govern Yourself Accordingly,

SmokeKing David

sweet, light and tastey. pretty good smoke volume for being a lighter blend. To mild for me though.

Every time I say I’m giving up on Virginia’s, I find myself trying another. Seems I’m in search for a straight Virginia that can deliver an above average taste. This comes closer than most, but still falls short.

Right out of the tin, it looks better than most. Packs well. Lights very well. It might be the honey that allows it to deliver a bit more taste than most virginias. Alas, it doesn’t deliver enough for me to warrant a recommend.

No tongue bite and stays lit. Room not is OK for a non-aromatic.

I’ll enjoy the rest of the tin, but will not purchase again.

Bright Virginia, muted by honey. Honey does not particularly stick out.