Cornell & Diehl Pirate Kake

The quality is there, no questions asked.

However, 70% + of Latakia makes this blend unidimensional.

I would not recommend it on its own, but mixed with some VAs or more Burleys to get the best out of it.

So well named? Blackbeard at his best!!!!! This stuff is just a sweet, smokey, Latakia and makes no pretense about it. Way too much for my taste, while I had taste smoking this sample. And that's the problem. It is delicious. It is rich. it is full. It is too much, after a few minutes of it my senses numbed. I also had trouble keeping it lit, and it was not the easiest to rub out from the rock hard cake bar it comes in. It had a high moisture content as well. I think if I had bought this in any quantity it would be a great blender with a dryer, easier burning, simple burley. A little would go a long way. The Latakia used in this is top notch however and had a great taste.

As the description above notes, ??.LOTS of exceptional Latakia? and ?This is the blend for the Latakia lover.? Truer words have never been written. It is also an understatement. I like latakia but this blend goes above and beyond. My smokes started off pleasant enough, especially after a full meal, but the large amount of latakia slowly pummeled me. By mid bowl I thought I was smoking granulated road tar ? not good. It was overwhelming! In my opinion, this is a ?small bowl? blend and an occasional one, at that. Pirate Kake may best be utilized as a blending tobacco. If the ratings here at tobaccoreviews were based on letters of the alphabet instead of stars, I would give this ?Pirate? an ?Arrrrrggggh!?

A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored.

I rate this blend 7.2 out of 10.

I love Latakia. I was really looking forward to this. But like so many C&D blends I've tried, it's trying too hard. The flavor is one-dimensional and lacks any nuance. Surprisingly sweet, yes, but also flat. Initially very smoky, somewhat sweet, very smooth, but ultimately uninteresting. Will save this for chilly, rainy nights.

Too much latakia and not enough flavor for my tastes. It will definitely do for someone who seeks as much latakia as possible though. I prefer Samuel Gawith's Commonwealth.

I received an neat little 1/2 ounce cube of this as a gift from Smokingpipes.com in an order that I had placed. I was impressed with their giving it to me; it was a very attractive perfect little brick that I kept on my desk for a many months, just admiring its geometry and composition. Here 10 months later I am finally smoking it. Have had only two bowls of it so far but it is enough to know that this stuff grows on you if you give it a chance. I enjoy English blends regularly but not exclusively. Pirate Kake is more than just an English blend, it seems to be predominantly Latakia. I've never smoked a blend with this much Latakia and would not have, had it not been given to me.

The quality of the leaf is good, as are all C&D blends that I have had. The power/intensity of the smoke is impressive as one might expect from such a Latakia-forward blend. Even so, I don't find the nicotine strength to be particularly remarkable. The flavor is not very complex; it is quality Latakia center stage, with just enough Burley and Turkish to round out the edges. There is little balance of flavors in that this blend is a showcase of Latakia with the other components only serving to keep it from being too monochromatic. Smoothness and richness of the smoke is here in good measure. It burns dry and relatively cool. I smoked it in two different briar pipes: a medium-sized Orlik Captain Black billiard and a small Orlik pot.

Overall, it's good quality tobacco but my preference is a blend with less Latakia and more of a balance with other components.

Pirate Kake is a study in excess, and that is not a bad thing. With a remarkable production of creamy smoke, an scandalous room prescence, and an ever-present, in-your-face overdose of Latakia, this blend is too much good stuff. So much good stuff, you'll want to exercise restraint and reserve its enjoyment for once-on-a-blue-moon situations.

Caution: it is such an unforgettable smoke, your pipe will keep reminding you of it no matter what else you smoke in it.

Recommended for English and Oriental fans only.

Disclosure: I was given a free sample of this from smokingpipes.com and I prefer aromatics.

As stated above, I'm an aromatic guy, I'm not a big fan of anything else. I was pleasantly surprised by C&D's Pirate Kake though. It was my first experience with tobacco in this form as well.

Opening the packet, it smells like a BBQ smokehouse. It brings to mind Texas BBQ, charred wood, and outdoor cookouts.

Whenever I've had non-aromatics, I've felt like they've tasted like a combination of BBQ sauce and soap, and this wasn't much different. It sounds awful, but it wasn't. It was more pleasant than I expected.

I don't have any problem smoking this. It wouldn't be the first tobacco I reached for, and I have doubts if I'd ever buy it, but I wouldn't refuse another sample.

You'll need a knife to break this one up, its a pretty tight brick. Copious amounts of latakia ...doubtful you'll taste much of anything else. Very cool smoke that will linger long after you're done puffing...