I've enjoyed reviewing both cigars and beer for the last few years, but having only just gotten into pipe smoking, this will be my first foray into this arena. Here goes...
I picked up a couple tins of this blend after finding that I enjoyed many of the C&D blends that I had tried, realizing the rarity of the disappearing Syrian latakia, and finding that I liked the name and cachet of smoking a discontinued blend
Upon cracking the first tin, I found that the aroma was subdued. It was not the overpowering strength that is released when you peel back the top of a McClelland's tin, rather it was a milder, rich smokiness that is similar to a hickory barbecue sauce (Helllllo latakia!). The broken flake was nearly dry enough to smoke right out of the 3-year old tin and it packed quite easily.
After the initial char lighting, the flavors are quite mild. I was actually a little bit disappointed at this point, but I realized that this was because I was not looking for enjoyment in the right place. I found that the smokiness of the latakia was very subtle, yet incredibly complex. My palate isn't trained well enough to describe the flavors by likening them to common olfactory archetypes, but suffice it to say that the comparison with Cyprian latakia makes the difference between the two quite obvious. Where Cyprian is the brutish RyJ Cazadore of latakia, the Syrian is like the finely aged ERDM. The value is not in the strength of the flavor, but more in the subtleties of passing nuances of different flavors.
As the bowl burned down some, the red VA cavendish showed itself as quite an interesting blend component. While the signature VA sweetness is present, there is a slight spiciness that combines beautifully with the Syrian latakia to create a wholly unique smoking experience.
Initially I was feeling a bit foolish to have bought 4 tins of a relatively expensive tobacco without ever trying it (or even anything the I knew to be LIKE it), but now I think that I made the right choice. I may even need more!
09-25-2007, 12:27 PM
Cornell & Diehl's Santa's Mistake
