Cornell & Diehl Manhattan Afternoon

Cornell & Diehl - Manhattan Afternoon.

Medium brown, sweet smelling, easy to prepare, flakes.

The flavour would be perfect for a lazy day in the sun. A notable honey addition, but it isn't too strong. As well as the moderately applied sweet note, there's high quality Virginia leaf. I get no tongue bite, it burns well, and I find the temperature relatively low.

Nicotine: mild to medium. Room-note: super.

I've been looking for some blends to take on holiday with me and this will be one of them! Highly recommended:

Four stars.

If you are looking for a blend with a variety of tobaccos, you need NOT apply. This blend is EXACTLY what it says on the tin, i.e.; SIMPLY ELEGANT! So don't expect smokiness from latakia, or woodsy, spicy nuances of Turkish/Orientals, or undertones of dates and raisins you would get from Perique. Why you ask? Because, there are none of those tobaccos in this blend. hence the word SIMPLY, it's a derivative of simplicity. This is a Va blend with a touch of honey... that is IT. That said, this blend is for a pipe smoker who enjoys the taste and simplicity of pure Virginia tobacco. In this case Va flakes, with an added sweetness from the purest source mother nature provides us with-honey. That honey adds to the already sweet nature of the Virginia tobacco, in addition to nuances of earthiness, nuttiness, and a bit of hay. Yes HAY, like Virginia is suppose to taste like. There is a spiciness as well and I will agree there is a bit of tingle that hits your tongue, if puffed to quickly. The blend is certainly more enjoyable if smoked at a slow pace. I cannot understand why people do not take heed to what the label says. In other words, C & D did not produce this blend with any intention of it being complex, and therefore, in my humble opinion, does not take away from rating of the blend. I give a rating based on the tobacco that is in the tin, period. This tobacco does not deserve any lesser of a rating because it doesn't have the complexities of a Balkan or an English style blend. If want a burger with cheese, I order a cheeseburger. I don't order a hamburger and then complain it wasn't good because it didn't have cheese on it; it wasn't suppose to. Or, complain that Ragu or the "GRAVY' had meat in it, when I should have ordered marinara. Final word... This blend contains high quality Virginia tobacco, with a really nice added sweetness from the honey. If you are a VA lover or someone who is looking to veer off the path of just Aromatics, by all means this is an excellent blend to try. Additionally, if you are looking for a blend that is not so complex, that you don't have think too much about, that you want to take your time with and enjoy- this is it. I love all blends, I am huge fan of English and Balkan blends, and this blend was perfect for when I wanted something different from that. I could easily smoke this blend all day, it has just the right earthy, mellow blend, that if I had to sum it up in two words, for some reason "Simply Elegant" comes to mind. Wink.

Searching through hordes of aromatics, I finally found a tobacco that could be smoked indoors, yet that still retained the "pure" tobacco taste. I enjoy a true aromatic on occasion, but this is great--it just straddles the line between aromatic and straight virginia, and allows me to get away with smoking it in the home without offending company. The flakes in the tin I received were lovely to look at, but did fall apart fairly easily. I will admit I am still a flake rookie, but I was able to get a nice bowl going. Upon lighting up, I was surprised to find that although the golden virginias were prominent, the honey was also more noticeable than I expected. However, this is not a negative trait about this tobacco--the honey and the golden virginia marry very nicely together and the experience as a whole was both pleasant and calming. The honey was by no means overpowering and lent itself nicely to a pleasing room note. This might still be too mild for some, and the virginias might not be "unspoilt" enough for the virginia purist. Still, I consistently enjoy it when it is too cold to smoke one of my more robust blends and makes for a nice variation and a peaceful evening. If you are interested in flakes, virginias, and don't mind a drop of honey in your pipe, do try this.

An anecdote: I sat on the landing over my building's mailboxes waiting for the postman to arrive. This is a blend I've wanted to try for six months, and yet I couldn't wait for it to get here.

The tin: I prefer the European-style screw-lid tins, and this was my first American tin. The artwork is lovely, and the neat little note inside made me overjoyed to try know the work that went into this blend. I took a big whiff. Plums plums plums. Almost the same smell as opening a bag of prunes. The flakes are thick and mostly intact, which I can't say from when I buy loose flakes from my tobacconist.

Packing and lighting: the flakes were moist and springy. I usually like mine a bit drier, but went ahead anyway...too excited to wait. They folded well and crumbled a bit, which made it easier to get into a small conical Kirsten bowl. It took a little work getting it lit, but it stayed lit and burned evenly.

The smoke: Again, plums. A very rich taste. No sign of any honey that I can detect. this burns very cool and no bite (my tongue is sensitive, so that's saying a lot), with no drying. Occasional hints of citrus, and a little bit of hay, but not as much as PS Luxury Navy, my usual go-to. Burns to a grey-white ash.

Room note: I gave that rating because I find that inevitably, with a few exceptions, pipe smoke goes stale very fast: aromatics smell like acrid chemicals and virginias smell a bit like cigarettes, so I'm being more objective than the average piper. The sidestream is strong, but the room during the smoke is leafy and sweet and really adds to the experience.

This is a very nice Virginian flake. The flakes rubbed out easily and the moisture content was just right.

In both the tin and in the smoke the Honey casing is barely noticeable but, it adds a subtle sweetness to your pallete. Try it with some Drambuie or nice cup of tea to enhance the honey effect even more. I got to bite at all from this one.

This is a nice light blend to relax with and enjoy your surroundings.

Another winner Flake from C&D. I love them all! The "honey" note comes through ever so slight as you smoke. This is all natural,delicious and sweet Golden Virginia tobacco. Pressed and sliced to perfection. Slices were completely intact and moisture was perfect. An easy rub, crumble and pack. I packed a large bowl two-thirds full and smoked for an hour and a half. It was perfection all the way to the bottom of the bowl.

I love Flake tobaccos, the way they burn, smell and taste. You can't go wrong with this one, either. A classic prepared to perfection. Four Stars.

Conjures a Spring afternoon in the country. An exceptionally refreshing experience. Manhattan Afternoon, despite the incongruent moniker, is a well-prepared flake of deep golden to very light whisky color, seems straight off a colonial farmer's homestead. Body is there, but flavor can be a little bland over time. Sometimes this is needed. I've packed it both by folding and rubbing out. There's a bit of residual moisture, so the prep can make a difference in burning. This is the perfect contrast if you generally smoke English blends as do I, and also an excellent relief from Aromatics. (The most I'll go there is Davidoff Danish.) It also blends amazingly well 60/40 with Yale Mixture, an English reputed to be the heir to old Craven mixture. Sue me if I blaspheme. Or try what you will. End of the day, this is a necessary in the cupboard.

My dear wife and flew down to Charlotte, NC to visit our youngest son. And while there we drove up to Ashville, visited there and came down through the mountains on a secondary road, through Morganton, home on Cornell & Diehl.

Our visit to the Tarler's shop was the highlight of the excursion. The Tarlers are a delightful couple, and their crew was friendly and and informative. Craig walked me through their operation, explaining the different machines and processes, all the while quizzing me on the tobaccos I like, handing me tins to try.

One of those tins was Manhattan Afternoon. I have had several bowls and it is a very nice smoke. I just did not click with some other Cornell & Diehl blends in the past. Lately, I have been on a winning streak with them. Manhattan Afternoon is one of the winners.

If you try it, I think you will find it enjoyable. I also highly recommend a side trip to Morganton if you are ever in NC. Just call or email ahead to let them know you would like to visit. It is worth the time and gas.

The first reviewer gives a more thorough, analytical review than mine, check it out for the details. My less detailed judgment? "Two thumbs up."

I am honored to be the first to review this fine tobacco as well as to have sampled it during the Chicagoland 2007 show. I have already purchased and cellared alot of this tobac and for good reason; I believe that it can rate with the classics of virginias.

At this time, the tobacco is young but, with a couple of years aging, it shall get better and sweeter. There are similarities between Manhattan Afternoon (MA), SG's Best Brown Flake, SG's FVF, McClelland's Organically Grown Flake, and McClelland's Christmas Cheer. The latter four, in my opinion, are the gold standard for virginias. However, MA is a little anemic now and needs some age. Given that the virginias are all golden, this should be like smoking candy in 2009 and 2010. Nice hay-like smell. I'm excited!

aj