Cornell & Diehl Epiphany

It took me a while to warm up to this fine blend, I have to confess. When the big tin arrived a few months ago, I tore into it with abandon and found myself disappointed. It was kind of like sex with a perfect starlet--plenty of buildup, an aching sort of anticipation, and then the pimples, the appendix scar, the stretch marks from the weight loss. The tin aroma was gorgeous--a sort of subtle Mirabelle overlaying the frank smell of Burley. But that first smoke I found hot and bitey (speaking of that starlet). I began to resent the cut, which was neither ribbon nor broken flake nor shag nor crimp. It was a whole new thing. Haphazard, I think it's called. I resented it all.

Ah well, I thought. Live and learn.

I went back to Epiphany a handful of times over the next few weeks and though it was more enjoyable, it was hardly revelatory.

The last few weeks, however, have been busy for me at the computer and when I'm busy at that thing, I like nothing better than to load up a few cobs with various Burleys, chomp, and puff. In that context, the delicacy and outright friendliness of Epiphany really came out. I put away the Carter Hall, put away the Old Joe Krantz, put them all away except for Epiphany. This little Americanized-English with the subtle fruit topping, almost non-existent Latakia and gentle nature had found its niche. It is, absolutely, a writer's friend.

I still don't smoke Epiphany when I want the intensity of the smoke in the foreground. For that I go to the VaPers, the Balkans and the more Latakia-heavy English mixtures. Heck, I even go to Old Joe Krantz which is, for my money, the finest Burley blend that C&D has yet produced.

But if ever I choose to have an all day smoke, I suspect that it will be Epiphany--a helper for the tired, a soft nudge to the fading mind, a friend in contemplation.

Just don't judge it too quickly. I did. And I almost lost a friend.

The topping is slightly rum-fruity and is always noticeable, but it doesn't sublimate the tobacco that much. The earthy, woody perique is mildly applied, mostly fig and raisin-like with barely any spice. The Cyprian Latakia is smoky, earthy, woodsy sweet, and though a minor player, it is an important presence in virtually every puff. The burleys offer some molasses and sugar, wood, earth, and nuts with a little toastiness, and well complements the tart and tangy citrusy, slightly grassy Virginias. They are the main components. The strength and taste levels are medium. The nic-hit is a couple of steps past the mild mark. Won't bite or get harsh, but does sports some rough edges. Burns clean and cool - though it may need a little hydration - and a tad fast with a mostly consistent sweet and savory, lightly campfire, nutty flavor, and leaves little moisture in the bowl. Requires an average number of relights. The topping does level off some in the last quarter of the smoke. Has a lightly lingering pleasant after taste. The room note is a notch stronger. Three and a half stars.

In comparing it to the Philip Morris Revelation, which this blend was based on, I see several similarities and differences. The differences are that Epiphany is just a little sweeter with fewer Virginia grass notes, and the burley is a shade less toasty. The amount of the individual components are very close to Revelation.

-JimInks

I have been smoking a pipe for 35 years. In that time I have tried hundreds of different blends. As of 2 months ago I had narrowed my rotation down to Penzance, Full Va Flake, Westminster, and Opening Night. Then I tried Epiphany!! I no longer have a rotation. This is by far the best tobacco I have ever tasted. Exquisite taste, burns cool, no bite, and you can smoke it all day and NEVER tire of it. There is no other tobacco I can say that about. I held off writing this review for 2 months for fear I would tire of it. Just the opposite. I look forward to it more every day. Thank you Cornell & Diehl.

Nice looking chunky cut take on Revelation. When I compared it to HOW Revelation, I found more than a few dissimilarities so I inquired, and was told that was blended to be like the old Philip Morris version. I can't comment on how close they are, but it is irrelevant to me anyway. Epiphany not only stands on its own but stands as one of the very few tobacco blends that is so perfect that it seems impossible to have been created by anything other than nature itself.

I'm finding an affinity for light "American English" blends these days. In this one, the latakia is used as a spice while the burleys and VA's rule the show. The perique is almost undetectable but it shows itself enough to indicate that this blend would be less harmonious without it. This blends strongest attribute is its balance. Nothing stands out but everything melds into a united whole. Nice nicotine hit too, for those who hold that in high esteem.

Ridiculously cheap in bulk, my 1 oz sample is being parlayed into a 2 pound purchase. Tarler and Runowski have outdone themselves! And outdone many others as well!

Complex, creamy, deep and rich. This is an outstanding blend. Perfectly balanced with each component contributing ample flavor. The Virginias are fruity and sweet. The Burley, deep, creamy, and nutty. The Perique, tart, figgy, and spicy. The Latakia, creamy, woody, and smoky. A true delight for the senses. The finish is so creamy it's like smoking a milk shake. A new favorite.

I hate when people start reviews like this but in fairness I really have to on this one. I'm not normally a huge fan of latakia blends. While the smokey taste really does appeal to me, I think body chemistry conspires against me with regard to any more than condimental levals of the camel dung weed. That said, Epiphany was spot on with regard to latakia level. Enough for that full smokey background but not too much as to cause what I like to call the latakia hangover (severe heartburn, mouth tastes like a smoldering tire, etc). This is full American English and there's no denying from the burley presence and manners that this is the handywork of Bob Runowski.

It isn't as complex as, say Riverboat Gambler but there is a fantastic complexity and fullness which is atypical of Mr. Runowski and shared by both blends. Truth be told, it just could not be done any better. It has a very full (light English, expensive cigar) taste to it but at the same time is smooth, somewhat nutty and very burley, very old school. While I never had the pleasure of sampling the original Revelation, if it was half this good, it was indeed something special. While Epiphany could easily suffice as an all day smoke, it is to me a bit heavy to use it as such for a protracted period of time. Of course, YMMV but the one thing that cannot be disputed is at the end of the day this is a very fine smoke with something for everyone from the codger burleyphile to the English blend smoker looking for something a bit smoother and a bit less acrid.

A while back, I figured out I had been way too generous with the four star rating and would only render it when it was totally warranted. No doubt it is warranted for Epiphany. In an effort to simplify my rotation, I decided I would shrink it to five blends and this made the cut. Really a very nicely done tobacco, fantastic morning or evening but probably best after a large supper, enjoying a cold drink on the porch and watching the sunset.

This is probably the best English tobacco I've ever had. Everything about it is perfect. I can't think of anything I'd add or take away from it. It is perfectly blended. All of the tobaccos in it are in perfect harmony with each other. They come together to form the perfect smoke. If you like English tobacco you'll want to give this a try real soon. Excellent!

Cornell & Diehl - Epiphany.

The blend contains a myriad of cuts: there's some little pieces of broken flake, ribbons, small shags, some cube cuts and twigs; it can't be all good! My blend leans more towards the dryer side, but it has been loosely pouched for a few months so I won't hold that against it.

Whatever the fruit/citrus is it's been applied in a microscopic amount. To me it tastes more like a natural, Burley/Virginia powered blend. At first I get a little more of the Latakia compared to the Perique, it takes until a quarter of the way through a bowl for the Perique to join in. When it does, it doesn't give much of a sharpness, just a gentle hint. The Burley and Virginia are running the show throughout, with a rustic/grassiness.

The nicotine sits at medium, and the room-note's pleasant.

An easy four stars.

Highly recommended.

Epiphany has a sweet tin note, almost that of a lightly topped American drug store mixture. The charring light brings forth some rich flavors that were not at all what I expected. The latakia is very light yet quite noticeable in flavor and aroma. The perique component is also very much at play. Having smoked my share of latakia forward blends than contain a bit of perique (Nightcap, various GLP offerings like Blackpoint, Samarra, & Piccadilly), it's interesting to taste a blend where the roles of the latakia & perique are essentially reversed. With Epiphany the tang & spice of the perique are very forward, while the Latakia gently tempers the background adding its pleasant and familiar musty aroma.

Altogether the smoke has a rugged quality to it and nasal exhale is a bit rough, the side stream is toasty, woodsy, a touch sweet with a pungency that definitely tickles the sinuses. The Virginia and burleys are very much the low note here and by mid-pipe the hallmark brashness of the C&D burleys come through both in a subtle nuttiness and in an astringency that develops as you work your way down the bowl. In other words, the Virginias aren't present enough for this to taste like a slightly altered VaPerBur. Instead an Old-Time burley flavor seems to lead the way and the perique continues to press, intensifying in forwardness. This is not a sweet blend, and as expected the Latakia is more of an accent.

Throughout the bowl the mouth-feel is a bold medium. There are some nice complexities in the interplay between components but I wouldn't call them extraordinary. Nicotine is very much a part of the party but it's not overwhelming. Strength wise I would rate Epiphany as a firm medium/borderline medium-strong. It's good for a noticeable buzz but not a dizzy swim.

Overall the primary flavors are fairly balanced, simple and straight forward, yet somehow understated. Epiphany takes to a match fairly well but some relights are required. The burley and VA's do burn quicker than the perique and latakia creating some performance problems, but in trade this attribute does add to the complexity of the blend. It smokes cool with no bite and delivers a satisfying pipe smoke that I find to be unique and quite enjoyable. I would not categorize this as a Mild English or an everyday smoke. The value of a blend like this is in its uniqueness. This, coupled with the fact that it's pretty darned good makes it a nice mixture to keep around.

While growing up in Richmond, Va., it was hard not to notice the influence (along with the aroma of downtown Richmond) tobacco had on it's economy, not to mention the over 500,000+ residents of the immediate area. Along with cigarettes, pipe smoking was a big influence in taste and production of many recipes. Revelation was the highlight of my father's (and later my) tobacco experiences. Now, not to sound all knowing by any means, but "Epihany" is just that. It is not only reminiscent of PM Revelation, but a slightly tastier version of that classic even down to the "fruity" topping lasting to the bottom of the bowl. This observation coming with multiple bowls, enjoying each one more than the previous, bringing back memories of the original. Epiphany has now become an elusive "all day, everyday" smoke that has been searched for for over 40 years of pipe smoking. I will stray at times to enjoy Good Morning (another reincarnation of a classic), Plantation Evening, Escudo, Erinmore Flake, Gourmet English, Univ.Flake, and a small collection of others. But there is no need for me to wander too far any longer,(at least for now).NEW BATCH=A little too much casing , masks tobacco tastes, have to let it evaporate before smoking "all day" again - tastes similar to Capt. Bobs Blend now, which is pleasant, but too "sweet" for me. Update: All is well now.