Cornell & Diehl Night Train

I'll take a ride on the Night Train any time.... I opened mine after reading Mo's review (had the tobacco for awhile, just had never gotten around to trying it).

I like the sweetness and the Burley/Perique presentation along with the Virginias. It is easy to rub fully (which is my favorite way to smoke Night Train), and it burns easily.

I do think there is a little too much perique in this blend for me to consume it on a regular basis.... But, nothing wrong with choo chooing on the Night Train every once in awhile.

FUN WITH C&D SAMPLES, VOL III, No. VI

My 2 oz sample contained 4 small "bricks" of pressed tobacco that was pretty easy to crumble and load but did require a bit of dexterity. The tobacco was a nice mix of light and dark color.

Again, the earthy burley flavor that C&D is noted for comes through in spades. The perique lent its usual commentary and the VA's remained firmly in the background, although they jumped out at various intervals. Very nicotine-laden but interestingly I didn't OD on this as I occasionally did with C&D's Krumble Kake. This was, however, best after a meal. I'd call this a robustly flavored tobacco, but all natural.

The only problem I had with this one was an occasional ashy taste as the bowl progressed. It would show up for a few puffs and then recede, but it generally came back with a vengeance at the bottom of the bowl. It wasn't horribly off-putting but it was noticeable enough to keep this one from a 4th star. I enjoyed my time with it but there are similar blends that I find more worthy for my regular rotation. But this is one to try if you regularly smoke strong nicotine blends and enjoy that nice earthy burley flavor coupled with perique. I'll stick with Burley Flake #3, thanks.

Thanks to a fellow pipe smoker I had the opportunity to ride that train. Very strong blend, with it's cavendish fraction almost not detected. Still, it's somewhat buttery taste combined with the peppery perique, gives a sweet smoke all the way through the bowl. It tends to smoke better towards the end. Highly recommended for perique lovers.

I was sent a sample of this and really loved it. It was strong, earthy and had a nice sweetness to it. The leaf was of high quality and it both lit and burned well; these are things I have come to expect from C&D. It helps that all their blends come to you at the perfect moisture level. If you like C & D blends, then I think you will like this. That said, Virginias from C & D tend to be more on the earthy side and less the grassy hay sweetness that you would get from say, Sam Gawith, Dunhill, et.al.

So if you are more into that earthy type of Virginia and like a good bit of burley backbone to go with it, then this is your blend. I want to give this one four stars, but the fact that I smoked my sample in big bowls meant I only really got 3 bowls out of this and don't think that is a good enough sample to give out four stars at this point. I will buy more of this one though and will revisit this review later.

I'm going to do my damnedest not say anything like ‘I've been working my way through Cornell and Diehls blends' though I sort of have been, it's not that methodical. I'm also going to try really hard not say which pipes I've smoked this blend in, because, seriously, in my Becker oom Paul it was effervescent and in my family era rough root five dot Sasieni billiard it was merely bubbly, we're really just name dropping our favorite pipes, and it is kind of personal preference. Sure, a hot burning Virginia flake is going to taste different in a pot than a stack, but if you're reading tobacco reviews you likely already have your preferences. You know, it's weird, I really like this but the one guy (not looking at site right at the moment, sorry one guy, I know you have a name) was right, the first charring light of the first bowl in a decidedly average Il Ceppo poker tasted just like soap. I have been through most of the Gawiths and other Lakeland tobacco companies and never understood what the hell the ‘lakeland soap taste' was all about, but yeah, this tasted just like saying the eff word to a nun. You get a little Ivory/Dial flavor on the second light and then it starts tasting like a Va/Per. I'm not quite sure what it is, but something is a bit different, in a good way, The burly and Cavendish are barely noticeable (I tend not to like much or any of either) I mean, for instance, I really like escudo and I'm pleasantly surprised when I find a Va/Per that tastes like escudo, but damn, I might as well have a shelf full of escudo you know what I mean? I'm not looking for the holy grail or chasing a dragon, I just like taking a taste of everything on the menu.

I like krumble Kakes, I like the taste of this, I'll probably get more when I go through these four ounces, but it's going to take a while to do that. I'm guessing this next statement happens with a lot of cornell and diehls blends but --- I find myself mixing this with other things. Particularly C&D Pirate Kake and Oriental Silk, I don't have a formula, I just do it by eye and feel --- the other two are kind of boring by themselves, this isn't, but still, the three together makes for an unusual and stimulating unconventional kind of English leaning towards Va/Per with Orientals depending on how you mix. I'm going to try this in a new pipe I have coming from Italy, new as in a different kind of pipe. It's a regular Radice Chubby pipe but with a large cooler chamber in it's stubby shank. I think the guy, Luca, at neatpipes designed it, Radice makes em for him. Check it out, Aerobilliard.

I'm newer to the world of burleys. Off the top of my head I've smoked Prince Albert, and Haunted Bookshop which is admittedly all my experience. I know that it can be used in aromatics since Burley is great at absorbing flavors. I frequently see it paired with Perique in C&D blends like this one. I have to admit going in that this is an interesting tobacco to smoke.

The tin art reminds me of a title screen for an old black and white, western flick. Mostly the type face buy also the train hiding in the background. But we are interested in the tobacco itself. When you open up you see a mostly light brown cake with a smell of citrus and tang from the Virginias, nice toasted sugar from the Cavendish, nutty oats from the Burleys, and some raisinyness from the Perique. Peeling and crumbling into your pipe is easy and lighting is about average.

When lit the Burley is what I taste first. I find it light, and tastes of oats and nuts. The Virginias taste sweet and citrusy giving a little tang every now and again. There is brown sugar and toastyness coming from the Cavendish. The Perique is obvious, giving characteristic spice in the retrohale and dark fruit notes in the smoke. Like Haunted Bookshop, the slower you smoke this, the more flavor you will get.

The taste is a medium. It's not overwhelming, but enough to keep me interested. The strength is medium-strong. I don't feel it but I know other people who say this can pack a punch especially without a full stomach. The room note is normally a subjective thing, but Burley will not win us new friends from non smokers. Burley is a key component in a lot of major cigarette brands so if they don't like the smell of cigs they won't like this. All in all a good blend to wind down with at the end of a day. I give this 3 stars.

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 ||

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.