Tobaccos Cornell & Diehl - Purple Cow

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	A. Morley (97)	2007-01-31		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Well, now that this blend has been featured on the History Channel, I simply must put forth my thoughts in hopes of being thought cool by association.

Had it not been for the Ogden Nash reference and the name of Bob Runowski attached to this blend, I doubt if I would have ever given Purple Cow a moments thought. All cigars taste the same to me, that is to say taste bad, and I have never understood the intention behind grinding them up and putting them in otherwise pure, unoffending pipe tobacco. The name Runowski, however will always give me pause. This man is responsible for all of my favorite blends from Cornell & Diehl. His Pegasus and Haunted Bookshop are my constant companions because he understands the wonders of Burley, and thus the fullness of what tobacco can offer. Whether a blend contains cigars or cough syrup; if Bob Runowski had a hand in it I'll give it a shot.

Once again, the good gentleman has delivered. This is one of two blends with both wonderful Burley and questionable Latakia wherein I can taste both of them and they both taste right. The soft, toasty Burley starts out the smoke, the meaty yet well-mannered Latakia drops in to say hello now and again, just as it should be. Virginia provides a reassuring tang throughout the smoke but never takes over. The cigar leaf is the greatest accomplishment of all. It comes into the overall smoke now and again. When it does, the taste is like that of a cigar when it is first ignited, which I actually find somewhat pleasant. The joy of the cigar leaf in Purple Cow is that this flavor endures throughout and never takes on that taste that comes about in all other cigars and cigar leaf blends I have had, which is something like overcooked zucchini.

I never saw a Purple Cow.

I hope I never see one,

But count myself a lucky bloke

In that I have now have smoked one.

28 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2011-01-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

I see we have a "love it or hate it" blend on our hands here. Well, the tin art is marvelous and the contents are (IMO), quite nice although not a "bell cow" smoke for me.

As usual, C&D blenders did a very nice job combining the components and I was able to detect the flavor presentation of all the various types of leaf. The Latakia was pleasant, the Virginia was mild, the Burley provided some punch and the Cigar leaf made for an interesting overall presentation.

I've never smoked a cigar leaf blend that really reminded me of a good cigar (of course, I've never smoked a coffee topped blend that reminded me of a good cup of coffee either).

It is obvious from reading through the reviews that C&D accomplished exactly what they wanted with Purple Cow, to provide a Cigar leaf pipe tobacco blend that would be very pleasing to some of our hobby's pipers. Congrats C&D!

17 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (632)	2015-07-28		Very Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is by far my favorite of the cigar blends to date. Not because it tastes like a cigar; it don't. It is just because of the fantastic taste that it delivers the pipe smoker. It is kind of like Habana Daydream in that it has a lot of components, but where that one can come off as harsh and usually does, this one is smooth.

The smoothness can easily lull you into thinking that this is a mild blend, but don't let the smooth taste fool you. This sleeper is loaded with nicotine.

This is also an easy one for me to rate as I have recommended this blend to a lot of people and have received favorable feedback nearly every time. If you like deep bodied blends that are smooth to smoke and pack a good nic wallop then this is the blend for you. I will be ordering a lot more of this one.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kraft1994 (54)	2014-01-27		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

This blend may be considered a cigar based blend but I have to disagree. In my opinion Purple Cow is a burley based blend. The cigar leaf makes its appearances from time to time throughout the smoke. The latakia adds its nice smoky latakia flavor in the background throughout the smoke. The virginia adds a touch of sweetness but the main flavor is the dark, nutty burleys.

For the room note... well.... to a non smoker this blend is nothing but fowl. However to a smoker of non-aromatic pipe tobaccos or cigars this blend actually gives of a nice scent. A bold combo of and english pipe tobacco and a nice mellow cigar.

Allinall, Purple Cow is a great blend of burley's, virginia's, latakia and bold sweet maduro. An excellent blend for pipe smokers who enjoy an occasional cigar, pipe smokers looking to work their way to cigars, Cigar smokers who enjoy an occasional pipe, or cigar smokers trying out pipe smoking. A great mid way blend between pipes and cigars.

Pipe Used: Nording Freehand Signature

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2075)	2018-01-20		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Cornell & Diehl - Purple Cow.

This isn't as strong with cigar leaf as I expected. The cigar's a definite addition, but doesn't rule the roost. The Burley and Virginia give a sweet nuttiness and there's a touch of Lat-smokiness. The burn from it's good, and the smoke's of a medium temperature. I get no tongue bite but the nicotine reduces the enjoyment: too strong.

Somewhat recommended.

Pipe Used: Peder Jeppesen Free Hand

Age When Smoked: 6 months

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2017-04-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

The earthy, nutty Burley holds a slight lead over the smoky Lat. The Virginias lend a touch of sweet hay. The Cigar Leaf adds an earthy spice that stays mostly in the background, but steps toward the front on occasion. A pretty nice smoke that benefits from sipping to bring out the best flavor. Has enough strength to easily satisfy. Burns cool and steady.

Medium in body. Medium to full in taste. No added flavorings. Burn is excellent.

Pipe Used: MM Dagner Poker, Country Gentleman, Marcus

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	schram (2)	2014-03-18		Extremely Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

I'm pretty new to smoking pipes, but not cigars.

I've tried and have really enjoyed a few house English blends from a local B&M. I'm beginning to get the impression they are very mild nicotine wise.

I have very recently tried "Old Dog", which is similar to the blends from my B&M, and loved it.

I really enjoyed one bowl of night cap, which gave me a real good nic hit, which i did not expect at all, but was fantastic.

This blend on the other hand... I picked it out because, coming from cigars I wanted to try something with cigar leaf. I originally wanted to try Dominican glory, but 4noggins only had a larger tin, and i didn't want to buy that much when really all I wanted was a sampler. I was unsure I'd like it anyways, so I opted for this, and hey, I'd get to try a burley too.

Well, pretty sure I don't like it.

First impression, smelled fantastic in the tin, very different, almost plummy or nutty.

None of that translated into the smoke, all I got was cheapo cigar/cigarettes. At this point I don't know if that's the cigar leaf, or just the burley.

The real thing I got from this though, was my ass kicked by nicotine. I tried three times but could never finish a bowl without feeling sick.

I've got this in a mason, and maybe I'll come back to it. For now, I'm excited to try some more English/Balkan blends, and the tin of Dominican Glory I found in a 2oz tin.

Pipe Used: Briar - Brigham 2-Dot

Age When Smoked: Just Opened

Purchased From: 4noggins

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2013-04-21		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Full	Tolerable

This has a strong maduro cigar leaf body to it. It is not full of plums and raisins like Three Nuns, nor a Christmas mass censer like Sasieni (meaning that the latakia isn't the main note), nor is it a MacBaren mouth mousetrap of tongue bite. It's a fairly slow smoke, unlike Carter Hall which disappears like magician's paper. For about 2/3 of the orchestra, I'd have to say, "Cigar."

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dixcreek (182)	2017-07-08		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A good smoke for the burley lover, of which I am one. Hell, I love it all, but on with the notes. Predominantly good nutty burley with Virginia, Latakia and Muduro leaf playing lesser roles and in the order afore mentioned. Takes to the match well and smokes clean from top to bottom. No bite for me but I smoked at a moderate cadence. The Virginia helps to take some of the edge off of the burley with its grassy quality. The Latakia played a minor role for me with undertones of smiley camp fire and the dark oily Maduro becomes more obvious as the smoke proceeds. Overall a smoke worth trying. Less pronounced and not quite as strong as BillyBudd, but an overall solid 3 here for me. One note, if you are looking for this to taste like a Maduro wrapped stoggie, that ain't happening. The only true way to get that in a pipe is to smoke a cigar in the pipe. Pairs well with strong black coffee and good tea. Not my everyday smoke but one I will keep on hand for a change of pace.

Pipe Used: Cobs and falcons

Age When Smoked: New and jarred for several months

Purchased From: Pipes and cigars

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	the_dalai_lama_himself (43)	2017-03-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

This is a surprising blend in that it takes a little while to adjust to off the light.. that sweet/acrid Maduro cigar Leaf is different but in a good way, earthy smokiness when combined with the Latakia and some dark chocolate on the finish.. some subtle hay and fruit from the Virginia, the burley provides a nuttiness, molasses and body on the front end. Last bowl I smoked, I paired a strawberry white sweet tea and it was wonderful. Burns well, little moisture..As for room note.. I live alone and open the window, can't really comment so I'll guess. 4 star blend for me, as a cigar smoker it's a nice alternative when I want the pipe experience without the same old va/burley or lat heavy flavors. But I can see how it wouldn't be for everyone.

Pipe Used: Multiple cobs.

Age When Smoked: 1 yr

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	captnmojo (10)	2014-07-20		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

So here's the thing...before smoking a pipe I was an avid cigar smoker of only the finest... ie Cohiba, Partagas, Montecristo, anything Cuban (as it is legal in Canada ) now smoking a pipe I am a huge English blend guy. I have to say the main reason for me trying Purple Cow is the show Modern Marvels on History Channell on tobacco culture. I'm only on my second bowl of the stuff and it is better than the first. To me it is a great English blend with a kick of the cigar leaf. when smoked to fast I find it can get a bit bitter and heavy but when smoked easy I find the Maduro leaf adds almost a cinnamon woodsy note. I think I'll put this blend in a mason and revisit it in several months and again in a year or so. I believe this blend has great potential but needs some time.

**Update a week later and yeah this is not your balanced English blend. Though it starts out somewhat balanced the cigar leaf makes itself known half way down, not a bad thing for me but for most will be to strong. I said I'll put this away but will try it periodically to see how the tobacco matures. Please don't make this your first English blend as it is a bit strong and may turn some first timers off.

Pipe Used: Brigham voyageur

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Crooked lane but stronger due to the Maduro cigar leaf..

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	codyp (65)	2014-01-27		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

First, I am an occasional cigar smoker. Very much enjoy them, however I am more a pipe smoker, and the marrying of these two is genius. An all out great blend.

Now for details, because this deserves it.

The strength is pretty high because of the great latakias, and cigar leaf. The cigar leaf adds great flavor and room note. Something you can't get everywhere.

The flavoring is obsolete because it does so well on its own. Which brings me to the taste, and cigar, which is arguably the best iv'e tasted.

The room note is not too pleasant for your non pipe smoker, in which i'm giving this room note a tolerable. The wife was a bit afraid.

All in all this is a must have in my collection and yet another C & D favorite, kudos.

Pipe Used: Nording Freehand

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

Similar Blends: Billy Budd.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tom Bombadill (120)	2011-09-17		Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

I bought this vacuum can of Purple Cow in January of 2010 and cellared it unopened for a year and a half before trying it. This was done of course to improve the blend. Immediately upon opening, I was surprised to find the tobaccos were completely shredded and diced giving the appearance of being floor sweepings from the C&D factory. I almost had a cow! I was further astonished to find the tobacco was completely dried out even though it was vacuum sealed. And I mean completely dried out. I almost had another cow! I packed a bowl which burnt like paper all the way through in under a minute. I tried a second bowl with the same result. Almost having my third cow I was at a cross-roads: I had no choice but to re-hydrate the blend or throw it out. Opting to re-hydrate, I emptied the tin in a plastic container and placed a sponge dampened with distilled water along side the tabacky. I sealed it up and after two weeks the blend was moist and smokable.

After all that effort, the blend wasn't bad as a once in a while smoke. I'm a big English/latakia blend smoker and like a "cigar" blend now and then. My problem with cigar blends is that I don't smoke cheap maduro cigars and I can't imagine tobacco houses using great maduro cigars when making pipe blends. Lots of "cigar blends" taste like cheap maduros. I smoked Purple Cow intermittantly, outside, as part of my English, flake, and aromatic-now-and-then rotation.

Ultimately, the maduro cigar flavor dominated and it wasn't necessarily a great maduro taste. I've enjoyed other cigar blends more. Purple cow is worth a try for an intepid English smoker. Maybe I had a bad batch.

Maybe the cow is purple because he inhaled this stuff?

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LiterarySmoker (143)	2020-09-22		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Blend: C&D Purple Cow Blend type: English/ Scottish Cut: Ribbon Topping: None Taste: Full Bodied Strength: Med/Strong

So this comes in the typical C&D tin, which is beautifully packed when opened. The tin note is actually quite sweet (I think this has to do with the amount of virginia in the blend) and the Latakia is a bit more prominent and deliciously smokey. This blend as an added bonus has Maduro cigar leaf, which as a cigar smoker, is one of my favorites.

It packs well and lights like a charm, I find an average amount of relights will do. Once you do light up, I think you'll find that it won't win you any favors from those around you. But room note is always such a subjective thing and I find it really pleasant.

As you light up, the smoke has a very full body. The smoke has a hay-like sweetness and that is from the Virginias. The Latakia adds a very incense like taste, smokey yet complex. I think I find that the maduro leaf adds to that incense like complexity but also gives the blend some meat and a light nuttiness. I find the smoke very consistent in taste and if you are looking for a similar blend with a little bit more Latakia, I'd recommend C&D's Billy Budd.

The taste is full bodied. Lady N is not here to play around. I stand up and feel it in this one so some food on the stomach is a decent idea, but it isn't as potent as Night Train or Bow Legged Bear.

All in all this is a great smoke and one I plan on keeping on hand.

Pipe Used: Kaywoodie Birkshire Large Panel

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: B&M

Similar Blends: Billy Budd, Robust, Key West.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kokinhenik (91)	2020-02-06		Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Right up front I have to confess I'm not a fan of the name. Call me finicky but Purple Cow was never going to make it in my rotation.

As for a review of the blend, I love cigars and find the addition of cigar leaf to pipe tobacco a genius idea. I'm a fanboy of robust full bodied cigar blends. Purple Cow is cigar forward and the burley enhances that aspect, however it isn't as creamy and/or complex as Habana Daydream, Key Largo, Billy Budd, or Robusto. I love those blends. In this one the cigar and burley flavor profile really dominated with cigar and dark espresso notes. I keep asking myself... why not just smoke a good cigar? All things considered its much easier.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LOGS (4)	2019-04-24		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

An interesting oddball blend. I first tried it when it was initially released and have returned to it on occasion. On review sites, Purple Cow is typically categorized as a "cigar leaf blend" but truthfully I'd place it squarely in the "Other" category. While not as unusual as something like Haddo's Delight or Dark Star, I think it's fair to say that Purple Cow doesn't taste like anything else out there.

I'm always interested in the experimental blends and Purple Cow is suggestively named. In fact when I first encountered it, I was skeptical that it was anything more than a novelty tobacco for the unserious smoker--both the tin art and name suggest a (misleading) sense of whimsy. But after learning it was a Bob Runowski blend (hero of C&D and the American pipe tobacco scene), I suspected there was more to this product than a bit of fun. Indeed, Purple Cow is a serious blend and unusually heavy too. There is an lasting oily heaviness to post-smoke mouthfeel that's not unlike that of strong rope tobacco such as Gawith, Hoggarth Brown Bogie. There's a lot going on with this one--with burley, latikia and maduro leaf fighting for your attention, Purple Cow is a rich smoke.. probably too rich to smoke regularly.

I appreciate the innovation and ideas behind this blend more than I love the blend itself. Don't get me wrong it's good stuff, but only when you're in the mood.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SiriusAmory (25)	2019-03-11		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Cornell & Diehl Purple Cow is an excellent, ribbon cut English blend. Right from the tin there is a strong note of brine from the Latakia with hints of cinnamon and earth. The tobacco has just the right moisture content to be ready to smoke immediately as well.

The Latakia is definitely dominant here with the typical notes of brine and bbq smoke. However, there is some maduro cigar leaf in the blend that lends a bit of smoothness to the flavor. There are also notes of earth, a good amount of pepper, and some bitter cocoa. It definitely smokes like a full bodied Nicaraguan cigar.

Overall Purple Cow is easily one of my favorites and I’ve been smoking it quite a lot lately. The tobacco burns easily and required very few relights. It is a full bodied blend that I wouldn’t recommend for the Virginia or aromatic smoker.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rustedrailsmokes (293)	2018-08-25		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I found this one of the more interesting C&D blends.

The burley is strong in this one and the nic hit can be too. The cigar leaf is noticeable (similar to Country Lawyer) but I could have done with less latakia in this one.

Burns great without any complaints.

I'm not a big cigar guy but I could see cigar lovers liking this one a lot.

Pipe Used: various

Age When Smoked: unknown

Purchased From: TinSociety.com Box

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	puddlepirate (11)	2014-03-07		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Bought a 2oz. tin. Been smoking this about a week now. I wish I got an older tin to try. I dumped this into a mason jar to age awhile. I think I will enjoy it even more then. I prefer to buy in bulk. This is a good blend with burley the main player and cigar note and latakia rounding it out in the background. I am a fan of C&D 412 Billy Budd, and if you like that, you would probally like this one too.

Pipe Used: MM Diplomat, Yellowbole Checker

Age When Smoked: Tin date, 11/22/13

Purchased From: pipes&cigars.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CTS (138)	2014-01-07		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Gigar and latakia take the lead out of the chute through to the half-way mark. Then the blend smoothed out, allowing the Virginia to come through, particularly on the retrohale, Cigar leaf could be improved upon to balance the blend. Burned clean on one post-char lighting. 2+.

Pipe Used: Nording Freehand, MM

Age When Smoked: Tin dated 02-APR-2009

Purchased From: Corona Smoke Shop, Jackson, MI

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Backwoods Piper (70)	2013-11-27		Mild	None Detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Tolerable to Strong

Not for me. I don't need a pipe tobacco to emulate a cigar. I smoke both anyways. This is really a flat tasting blend even after considerable aging. It does smell like a decent cigar but has a flat undesirable taste. Couldn't finish this tin.

Pipe Used: briars and cobs

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Blue Bayou (60)	2013-02-23		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

An unusual mixture of floral notes, Latakia and cigar. Strong nic kick. Rather harsh, needs taming. Nothing "classic" about it.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	albfneto (184)	2012-10-10		Strong	None Detected	Overwhelming	Extra Strong

In the Can, the Latakia and the Cigar Tobacco are easily noted. Cigar Leaf is also noted in the smoke but in the room note,

During smoking, In the flavour, pure tobacco scented, bu so strong, even so strong to easy overhelming and after this, neither more in noted!

Also in the taste, the Burley dominates and this Blend is bitter, much bitter. Than, the taste is too strong to fast saturate the gustative impressions, and because of this, neither more is noted... Overhelm.

Smoking this is good in the begin, but their strenght saturates all the environment easily, becoming tasteless and boring. Large Nicotine ammount.

May be good for people that enjoy Cigars, and for that like extremely strong English mixtures,but this tobacco is not remarkable for me. Excessive Strenght, overhelming all... as Cheap Cigars and Vinegar taste.

This is not because the Latakia content, since almost pure Latakia blends,such as Pirate Cake are better.Also,in the kind of Cigar Leaf Mixtures, Dominican Glory is much better.

2 Stars for their quality,because is well blended, bus is only for people that enjoy very strong tobaccos or cigars, but not so good for me.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	7formy1911 (37)	2011-02-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Bob Runowski is my hero. He has forgotten more about burley than I'll ever know, but that doesn't keep me from enjoying it immensely. Usually when Bob is involved in a blend I think it's a good sign. With Purple Cow I almost missed out on this fantastic blend. I've had a chance to purchase some on many different occasions but never thought I'd enjoy this blend since I've always thought cigars and pipes don't mix. The good Lord always provides and I was given a good sized sample of Purple Cow in a tobacco trade on one of my favorite pipe forums. Here my love affair begins...

I was a little indecisive on what pipe to pick so I decided to punt and passed on all my briars and went to a lonely cob that had been sitting in my neglected pipe drawer. Once again... the good Lord provides. I loaded up my cob and put match to 'baccy and was met with a quick taste of latakia followed by sweetness, nutty burley and finally the cigar leaf chimed in. Within seconds all the components were harmoniously working together to provide a rich, sweetly nutty, slightly smokey blend that was held up by the cigar leaf. It's hard to explain how integrated the cigar leaf is but it just works perfectly. No bitterness or harshness just a cigar like richness you'd expect from a great cigar.

I think if you're a fan of burley and want something more interesting then definitely try this blend. If you're thinking this is an English blend then you're way off. It's mainly a burley blend that is supported by high quality cigar, virginia and latakia leaves but seems to defy definition because of the harmony of this blend. I would also recommend this in a cob. I've tried briar and I'm sure I can find a briar in my collection that would perform admirably but this blend just sings in a cob. This is American style burley and blending at it's finest.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-04-14		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Strong

UPDATE: I have to downgrade this....the vast majority of the tin recently got thrown out in a "spring-cleaning" of old tobaccos I no longer enjoy. It is tastes ok for the first part of the bowl but then degrades into a taste of stale cigars that makes me nauseous. It also leaves its stench in the pipe long after. Maybe I just don't dig cigar-leaf blends, but considering that this costs as much as many other better tasting "premium" tins I do not see the point. Either buy a good English blend or just get a good cigar. I leave the original review below.

General impression: The tin smell is very pleasant, with latakia (rather than cigar leaf) in the forefront. The taste when smoked is...unusual for pipe tobacco. The first half of the bowl is actually quite nice and feels like you are smoking a strong, spicy, smoky maduro cigar in your pipe. However, after that the taste begins to lean a little more toward the kind you get when you reach the very END of a good cigar and it's time to let it go out.

Who should buy this stuff: You feel adventurous and you like cigars. You want to try something unique and you like strong tobaccos.

Final notes: I actually think this is a well-blended tobacco and that any faults with it lie mainly with the inherent nature of cigar leaf. I did not regret purchasing it (although I probably will not get it again - I would rather spend that money on a real cigar). I recommend smoking this in pipe that you won't feel bad about throwing out a lot of unsmoked tobacco (like a corn cob).

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sasha (228)	2007-09-17		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

A friend sent me a sample of this tobacco: upon opening the pouch the smell was wonderful and it promised a great smoke. The cut was coarse, with sheets of Havana leaf, cubed burley and mostly ribbons of the rest. Big promises, but little taste: the only real tobacco taste I could detect was the burley one, while the others came into here in there, but very lightly noticeable. Really nothing to write home about.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DoctorThoss (146)	2007-08-19		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

First and foremost, this blend is heavy on the latakia. The cigar leaf and Va, in fact, don't seem to add much in the way of distinct flavors (which is surprising). Instead, they provide a LOT of sweetness -- so much so, in fact, that at times I had to remind myself that I wasn't smoking some kind of aromatic. The burley is hardly noticeable at all, as it seems to be used in this blend mainly as a base. Purple Cow (gotta love the name and tin art!) burns well,seems to have no bite at all, and won't goop up your pipe. The room note is considerably more friendly than that of most latakia-heavy blends. A word of caution, however: when you reach the bottom, the flavor shifts abrubtly to a sooty, ashy mess (probably due the cigar leaf), so I suggest dumping it about 3/4 of the way down.

Basically, this blend makes me think of a souped-up, slightly musty version of Frog Morton, which isn't a bad thing. It's not that they taste alike (the flavor profiles are different), but they both feature lots of latakia, lots of sweetness, and are exceptionally easy on the tongue. I think that fans of the Frog Morton line might like this one a lot, but folks who primarily smoke full-bodied English blends might want to give it a pass.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BingCrosby (161)	2021-03-12		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This one is like the bigger brother of habana daydream.. It is a rough and tough burley driven smoke.. Dry in character as I find cornell and diehl burley to be.. it also offers a nice cigar component that certainly is the second most important ingredient of the smoke.. robust, earthy and spicy. A touch of latakia and just a hint of virginia play in the smoke but are definitely not as significant..The results are interesting.. Maybe a little harsh and dry for my tastes.. I prefer a little tempering with my cigar and burley.. a little oriental or cavendish may have been a nice touch.. but then it would be a completely different smoke.. I think fans of burley have a great option here.. if you aren't a big burley person this one is good to try but maybe won't become a staple so much as a departure.. for me it is a 2.5 which I will round up to 3.. A satisfying cigar blend.. Not my first choice by far.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Nuvoleazzurre (36)	2019-11-08		Strong	Strong	Full	Strong

Purple Cow – Cornell & Diehl Dopo gli assaggi offerti agli amici è giunto il momento che esprima il mio pare su questa miscela, molto particolare. Innanzitutto questa è costituita da Burley, foglie di sigaro, Latakia e Virginia. Sfogliando il catalogo C&D la MuccaViola è descritta come “una classica miscela di Bob Runowski. Al Virgina chiaro si aggiunge una dose di Burley, un pizzico di Latakia e infine una gustosa foglia di sigaro Maduro”. Da qui la curiosità nel provare il tabacco dato che non mi è ancora capitato di trovare una miscela di Bob Runowski che non mi sia piaciuta. Purple Cow si presenta con una confezione dal taglio prettamente statunitense, tutta viola e col disegno, fumettistico della mucca con una pipa che fuma la pipae un contadino con un’espressione stupita sul viso. Apriamo la latta, il tabacco si presenta con ribbon piuttosto largo. Ci sono diverse sfumature di marrone dal chiaro allo scuro e poi il nero del Latakia. La prima impressione che si apprezza annusando il tabacco è quella di percepire un profumo fantastico, molto variegato ad ogni annusata; si sente il fruttato del Virgina, il tostato o nocciola del Buley; il pieno e sapido affumicato del Latakia, non arriva al mio olfatto il Maduro. Nonostante il ribbon non sottile la pipa si carica agevolmente, piccoli pizzichi alla volta, e la si può caricare dall’apertura della latta essendo di giusta umidità. L’accensione è rapida e per poterlo assaporare appieno è indispensabile essere molto, molto accorti nell’accendere il tabacco per tutta la circonferenza del fornello, più che altri tabacchi. Ai primi puff si percepisce subito il Burley, ottimo per la verità, col suo sentore di nocciola e di tostato, accompagnato in modo sublime dall’affumicato del Latakia. Si tratta di un ottimo Latakia, carnoso, non volgare, ma con le sue tipiche (e per il mio gusto sublimi) note di foglie bruciate, un gusto oscuro, untuoso. Il virginia serve per arrotondare i due tabacchi, offre un accompagnamento rassicurante e fornisce note dolci che ottimizzano il mix. E il Maduro? Quando il tabacco è ben caldo ecco che si sprigionano le note del tabacco da sigaro; questo non è oppressivo, ma si presenta di tanto in tanto e quando si presente lo fa coi sentori delle prime aspirazioni di un sigaro appena acceso. Questo lo trovo molto piacevole; anzi è la gioia di fumare il Purple Cow. Il sapore del tabacco Maduro persiste, senza mao offuscare il gusto del mix del Burley col Latakia. Attenzione però, questo è un tabacco molto nicotinico, e può davvero dare una sberla violenta, soprattutto se venisse fumato in modo forte e col surriscaldamento della brace. Facendo così diventa non un vacca, ma un toro da corrida che carica a muso basso. Fumato in modo cadenzato, lieve, a fil di respiro invece è un signor tabacco, squisito e particolare. Se una miscela di Bob Runowski contenesse sigari o sciroppo per la tosse io la proverei, non ho mai trovato un qualche cosa di deludente. In questo caso ha creato un mix davvero unico, superbo, mi piace tutto. Per chi è indicato? Sicuramente ad un fumatore osiamo anche dire esperto. Quando fumarlo? Sicuramente non a stomaco vuoto, se no si vuole essere sopraffatti dalla nicotina, perdendo il piacere di accarezzare col palato una mucca viola. Complessivamente 5/5 e il viaggio da Dubini è realmente speso bene.

Pipe Used: Dunhill, Savinelli, Armellini, Ulrik

Age When Smoked: 57

Purchased From: Dubini

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2013-02-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I am a long time cigar smoker who only occasionally smoked a pipe. This tobacco has changed that. This tobacco is as satisfying to me as any cigar. Flavors noted are that of nuts and tea, with a very solid base of creaminess. Absolutely no bite on the tongue. I will be smoking a lot of this in the future. Highly recommended!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-10-09		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Cornell & Diehl did well with this blend. It's got some deep, cigar leaf after-flavor, but not stepping on the burley and Perique. Packed easy and stayed lit as well. I can see this one staying in regular rotation.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-07-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Extra Strong

Took me ages to finish this tin, very cigarish. I did not like this, but powered through it anyway. Tastes very dry, no sweetness at all, very robust flavour. Mixed with roll cake makes it better, I'd get the occasional chocolate / cocoa nots, but all in all there is no way I will buy this again. Tobacco quality is good.

If you want to try cigar type blends, give it a go.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-01-16		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Tin note is excellent... Promising and full bodied. The smoke itself is a big letdown. I mean, this is one of those tobaccoes that does absolutely nothing for me. Sure, I can smoke it but I just don't see the point of it.

A little too strong but not enough body which makes it feel kind of like when you forget all other spices (salt and all that) and just remember to put in chilies in food. Strong but not full. No flavor to back it up with and just a peak of the strong stuff.

Not even close to cigar either and the latakia (which I love) feels very out-of-place too.

Not recommended from me!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-01-29		Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Strong

Purple Cow's tin aroma was promising: rich, full of smoky Latakia and dark sweet Maduro leaf. Upon lighting up there was a nice burst of Latakia. I found that after that, I had to smoke nice and slow to coax out the Latakia flavor. I suppose it was getting lost in the Burley, and what was progressively becoming, as one reviewer accurately described, a nauseating taste of stale cigar. I slogged my way through a few more bowls, each of which kinda made me sick. Maybe I just wasn't enough of a cigar guy to get it...

So then I pawned the tin off on my brother, who is more into cigars than I am. He smoked a bowl and promptly gave it back. So I passed it on to a friend who is a bonafide cigar lover. He smoked a bowl, took the old violet bovine out behind the shed, and put her out of her misery.

I very much wanted to like Purple Cow. I like Latakia. I like Maduro cigars. I like the funky tin art. I do not like Purple Cow; I do not like it anyhow.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Than (17)	2008-10-22		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Being a fan of Tobacco in all forms, this blend jumped at me with its Latakia and Maduro partnership. And it is a great pairing, however there is something that keeps this from being a four star great. I don't think there is enough Lat and Mad. I feel as if the burley blend gets in the way. Don't get me wrong, this is very good smoke, I enjoy it. Most Definately give it a shot.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	jankoez (69)	2008-10-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have to confess ? I brought this blend because the description and name were tempting. And I was not wrong. This is good tobacco and only warning is, that it is cut in very wide ribbons, so if you are not careful these huge pieces may block your pipe.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Latakia (70)	2008-03-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Bought it because of the tin and name right before my osn's graduation from Williams...home of the purple cow. The robacco was delivered on my birthday with two nice Tsuge Briars that I ordered. As a cigar smoker, wanted to try a good cigar leaf blend.

Nice robbon cut that was a bit dry when I opened the can. Packs nicely but does burn quickly...probably because of the dry nature of the tobacco.

Was a very nice smoke with the burleys and Vriginan mixing nicely with the latakia. The maduo leaf gives it a spicy touch. I didn't think I was going to like the same leaf I like smoking in a cigar out of a briar. Pleasantly surpirsed. Never overwhelms the smoke though. Since I broke in one of the new pipes with the blend, will try it in a nicely broken pipe to get a cushioned smoke.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ranger (78)	2007-04-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is the best latakia blend I have smoked from C & D, and one of my favorites, period. I don't know if it is the maduro leaf or what, but man, I do like this stuff. Very stringy tobacco and perfect for stuffing the pipe and lighting right up. Burns nearly perfect with a soft pack of the bowl. The taste has a great lingering sweetlness in the background that perfectly compliments the latakia.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-11-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

As a lover of cigar leaf blends, I'd like to say with the utmost enthusiasm- SKIP THIS ONE ! This was a major let down for me. The cigar leaf flavor is there but the blend is so muted nothing really comes to the forefront. I would describe this blend as very SOOTY. It shows no resemblance to Pease's "Robusto" or "Robert Lewis' 123 MIXTURE". A good try but no Cigar! PUN INTENDED!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stan (178)	2006-05-19		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This is a ribbon blend with shrards of cigar leaf. The burley makes this blend work, as I do taste the cigar component and it is not overwhelming in strength. Tastes good and makes you want to puff too fast. Keep your pace. Recommended to old fashioned burley smokers who want an edge of richness or who are fond of cigar notes.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Greybeard (62)	2022-08-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I'm not a cigar guy, but enjoy a good English, so I thought Latakia and cigar should be worth a try for something different. The Tin art is great. Note pretty good too. Nice smokey latakia start, with occasional dark fruit Virgina, and slight nutty burley. Since I'm not experienced with cigars I can't really say for sure if I'm detecting it or not.

A couple negatives are that it smokes very fast; almost over before you know it. I also got annoyed as there seems to be a lot of smaller bits of tobacco that occasionally make their way into my mouth.

Despite those two knocks, it's a decent blend that's worth a try, but is not going to end up on my regular purchase list. Just good enough for 3 star recommended rating.

Pipe Used: Brebbia Sabbiata, Benton Select, various cobs

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: SmokingPipes.com

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BigSwede (88)	2022-04-02		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I just rediscovered this tin after trying it a couple of years ago and setting it aside. This time around its more interesting.

Disclaimer: I've become a minimalist in my pipe smoking habits as of late. I don't want to hear arias or poetry while having a pipe. This fills the bill. The burley is good: toasty with the slightest hint of a bitter edge, but in a good way. It's the star here. The VA is quietly present, not sweet but grassy. The latakia is applied with a very light hand: every puff I get that small hint of it but it never overshadows the other leaf. The cigar, as others have noted, seems to come and go. Some puffs I get the hint of freshly lit cigar, the next puff it's gone. No it doesn't sound exactly exciting but the combination of flavor makes for a pleasant, durable blend. At the half way point it hits it's stride and burns down to a dry ash. Recommended for anyone who like good burley or wants to try a so called "cigar" blend.

Pipe Used: Brigham Heritage Canadian

Age When Smoked: 2 years old at least

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bumble (65)	2022-03-08		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

To give you a hint from where my below impressions are coming from; I favor aromatic blends (vanilla being my favorite), although I am finding I enjoy English/Scottish blends more frequently, which I could not stand when I first started smoking a pipe. I have been trying more of the English/Aromatic combo blends, which I have found being more and more of that I am reaching for for my everyday smoke

Opening the tin I smelled the Latikia right off the bat, it was noticeable but not overpowering. I was the singular scent I smelled.

The flavor I tasted was the cigar leaf's spiciness, in the background was the burley and the Latikia poked its head out shyly in the background.

Out of the tin the tobacco was dry. Was able to light this without issue and few relights were needed. I did have a little tongue-bite with this blend.

Pipe Used: Nording Metal Compass

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	King Weed (228)	2021-09-25		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I've smoked most of the recently available cigar wrapper leaf containing English blends and this blend, Purple Cow by Cornell and Diehl, is the mildest one. Comparing it to Pease Robusto, for instance, is like comparing a borderline light/medium English to a borderline medium/heavy English. To me, it smoked like a light/medium English in smaller pipes and a light English in larger pipes. Another peculiarity was how the cigar leaf disappeared in the larger bowls but was present and accounted for in the smaller bowls. The opening of this fifteen year old tin was dominated by it's bulged top and bottoms and the noticeable whoosh from the pull top seal breaking. Inside was a rough mixed cut of darker brown tobaccos that presented a disheveled appearance and was very dry to the touch-not bone dry, but dry for a sealed tin of tobacco. This was noted ten years ago by reviewer Tom Bombadill 2011-09-17 and I am in cohort with him on his other question about the grade of cigar leaf used in Purple Cow. I'm used to ribs and occasional midribs in cigar leaves in pipe blends, but some of the wood I hauled out of this tin was, well lets just say, noteworthy! Still, all in all, I enjoyed smoking this blend but it just wasn't stash material and I recommend it at three stars.

Pipe Used: Larry Roush lovat 2002

Age When Smoked: tinned 4/6/06

Purchased From: a fellow pipe smoker

Similar Blends: I don't know. I've never smoked a cigar leaf blend that was this light..

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	MrKovacs (6)	2019-08-20		Very Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

Tin note is pleasant. No “figgy” VA note, there is a strong “creamy milkshake/heavy cream” smell. Certainly one of a kind. Country lawyer was my first cigar blend, but that’s a pipe tobacco with a hint of cigar leaf. This blend is different. It’s a full bodied smoke, very close to a real cigar. Velvety, full-body smoke full of flavor even with a charcoal filtered pipe. The Latakia doesn’t stand out, it bridgesbetween the maduro and virginia. For cigar fans, I highly recommend. Must warn you you it’s very high in Nicotine, as a former cigarette and cigar smoker its no biggie for me, but for the traditional pipe smoker it’s quite a handful.

Pipe Used: Danmore charcoal filtered, a few others

Age When Smoked: 2 years old

Purchased From: Pipes and cigars

Similar Blends: A full bodied cigar, D & R Tobacco - Don Giovanni Sigaretta.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-08-30		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

i just finished my first tin and i will soon buy more. this is a great blend. it is a great burly blend with some extras added to it. overall it is both sweet and bitter, smokey and smooth and very very strong. great to settle those occasional cigar cravings when you don't have an hour to smoke.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-12-27		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

dry, non uniform cuts. there's a thin hunk in there that will need to be broken up and rubbed out. it doesnt really look or feel that pleasing but i do like the taste and the way it burns enough to highly recommend it.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-10-31		Medium to Strong	Medium	Full	Tolerable to Strong

I found this to be an interesting smoke. Upon opening the can the tobacco seems dry if not too dry. Iv been smoking this out of a brand new meerschaum. It packs easily and lights easily. The first puffs is predominatley latikia but the latikia quickly becomes a whisper hidden in the smoke. You can at some points taste the bitterness and acidity of thecigar leaf and feel its effects almost like smoking a cigar. If you puff too hard and smoke to quickly you can expect to feel a heavy chest and almost feel a nicotine overload like chiefing on a brickhouse stogie too quick. Also I find that the cow can burn rather quickly so I would reccomend taking it slow and enjoying it for what it is, a pipe tobacco that lends effects of a cigar. Not the most complex blend but it doesn't get boring and tends to burn out right when you really start enjoying it. If it wasn't so dry and fast burning I believe it would get 4 stars from me.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-02-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

a good blend kinda smells like a bbq honestly. it may just be me but brings me back to when my father smoked something like this. it has a bit of an aftertaste but it is a very good blend

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-01-20		Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This blend achieves an excellent balance between pipe character and cigar flavor. The nicotine level is right on target. Other cigar leaf blends I've tried have been over-the-top in that respect. As well, others have had acrid overtones - - the kind you get if you just crumble a reasonably good cigar and stuff the crumbs in your pipe. Purple Cow is smooth, cool, and easy on the draw. The flavor and aroma are dominated by the rich maduro cigar leaf. The burley and virgina, together, serve the same role as the filler in a fine cigar. They support and uplift the flavor and aromatic qualties of the maduro wrapper leaf. The latakia, here, is present largely as a seasoning. It cools and sweetens the smoke and rounds out the mouthfeel while seldom directly revealing itself through its flavor or aroma. While I love full-strenth English blends that showcase latakia, I find it a refreshing change to find this leaf so effectively cast in a supporting role. Another job well done by Cornell and Diehl

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-12-24		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

The C&D catalog describes Purple Cow as "A classic blend from Bob Runowski. Bright VA ribbon is added to a Burley base, then complemented by a dash of Latakia and tasty maduro cigar leaf." This was a good sign for me as I have never smoked a Bob Runowski blend that I didn't like and some of his creations are among my all time favorites.

Purple Cow is available in 2, 8, and 16 oz. tins and has a rather humorous logo with a pipe smoking purple cow and a farmer with an astonished look on his face. I tested the 2 oz. tin. The cut is a rather wide ribbon. There are several shades of brown and some black in the tobacco.

PC seems to like a rather firm pack in the pipe, perhaps because of the cut. One charring light gets it going, then the smoker is treated to a mix of the burley flavor with the Latakia in the background, perhaps not as prominent as in a tobacco like Morley's Best. The VA is there but plays a minor role, however this one can nip your tongue if puffed too fast. The maduro leaf appears to become more prominent as the tobacco is smoked down and adds a cigar note to the mix. PC burns well and down to the bottom of the pipe with no dottle.

I did require a few relights while smoking it, but that is par for the course with me, I've never been a "one match" smoker. PC was smoked in six different pipes and seemed to prefer larger ones, particularly my XL Lannes Johnson.

Overall I enjoyed Purple Cow and will definitely purchase it again. Bob, you did good!

Scores for Purple Cow: Taste-16 of 20; lighting and burn- 7 of 10; value- 8 of 10. 31 pts. gets Purple Cow a high * rating.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-06-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Now this is absolutely not what I expected. The tin note was more of Virginias and Latakia than of a Maduro cigar. I like Maduro cigars and thought that this would be an interesting blend to try. I expected the Maduro leaf to overpower the blend and ruin the subtleties of a C and D English tobacco. What i found was surprising and delightful, the top of the bowl was full of VA. sweetness and Latakia with very mild pepperiness from the cigar leaf. As the bowl progressed, the complexity changed and became more rich and powerful. The cigar leaf became more pronounced and the burley helped fill the flavors with a certain creamy richness. By the bottom of the bowl I was amazed at the way this blend satisfied both my taste for pipe tobacco and cigars. This blend is not an everyday smoke but more of a every once and a while treat.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-08-02		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I can sum this blend up with one word: Yummy! This was my first Cornell and Diehl blend and I wasn?t disappointed in the least. At first match, I got a blast of Latakia which quickly mellowed as the burleys asserted themselves. The Virginias added a wonderful top note and the maduro leaf really came into its own about a third through the bowl, but didn?t overpower any of the rest of the flavors. Fantastic. As to the room note, I was in my favorite tobacco shop extolling the virtues of this blend with a pair of cigar smokers. They both said it smelled great. I tend to agree with them but I might be a little biased.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-06-12		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

While I prefer my smokes to have some perique, I will make exceptions if the tobaco warrants. Purple Cow definitely warrants the exception. In fact, I have one pipe in which I smoke nothing but PC, it's that good.

Yes, it does hav a slight cigar taste, but who said that's a bad thing? It isn't.

A qualification on the room note: I live alone, so what I consider "tolerable" may be a bit more than what others tolerate. On the whole, it's pleasant.

To sum up: this is a very pleasant smoke indeed. Just the thing for accompanying cerebral activities.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-05-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Very nice stuff. Full mouth feel, Billows of smoke. Quality latakia works as a great condiment to the Virgina & Burlies. The touch of maduro gives this blend a mellowing and sweetened taste that makes it a refined, flavorful smoke. Not your run of the mill english- Give it a whirl.

Nobody has rated this review yet.