Cornell & Diehl Gray Ghost
(2.67)
Stoved and plain red Virginia are mixed with fine Lancaster cigar leaf to form a full-flavored smoke.
Notes: Legend has it that on dark nights, a lone figure keeps watch over the city skyline, his billowing trenchcoat casting a long shadow over the metropolitan streets. In the midst of uncertainty, look for the refuge of Virginias carefully guarded by fragrant cigar leaf. Look for the Gray Ghost.
Details
| Brand | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blended By | |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | Cigar Leaf Based |
| Contents | Cigar Leaf, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | Bulk |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Strong
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Strong
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
2.67 / 4
|
Reviews
Please login to post a review.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 22, 2017 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Very Full | Strong |
It seems I'm not supposed to like this blend. But I'm not one to buckle to peer pressure: I like this one, a lot.
I've been smoking a pipe far longer than cigars. After years of piping I discovered cigars and soon grew to like them. So every once in a while I'll enjoy a fine cigar. But I'm still a piper at heart. Yet there are times I'd like that special cigar flavor while smoking my pipe, since the cigars I like tend to require a commitment I don't have the luxury of time for, and, smoke for smoke, cost far more.
Is Gray Ghost like smoking a robusto from H. Uppmann or Joya de Nicaragua or Rocky Patel? No, not at all, because I'm not smoking a cigar, not even close. And C&D claims it uses a cigar leaf called Lancaster. I don't know what that is. Is it like a Connecticut shade leaf? I could believe it. Whatever it is, it's definitely a cigar leaf, but is it a top quality one? Probably not, because it's a bit rough around the edges. But it really doesn't matter all that much because I'm smoking a pipe, not a cigar. Whatever cigar leaf is being used definitely gives me a strong cigar flavor that, blended with the virginias (which somewhat smooths out the cigar leaf's rough edge), provides not just a good, full, rich, creamy, billowy smoke with an excellent cigar flavor, but a smoke that is in some ways the essence of cigar flavor in a bona-fide pipe tobacco. And that's exactly what I was looking for, and C&D somehow miraculously delivered it. (And, as I learned from McClelland's excellent Dominan Glory Maduro, the absence of latakia works to balance the flavors of the cigar leaf with the virginias rather than obscure it by its presence.)
Gray Ghost gives me just what I want: an authentic pipe tobacco with a strong cigar flavor. And it's not just a crumbled cigar you stuff in your bowl, it's actually blended in a proportion that, while the cigar flavor predominates, it's tempered with virginia just enough to give it a little lemony and hay sweetness that makes the ingredients harmonize beautifully.
Some might say it's a bastardization of both. That may be well, but I love the little bastard. For me Gray Ghost straddles the line between the two tobacco worlds just right, giving me just what I want when I want to smoke my pipe but I'm craving a strong cigar flavor. Battleground cigars make a unique stick called Mysterioso that uses perique. It's a great cigar that uses a pipe leaf. But it's definitely a cigar. This is a pipe blend that uses cigar leaf, but it's definitely a pipe blend.
I definitely recommend this for pipesters who also appreciate cigars. I definitely would not recommend this to pipesters who don't like cigars.
This is a blend that I will always have on hand. Kudos to C&D for pulling off a most difficult balancing act!
I've been smoking a pipe far longer than cigars. After years of piping I discovered cigars and soon grew to like them. So every once in a while I'll enjoy a fine cigar. But I'm still a piper at heart. Yet there are times I'd like that special cigar flavor while smoking my pipe, since the cigars I like tend to require a commitment I don't have the luxury of time for, and, smoke for smoke, cost far more.
Is Gray Ghost like smoking a robusto from H. Uppmann or Joya de Nicaragua or Rocky Patel? No, not at all, because I'm not smoking a cigar, not even close. And C&D claims it uses a cigar leaf called Lancaster. I don't know what that is. Is it like a Connecticut shade leaf? I could believe it. Whatever it is, it's definitely a cigar leaf, but is it a top quality one? Probably not, because it's a bit rough around the edges. But it really doesn't matter all that much because I'm smoking a pipe, not a cigar. Whatever cigar leaf is being used definitely gives me a strong cigar flavor that, blended with the virginias (which somewhat smooths out the cigar leaf's rough edge), provides not just a good, full, rich, creamy, billowy smoke with an excellent cigar flavor, but a smoke that is in some ways the essence of cigar flavor in a bona-fide pipe tobacco. And that's exactly what I was looking for, and C&D somehow miraculously delivered it. (And, as I learned from McClelland's excellent Dominan Glory Maduro, the absence of latakia works to balance the flavors of the cigar leaf with the virginias rather than obscure it by its presence.)
Gray Ghost gives me just what I want: an authentic pipe tobacco with a strong cigar flavor. And it's not just a crumbled cigar you stuff in your bowl, it's actually blended in a proportion that, while the cigar flavor predominates, it's tempered with virginia just enough to give it a little lemony and hay sweetness that makes the ingredients harmonize beautifully.
Some might say it's a bastardization of both. That may be well, but I love the little bastard. For me Gray Ghost straddles the line between the two tobacco worlds just right, giving me just what I want when I want to smoke my pipe but I'm craving a strong cigar flavor. Battleground cigars make a unique stick called Mysterioso that uses perique. It's a great cigar that uses a pipe leaf. But it's definitely a cigar. This is a pipe blend that uses cigar leaf, but it's definitely a pipe blend.
I definitely recommend this for pipesters who also appreciate cigars. I definitely would not recommend this to pipesters who don't like cigars.
This is a blend that I will always have on hand. Kudos to C&D for pulling off a most difficult balancing act!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 29, 2017 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
The Maduro interacts wonderfully with the Virginias creating a savory full, smokey, and earthy experience rounded out with the slightly grassy dark/stewed fruit sweetness of the Virginias. I'd say it's pretty clean on the palate but has a long finish. Almost like dark flourless chocolate cake with a bit of pepper. I like it a lot. If you don't enjoy cigar leaf forward blends, especially maduro cigars then stay away. If you do then I think you should appreciate Gray Ghost - not that it tastes like a cigar more.
Pipe Used:
OD Virginia planter
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 06, 2020 | Strong | Strong | Full | Tolerable |
This is very high on my list! A terrific blend for cigar smokers, with premium cigar leaf. Very reminiscent of smoking a good cigar. Creamy, thick, rich smoke with a spicy retrohale notes of cedar, leather and earthy with an intoxicating aroma. I think the boys at C&D nailed this one!
Pipe Used:
Savinelli 121 KS/Stanwell brushed black
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
3 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 17, 2023 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Cornell & Diehl has such a huge selection to choose from that I still find surprises I've never heard of. No tobacco surprised me more than Gray Ghost. To be honest, I'm not a fan of cigars. I don't smoke cigars. I don't understand cigars. Every attempt I have made to enjoy them, even with help of aficionados, has left me scratching my head and returning to my beloved pipe. However, I LOVE the smell of cigars. The room note of cigar leaf does far more for me than their taste. Gray Ghost is a seemingly simple blend of Cigar and Virginia leaf. The blended ribbon cut is soft, dry, and perfectly ready for a pipe fresh from the tin. It packs effortlessly and burns moderately with very few re-lights. In most ways, I compare it to a Virginia/Perique blend that has a high percentage of Perique (probably around 25%, something like Bayou Morning) where you start to feel it in your throat in a good way knowing any more would be too much. Here the cigar acts in the Perique's stead to add spice and volume to the naturally sweet and slightly tangy Virginia. I assume the Virginia itself is a blend of Bright and Red leaf forming a nice foundation for the cigar to build upon. But, what sets Gray Ghost apart is it's room note. Yes, as pipe tobacco smokers, we rarely care about the room note, and may even have a hard time smelling the room note at all. Not so with Gray Ghost. I don't taste the cigar so much as I enjoy the aroma surrounding me while I smoke what is essentially a nice Virginia. The taste is predominately Virginia with a thicker mouth feel like you'd get from a more voluminous smoke, perhaps even Burley. But, combined with the smell of the burning cigar leaf, the overall experience is quite nice. I can't say what cigar fans would think of this blend. Maybe they find it an abomination, maybe not. As a pipe smoker, I enjoy it, and even if you're not a cigar fan, maybe you will too.
Pipe Used:
Briars, cobs, and meerschaum.
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes, Tobaccopipes
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 13, 2009 | Strong | Medium | Full | Tolerable |
As a ex-cigar smoker, this blend is one of my favorites from C & D. I am one who does like a good nicotine kick, as I did with strong maduros. It has been in my rotation for a year now, along with a number of other C & D's, who in my opinion produce the best pipe blends on the planet. It smokes perfectly to the bottom of the bowl, with no bite, but plenty of taste, and goes great with coffee or VO.
target="_blank"
