Cornell & Diehl After Hours Flake

Cornell & Diehl Afterhours is a strong and spicy broken Virginia flake. Don’t necessarily buy this one for an aromatic. The tin note clearly indicates the rum casing, however, I had to dry it out quite a bit to be able to enjoy it. In the process, you also loose some of the casing.

To my palate, it tastes now closer to GLP Laurel Heights or even CD Bayou Morning than any aromatic (Although containing no Perique, the casing seems to provide something similar to mix, not quite, but you’ll get the idea). It’s deep, dark and spicy with a subtle malty sweetness. The nicotine is above medium and it didn’t bite at all. I preferred Afterhours in a Stanwell Vario 95 without filter. The room note is pure tobacco, predominantly red VAs. Neither bad, nor outstanding.

I don't really care for this. That does not make it bad. I just don't find it up to the normally high level that most C&D and G.L. Pease blends are on. Even the best blenders in the world make something on occasion I don't care for. With the effort they make to produce so many blends there are bound to be a few that could be overlooked, this is one of those.

The rum is too much in this one. Not that it tastes strongly of rum, it just masks the tobacco flavor too much for me and the blend is overall too mild.

I can see how those liking lighter blends could enjoy it. Just not for me.

I honestly think it is a hit or miss with this blend and I'm sad to say I do not really reccomend it.

So it goes. Back to the ones I love.

I have to join in with the minority opinion on this one. The majority of what I smoke is either C.D. or G.L. Pease, with a scattering of other international blends. I have no fault with either Cornell and Diehl, nor G.L. Pease, and I believe these two houses are producing amongst the best tobaccos available today for the pipe smoker. That being said, I just couldn't get along with this offering. The rum seems to overpower the tobacco, and the tobacco doesn't seem to offer very much in the way of depth of flavor. It appears rather too mild and monochromatic, barely being able to peek its head above the rum on occasion. My opinion simply is that it is not a top notch offering from my good friends down south. The tobacco appears to be of the highest quality, but it just loses something in the translation here, and it doesn't get any better as the bowl progresses. I really enjoy Barbary Coast, Repose, and Pennington Gap, all of which add rum to the mix, but the rum seems to work better with the Burley. Nough said, and Happy Holidays To All!!

I liked this flake. Had a good nic hit. Just the right amount of perique. It packed and burned real nice. Nothing special about it. Just a good everyday flake.

It's okay, but it seems to live in no man's land- not enough flavoring to be an aro, but as a Va flake it lacks anything special. If there was a bit more rum/ caramel it'd be really nice. There are wisps of the rum and caramel, but not enough sweetness. Maybe if it sits for a year or two, a little extra sweetness out it the Virginia may save it. I'll jar it and try again next year , but as is , it's a 2.5.