Tobaccos Cornell & Diehl - Byzantium

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3047)	2016-07-18		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

The very rich smoky, woody, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia is the star component in this lat-bomb. The Turkish is woody, earthy, floral, herbal, vegetative, mildly dry and buttery sweet with a little sourness in a continually evident support role. The fruity raisin, fig, plum, and spice from the perique underlines every puff, especially the spice. The strength is a couple of steps past the medium mark. The taste is in the center of medium to full. The nic-hit is nearly as potent as the strength level. Won't bite, and has no dull or harsh moments. It does have some roughness. Well blended, you’ll notice every nuance in virtually every puff despite the strong Latakia presence. Burns at a little more than a moderate pace, cool and clean with a very consistent smoky, woody, spicy sweet campfire flavor from start to finish. Requires few relights, and barely dampens the bowl with moisture. The pleasant after taste lingers, and the room note will not make your friends happy, which you may consider a plus if you’re a true curmudgeon. Not an all day smoke.

-JimInks

41 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2005-08-05		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Now this is a Latakia laced blend I can sink my palate into! It is not often that I find a true English concoction that has enough strength (nicotine) to keep me satisfied. Byzantium does the trick and does it well.

The tobacco is not particularly foreboding once the tin is opened and the components are exposed. In fact, this one is really much stronger in both flavor and strength than it looks. There is no mention of Virginia leaf in the above description, but I sure saw and tasted it. The Perique, while present, was very sparingly administered and added a bit of spice to the overall presentation.

This is one of the oldest and best selling blends in the C&D line and it is easy to see why it is so popular.

I originally purchased this blend for my local pipe club's tobacco bar at the next monthly meeting. But now, I do believe I'll just keep this one for myself. Guess I'd better change my name to Selfishstud. (-;

35 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Michael Kindt (18)	2014-08-07		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away, I decided to become a tobacco blender.

So I ordered a few bags of blending tobacco and some blends I thought I wouldn't like but figured I'd use as condiments in my brilliant new creation. I took all this, plus the large bowl we normally use for popcorn on movie night, laid it out on the table and cried, "Watch out, Pease! Step aside, Ouellette!" The problem was what I came up with tasted like utter shit.

And so ended the Great Tobacco Blending Experiment of 2009 or 10.

Byzantium was one of the blends I ordered to use as a condiment, but I shoulda just thrown everything in the trash and smoked it. Byzantium is decidedly NOT utter shit.

The problem was I didn't know Byzantium was so delicious until just this year. Back when I lost my mind and thought I could blend tobacco, I was all about burleys and crossovers and aromatics. Englishes and Balkans and Orientals? Oh, my! So I threw it in the back of a drawer somewhere and there it sat, getting dry as hell (it was plastic bag bulk).

I happened upon it, smoked some, and loved it. Even though it was bone dry and crunched like Fall leaves, I loved it. Even though tamping eventually turned it into pipe clogging dust, I loved it.

I revitalized in a makeshift humidor I threw together by sitting a shot glass of water in a cookie jar, and it became a little more civilized. A little.

Byzantium is not a subtle blend, though it does have its moments of nuance, especially if you gently coax it rather than puff it. It's bold and in your face. Spicy (very), smoky, full-bodied, -flavored, full-everything. Obviously, it will bite the hell out of you if you're not careful, and it's not an all-day smoker (unless you're the type of man who pours whiskey over his cereal in the morning).

There's no Virginia in it, which I'm glad for. Virginia, I bet, would mellow this bad boy out a little, make him more presentable, rounder, more balanced, and, sometimes, I just plain don't want that.

26 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mongo (10)	2009-12-23		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Looking through reviews of tobaccos with which I'm familiar, I'm surprised to see that I never reviewed this one. Byzantium was the first English tobacco that I fell for, years ago. Although my tastes have changed over the years, it's a blend that I still enjoy.

Byzantium is a mixed-cut tobacco. There are some ribbons in the blend, but a large percentage of the tobacco resembles crumble cake that's been crumbled. Some of the crumbled tobacco is in very small pieces. The aroma of the tobacco is smoky, leathery, and a bit salty, but not overly strong.

I find Byzantium to be at its best when smoked in a wide-diameter bowl. I prefer it in a bowl with a 7/8" or wider chamber. I get the best results by drizzling the tobacco into the bowl, then tapping the sides to settle the tobacco as much as possible. By doing this until the bowl is slightly over-full and then lightly pressing the excess tobacco into the bowl, I get a pack that lights and burns easily. Relights are rare, and I almost always smoke this to the very bottom of the bowl without effort.

This is not a subtle tobacco. The flavors are simple and strong. There's plenty of smokiness from the (Cyprian) latakia, with the orientals adding a strong salty/musty flavor and a bit of sweetness. There's enough perique to add a peppery hint to the flavor, without overwhelming the other flavors. The flavor varies little throughout the bowl, starting off strong and staying that way. The mouth feel is smooth, though not overly full. I experience absolutely no tongue bite from this tobacco, regardless of how I treat it. Even more so than many blends, I find that gentle, slow smoking brings out the most intense flavors from Byzantium.

There can be a slight harsh edge to this blend when it's very young. A few month's worth of age removes this. If you buy Byzantium in a tin, you can check the date on the bottom to determine its age. If you buy it bulk and you can't determine its age, be sure to let some of it to rest for a few months before you pass judgment on it.

Byzantium isn't complex or sophisticated, but it is very good and it's very easy to smoke. It's a tobacco that I enjoy, whether concentrating on my pipe or otherwise engaged. Recommended.

17 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cakeanddottle (105)	2011-11-21		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Turkish, Perique and Latakia. Hmm, Red Odessa minus the red Va?

Ok, this isn't Red Odessa minus the Va after all. It doesn't appear to be related to Red Odessa/Engine #99.

The jar note has a similar fermented fruit sweet tang, but that's as close as this blend gets. It's also fuller than Red Odessa, less full than Engine #99. This blend has a focus squarely set on the Oriental component, with enough Latakia to keep you from dozing off. The Perique adds a bit of pepper, but isn't as nicely integrated as blends like Red Odessa and Artisan's Blend. I don't get a very strong nic kick from this, so in the end, it's a medium strength, medium bodied Lat blend mostly about the Orientals with a bit of Perique.

I always miss the missing component in Lat blends that don't have either Orientals or Va. Less so in Va/Lat-only blends than in Oriental-Lat-only blends, but I always feel they're better with the trinity.

Byzantium sidesteps being a blend that draws attention to the absence of Va by throwing Perique in the mix. The Perique does add a nice element here, adding a tangy note to a blend that teeters on deliciously sour but doesn't quite get there. The Oriental component here never gets bitter, is a tad oily, and almost gets to sour, which I adore.

The Perique smells like heaven in the jar, all fermented fruit, like some delicious holiday treat for stuffing in your pipe. The Lat here is medium. Overall I have had pretty decent experiences with this blend. Not a hoarder, but at only $27.49/lb I may buy a pound to smoke on occasion. Good stuff, not great but definitely good.

This is a good smoke, and the elements blend well, but not so well that you block out everything else and launch into monologues to your wife about the virtues of English mixtures and well seasoned briar. Am I the only one who does that?

15 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2017-09-05		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a tasty lat bomb. I bought the one ounce sample a little over a year ago during one of SP's many bulk C&D sales. When I popped the mason jar I kept it in, it revealed a mostly dark tobacco in shades of dark brown and a musty campfire smell that signaled the presence of a lot of latakia.

It is a ribbon cut combined with some broken flake and is a very unique blend in that it has no Virginia or burley, or at least none is advertised. I don't think I can say I tasted anything that conflicts with that description and the blend doesn't suffer any for the lack of those two popular leafs.

It has the positive traits one would look for in a Latakia heavy blend. Creaminess and smoothness. The latakia does not steal the show by any means, this blend does contain a good amount of Perique and the orientals are zesty. All three elements meld together quite well into a cohesive, balanced smoking experience. This also has a very nice sidestream aroma. It really is the complete package.

I am up in the air on whether to give this one three or four stars, but have decided to go with four as the blend is unique and really has no direct comparison that I know of.

Pipe Used: Primarily used my Wozniak bent billiard

Age When Smoked: 1 yr. 1 month

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rauchmeister (3)	2016-07-23		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is definitely not one I'm in the mood for every time. But when you're in the mood for bold and spicy, there's none better. Smoky, meaty, bbq from the lat + musty, salty, sour, incense/spice from the oriental + pepper/dark fruit/raisin from the perique = flavor bomb. I think the lack of prominent virginia makes this a great "change of pace" blend. I love the fact that it's ruff around the edges. I feel like a manly stud when I smoke this.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fr_tom (393)	2016-09-02		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

The blend was "C&D dry" in the bag. It is slightly chunky with bits of mostly rubbed out flake and some short wide ribbons that are not exactly fish food. Loading, the texture is a little leathery. The pouch note is smoke and maybe a little horse stable.

Smoked, this is very good. The latakia campfire is always burning. The orientals provide some herbal and a little floral that teeters on the edge of sour. The perique adds some pepper when puffed and a little fruit when sipped. This sounds like a lot of flavor, and it is. You get a mouthful with every puff, and every now and then it is almost salty.

This is almost a flavor bomb, but there is a certain nuance to it. It is not a single note hit hard and loud. There is just a lot of it, and exploring the sour edge is a plus.

I like orientals in general and think they add a lot to a blend. This one is a strong recommendation to those who like the herbal spice and might enjoy it with some campfire and pepper. I was surprised to find a blend like this with no Virginia and a C&D blend with no burley. It works.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Capt (339)	2020-04-14		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

What an absolutely pungent pouch aroma! The Perique slams your olfactory senses into next week. Smells of smoked sour cheese, and fresh cut red oak firewood. The Turkish offers a slight vegetal note way in the back. Blend of dark, dusky brown tobaccos, some broken flake, with a decent amount of black Latakia. Great moisture level, packed very easy.

Initial lighting, as with most C&D blends goes without a hitch.

First half of the bowl is a powerhouse. Strong, full flavored blend. Smoky Latakia out front with the highly floral Turkish. The sour spice of the perique fights to be up front as well. Nothing sweet, nothing toasty.

Second half sends the spiciness into overdrive. This blend has a ton of backbone not found in most blends. Bold and in your face, Byzantium can have a rough edge if puffed too hard. Burns clean and cool, leaves your palate coated in Perique minty-ness. Not a blend for a beginner, and even a veteran may find this too much. Not suitable for an all day blend, I would reserve this to an outdoor after dinner smoke. I smoked it inside, once...…..

Pipe Used: several

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2081)	2017-01-18		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

Cornell & Diehl - Byzantium.

To me, this is a bit of a powerhouse: strong with nicotine and lots of bold Latakia.

The ribbons are mid-sized, but at the bottom of the bag there's a gathering of dust. The moisture's good, and the smell's predominately Latakia.

I think the smoke is very full tasting. I get heap loads of smokiness from the Latakia, becoming stronger as a bowl burns, but it's also embellished by the others. To be fair, I get a lot less of the Perique compared to the Turkish. I struggle to identify the Virginia many reviewers mention, but in many strong English/Balkan blends I often find it hard to recognise, so the Virginia's a bit of a moot point, to me! The burn from Byzantium goes well, and the smoke's bite-free.

To me, the room-note's a bit on the heavy side, and the nicotine's strong.

This is a very good blend, a bit full for a regular smoke, ergo, I give it three stars!

Recommended.

Pipe Used: Ben Wade Elegance Oom Paul

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Theologia14 (24)	2018-01-23		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is a good blend that has some very unique characteristics, especially when compared to most standard English Blends. The tin note is one of deep, smokey latakias with some tangy orientals floating around in the background. On first light, a deep and satisfying latakia comes out with just a touch of sour from the orientals. After getting settled in from the initial flavor, the perique really begins to stand out. The perique's spicy quality dances around through the entire bowl and is a welcome addition to the smoky, tangy, and sour flavors that make the main body of the smoke. At mid to late bowl, the perique almost threatens to overtake the smoke, in my opinion, and then the latakia comes back full force. It is almost like a fine drama that resolves into a peaceful scene. I especially like this blend for colder weather or for after a heavier meal. Mechanically, the blend smoked all the way to the bottom with little to no problem although I did have a little bit of trouble getting it lit up properly (that could be user error). Over all nice smoke, I can't wait to see what a little time in the cellar will do to this unique Balkan blend.

Pipe Used: Handmade Bent Billiard

Age When Smoked: Unknown Bulk

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	constantsmoker (65)	2016-05-21		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I was intrigued by the fact that this reputedly 'English' blend had no Virginia component. I like to think of it as a 'Louisiana Balkan' blend. But, classify it as one may, this is a hearty (but not overpowering) blend that has found a place in my tobacco rotation. Latakia is prominent, but the Perique and Orientals are what set this Cornell & Diehl offering above the 'meh', complementing the rich taste of Latakia with a hint of spice and sweetness. The room note is typical of a Latakia blend with the addition of a pleasant fragrance that, I assume, is attributable to the Orientals. Cool-smoking. An enjoyable blend.

Pipe Used: Savinelli billiard

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	crazy owl (74)	2016-01-05		Extremely Strong	Extremely Mild	Extra Full	Very Strong

By the fires of Hell here we face a strong mixture,very strong,extreme naturally flavoured and non easy to tame.I must disagree with not a few reviewers about the source of strength,for me it´s a lavishly added part of Perique.I love Perique a lot,but this doesn´t mean a lot of proportion,i.m.h.o. more than 20% is too much,at Byzantium is surpased.This beautiful beast is made to be smoked in cobs better than briars and wide bowls better than tall and narrow ones.Beware of the monster,oh brothers in holy smoke!

Pipe Used: Cobs better

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: smokingpipes

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Demetri (113)	2009-03-06		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

As an old 965 fan I was tempted to try this blend after reading these reviews. My palate found this to be slightly less rounded out than old 965 - a not quite as mellow. Or, in other words, lacking a dimension found in the Dunhill comparison - which component is missing I'm not sure. However, it will satisfy as a replacement. I plan my next taste of this to be enjoyed at more leisurely time of day when I do not have to rush the smoke and perhaps have some brandy to tone it down some. Fourteen hours later I was still tasting this tobacco. I found it very peppery, more than I had expected, and as smoky as I had hoped. I'll be stocking up on more of this before tax increase. It won't replace my everyday Finck blends (based on price), but a good find nevertheless.

UPDATE 09-09-10:

After having to amend several other reviews based on further experience and in fairness to the blenders of Byzantium I must upgrade my assessment of this blend. As 3 Stars is a high rating in my personal TR grade scale with 4 stars denoting my intent to repurchase it dawned on me last week while making my sixth repurchase of Byzantium that I am enjoying it evermore and that the slight deficiencies I noted above have abated or disappeared. This is an excellent blend.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sergius (5)	2017-12-23		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Without having a high-sugar Virginia component, Byzantium is among the coolest-smoking blends around and it is very easy to regulate a low burning temperature to get the best flavors from the various Oriental leaf. On the other hand, you definitely miss the bass notes Virginias traditionally provide to English mixtures and the high content of Oriental leaf means the burning quality is less "long smoldering" compared to a coal working through dense, flue-cured leaf that a English blend traditionally employs - even less so without a little bit of condimental Burley for superior burning. The result is that Byzantium delivers a lot of the great flavors other reviewers have assessed, but I find it requires more attentive smoking and it tends to burn quickly. It's a great blend for a change of pace, as a definite intentional "hobby interest" blend, but not something I would always want to have on hand to just enjoy an English blend while doing something else like walking the dog, hanging out with friends, or reading a book.

Purchased From: SmokingPipes.com

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (403)	2019-09-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

During Labor Day there was a 15% off C&D bulk blends and I bought some. This is one of them. This has the typical at least typical to me Latakia smell from the tin note. Somewhat a little milder than others I have purchased and tried in the past. I find this blend interesting as there is no Virginia or Burley in the mixture. Smokes cool and dry and what I mean by dry is more like a dry white wine rather than a sweet red. I am sure it is due to the lack of said mentioned tobaccos. It is a good blend and I will give it some more tender loving care in the upcoming days. From Wikipedia: “Byzantium was an ancient Greek colony in early antiquity that later became Constantinople, and then Istanbul”.

Pipe Used: Comoy 2nd Royal Falcon

Age When Smoked: New

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stefanos (222)	2017-03-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Byzantium contains undoubtedly choice tobaccos. It is Latakia that dominates though. In the beginning it is smoky and woodsy but soon it becomes very savoury (incency, leathery, meaty?), I guess it’s also the presence of the Turkish tobaccos which add a sour, tangy even salty note. I cannot describe better the savouriness to which I refer but it’s very tasty indeed. Further down the Perique is felt as a black peppery spiciness which as the bowl progresses becomes more intense. I sense no dark stewed fruit here.

The tobacco consists of short deep brown and black ribbons which load with ease. It burns cool and needs only a few relights. Strength-wise it’s not very foreboding nor is nicotine content very high. It burns completely to a fine grey ash and leaves no moisture to the bowl. But although it produces quite a lot of smoke I find it lacks some body and it’s also a little dry-tasting.

As I said it contains choice leafs and a very tasty Latakia. For me it’s definitely a three star blend and because Latakia is so plentiful, Byzantium it can serve as an ingredient to a four star English blend.

You wish to make a fantastic English blend with still quite pronounced Latakia flavor using Byzantium? Here’s a recipe: take an amount of a fine Virginia (FVF recommended) add to it the same amount of a nice Oriental leaf (Izmir & Basma preferably) and to them add the same amount of Byzantium. Mix and if you cannot find Penzance to buy, do not worry, your blend will be just as good! I am not joking…

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dixcreek (184)	2016-11-02		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Wood stove smoky, peppery, and a little floral, damn this is good! Did not know if this would fly with me because of the absence of either Virginia or Burley. But this blend hits the mark. I have a rule that tells me to judge blends on their own merit an not to make comparisons. That is not a problem here, this blend is unlike any I have smoked in the last 27 years. No wonder it has stood the test of time. Smooth and satisfying smoke.

Pipe Used: Cobs and briars of various size

Age When Smoked: New and up to 1 month

Purchased From: Smoking pipes

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	bob323 (46)	2014-01-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is a blend that you smoke for yourself--it will make you no friends in a crowd...That being said, It is one of the most enjoyable blends I've tried...No complexity here just wonderful taste...A bowl of wonderful flavor!

Pipe Used: variuos for testing

Age When Smoked: fresh when received

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2013-11-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I agree with some others that this seems to be missing something (Virginias?). It might have been ok with a stronger dose of Orientals, but as it is it just doesn't cut it. It has potential though so I'm going to fiddle around with it and see what I can come up with.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DakotaHale43 (47)	2020-07-29		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I'm not a huge fan of latakia tobacco in itself, but this is a pretty good one that I recommend as a starting point for latakia blends. Burns extremely well without fuss (too well in fact, that it took so long for the 'false light' to go out.

Had a bit of a kick for me, and as a former-now-only-for-special-occassions cigar smoker, I would give this a good shoutout to my cigar smokers out there.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ATW (110)	2020-06-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Finally a latakia blend within the last year that I've been able to enjoy! And once again another blend without Virginia, burley, or black cavendish at all. Maybe there is something to this.....

The moister level is perfect. The bag aroma is obviously smokey but with a noticeable tang and earthiness from the perique.

It's very consistent from beginning to end but with subtle changes throughout. Smokey, slightly sweet, buttery, with a touch of earth. I dont get any pepperiness. Sometimes the smokiness tones down, sometimes the buttery Turkish amps up but no big changes. Very enjoyable. Burns cool and clean, no bite at all.

For the ones who want more of the turkish and less smokiness, I recommend Sunset Harbor Flake as it has the same components but less latakia and more turkish forward. Byzantium is definitely worth a try.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Big Blue Jazzman (73)	2020-04-23		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Picked up an ounce of this blend as it is an English I've been wanting to try. I have smoked a ton of English tobacco and this one is not for the weak at heart. It is a powerhouse of Latakia with a boatload of nicotine. Pouchnote is musky and the cut is predominately ribbon. It burns at a moderate rate and smokes cool with no bite. Flavor is consistent to the bottom of the bowl. Not something for an early day smoke but goes well with some quality libation.

Pipe Used: Ascorti

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smoking pipes

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Knightsmoker (218)	2017-02-06		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

The lat. has that campfire smoke note and is a little sweet. It is way out in front of the rest of the components. The Turkish has that slight sweet and sour note that I love and is just in the background. The perique adds just a little spice and a dark dried fruit note. A nice heavy lat. blend with some complexity. While I have rated the overall strength as med. to strong the nic. is much closer to the med. side and will not over power you. It will bite if you push this so slow and steady is the way to go. I also notice that my briar's had a heavy earthy note to the blend, which I did not care for as it seemed to mute the other flavors but switching over to the meers. toned this earthiness down and brought out the nuances noted above with much more clarity.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Noctivagant (11)	2017-01-04		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Takes a match well, on the dry side from the bulk package I received. I get notes of leather and unsweetened cocoa, with a nice but faint smokiness. I don't detect much Perique other than in the in bag nose. The Latakia is mild and along with the Perique really just augments the Orientals.

This is a very pleasant and dry smoke that pairs well with a strong black tea as this blend brings to mind the same tannic notes.

Overall, a nice smoke. Smoked down to a fine ash, with a couple relights and an occasional tamping. While I don't have much experience with what would be classed as a Balkan, this just doesn't feel like a great example of balance in a blend. It's all a mild smokiness with some spice and I could imagine it as much better were it bolder on some front, more Latakia or more Perique...more something. It comes off as too mild to get the point across, it left me a bit flat by the end of the bowl as the flavors didn't really build upon one another as I had hoped.

Pipe Used: Various briars

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: SmokingPipes

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	GabrielCRT (115)	2016-09-20		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

I purchased this one for its novelty: a mixture of only condimental tobaccos. No Virginia or burley for a base here. Just smokey, woody Cyprian Latakia, sour and spicy Izmir, and peppery Perique. I expected some degree of harshness or at least palate fatigue none of which I have experienced with Byzantium. I was surprised to find a very smooth and creamy smoke. The Perique sort of acts as a Virginia here. It takes the edge off of the other two tobaccos. None of these tobaccos are particularly pleasant to smoke on their own however all combined it is plenty tasty.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	churchwarden398 (19)	2009-11-02		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I was away at a wooded area with some friends over the weekend. Took three pipes of varying bowl sizes and my latest tobacco purchases. First I tried this in my smallest bowl. Whoa! This tobacco seemed to be a latakia bomb. However over the next few days, as I switched to successively larger bowls, the tobacco improved greatly. The larger bowls brought out a rich creaminess - WOW! Maybe the tobacco had a chance to dry a wee bit as well.

The tobacco was mostly black in color. It's aroma was not that of a latakia bomb; for which one might get thrown out of the house. I do not have the luxury of indoor smoking. The aroma made me question if this was what Ricardo Montalban was harkening back to when he spoke of "RICH, Corinthian leather". In my leather tobacco pouch it seemed as if the tobacco improved the quality of the leather; if that is possible. A pipe smoking friend made pointed inquiries into the name of what I was smoking. Even though he was offered several bowlfuls; he wanted the name because he planned to order some. This will definitely be near the top of my rotation.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-03-16		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

To me, this is what the white dot folks had in mind when they blended 965- Dunhill missed the mark, C&D did not! One of my top three in rotation. It improves with cellaring, and I buy it in multiples of 8 oz cans, cause I'm fearful that C&D may stop blending th' stuff! I remove it from the tin and let it mellow in a glass humidor. Another five-star blend from the magicians at C&D! I concur with Mongo about pipe shape/size- I prefer this in a Peterson 80s, 999, or XL02. It doesn't work as well for me in any tall narrow bowl or any stack.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Karam (59)	2020-04-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I have a thing with the Byzantine Empire, and have studied it to some degree, so naturally the name was appealing to me right off the bat. The name suggests grandeur, nuance, complexity, East meets West.

The tin opening smell was quite strong, and not really what I expected: I expected Latakia, I got a mix of smells, some mustiness. I was a tad put off by the smell because it reminded me of a toned down Mississippi Mud, which I really disliked. However I haven't had a Balkan or English Blend for a while, so I soldiered on.

The taste is Oriental forward, undeniably, and some Latakia. As usual I don't get the Perique in the presence of Latakia and Orientals, but I'm sure it's doing something. The lack of Virginia is evident in this blend as there's no real sweetness here, just the sweet and sour play of the Oriental tobaccos. As the bowl progresses the Oriental taste becomes stronger and stronger, with the last third of the bowl being really pleasurable, and showcasing the Oriental leaf.

This is what I'd call a very honest blend, it delivers what's promised, and very well. I'd personally like some sweetness, but that's not the aim or the point of the blend.

Age When Smoked: 6 months

Purchased From: Smoking pipes

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BrokenRecord (124)	2019-07-15		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Byzantium: An enjoyable voyage to the Balkans with a short stop in the Bayou

The Cyprian Latakia is the star of this show and makes up the majority of the tobacco. It offers the normal camp-fire and leathery flavors without much bitterness as with other Lat-bombs. The orientals stoutly assert themselves adding a dry floral characteristic to the smoke. The perique hits you hard with its spice and fermented earthiness. These three tobaccos successfully walk a fine line between intensity and balance. The flavor profile reminds me of Nightcap in regard to the oriental variety, the healthy dose of perique and Latakia, though Byzantium lacks the sweetness of the Virginia leaf.

Edit: August 2019 The lack of sweetnesses has finally gotten to me and I decided to continue my search for a replacement for Nightcap.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	point9 (114)	2016-06-13		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Byzantium has been there for a long time with good reasons. It is a Balkan blend without virginia. It would be a latakia bomb if there wasn't a good amount of oriental in it. Spicy and tough on the nose, without sweat virginia to mellow it out. Good smoke for after dinner or nightcap enjoyment. For further refinement and balance, I will go for Red Odessa.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	poppy43 (11)	2014-05-07		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

this is a great tobacco, the only fault I have with it is it seems a little harsh on my throat if I smoke to much of it, so it's a once a day smoke. I'll keep some around. No complaints from anyone on the room note.

Pipe Used: a trusty Kaywoodie

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	krg1000 (183)	2010-10-06		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

While I don't think this is by far a bad blend, there just seems to be something missing. It lights and stays lit well. It does produce a decent amount of smoke and seems to be a slow burning mixture. But just doesn't seem to have that oomph to put it to 3 or 4 stars. I give this a pleasant rating on room note because the wife didn't go screaming inside when I had this lit and was puffing away. I would recommend this for those wanting to give an English a try.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-02-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This blend is wonderful. For me it starts off mild and a bit sweet. The anticipation of the soon to come deep, rich and peppery end is near. The layers I taste in this blend are nice when smoked in a nice big bent pipe. It loads very easily. This is the last fair deal in the country when purchased by the pound. I can tell the queen of diamonds by the way she shines when I'm smoking the Byz.

Oh an it satisfies my nic craving nicely unlike most English blends. Exhaling through my nose towards the end is delightful.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ducksbreath (125)	2006-02-07		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

This tastes to me similar to the old 965. Though this is less vibrant, more earthy, less woody. It is nearly as strong, in Latakia as well as in overall strength, which is full.

The kind of VAs in this are very creamy, the orientals slightly muted compared to 965, not as perfumey, and the Latakia is deep and smokey. The cut, which I can only describe as mixed, makes for a slow, sometimes slightly bitter burn. But this is very good, if sometimes tasting a bit rough around the edges. It's good enough that I'd say 965 smokers ought to try this as an alternative. It will get better with age.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pip'n'Piper (54)	2022-12-03		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Full	Strong

The first few bowls I smoked I found too spicy. It tickled my tongue, and not in the fun way. So, it sat in a jar on the shelf for about a year. Upon return, I've been enjoying it much more. Smokey, musty, creamy latakia. Spicy, peppery perique with a heavenly date-like sweetness that is constant throughout the bowl. I think the orientals are bringing some vegetative earth, spice, creaminess and the oft sour notes. A subtle aged cheese note in the background that doesn't overwhelm. I still find it quite spicy and I do notice it on my tongue, but it's not bringing me to tears this time around (I had my tear ducts removed, as any pipe smoking manly man should). Altogether, the taste reminds me of a spicier version of Plum Pudding that's been mixed with EMP. Burns well, no overabundance of relights. Pleasantly surprised by the sweet aftertaste. Not sure if the age helped, or my palate has expanded/deadened in the past year, but it was much better. All in all, it's pretty good. Affordable in bulk. Im somewhere around 3 stars. If you like this type of blend, or just a fan of english tobys in general, I would certainly recommend.

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: 4noggins

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimPM (155)	2021-09-29		Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

Available in both tinned and bulk preparations, Byzantium is a mannish production indeed. Catching an eyeful of this blend’s physical features, the initial impression is one of potency and power; rightfully so. Fragmented but distinctly concentrated, its visage is overshadowed by toothy, dense, rough-cut pieces of lush smoked Latakia. The dark and ruddy complexion of Cyprian throws hints foretelling the forceful mood of the recipe’s colorful temperament. With the varying thickness, flowing ribbons of the exotic Oriental and striking flecks of black Perique complete the grandeur of Byzantium’s ennobled show. Visually, an impressive Balkan specimen, showing a complexion of flush, cultured, abundance. Tactilely, Byzantium is particularly dry to the touch as it promises the smoker the imminence of an overgenerous experience.

The fragrance lofting from the mass of tobacco projects a deeply fermented opus of pervasive character. A fierce marinade of elevated smoky tartness grabs the immediate senses sharply invading the nose. The seasoned earthiness springing from the Turkish steams as it embraces the dominant fore note. In return, a brilliant reprise of dark fruit spice pulls from the Acadian Perique showering the final registration. Supplementing the mixture’s exalted appearance, the gritty pith of Byzantium’s aroma is plainly energizing and quite inspirational.

Not an overly complex recipe per say, the mixture is, however, decidedly rich, and intense in nature. Depending upon whom one polls there seems to be debate concerning whether Byzantium conforms to the proto-typical Oriental forward Balkan style. From my assessment, the fortitude of the Oriental is duly present as it should be in a traditional Balkan mix. It does not overly dominate as one might presume but dazzling Oriental affluence is strongly registered with each drawl of the smoke. Byzantium, by my definition, is a blend that I would stamp as a Lat-forward Balkan derivative. Namely, the recipe models the classic Balkan profile (less Virginia) yet brings an interesting twist to the usual convention.

Specifically, the Latakia moves compellingly to a vanguard position commanding the foreground of the taste field. Offering a bold smoky sweet leathery spice, it forges a base character of deeply charred thick, and I do mean thick, ancient woodiness. It is heavy and confounding in humor as it casts an aura mirroring the staunch dense feel of a weighty cigar. I dare say probably a bit too much for the passive or untrained smoker.

Circulating as a strong and cheered complements, the registration of the Turkish and Perique find even footing with stunning accuracy as they fill the elements of Byzantium’s well-balanced flavorful profile. Extending a notable variety of exotically spiced accents, the Oriental is characterized by a buttery must, mushroom-pungent, tangy, and very floral (ala greenish tones) appeal if you follow my colorized description. Interestingly, occasional subtle drifts of burned dried grass moved within the accent notes, perhaps a special refinement from the strain of Turkish? Finally, the consistent zesty Perique induces a well-defined nuance of dark stewed prune sweetness as the trailing note of the rounded taste characterization.

The room note on this one leaves no mystery as to the depth of its hearty character. As it turned out, the wife complained rather openly truth be known, meaning Byzantium is destined to be a remote and external smoking pleasure. As one would surmise, the smoky cloud produced is thick, frow, and leathery. A heavy charred woodsy odor permeates the entire room and then some. With that, some essenced sour, floral, musky spices surface from the Oriental bringing a delightful appeal to the whole olfactive experience.

Furthermore, the stamina of Byzantium’s essence is extraordinary grand and seems to feather-off with intentional delay. Personally, I rather like its odorous and resolute disposition. Poetically the scent’s determination to stand fast forming a legacy, much like the great city of note, underscores quality and virtue of constitution. Be advised, however, that one man’s perfume might be a noxious disturbance for others.

Overall Byzantium being a strong, full-flavored blend offers an unconventionally stout Balkan suit. Given the noted dryness, the tobacco tends to ignite easily, burning with moderated temperature and stride. One will encounter neither bite nor roughness unless the drawls are given an overly zealous cadence. Preferentially using a quality briar, with sips modeling small bursts and prolonged retro-hales the exemplary nature of this mixture can truly be appreciated. In the fairness, Byzantium is not for the amateur smoker, nor would I categorize it as regular day-long experience either. For myself, I tend to favor heady recipes, yet I do practice moderation by only partaking them in a gingerly spaced rotation.

Summarizing this trial, Cornell & Diehl have most assuredly created a unique Balkan variety. A Lat-heavy formidable base tempered with a moving ambience of rich tasteful accents makes Byzantium a captivating acquaintance. Generally, a straightforward recipe, Byzantium engenders a celebratory experience in which every element is given proper attentiveness and value in the creation of splendidly crafted flavor. If you possess an affinity for the character of Latakia and a quality Balkan varietal, then I suggest you give Cornell & Diehl’s entry a try. In pursuit, the timeless glory of the ancient Byzantine mystique will leave its memorable impression upon you.

Subjective Hanna based rating: 3.3 Objective assessment (scoring mechanicals, standard genre attributes, and pricing) 151.3 out of 166 @ 91%.

Pipe Used: Briar

Age When Smoked: Fresh

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Hobo Piper (8)	2021-03-15		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Strong

This is an ideal blend to accompany whiskey. The perique and turkish take the lead and assert their strengths back and forth between the periques spice and the turkish leaf's buttery and salty floral profile. The latakia is used as a condiment adding smoke and incense. Then 1/3 into the bowl the perique turns onto more of a plummy jam of stone fruits and the butter from the oriental picks up and the latakia adds a bit more smokey incense. Towards the middle of the bowl the perique picks up a little spice again, the oriental takes up grassy virginia qualities and the latakia is almost a ghost providing a slight smoky sweetness. Nearing the end of the bowl the perique once again increases in spice just a smidgen along with a jammier sweeter profile and the oriental and latakia work together to create a stronger incense but the turkish keeps just enough grassy notes. The stength reaches medium to strong and the nic hit is surely a medium. A 4 star bulk blend. A 3.5 star overall

Similar Blends: Bayou night.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rob73 (77)	2016-10-30		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

It would be a great blend but the absence of some basic tobaccos (Virginia or Kentucky) makes Byzantium a little bit weak and light in strength but excellent for some homemade blends. Anyway, 3,5/5 in my personal rating system.

Purchased From: Dubini, Chiasso (Switzerland)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Zekest Crowe (1)	2014-05-05		Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Rich smoky Latakia that is slightly on the heavy side, very light Oriental/Turkish flavor, and only enough Perique to notice when I exhale through my nose.

Pipe Used: Peterson Kapet 120 Dublin

Age When Smoked: Less than a year in a Ball jar

Purchased From: SmokingPipes.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StrongMixturesOnly (17)	2013-08-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

A wonderful mixture of Turkish, Latakia, and Perique tobaccos, Byzantium is truly a metropolis of flavor. Latakia adds the strength while the Turkish flavoring and spice of Perique entwine superbly to create a distinctive and authentic English blend, rich in the signature taste Oriental leaves are known for. I personally enjoy this mixture best on a cool Autumn's night, alone with only my thoughts and my pipe.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-06-02		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

I found this to be a strong and satisfying tobacco. Certainly not an all day smoke for me, this is best left to an after dinner treat. I am puzzled with the comparison of this with 965. I've smoked 965 since the early 90's and personally seen no similarities. My wife dislikes the smell of most latakia blends and this was no exception. She described the aroma as burnt Chinese food. (I don't know what that means but that is what she claims. She wasn't as offended by the even heavier Pirate Kake.) Anyway,this is a decent tobacco well worth a try.

soli Deo gloria

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Fumatore (49)	2010-05-30		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I don't think this is bad blend but the combination here is not entirely pleasurable to my taste. It gives me a flavor or mouth-feel as would incense. My guess is that the Latakia is overdone in combination with just the Turkish and Perique tobaccos. Don't misunderstand, I love my Latakia and English blends, but something is just off the mark with this one.

Apparently some of you like your Latakia no matter the amalgamation, so I will give it a "somewhat recommend". While I would smoke Byzantium if nothing else was available, I won't order any more of it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	jankoez (69)	2009-11-14		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Good blend that burns well and goes to white ash. However, sometimes it lacks of strength, then taste becomes somewhat plain.

My rate: 3.6

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Latakia (70)	2008-05-01		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Anice mix of latakia, perique and turkish. Nice creamy taste with less latakia than Star of the East. A bit less would be perfect but it still is a nice smoke. A good evening smoke.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-02-17		Mild	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

One of the best Balkans out there. Needs a little coaxing to get it lit, but after that smokes very well. Very smooth, absolutely no bite. One of those blends that can be smoked back to back with no problem. Highly recommended.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-10-08		Medium	None Detected	Full	Very Pleasant

This blend by C&D is for me just about the perfect Balkan; it has everything I look for in a Balkan blend - smooth, creamy and rich taste. I've never ended up with tongue bite with this mixture, despite the sometimes two or three bowls I'll smoke in one day. I've gotten into the habit of cutting the ribbons/flakes up with a scissors and letting them dry about 15 - 20 before before lightly packing my pipe. By cutting, drying and lightly packing, I'm usually able to get most the way through a bowlful without more than a couple relights and it always burns down to dry gray ash. While I believe the room note is very pleasant, my wife describes the beginning of the bowl as "acrid"; however, she admits that once I've gotten about a fourth of the way into the bowl the acridity disappears and she finds the odor quite nice. I've smoked this in a large variety of pipes, including meerschaum, and I enjoy it the most in the evening in a billiard-type briar, about a group five. This type of pipe gives me over two hours to thoroughly enjoy Byzantium and makes for the perfect last-pipe-of-the-day smoke. The nicotine strength must not be too great, as it doesn't make me sleepy like some blends (Dunhill's Nightcap or GLP Haddo's Delight); however, there is enough nicotine to meet my needs and to relax me. Overall a very good tobacco and recommended for those who enjoy Balkans.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2005-05-18		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Very, very similar to Engine 99, but a tad lighter in body. Not the quality of many other C&D blends.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2002-01-15		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Very Strong

Here we have another of the English blends from C&D that I recently began to try. This one turned out to be very similar to Engine 99; the only real difference I notice is an overall slightly lighter tone. The aroma of the tobacco is primarily the dark, leathery notes of strong Latakia, but with a few modifying lighter hints; it certainly isn?t the darkest English tobacco I?ve smelled. The leaf is roughly 80% very dark brown, with 10% each of medium and lighter brown thrown in. The cut is short, of normal width, and includes many broken fragments and some powder. The lighter brown pieces are somewhat longer than the rest. The moisture level is very low, like usual; I would recommend adding a little distilled water and letting the bag sit overnight. Packing is easy, if the powder is sifted out first. A bowl lights easily and burns well, if a bit quickly, and a normal number of relights is required. In the first third, the initial flavor is one of my favorites: dark, rich Latakia goodness. The smoke is fairly smooth, with no bite, and is not harsh when exhaled through the nose. I sense no real sweetness here, nor is the flavor excessively heavy. I?d call this a rather satisfying blend at this point. The middle 1/3 is darker but not a great deal so. There is still no bite, though there is a small amount of moisture at this point. The tobacco is not weak nicotine-wise, but I?m not reeling in my chair (yet). It is still fairly smooth and satisfying. The finish is much like the rest of the bowl, with no real bite and no additional moisture problems. The flavor becomes significantly stronger at the very bottom of the bowl, providing a very nice finish. Overall, I enjoyed this blend very much. It is an excellent example of the English/Latakia tobaccos that I like to smoke in the evening. It could use some aging, as with most C&D blends. The room aroma is not all that pleasant; but I recommend this to anyone who can stand the ?camel shit? comments from the ignorant masses . I certainly plan to keep some around.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ryan419 (5)	5 days ago		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Tolerable

I really liked this one. Very solid on the Orientals and the Latakia is well balanced. Has a very pleasant smoky and earthly flavour Just a touch of raisin without being peppery. I did not experience any tongue bite at all, and I smoked three bowls on the first sitting. I was pleasantly surprised. It burned well. Did not have to relight. Not excessively moist. I did not really experience a nicotine hit even through a lot of people complain about it.

This is a good outdoor by the fire kind of summer smoke. I really enjoyed it. It's strong but not overbearing. Nothing kitchy or aromatic but a solid Oriental blend.

Pipe Used: Curved Savenelli

Age When Smoked: 1

Purchased From: Country Squire

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lawyertodd (36)	2023-02-09		Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Unnoticeable

Weak and flavorless. Sawdust is cheaper but similar. I love flavorful Orientals, but this simply doesn’t qualify. Will jar this and hope that the flavor improves after two years.

Pipe Used: Danish bent

Age When Smoked: Bulk just received

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Sawdust or cardboard.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	GeoffS (29)	2022-07-15		Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

It’s a smoky English with a tiny hint of perique spice and tang. Very rich. Buttery and soft, balanced with a sour note. The complete lack of sweetness leaves me wanting, and it leaves a dry aftertaste in my mouth. I liked this one when I first tried it because it is quite unique, but I quickly grew bored of it and passed it over for more interesting blends. I can see the appeal and I always enjoy the first few sips, but it loses my interest halfway through the bowl.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-02-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

A Smooth, full, creamy, smokey. Delicious, singular but consistent flavor and mouth feel. While it is a one trick pony, I really like it. When I approached the end of an 8 ounce tin, I ordered more. As always, YMMV.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-04-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Preface: I have been smoking Dunhill Standard Mixture Medium for near-on 30 years, believing that it has no equal anywhere on earth. But it is gone now, and so I begin a quest for my Holy Grail: A substitute to replace the standard on which all English tobaccos are based.

Byzantium is not the one. If you enjoy Nightcap, you'll enjoy Byzantium though. Lots of rich/creamy/smoky Latakia, but lacks strength and complexity, just as Nightcap did. Mild and a bit boring for my tastes.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2006-01-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Among other things, I am a Latakia lover, so this one is right up my alley. If I am smoking a Latakia blend, I want the flavor to be big and bold. Byzantium delivers.

Like all C&D blends, it burns well, and burns clean. A nice cool smoke that I really enjoy in the evening when it's time to put the day behind me. You can really get lost in the flavor.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2002-12-16		Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

General Comment for All C&D Blends. So far, all my samples have burned clean and dry. They contain quality ingredients. If purchased fresh from C&D, I find that I must adjust the moisture content, and let them rest for 3-6 months before sampling. They change flavor dramatically in just a few months.

In appearance, this is a primarily dark looking blend that gives the appearance of a strong and full smoke ahead. On the other hand, the pouch aroma does not confirm this as it is not that strong. If you are familiar with delicate but full flavored English Latakia-Oriental blends, here is the meat and potatoes version. This has plenty of flavors, a decent nicotine content, and a good Latakia dose. I find it a bit rough. I prefer that even the strong full Latakia blends have some creamy and smooth balance. It is possible that this needs even more age. I have many similar blends from C&D and others that I prefer to Byzantium including C&D Engine 99. If you like full flavored Latakia blends, and if prefer them to be untamed, here's your blend. It has quality ingredients, does not bite, and burns clean and dry to charcoal gray ash.

Nobody has rated this review yet.