Cornell & Diehl Epiphany

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.

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.

I love this stuff. C & D has the best Burley blends out there, in my opinion, and this is no exception. I'm a fan of just about everything that Bob Runowsky creatively had his hands on (God rest his soul) and this is a shining example of that. No, smoking Epiphany is not a life-altering event (Car accident) and it won't grab you by the lapels, smack you in the face, and demand your attention (C & D's Byzantium).

With that said, however, Epiphany is a wonderful all-day smoke. It grows on you, like your dad's beef vegetable soup. Oh, you remember eating it for the first time and hating it, but it grew into something that you loved and made you feels comfortable. Epiphany is sort of the same way. It won't knock your socks off on your first try, but it's something that you can smoke and enjoy without pretension.

As for its likeness to the old PM Revelation, I have no idea and couldn't care less. Epiphany is an exceptional "Americanized" English worth learning to love.

EDIT (4/22/2016) - I haven't had this around in a while and I began to miss it. Just had some ordered through a friend who was making a purchase and I'm really looking forward to revisiting it. Seem to be getting excited in anticipation...

Appearance: mostly medium brown mottled with black and flecks of white. This is my first foray into American-English blends and to blends by Cornell & Diehl. First off, my senses were hit. They were hit by a sharp note. It threw me for a loop at first. Was I experiencing tongue-bite? Surely not with the burley in there. When I thought about it it came to me - it was the Perique and Virginias acting like a Va./Per. As that came to me, so did an epiphany; it tasted like Dunhill's Elizabethan Mixture. That was when Dunhill was still Dunhll (almost thirty years ago now). At about mid-bowl the burleys and the latakia kicked in. This grew on me - and HOW!(he,he). No, really, I never had either the HoW version or the original. Yet if this is anything like either one it is no wonder it put The Great Physicist or anyone else for that matter in the mood for contemplation. Although my taste runs to Balkans or Scottish blends Epiphany has certainly earned a spot in my rotation.