Cornell & Diehl Founding Fathers

Occasionally I will turn to an aromatic for a change of pace from my steady diet of heavy english and baltic/oriental blends. Through the years I have only found a few blends I could actually smoke and this blend is near the top. Easy packing, easy burning, and a taste that doesn't overwhelm the senses. It is truly an all day smoke. Very little bite if smoked properly and the hint of flavoring is just enough to make you wonder. Delightful.

Like so many new pipe smokers, I too got caught up in buying several aromatics as I got started with the hobby. Cult Blood Red Moon, MacBaren Vanilla, Bowell's Pipers' pleasure; these were just a few of the flavored tobaccos that I remember filling my pipes back then. But It didn't take long until my desire for heavily topped tobaccos waned. And soon my shelves were filled with jars of open aromatics that never seemed to get smoked.

Recently, however, the desire for something flavorful and fruity returned, and I found myself searching my cellar for something aromatic to scratch that itch. And there is was: Founding Father's by Cornell & Diehl.

There were a lot of surprises to be found in this tin. It seemed so damp upon opening, yet it readily accepted flame and burned beautifully. I wrongfully assumed the abundant moisture would result in gurgle. I opted to dedicate a balsa-filtered Savinelli to this blend just in case it burned wet. But it was well-behaved and burned dryer, and with less relights, than other aromatics I have tried. And what about the flavor, does it really taste like pomegranate? In fact it does. Admittedly however, it's been ages since I last tasted a pomegranate. It's fruity, and not at all cloying. The top sauce is strong enough to be noticed, but well measured and comfortable. I can still taste hints of the underlying burley and cavendish upon which this blend is built. And, unlike the artificial flavorings of other aromatics, this blend is quite natural tasting. It is hardly enough to be labeled "complex" or "nirvana-worthy". But it is flavorful and satisfying enough to be recommended with confidence.

Pleasant. Nothing like aromatics I have smoked and come to find offensive for their "added" flavor. This one seems to have been blended with a flavor rather than coated with one. For this reason, it is very refreshing. Its overall flavor is not a stand-out, but this does not mean it is not delicious in its own modest way. Very nice.

I really like this blend. I'm no expert but here's what I can tell you. It burns great. It came at a good normal moisture level. The flavoring was strong but smelled really good to the nose. When smoking it, you really can't taste any pomegranate. It tastes like a good tobacco. One puff, midway through, I got a slight quick chemical flavor. I always worry about the flavoring in blends so maybe that was a quick taste of it. But overall it's really good and I'd highly reccomend it.

wonderful aromatic.... much has been said about pomegrante fruit, as found at George Washington's Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson's Monticello in this blend.....but I detect a possible 'paw paw' essence.... paw paw is also richly cultivated at Mount Vernon and Monticello; also widely found growing here in Kentucky......

This is a mild smoke with a fresh tart/sweet taste that burns cool and dry. Good aromatic and not an overly sweet flavour.

I enjoy aromatics on occasion, and for me this was very enjoyable. The nuttiness of burleys mingle with the fruity tartness of the pomegranate, and the cavendish wraps it all together with some sweetness. It is reminiscent of a pastry. It was a delight to smoke this with a morning coffee, and it gave just the right nic hit to kickstart my day.

The tin note is also heavenly. I could just live in that tin, but sadly the room note didn't capture the full essence of that scent. Nonetheless, it has a very pleasant room note

3/4 there are better aromatics but this one is worth trying, and I will purchase it again for that tin note alone.

Pomegranate? No way I would have ever determined that. Even though I knew what it was, I still don't detect that. Fresh pomegranates have a very bitter aroma to me, this tobacco doesn't offer that up.

The pouch appearance seems 1/3 cavendish and 2/3 burley. Moisture content is fairly high for a C&D aromatic. Still packs well.

Pouch aroma is slight cocoa, dark fruits and nutty. It smells amazing!

Initial lighting takes a few matches. It crackles a bit when the flame is applied due to the moisture. Initial flavors of cocoa and light fruit essence. The burley offers its signature C&D nuttiness, but it is lacking the usual sharp and bitter quality I find it to have. The cavendish is sweet, and balances well with the burley. if sipped, the sweetness, cocoa/fruity flavors stay almost to the bottom of the bowl. If pushed, it can turn a bit acrid and ashy. This blend can also cause some moisture in the heel, so it performs best in a small, quick bowl for me. I think veteran smokers would even like this for an aromatic change of pace. I give it a solid 3 stars.

I enjoyed this blend . The pomegranate flavor was not strong to me at all. It was more like smokin a tea blend. I did enjoy it. Smooth and easy to light. Could smoke all day