Cornell & Diehl Opening Night

My second US blend after McClelland's Honeydew! I can tell you from now, I am in love! Opening night has a ketchupy/vinegary smell to it, which is apparently normal in US virginia blends. The flakes are small, not too wet, have a somewhat hard texture. Rubbing is easy, packing and lighting. The smoke is mild, mellow, with absolutely no bite, full of flavours and smells (hay, citrus, spicy flowers, some dried fruits, jam). This is a grade "A" VA blend, that everybody should try at least once with a nice N hit.

I thought Orlik GS floored me; Opening night is far superior in taste and enjoyment it gives. It even rivals FVF (it tops FVF is the rubbing/humidity domains that's for sure).

4*

A straight virgina which pales in comparison to the beloved FVF. Maybe it need some age as the tin was only a couple months old. Did I mention that it is strong for some reason?

A pure Virginia, sweet hay without being sickening . Not as heavy as McC "Red Cake 5100",this one doesn't have the raisin flavor ( which I also like at times). A little spicy upon initial light . Don't think you can just fire this one up and pay it no mind, it will bite if you don't slow sip it. I found that it burns a little better if you rub it out and let it air for an hour or try the microwave for 5 seconds . It is a good smoke for when you want that light smoke between Latakia blasts. I personally like McC's Virginia's better and find this blend stuck in "no mans land" as it is not real sweet nor real mature. This is very one dimensional and I won't buy again ,not because it is bad , just because there are other Virginia's that I like better.

I can't get enough of this. One of my favorite Virginias, won't leave my rotation for a very long time. Perfect combination of red and bright Virginias which reminds me of IRC Flake, but while this one is leaned towards bright leaf, C&D ON favors the darker. One of the Virginia blends with more depth, with notes of orange peel, mango, and oak, almost like a fine red wine. Sweet and tangy at the same time. A true masterpiece.

This is an EXCELLENT unadultrated tobacco pure and simple.

Char light - The room note is very pleasant. It has a light tobacco smell with a grassy sweet taste.

There is not much complexity here but there is a depth in taste. The first two thirds of the bowl remained unchanged but boy was it a grassy earthy flavor with a hint of natural sweetness. Complexity is not always needed especially if you have a great tobacco. I have never smoked a straight VA this good before.

The bottom of the bowl the flavor deepens somewhat although it is the same flavor it is sort of thicker and even more pleasant. You just wish it would never end.

So in the end there is not much complexity, but then again who would buy a straight VA and expect alot of complexity.:) Sometimes (alot of times) I crave a straight smoke that tastes light and earthy, THIS IS IT (for me). It is like smoking sunshine.

A SIDE NOTE: The people over at cornell and diehl are some of the best people in the business. There customer service is TOP NOTCH and world wide. No I don't work for them, I was so impressed with there service, tobacco, and prices that I will have a hard time shopping anywhere else. 4 stars

This is a beautiful supple red flake with flecks of gold. Upon opening the tin I was greeted by the slightly (naturally) sweet, ripe, fruity aroma characteristic of the best Red Virginias. The flakes rub out quite easily and I packed with a light hand as I do with any Virginia flake.

Two or three lights at the get go and you're off to the bottom of the bowl with an even cool burn. This blend passed the uber-puffer test with flying colors. Despite my best efforts, I could not get this flake to bite!

delivering subtly sweet flavors up front which give way to a nutty finish, this flake is unadulterated tobacco at it's best. The room note is, as expected, the usual woodsy Virginia aroma.

I'll note here that I am not usually partial to Virginia Flakes (I'm a Burley smoker born and raised), but I'll continue to make an exception with this one. A must for the lover of smooth unadulterated tobacco flavor!

The standard for straight Virginia flakes is set by this flake in my opinion. Similar profile as most other Virginia flakes except the flavor is pumped up to 11.

When opening the tin, the aroma is sweet, grassy, and almost pumpkin-y, with some notes of citrus and fruit. Along with the flavor, the tin note is also my favorite among all straight Virginia flakes.

Upon lighting, the sweetness and smoothness hits your palate. It’s almost creamy. There isn’t as much citrus in the flavor as there is in the aroma. The flavor is dominated by a sweet grass/hay with some bready qualities, as well as some woody notes and a tad bit of spice. There is also dark fruit on the finish as well as some of that pumpkin. Not exactly super complex, but what it lacks in complexity, it makes up for with overall flavor output, which is unusual for a straight Virginia. Something to note is the nicotine does get a little strong near the end of the bowl if smoking on an empty stomach, but nothing too bad.

In comparison to Pease’s Union Square and Gawith’s Full Virginia Flake, I prefer Opening Night. Union Square is similar to this, but less sweet and less flavor overall (although it’s still a good Virginia flake). Full Virginia Flake, while more complex and probably my 2nd favorite Virginia flake, lacks the overall flavor this has. Opening Night also packs, lights, and burns way better than either of those other two.

If you’re looking for a smooth, sweet, flavorful flake to taste pure Virginias, look no further. It’s excellent for cellaring, excellent for smoking fresh, and excellent for new and veteran smokers alike. I particularly enjoy this blend in the morning while my palate is clean. Just an amazing straight Virginia.

Broken flake of bright and ripe Virginias that in the tin displays a very fresh and herbaceous aroma. But in addition to having some of the usual and well-known olfactory notes of Virginia, when cold I also perceive a slight aroma of vinegar, similar to a va / per with little load of perique. Easy to break and crumble and with just the right point of humidity to immediately load the pipe.

When lighting the tobacco it behaves great, burning well and evenly, requiring few re-ignitions and without leaving moisture or bites. In the flavor section, it displays citric and bitter notes but with a nuance, sometimes, slightly sweet in the background. On the postnasal exhalation, lightly and pleasantly pinch the nostrils.

In short, a very rich tobacco whose smoothness invites you to repeat more than one bowl a day. Personally I have found a golden trilogy composed by FVF (Samuel Gawith), Union Square (G.L. Pease) and this Opening Night by Cornell & Diehl, which complement each other perfectly due to their differential nuances. Highly recommended.

The flavors of grass, citrus, and tangy hay dance around in my palate, a new one revealing itself in every slightly spicy/peppery puff, with a light, smoky undertone. This is a really decadent and balanced smoke that everyone should take their time with to really appreciate it for all that it's worth. Best smoked with a bottle of room-temperature water or a light tea. Easily gets four stars for me.