Cornell & Diehl Opening Night

I will keep this short and sweet. This is a phenomenal tobacco with excellent burning qualities, a great room note, and a sweet and subtle hay like taste. It is not your traditional straight Virginia, but is rather unique in that it burns cool, is a cross between a hay- like and a dark, stewed fruit-like Virginia and it also doesn't get ashy tasting. I have tried this blend for a few years now and it has never disappointed me. It honestly grows on you the more you smoke it and it is close to my top five tobaccos all around. It's maintenence free, consistent and affordable. I couldn't ask for more out of a blend. Should you decide to pick up a tin, I highly doubt you will be disappointed. With such a great taste and reasonable cost, this is a go to for me from now on. A+ C&D

I very much enjoyed this Va flake/broken flake tobacco. Of all the Va blends I’ve tried, this is the closest to my favorite, Full Va Flake. In fact, at times I wonder if this isn’t more flavorful (but just as natural) as FVF. Four stars.

Opening Night is a great example of how complex a blend of just two different flue-cured tobaccos can be. This has a wonderful tin note followed by an equally pleasant room note. I find the bright Virginia dominates first with grass, hay, citrus, and baked bread notes. Then the familiar red Virginia tang, earth, and subtle fruit sweetness join the mix. There is a rich spiciness and some pepper that I would've thought could only come from Perique. One of the most complex Virginia flakes on the market.

The only thing I could say bad about this blend is that it's not a flat flake. It's broken up a bit. However I could care less about that.

The flavor is all there. I was really looking forward to a full Virginia from C & D, as I usually think of them as a Burley based company. It was very naturally good. No excess flavors trying to be squeezed in.

The room note was also very natural. Its how a good pipe should smell, and the wife liked it.

It was a long lasting smoke that changed throughout. I tasted some sweet Virginia right off the bat, with a smokeyness, but sometimes it developed into more of a savory smokey.

I would definitely recommend this to anybody, english, aromatic, it's for everybody.

This was my first tin of Opening Night, and the tin had been aged ten years, so some fine sugar crystals and added sweetness to my bowls. As noted by others, this is a semi-flake, semi-broken flake blend of bright Virginias.

Tin aroma of bread and fruit, which also dominate thru the smoking experience, although I found it getting sweeter as the bowl progressed.

Packs and burns easily. Little to no moisture. A nic hit that creeps up on you! Similar to Sutliff 515-RC, but in a flake form. A fine substitute for McClelland red Virginias.

A top notch straight Virginia tobacco as so many others have noted. I added my two cents because my tin is a decade old, and, yes, it makes for a delightful smoking experience. There’s nothing like a decade old quality Virginia.

Usually I start writing review from charing light and ends when the bowl is finished. But in this case I waited till half the bowl even though I'm slow puffing I feel dizzy so Nic hit is there and it also tends to burn hot when try to push it. Popping up the tin you're greeted with as they say golden but to me is yellowish tinted as I got some tint when lightly rub with my fingers. Those broken moisturised flakes but smokeable smell some what hay and bread. Halfway through and it's taste tangy and gives sweetness of Virginia's. Re light gives some what sweet caramelish taste but after that it burns and taste like Burleys to the end. I have smoked better Virginia's flakes and inspite the date on the tin is from '18 I think further jarring age will improve the taste much better. Since this is my first C&D buy I won't say Tobacco is of inferior quality instead it's good and further aging will give it more shine and it's worth trying out.

Great potential to become a really well balanced Va Flake. Does smoke on the hot side and has a burley like flavor. Much like my review of GL Pease Union Square, this blend will be much better with age.

Update 5-28-19. Unfortunately I had to discard this blend. I went to revisit gl Pease union square and Opening Night after having a few months of time. Union Square went very well but Opening Night was infested with mold.

It comes as a very loose flake and breaks apart easily. The flakes are made of light brown and dark brown tobaccos. They smell lightly fermented and sweet. The flakes have very little moisture and are ready to smoke, as is.

Upon lighting, I get a flavour burst of hay, cut grass, and a slight citrus like sweetness. It’s also pleasantly spicy and sweet.

It’s medium in body, and the nicotine level is somewhere between mild and medium. Set aside at least an hour, as it burns at a less than moderate pace. It never gets harsh, but the bowl will heat up if you’re not paying attention. It burns to a dry, white ash.

Opening Night is a very high quality, medium bodied Virginia. I’ve smoked it in various briars and cobs. I smoke it regularly, and it’s never disappointed. In my opinion, this is one of the best pure Virginia tobaccos currently available. It’s relatively inexpensive and readily available.

I suspect it will age very well, and have set aside several tins for further research.

Opening Night! Put on your tux and pack up a bowl. It's Opening Niiiiight!

If you’re looking for a tasty virginia with promising potential to age, this could be a strong contender. The tin smells exactly as described: ripe mix of bright and red virginias. It’s a citrusy mix with some light hay. I’m a big fan of the cut of C&D flakes. Similar to GH&Co: thick n chunky, and perfect moisture. They really crumble, pack, and light well. No kitchen appliances necessary for prepping.

So this blend smokes young with a bit of harshness at spots. But it’s a fantastic “light and go” smoke. Perfect for reading, walking, or mindlessly staring into space as you ponder the seemingly infinite size of the known oceanic landscape.

The tin note pretty much transfers to the taste and a slow retrohale is rewarded with some classic virginia notes. For me, the winning note comes from the side stream. Stick your nose right up to the bowl and let the smoke gently float up into your olfactory nerves, penetrating your brain. What do I get? A hemorrhage. Just kidding. I get a delicious, warm, bready red virginia note! If I close my eyes I can almost smell the battlefield remains of a 5100-man strong army.

This is a tasty but young smoke. I’ve thrown half in a jar and will revisit in a little bit. But I’ve got pretty high hopes. At the best, it develops some more of the red virginia taste. At the worst, it’s an inexpensive orange virginia that smokes effortlessly.