Cornell & Diehl Pirate Kake

Ole Pirate Kake. Been a fan of this stuff for years was the other tin I picked up and opened for the road (Rattray old gowrie was the other). Popped and greeted with the unmistakable aroma of a lot of Latakia. Used to smoke this semi regularly years ago. Older and wiser (temperature baby!) can coax a fair deal more complexity out of it than I recall from the old days. Think a peaty scotch and some nuttiness for the most part. Makes a great change of pace for someone looking for something to enjoy while doing something else. Doesn’t age well after being opened for long 2 weeks seems to be it and it starts losing its potency. Give it a try

This is a very enjoyable smoke, full of smokey Latakia. It smokes cool right of the tin. The cake rubs out easily and tastes great. If you enjoy a great Latakia blend this one's for you.

This is the ultimate Lat-Bomb. Smokey Latakia seasoned with just enough nutty Burley and spicy/woody Izmir to combust and taste good. It is surprisingly smooth and easy on the palate. I couldn't smoke this all day or even two days in a row but on a cold winter day this really hits the spot.

It is not a Latakia bomb, but a super creamy, medium body, medium strength medium deepness Latakia blend. With the fragrantly smoky aroma from Latakia, this easily packed crumble cake already becomes my everyday rotation.

Enjoy + Require buying + An all-day smoke → Four Stars Rating

Too much Latakia??? Is there such a thing? PK has the reputation for being a Lat bomb, but it is actually a nice and smooth smoke. You have to appreciate what Latakia brings to the table to enjoy Pirate Kake. Earthy, smoky, salty, leathery and full. Latakia has a lot of nuance in its flavor. It's an insult to call it one dimensional like it's some chemical-soaked, aromatic garbage tobacco. Put down the 1-Q, step out of the candy aisle of the tobacco world, and enjoy a truly flavorful tobacco.

First of all, if you are even on the fence about liking Latakia, you need to hit the "back" button on your browser now and move along. This blend is LOADED with it for sure, and there just isn't any other way to put it. It is far from being monochromatic though, which I will get to in a second.

Upon opening the tin, the smokiness is apparent right off of the bat. There are background notes of dried fruits present, however, if you let your nose acclimate. The tobacco is presented as a tight crumble cake. Upon first inspection I was sure that I would need to slice this, but it falls apart rather easily. It packed well for me in a small LHS Purex. I would personally recommend a little drying time for this, as it is a little too moist for my personal tastes.

It took a little work to get it going, but once lit, it stayed that way. Upon the initial false light, I noticed an interesting flavor: a slightly sweet, dry, yet herbaceous taste. I immediately thought of a bouquet of dried herbs. It wasn't quite floral. I got hints of this flavor throughout the bowl and I must say, I like it! There are flavors of wood smoke, spices, herbs, and a slightly nutty sweetness. It was very nice from start to finish.

I recommend this to any Latakia fan, and for anyone looking for a warm blend to smoke on a cold winter day. I'm not a Latakia fiend, but I wanted to keep something like this on hand for cold, snowy days. I was expecting a one-dimensional experience, but I assure you there is more to this tobacco than many give it credit for. I'll keep some on hand from now on.

The closest an honest gentleman can get to smoking straight Latakia.

I received a free sample of this with an online order, and it quickly became my favorite. Very reasonably priced in bulk form; I'm slowly chipping away at a pound of it. And when that's depleted, I'm getting another one.

My goodness...now this is what I think of when one runs for cover from the...LAT BOMB!! The smokiness is cool and mellow, very nice, but I failed to really see how this was a team effort. Had a little bit of a time getting this to light with the high latakia content, but it worked in the end. I almost felt as though I was smoking a straight bowl of latakia. This was fine until I hit midbowl and quite honestly grew tired of it. PCALHO

I got a free sample of this from smoking pipes with a recent order. I'm NOT a latakia smoker. I smoke only virginias and perique blends. I've had english blends once or twice for fun but don't really like them. This blend seems to be great quality and the latakia seems to be better and smoother than i've had in the past. If you really like latakia and turkish go for it. If you want a more balanced english this one will be too strong on the condiment for you.