Cornell & Diehl Pennington Gap
(3.09)
Nutty Kentucky cube cut burley & rich black cavendish balance the unique aroma & flavor of Louisiana perique, finished with bourbon.
Notes: From the tip of Virginia, C&D's Pennington Gap is an all-American blend with a Southern accent: nutty Kentucky cube cut burley and rich black cavendish balance the unique aroma and flavor of Louisiana perique, finished with bourbon for that touch of southern hospitality.
Details
| Brand | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blended By | Craig Tarler |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | Aromatic |
| Contents | Black Cavendish, Burley, Perique |
| Flavoring | Bourbon |
| Cut | Cube |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin, bulk |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild to Medium
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.09 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 80 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 04, 2008 | Medium to Strong | Medium | Medium to Full | Strong |
Now this is a great tobacco, albeit a decidedly weird one... It belongs in a bizarre, perique-drenched category all its own. At times, Pennington Gap fairly reeks of humid nights spent in a haunted bayou, savoring a glass of chilled bourbon while listening to the wildlife as it frolicks under a full moon. Alternately, it evokes images of sitting in the backyard under a blazing summer sin with a glass of iced tea in one hand and a good book in the other .... Either way, it's a seriously good time.
Pennington Gap is reminiscent in appearance and concept to G.L. Pease's Barbary Coast, only this blend is easy to light and burns smoothly all the way to the bottom of the bowl. It burns cool, doesn't bite at all, tastes naturally sweet, and it sings in pretty much any type of pipe I care to smoke it in. As the tin description indicates, the flavor seems to go back and forth between the burlies and perique, which is an interesting effect if you're smoking this at a time when you can really concentrate on the tobacco. The perique deserves special attention here, as for some reason this mixture really brings out that condimental leaf's fruity character and would serve as an ideal introduction to its charms.
The bourbon topping is heavily applied yet seems to actually cool the smoke, producing a flavor and texture akin to a chilled banana pudding. As a rule, though, I prefer to let the tin air out a few days. The flavoring seems to evaporate quickly, leaving behind a more natural taste that retains some of the cool mouthfeel. As good as this stuff is, however, I think of it exclusively as a summer blend -- I just can't seem to imagine smoking it much once the weather turns cold.
After years of smoking this, I'm still not sure whether to call Pennington Gap an "aromatic" or not. On the one hand, it's heavily sauced and has a noticeable amount of unsweetened cavendish. On the other hand, it doesn't behave like an aromatic at all. This is an exceptionally full blend, high in both nicotine and tobacco flavor (did I mention the PERIQUE?), which is hardly characteristic of aromatics. Also, the room note is unlikely to win you many friends -- it's pleasant enough, but pungent and quite strong.
I recommended this to anyone who likes, or thinks they like, perique. Otherwise, stay far away.
Pennington Gap is reminiscent in appearance and concept to G.L. Pease's Barbary Coast, only this blend is easy to light and burns smoothly all the way to the bottom of the bowl. It burns cool, doesn't bite at all, tastes naturally sweet, and it sings in pretty much any type of pipe I care to smoke it in. As the tin description indicates, the flavor seems to go back and forth between the burlies and perique, which is an interesting effect if you're smoking this at a time when you can really concentrate on the tobacco. The perique deserves special attention here, as for some reason this mixture really brings out that condimental leaf's fruity character and would serve as an ideal introduction to its charms.
The bourbon topping is heavily applied yet seems to actually cool the smoke, producing a flavor and texture akin to a chilled banana pudding. As a rule, though, I prefer to let the tin air out a few days. The flavoring seems to evaporate quickly, leaving behind a more natural taste that retains some of the cool mouthfeel. As good as this stuff is, however, I think of it exclusively as a summer blend -- I just can't seem to imagine smoking it much once the weather turns cold.
After years of smoking this, I'm still not sure whether to call Pennington Gap an "aromatic" or not. On the one hand, it's heavily sauced and has a noticeable amount of unsweetened cavendish. On the other hand, it doesn't behave like an aromatic at all. This is an exceptionally full blend, high in both nicotine and tobacco flavor (did I mention the PERIQUE?), which is hardly characteristic of aromatics. Also, the room note is unlikely to win you many friends -- it's pleasant enough, but pungent and quite strong.
I recommended this to anyone who likes, or thinks they like, perique. Otherwise, stay far away.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 10, 2004 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
Hey, I like this Pennington Gap! It's slightly aromatic (whiskey flavoring perhaps?)and has a pinch of Perique and black leaf (cased cavendish) but the Burley really shines. And, being the nicotine lover that I am, this one really hit the spot, especially in the evenings right after dinner.
I would especially urge those who enjoy their Perique in small doses to give this blend a try - absolutely delightful.
I should also mention that the cube cut of the leaf and the perfect moisture content makes this one of the easiest blends to pack and light that I've ever found.
I would especially urge those who enjoy their Perique in small doses to give this blend a try - absolutely delightful.
I should also mention that the cube cut of the leaf and the perfect moisture content makes this one of the easiest blends to pack and light that I've ever found.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2014 | Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Pennington Gap was a real change of pace for me, as I smoke mostly VaPers and straight Virginias. I was surprised, therefore, to discover how much I enjoyed PG.
Upon opening the tin, I was very pleased with the aroma, which reminded me of Raisinettes (one of my favorite dime-store candies). Being a cube cut, it is easy to pack, although it requires a bit of drying out before it lights easily. Once lit, it burns slowly and evenly, requiring no relights, and leaving a light colored ash at the finish with not goopiness. Despite the casing, PG is a very dry smoke with not even a hint of tongue bite.
PG is a very tasty tobacco throughout the smoke. The Perique predominates for the first third of the bowl. After that, the taste is of a rich, nutty burley (as opposed to the grassiness that I often detect in burley blends) and, toward the end of the bowl, the Cavendish takes over. The casing adds a sweet top note throughout the smoke. However, I wouldn't say that the casing tastes like bourbon -- more like honey and licorice.
A most enjoyable smoke and one that I would recommend to any pipe smoker who likes Perique and sweeter blends. Without a doubt, it is one of the best tobaccos I have smoked in the past year or so. At $4.50/ounce, PG is a fairly expensive pipe tobacco but one that is worth every penny IMO.
Upon opening the tin, I was very pleased with the aroma, which reminded me of Raisinettes (one of my favorite dime-store candies). Being a cube cut, it is easy to pack, although it requires a bit of drying out before it lights easily. Once lit, it burns slowly and evenly, requiring no relights, and leaving a light colored ash at the finish with not goopiness. Despite the casing, PG is a very dry smoke with not even a hint of tongue bite.
PG is a very tasty tobacco throughout the smoke. The Perique predominates for the first third of the bowl. After that, the taste is of a rich, nutty burley (as opposed to the grassiness that I often detect in burley blends) and, toward the end of the bowl, the Cavendish takes over. The casing adds a sweet top note throughout the smoke. However, I wouldn't say that the casing tastes like bourbon -- more like honey and licorice.
A most enjoyable smoke and one that I would recommend to any pipe smoker who likes Perique and sweeter blends. Without a doubt, it is one of the best tobaccos I have smoked in the past year or so. At $4.50/ounce, PG is a fairly expensive pipe tobacco but one that is worth every penny IMO.
Pipe Used:
Various briars
PurchasedFrom:
JR Cigar
Age When Smoked:
Recently purchased
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 20, 2014 | Medium to Strong | Medium to Strong | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Oh god, This is no good. It suffers the same fate as Haddo's Delight to my tastes. A very good mix of quality leaf that I should enjoy that is doused with a nearly disgusting topping. This is supposed to be a whiskey topping, but doesn't taste like a real whiskey to me. More of one of those whiskey flavored syrups that you would get on a lower quality aromatic.
This one is slightly better than Haddo's, but is still pretty bad to me. I will somewhat recommend it to someone if they like the flavor profile of say, Borkum Riff Whiskey, they may enjoy this one a little more.
This one is slightly better than Haddo's, but is still pretty bad to me. I will somewhat recommend it to someone if they like the flavor profile of say, Borkum Riff Whiskey, they may enjoy this one a little more.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 30, 2016 | Medium | Medium to Strong | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
This will be a short review.
Tastes bad but does not bite. Never again.
I expect more from Cornell and Diehl, I usually like their burley blends and alcohol toppings, but this is not even close to hitting home.
Tastes bad but does not bite. Never again.
I expect more from Cornell and Diehl, I usually like their burley blends and alcohol toppings, but this is not even close to hitting home.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 05, 2009 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
It took a while for me to figure out how to smoke this stuff. There were a couple of issues to contend with. As to not bore you I will just give my conclution. 1)This stuff must be dried out almost to the point of being crunchy or you'll just end up with a goopy blob. 2) Due to the cube cut it must not be firmly packed into the bowl but rather loaded loosly to the top and then slightly tamped. If you tamp it down too hard during loading or smoking it will blob up and not draw well. Using these methods, this is a tasty, quality smoke, semi sweet with some complexity. Geared more to the Burley lover rather than aromatic IMHO, it does have the qualities of both. The Perique is an evident and nice addition. The Bourbon does add to a nice tin fragrance but not much to the taste. It does turn a little sour towards the bottom of the bowl, but don't we all LOL.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 24, 2012 | Medium | Medium to Strong | Medium | Pleasant |
A very interesting tobacco, when you pop the tin it's as though you twisted open the bottle of your favorite bourbon. Right out of the tin you can taste the bourbon coming out. The Perique is there but not over powering this has a nice side stream aroma and very pleasant aroma in general. For some reason it does dry my mouth out a little, I'm guessing it's the flavoring however it has a good flavor that stays through the entire bowl. It packs well and smokes dry producing a nice soft gray ash with minimal re-lights. The flavor seems to get richer and sweeter as you get to the mid bowl and beyond. I feel that this is the Burley and Black Cavendish taking over. Overall a very good smoke!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 24, 2018 | Medium to Strong | Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
I'll begin by saying that I tried this blend in the interest of finding a suitable replacement for Frog Morton's Cellar in my rotation, and for this task, it won't do, but thankfully it has merits of its own.
A nose in the tin doesn't produce the smell of Bourbon to me, but the aroma does bear a resemblance to whiskey. I'll take Cornell & Diehl's word that it's bourbon they added, but if so, the aroma has changed significantly now mixed with the tobacco. It doesn't smell bad, but it doesn't strike my fancy either.
However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the aroma does translate to the taste a little bit. I detect it as a faint "brown-sugary" accent to the already nutty flavor profile of this tobacco, and they marry quite nicely.
Overall, I'd say this is a blend worth trying, if, like me, you like the idea of an aromatic, but can't stand the goopy stuff. It has a mild flavoring that enhances the already decent tobacco. Well done.
A nose in the tin doesn't produce the smell of Bourbon to me, but the aroma does bear a resemblance to whiskey. I'll take Cornell & Diehl's word that it's bourbon they added, but if so, the aroma has changed significantly now mixed with the tobacco. It doesn't smell bad, but it doesn't strike my fancy either.
However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the aroma does translate to the taste a little bit. I detect it as a faint "brown-sugary" accent to the already nutty flavor profile of this tobacco, and they marry quite nicely.
Overall, I'd say this is a blend worth trying, if, like me, you like the idea of an aromatic, but can't stand the goopy stuff. It has a mild flavoring that enhances the already decent tobacco. Well done.
Pipe Used:
Peterson System 106, Peterson Filter B10
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 12, 2017 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Tolerable |
Yikes! I think that the repulsive flavor I get from this is a combo of the Bourbon topping and the dark fruit of the Perique. Both are fine by themselves, but the combo makes me want to gag. It tastes like sweet and sour rotting fruit. The second half of the bowl is somewhat bearable because the topping fades a bit, but the first half is just too much for me. Never mind whatever good qualities the Kentucky may have, I can't get past that rotting fruit.
Mild to medium in body. Medium in taste. Mild to medium in rotting fruit. Burns very well.
Mild to medium in body. Medium in taste. Mild to medium in rotting fruit. Burns very well.
Pipe Used:
MM Little Devil Cutty, Little Devil Acorn, Marcus
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 12, 2017 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
I found this tin at the back of a shelf at the local tobacconist where it had been for 4 years and one month. Shelf aged tobaccos are always a good find, so I snatched it up. I wasn't sure if it's aromatic qualities would be a turn off for me, but I bought it anyway. Upon opening the tin, the aroma was pungent and alluring. This cube cut blend was lightly topped and was anything but cloying. The Perique was evident and it just smelled inviting. It packs easy and the flavor was that of tobacco with just a hint of whiskey. I don't know if the smoothness can be attributed to age, but this blend was really smooth. It burned cool and was a genuine pleasure to smoke. No goopiness, just a combination of quality tobaccos that really came together well. I can confidently say that I'll purchase it again.
Pipe Used:
Tinsky
PurchasedFrom:
Just For Him
Age When Smoked:
4 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 20, 2014 | Medium | Medium to Strong | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
When I was given this tin in a trade, it was new and fresh and was to me a little too green and overwhelming on my taste buds. I found it also tended to bite a little. I then put it up sealed tight in my cellar and when browsing the other day found it 6 years later and thought I would retry it. Thus my experience here is on a 6 year old tin. I found it to have matured nicely and am quite enjoying it now.
Upon opening it, the first things I noticed was that it is pressed and cut into small square cube cut very dark, almost black in appearance. It has an aroma of dark peat with a spicy sweetness. Looks and smells very rich. It is somewhat wet and sticky so I let it dry until it no longer sticks to my fingers. Like this it packs and lights up very easy and is great for a slow relaxing smoke. The flavor is a rich, deep, full flavor of burley with the bourbon topping present but not overwhelming and the perique adding it's spicy yet subtle character. It is not sweet really, but it is full on the tongue. Smoked fast it is hot but smoked slow it is very nice and cool. The room note is strong but pleasant and I could smell the perique amongst the sweet burly aroma. It smokes slowly down the pipe leaving very little moisture or dottle in the bottom of the pipe. Mostly produces a steely grey ash with white edges.
I like this blend with age on it and think it will appeal to aromatic smokers and non aromatic smokers alike. Because I found it overwhelming right out of the tin without aging, I am giving three out of four stars.
Upon opening it, the first things I noticed was that it is pressed and cut into small square cube cut very dark, almost black in appearance. It has an aroma of dark peat with a spicy sweetness. Looks and smells very rich. It is somewhat wet and sticky so I let it dry until it no longer sticks to my fingers. Like this it packs and lights up very easy and is great for a slow relaxing smoke. The flavor is a rich, deep, full flavor of burley with the bourbon topping present but not overwhelming and the perique adding it's spicy yet subtle character. It is not sweet really, but it is full on the tongue. Smoked fast it is hot but smoked slow it is very nice and cool. The room note is strong but pleasant and I could smell the perique amongst the sweet burly aroma. It smokes slowly down the pipe leaving very little moisture or dottle in the bottom of the pipe. Mostly produces a steely grey ash with white edges.
I like this blend with age on it and think it will appeal to aromatic smokers and non aromatic smokers alike. Because I found it overwhelming right out of the tin without aging, I am giving three out of four stars.
Pipe Used:
briar, meers, cobs.
PurchasedFrom:
given in trade
Age When Smoked:
6 years
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