Cornell & Diehl Night Train

Some said it should be categorized "Va/Per", and I can't really contradict to that, but may offer an alternative: "Bur/Per"... nah... also close, but not quite... it's a Va/Bur/Per through and through for me, with all of the three components taking an equal share in the resulting smoking experience - which I find to be quite unique and interesting, albeit totally NOT what I expected this to be.

Nice tin note of oat, raisins, figs, pleasant sweetness and spice. Somewhat similar to Oak Alley, albeit Night Train being more sweet than spicy. In the smoke this is interesting! A bold, yet quite sweet and richly fruity and spicy flavour... the Burleys give that bold foundation, as well as rich earth and oats.. the Virginias - coming in various forms - are sweet and earthy and I feel whenever I hit a chip of the broken VA flake it's like a piece of toffee, mhmmm! The Perique's presence is strong imho, especially in its fruitiness, which may be a result of the intereplay of the Virginas and the Perique, because the pepperiness is moderate, albeit everpresent. The Cavendish is well hidden and doesn't distract, but I suppose it adds to the creamy mouthfeel? I also suspect a hint of fruity flavoring maybe... just a wild guess though!

Lower spectrum of "Medium to Strong" - packs a punch, but doesn't overwhelm and can be smoked twice in a row without causing faiting as other C&D burleys do - and still.. I hestitate calling this a Burley blend... nor a Va/Bur... it's a Va/Bur/Per... through and through!

|| Personal rating: 3-stars | Attempt of an 'obective rating' : 3,5-stars ||

Normally, I am not a big fan of Burley anything in a pipe because it reminds me of cigarettes. This is the first blend with Burley that I can say I truly enjoy, as in I would buy again. I taste the Virginias, Burley, and Perique with a sweetness that is reminiscent of the sweet/sour effect of an Oriental, however, this does not contain Oriental so that must be from the Cavendish. Non-aromatic Cavendish is something I tend to enjoy. This blend is balanced very well with the flavors so I must recommend it to anyone who enjoys these types of blends. I prefer to smoke this in the evenings while drinking scotch.

I'll give it two stars because the tobacco is high quality, but tastes like high-quality shredded rubber tires to me. I love most C&D blends I've tried. Some are my very favorites, even heavy perique blends such as Cajun Kake and Exclusive. And I like their burleys, too, but somehow the combination of everything in this is just not my cup of tea.

UPDATE . . . Jar stamp indicates that it is at the 2 yr 10 month date. Coffee notes are not as prevalent, dark dried fruit notes are present but less so than my memory of this new. Everything else is about where it was. The blend has gotten softer and rounder overall. I view this as improved overall a very good blend. No change in overall rating at this time. Still recommend and worth trying.

This is a very good VA/Per,etc. blend. I get a little slightly bitter sweetness like a caramel or toffy flavor in a robust coffee. In fact, it reminds me of Starbucks Kati Kati Coffee with its bold flavors and various notes. This actually makes me want a cup of coffee every time I smoke it. The VA's are sweet and remain in the background, The Perique adds dried fruits picked up on the retro-hale. The Burley adds that slightly nutty characteristic too. The Cav. is in the background as it should be I think I pick up some sweetness there too. Overall a very good blend that has a noticeable amount of vitamin N. to keep you satisfied. It will bite if pushed and if I try to smoke more then 3 bowls a day I do start to feel it. I think this has aging potential and I have put away a few oz. to see how it will fair in a few more months/years.

Good VaBurPer featuring the bright flue cured VAs for a high sweet note.

Similar in strength to OJK but sweeter and less bottom heavy given the lack of Red VA and Dark Burley found in Old Joe.

I smoke a lot of this stuff as a staple in a a pretty varied rotation and it's one of my faves. It reminds me a lot of 3 Friars but is a bit heavier on the perique, and therefore strength, to my tastes.

I fully rub it out so it loads like a ribbon cut.

I enjoy it most in a corn cob pipe. It can get hot and ashy in some briars.

I think fans of VaPers and codger Burleys will both enjoy this one.

This is a complex and interesting blend. It is all natural, with no flavoring or additives that I can detect. Obviously that doesn't mean there are none used, but none that I pick up - this is just about as natural a tobacco as you will find.

To my palate it is very VA forward, with burley way in the background and just a enough Perique to jazz it up a little. It is mildly sweet, along the lines of brown sugar, honey, and graham crackers, but the burley and perique perfectly temper the sweetness to create a well balanced and never cloying blend which still has a lovely Virginia dominated character. You can think of this in terms of a hoppy beer, if you wish, with the zesty, bitter hops balancing the sweetness of the malts.

This blend comes pressed in a brick, and rubs up with great ease pretty much however finely you desire. I tend to rub it out to a "fish food" consistancy, much like Old Joe Krantz, but sometimes also leave it just slightly chunkier for a slower burn. When fully rubbed, it reaches perfect moisture in a matter of around 15 minutes or so. It comes a bit moister than most C&D blends, quite likely due to being pressed.

With a 1lb block of the stuff available for less than 30 bucks currently at many online retailers, this blend is a true bargain. It possesses enough depth of flavor, richness, and strength to satisfy me, and offers a slow, satisfying burn. There are many blends I enjoy as much as this, but there are very few that surpass it.

I will say that the first time I tried it was from a 2oz tin, though I'm currently working through a pound of the stuff. The first two or three smokes rubbed me the wrong way and I didn't really "get" it. I found it had an astringent and harsh flavor for the first few minutes before settling down. These days I never notice that quality, and find it a thoroughly pleasant smoke from start to finish. If at first you don't like it, give it several more tries; you may be like me and learn to love it.

While it may not be for everyone, I truly love this tobacco. Four stars on all points.

I bought a one pound brick of this stuff based on the reviews here and I have to disagree with the majority, I think this is pretty nasty stuff. To me it tastes like cardboard or maybe a paper bag, real harsh smoke, tons of nicotine. I can't keep it going, I have to put it out and recover a few minutes, light and puff a few times, put it out, repeat. It almost makes me green from the nicotine, it's four star stuff if you like that kind of thing.

To calm it down I tried to mix it half and half with some Peter Stokkebye Balkan Supreme which I though could use a little kick, but instead I got a mix that tasted like smokey cardboard and it was still over the top in the nicotine department.

On the plus side, it may work well as a natural insectiside for your house plants LOL.

One other thing I really disliked/hated about this tobacco is that when smoking it straight I had an aftertaste of cigarettes, and as an ex cigarette smoker that really turns me off. When mixed with Balkan Supreme I didn't get that taste much at all, perhaps a further blending with some Super Value Natural Cavendish which has no nicotine and no taste would thin it out a bit.

However, if you smoke cigarettes and are looking for a stronger nicotine punch with the pipe this may fit the bill. Also, it may be a good smoke to go out and join the cigarette smokers during their work break because you don't need to smoke this very long before you are ready to go back to work. But for me the pipe should smell and taste great, and give you a nicotine kick but not a slam in the stomach. They should rename this stuff to 'Sledge Hammer' or 'Grim Reefer'.

What a wonderful blend Night Train is. It burns well straight out of the can and produces an abundance of flavors throughout the bowl. The touch of perique adds to the complexity rather than stealing the show.

Fantastic stuff.

Strong tobacco, High nicotine level, sweet, spicy and little fruity, presented in pressed block.The smoke flavor is excellent; it remind me the flavor of Briar Fox,

Night Train requires an advanced (very slow) smoking technique. I would highly recommend this tobacco for veteran pipe smokers who enjoy nicotine overdose.

Aromatic and new pipe smokers will not enjoy Night Train. same with me since I cant absorb that much nicotine in one bowl.