Cornell & Diehl Tuskegee Airman

I sat at a table with Craig Tarler, Cornell and Diehl, to review and smoke the new blends introduced at the Chicago Show on May 1st, 2010.

I am familiar with the Tuskegee Airmen and, being a pilot myself, I enjoyed lunch with one of these hero's at the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) Oshkosh Airshow last year. I am proud that C&D is paying tribute to this excellent group of WWII Aviators.

I asked Craig Tarler to recommend a "medium" English to me. This was his recommendation. You should know how I define English blends to better appreciate my personal review.

Light English = Latakia barely discernible; Medium English = Discernible Latakia; Full English = Predominantly Latakia tobacco flavor

I was given an 8 ounce tin to smoke. The presentation was in "Cake Form" of perfect moisture to rub out, pack, and easily light.

There is no topping. This is a mild well married tobacco flavor of the ingredient tobacco's. I have classified it as a Medium English, perfect to my desire for a non-aromatic blend containing Latakia. This one fills the bill, perfectly. It is very smooth and flavorful without tongue bite. It burns evenly and very comfortably while delivering extraordinary mild flavor marriage of the Va, Perique, Turkish and Latakia melded beautifully in a very tasteful combination.

I have never before smoked a "Medium" English that I would consider an all day smoke. But, this one would be it. It is very mild, yet tasteful, holding your interest all the way to the bottom of the bowl. The Virginia's allow the right amount of sweetness in balance to the other ingredient tobaccos. This blend is not at all bitter as are some blends that contain Latakia. It has the right amount of sweetness from the Virginia's and I wanted to smoke it again, right away. I have used several pipes and liked it in all of them, both large and small bowls.

If there ever was a way to say "thank you" to the Tuskegee airmen for their bravery and dedication to our mission with a pipe tobacco, this is the way to do it! Any flight I make will be well rewarded with a bowl of Tuskegee Airman when I land. Congratulations Craig, you have a winner here.

The Turkish offers a fair amount of earth, wood, floralness, spice, vegetation, mild sharp sourness and buttery sweetness along with a light herbal quality as it takes a little of the lead. The Virginias provide a little tart citrus, grass, bread, sugar as they form the base for the other components. The mildly sweet Cyprian Latakia is smoky, woodsy, earthy, mildly floral, vegetative, and lightly spicy. It's a couple of steps above the condiment line. The earthy, woody, plummy, raisiny, spicy perique competes with the Latakia for attention. The strength and taste levels are medium. The nic-hit is almost as potent. Won't bite or get harsh, and has a few rough edges. There seems to be a light sugary casing. The cake is pressed so that it breaks apart with just a little effort, and causes the ingredients to meld into a mostly consistent sweet, spicy, mildly smoky, floral, savory flavor. Burns clean, cool and slow with a pleasantly lingering after taste. The room note is tolerable. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires some relights. Not quite an all day smoke. Three stars.

-JimInks

I purchased my first in of this at my B&M eight days ago. The tin was dated 8/10 and the top and bottom were distended, I assumed, from fermentation. Just to be sure all was well with it I peeled it open while there and was greeted by the noticeable aroma indeed of tinned fermentation and a tin aroma different from what I was expecting from reading some of the preceding reviews. Loading my pipe I noted a sweetish taste that was sort of familiar but not what I was expecting.

My tin contained a single rectangular block of lightly pressed tobacco that had not been sliced into flakes. I surmised that the light pressing would have immediately fallen into rubbed out status had it been further sliced but that did not matter as the tobacco readily crumbled into loadable pieces anyway. Moist still, it took easily to the first match and required no further relights.

I enjoyed the smoke on the drive home still confused by this "English" (by American standards, as it were: MM 965, Engine 99, London Mixture, for example). Later, on the next day, and on my third bowl did it dawn on me that I was actually smoking a very unique, high quality VAPER with the bonus of superior Turkish Izmir and just enough fine Latakia as a seasoning. I relished this blend once I could slot it into my tobacco world. It DOES state Virginia and perique as the first two components - I should smoke more and read less.

C&D may have introduced this as the second of their commemorative series, but it just as easily could have been part of their Simply Elegant series of flakes. This is simply wonderful. Good work, Mr. Tarler. I will be returning to B&M this week to clean his shelves of this one.

Not sure what classification this tobacco would go under. The interplay between the perique and the turkish makes this blend unique.

If one was ever wondering if perique and turkish taste good together the answer is, in this blend at least, yes - they do indeed. The sweet, bright virginias add a subtle sweet creaminess and make themselves more known at times, and when they do the smoke takes on a slightly different character. Latakia is not very present throughout but adds an airy texture and darker, fragrant notes.

Similar to the formulas of va/perique/turkish in Sunday Picnic or Red Carpet with that nice perique zing but it's not as bold overall, which I think might be because of the addition of the latakia and possibly higher amounts of turkish.

Classic C&D crumble cake in the style of Cajun Kake, Pirate Kake, and so on. Easy to prepare, and a cool, long-lasting smoke. Good stuff, and not at all ordinary.

My first gifted tobacco. Not sure of the age, but it came in a block form. Smelled really spicy and leathery. Crumbled some off the block into the pipe. It's a mild medium English blend, where the Latakia is really in the background hidden, but the spicy perique was there. I don't find it sweet at all, but it is fairly easy to smoke. It is my first C+D blend to smoke, and I definitely enjoyed it. Gave me a little heartburn, may have a slightly higher nicotine content. You could provably smoke this any time or the day or all day. Definitely worth a try!

One of the best English mixtures I've tried lately. Sweet Virginias and spicy Orientals are backed by a clear presence of Cyprian Latakia and a pinch of Perique, and the result is a Balkan-style English that smokes smoothly through the entire bowl. 3.5 stars.

The tin aroma of Tuskegee Airman bursts forth with the earthy, cheddar-cheese-like odors of Perique. Tangy Virginias mingle nicely with the Perique. Latakia floats in the background, its smokiness barely discernable. The Orientals are even harder to pick out, but all these tobaccos do their part in the overall balance and appeal of this blend's very interesting tin aroma.

Tin description says “ …pressed to marry the flavors then sliced for easy packing.”, My tin was not sliced - presented as a solid crumble cake. A little more work but not really a problem. Lights well, burns very nicely.

The flavor to me resembles a VaPer as much as an “English” blend. The balance is amazing, and the blend is absolutely delicious. All of the tobaccos come out more clearly in the smoke. Virginia and Perique still run the show, but the Turkish and Latakia assert themselves warmly.

C&D have outdone themselves, this stuff is incredible and decadent. A new blend for my favorites list. If I could I'd spread this stuff on crackers and make a total pig of myself.

It's a shame that TA isn't attracting more attention that it is. A medium English that emphasizes the Orientals over the Latakia, TA has a slightly "nutty" taste to me and a fine English room note. It is pressed into a sliced cake that rubs out easily and burns slowly, dry and cool. It's become a regular smoke of mine. Similar to its mate, Buffalo Soldier, TA fills a spot in the rotation for a flavorful medium English that's not too heavy on the Latakia "camp fire." Recommended.

Cornell & Diehl - Tuskegee Airman.

This had been in my cellar for a few years, I just never got around to opening it. But, once I did, it only took a few puffs to realise what a great smoke I'd deprived myself of!

Unlike some kakes, rather than presenting itself as a few slithers or chunks, Tuskegee arrives as one single piece. It's medium brown, extremely easy to crumble (just a slight pinch removes a bowls worth at a perfect smoking consistency), and the hydration's great.

The smoke isn't a 'heavy English'. Don't expect a draconian Lat Bomb. This is a milder English which allows all of the constituents to have their say. I note sweet, fruity, Virginia, fragrant Turkish, plummy Perique, and OF COURSE smoky Latakia! The mechanics are flawless; it burns steadily, even, without a bite, with the Latakia keeping the smoke cool.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: quite potent, but I like it.

Tuskegee Airman? I've NOT been able to quit smoking this, today! Love it, highly recommended:

Four stars.

By the description, I thought this is a stout English blend. I was wrong. Tuskegee Airman is rather a VaperTur with a little latakia in the background. Although the flavor is refined and smooth, I prefer Sunday Picnic for the bold and full taste. BTW, the tin note is very cheesy. No doubt it will age wonderfully, so I reseal it and put it into the cellar. 2 and half stars for the moment.