Cornell & Diehl Plantation Evening

Summary: An English blend with some power, "Plantation Evening" delivers a cool and sweet smoking experience in this spicy blend.

As the two ounce sample of this dwindled to nothing, I realized that feeling that every reviewer wants to feel about something that comes across the desk: I will miss this when it is gone. C&D "Plantation Evening" has a place in the life of every smoker who enjoys a good English blend, and while it does not get the press that fancy tins English blends receive, it deserves a second look -- perhaps also by the blender.

The first strike of the match brings a heavy layer of Latakia flavors, complemented by Oriental leaf which makes the spice bittersweet, then the fruity pepper taste of the Perique emboldens both. A mixture of Virginias provides both a harvest season flavor and a sweetness, using C&D "Bright Virginia" ready rubbed to bulk up the mix and soften it, but also creating moments of pure savory sweet flavor within the spicy profile of an English blend.

Since the mixture also has some power, it smokes well slowly which is just as well as the Virginias burn hot. Over time, the sweetness fades and the Perique and Latakia take over again for a smoked plum taste that matures into a rich bond with the darker Virginias. Despite the hot burn of the bright Virginia, "Plantation Evening" burns slowly down to a condensed ember of once-damp leaf. This provides its final flavor, a rich dark woody taste like a campfire after meat has been cooked above it.

What "Plantation Evening" lacks is mostly packaging. It has an old style but unexciting name, it does not come in a tin with fancy graphic art, and there is no backstory to this that is compelling. It is just a solid English blend with Perique, like Dunhill "Nightcap" done to less intensity. It could be improved -- in my view -- by shredding all of the leaf to the same form factor, so that the Latakia and bright Virginia were in normal size ribbon cut and did not suddenly dominate the taste profile for several puffs because a large chunk caught fire. Drying this overnight and rubbing it between two palms somewhat equalized the size of the pieces, and led to a more balanced and "mature" smoke like the Dunhill. Regardless, this is a fine blend that can only improve.

This is a nice evening blend in the fall or spring. I find the latakia a bit weak for the winter months, not a knock on this blend but simply my own personal preference. The smoke is woody, a bit of spice from the perique or orientals I am guessing-this becomes more potent as I get into the second half of the bowl. This one doesn't really bite even if smoked faster than it should. I have found it to smoke best in a larger bowl, when I used a medium sized pipe the flavors seemed "hotter" and not nearly as rich. My own opinion is that this one does much better in a briar than a cob. I initially ordered a 2 oz bag just to try, realized when I ran out that I missed it so the next month I ordered up 8 oz to pop into a mason jar

I don't know why it's taken me so long to write a review on this stuff, when I have been smoking it about once a week for a year or more. Plantation Evening is a very flavorful light to medium English that's worth every penny that I paid for it. The Virginias used are, from what I can tell, mostly of the Red variety, as there is little in the sweet, high range in this blend. However, the Reds are used masterfully and well-proportioned with the Turkish and the Perique. There is Latakia in this blend of course, but it is used condimentally. I prefer when Latakia is used as in this way, personally.

Plantation Evening isn't a flavor explosion and it is definitely not a Lat Bomb. It is, however, an excellent medium English with all of the players recognizable, but working together in harmony. It hasn't won any awards, but it is definitely the English blend that I have smoked the most of and re-ordered the most frequently. On many occasions, I've found it more worthy than Samarra (which is a tobacco that I absolutely love). I've definitely enjoyed it every time that I smoke it.

Cornell & Diehl - Plantation Evening.

Mostly, the blend's a fairly well rubbed ribbon but on looking closer a few broken flake pieces can be highlighted. The colour's mainly medium brown with a small amount of black flecks. My moisture's perfect.

I like the smoke from it. It's what I'd call a Middle-Weight English. Also, it's rather flavoursome! The Latakia's a sure addition, but is pretty light compared to a lot of English blends. The Virginias, Turkish and Perique ALL have their say! The slightly tart and sweet Virginias take first place, tasting very ripe. The Turkish leaf gives a solid support, bringing a creamy character to the smoke. The Perique, although quite light, can't be missed throughout a bowl; I notice a touch of sharpness from it, but nothing too ardent. PE burns wonderfully, at a medium pace, cool, causing no tongue bite.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: not nice.

Plantation Evening? Forget the bad 'note, it's a lovely smoke! Highly recommended:

Four stars.

I guess you could call this a light English, but that would be missing the point, in my opinion. Here the blend is far greater than the sum of its parts. My tin was aged over 4 years.

Upon opening the tin the aroma was a mouth-watering sourness that I don't believe I've ever experienced before. I suppose you could attribute that to the perique, but I've opened lots of perique blends that were aged longer than 4 years that never produced such an exotic aroma. The range of colors goes from golden to brown to black with an occasional green leaf thrown in for good measure.

I dried the tobacco for several hours in my gas heated house during the winter and it ended up a perfect smoking humidity. It loads easily, and seems to perform best using the Frank method. I have smoked it in a variety of pipes and a wider bowl really brings out more of the amazing flavors. The tin note is smokey, sweet and herbal. Its flavor is smokey, but the other tobaccos are allowed to shine throughout the bowl. The perique appears to bring all the flavors forward, and it even shows itself once and a while. In my opinion, it's the perique that makes this blend so exciting, even though it's probably present in small amounts.

Can a light English be exciting? I don't know but this is an exciting blend that ages well and could very well be an all day smoke. I find it appropriate for any time of day or night.

A full spectrum of tobacco colors, from bright Virginias to dark Latakia with some brown hints in between make this blend is pleasing to the eye. A nice well-balanced blend this appears to be from the aroma upon opening the bag; lightly smoky and you can smell the perique if you close your eyes and concentrate, while the natural citrus sweetness of the Virginias tickles lightly in the background, a complex blend with no predominate smell. It seductively calls, “Smoke me!” While I thought this was a bit drier than I appreciate (not crumbly), and since I didn’t want to over moisten it, I set some tobacco overnight in a tupperware container with a sponge lightly moistened with distilled water. In the morning, the sponge was almost dry, but the tobacco was perfect - still much drier than most. This tobacco packs very easily and took a flame very well after the initial char. As a grey-white ash slowly filled the bowl, smoke blissfully rose from the bowl. I wanted to smoke eagerly, getting all the flavors I possibly can dancing upon my palate, but I held back. Gently puffing, it burned so smooth, dry and cool. This is not an overbearing English blend, yet a smoky spiciness tantalizingly punctuated each puff. There was the hint of sweet nuts that ethereally drifted in and out of the entire bowl. Wonderfully complex. This is one that begs to be French inhaled and enjoyed. It smells of roasted black walnuts.

I was looking for a mild English blend and this was recommended, and for sure it was the correct one. A soft English blend with different notes of latakia and oriental tobacco creates a nice atmosphere, together with perique and Virginia. Nice aromas at the mouth and nose, with the characteristics of English blends but with a soft intensity. For a long smoke on a relaxed evening, for sure.

After several years of being (semi) good, I decided the MD's could stuff it and have returned to my pipes. I remembered liking C&D's Plantation Evening but couldn't remember any specifics so I ordered 2 oz from Pipes & Cigars. It's a mild 'english' blend to my taste. Burns well with no bite. Very mild and pleasant. Virginia's with some Latakia and perique but neither is dominant. I've just about finished my 2 oz so decided to review. If you want something to knock your socks off forget it but if you want an all day smoke, try it.

Truly another masterpiece of blending from C&D. The flavor of all ingredients can be tasted throughout the pipeful, and enjoyed to the bottom of the bowl. No bite or toasting of the tongue with this, just pure intermingling tobacco experiences. If I could have just one blend to smoke forever, this would be in contention. Recommended for the middle of the road English lover, or anyone looking for a truly delightful smoke (good with a pale ale), good all day. Update: After several contemplative bowls of Plantation Evening, I have come to realize this should have another star. It really makes me feel like what my ancestors might have had on a plantation in Virginia (my home state), years ago. Excellent blend of superb tobaccos.