Tobaccos Cornell & Diehl - Oriental Silk

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2010-09-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Fun With C&D Samples, Vol. II, # 1

Sometimes you get lucky with samples. Sometimes you fire up your first bowlful and, after just a few puffs, think to yourself that you have a winner. And sometimes that feeling lasts throughout the entire 2 oz sample baggie. This is one of those times.

As mentioned, the cut of this (wide ribbon with some chunks and narrower ribbon) looks like it would burn like tissue paper but somehow C&D has managed to make it burn nicely, if a tad quickly. I've smoked and reviewed all the McClelland Grand Oriental series and I enjoy several of them but this one adds a nice shot of testosterone to the flavor. This is a bolder smoke than, say, Drama or Smyrna in the GO series. Oriental Silk has all their flavor and then some but also a good deal more body and "satisfaction factor" (which may be simple nicotine). The room aroma is redolent with spices and incense and the flavor is a wonderful spicy sweetness. The perique is barely there but does seem to escalate the flavor somehow. It has a "bite" and I mean that in a positive way. It doesn't bite the tongue but it has a nice sharp burst of flavor, like Sobranie or Dunhill 965 does. The flavor of this demands to be actively experienced from the first puff. I wouldn't call this wildly complex; instead I'd call it excellent from charring light to dottle - just a wonderful flavor that I intend to go back to over and over. If I could smoke just one tobacco... well, I'd be irritable for sure but if I HAD to, this would be on my very short list of choices.

C&D has nailed the VaPerTurk! These guys continue to impress me, even though I don't appreciate the taste of all their blends. They are truly working to put something out for everyone. Most impressive blender!

44 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3048)	2016-07-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The smokey, dry, earthy, woody, moderately spicy, herbal, vegetative, floral, buttery sour Oriental/Turkish takes the lead much of the time, but this isn’t an Oriental bomb. The bright Virginias offer a bit of tart and tangy citrus, some grass, hay, floralness, bread, tart, acidic lemon, sugar, and a pinch of spice. It is a strong player in the mix. The raisin, fig, plum, earth, wood and spice from the perique is fairly noticeable. At times, some ingredients show a bit more than at other times. The strength and taste levels barely reach the medium mark. The nic-hit is a slot and a half behind them. It won’t bite, but the pepper will tingle your tongue a little if you puff fast, so it needs a slow smoking cadence. Has a few rough edges. Burns just a little fast with a clean, mostly smooth, fairly consistent sweet, mildly sour, spicy, floral, rich flavor. Requires a few relights, and leaves very little dampness in the bowl as it easily burns to ash. The pleasant after taste and lightly stronger room notes linger a little. It has a fair amount of body for an all day smoke.

-JimInks

43 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2010-06-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

What took me so long to smoke this blend? I think it is an overlooked front runner and the taste was sublime. The strength of this blend is what attracted me to it and the Perique element is so slight that it can go unnoticed at times. Turkish leaf smacks you immediately with a burst of deep flavor that reeks of quality.

Good job, C&D!

40 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2014-02-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This was much more than I expected. The flavors are rich and there's a depth that's hard to account for. Not sure where that's coming from, but it's very welcome. Turkish forward, but the sweet Virginias make a strong showing. The Perique is very light, but discernible. In a word, delicious.

Pipe Used: MM General, MM Country Gentleman

Age When Smoked: fresh bulk

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

27 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2014-04-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have been on a Turkish kick of late and recently bought some Oriental Silk. The pouch scent is mainly sour, but in a good way. I did dry the entire ounce sample that I bought as it was a little bit moist for my personal taste. My first reaction to smoking Oriental Silk is that it is a fitting name for the blend. OS is a silky smooth offering. The Orientals take the lead, but the Virginia is just right and the Perique is definitely noticeable, especially as each bowl progressed toward its end. I like small to medium amounts of Perique, but if you are not of fan of Perique, this might not be your best choice as I do think there is more here than others have mentioned. For me, along with the sour, comes a wonderful sweetness and a small amount of mustiness. The Oriental and Virginias come together in perfect harmony. I have wondered if there is a small amount of added sweetener but I can’t say for sure. OS is not a strong blend, but it does have a bit of backbone to it too. I would put it in the medium category in the strength department, unless you smoke it quickly and then…. Oriental Silk has quickly become one of my top three or four C&D blends!

Age When Smoked: new

25 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Blackhorse (96)	2012-03-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I think that I've enjoyed the erstwhile #414 more than any newfound blend in years...and years. Maybe it's just that it hit me at just the right point in my own 'taste preference progression thing' - lucky me! It's not overly complex...just another VA/Per/Turk...being Perique, bright flake, Turkish flake and bright Virginia ribbon...but it has a fantastic all day kind of straight flavor that just 'clicks'! The sweet bright VA's being balanced by the sour Perique and the tangy Turkish. It's a small sized ribbon/shredded cut, soft and easy to pack. Lights easily and evenly and burns readily but is managable with proper attention (as with amything of this cut a fairly constant light tamp is needed til the halfway point). It does especially well in deeper bowls but I think putting it into too small a bowl would be a sad thing. lol It's also easy to obtain (not a small thing any more) and for what counts today as low prices.

I'll let DK's spot on review below stand as representing my thoughts as well, I couldn't have said it any better!

So let's finish by doing it this way:

1st star: availability (yes, it gets a star for just being there) 2nd star: low pricing (and another because I can afford it) 3rd star: managability of the leaf during packing and smoking 4th star: interplay of excellent flavors

So, mixing the practical and the sublime...it comes up with a 4-star rating.

15 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2014-10-29		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Cornell and Diehl has an affinity for blending mixtures with weighty tobacco flavor and Oriental Silk is no different. It’s comprised mostly of brightly colored Turkish and VA leaf with small dark flecks of perique, and the pouch note is fruity, a bit sour and smells a lot like freshly leavened bread dough. When lit, it becomes fast apparent that this is not your typical mild-mannered and/or lightly nuanced “Oriental” blend.

This is a stout and spicy mixture with a dense semi-sweet, tangy flavor. And while not as exotic as I expected, there are still some subtle mushroomy nuances, occasional hints of pepper and a few floral notes to be had. But for the most part the smoke is heady with substantial body and it literally coats your mouth with tobacco flavor. Oriental Silk is smooth and balanced and it’s expertly blended to emphasize strength and assertive Turkish flavor character. Retrohalers will find much delight in its invigorating pungent sting.

Quality tobacco flavor with good backbone and best savored at a slow sip.

Pipe Used: Briar & Cob

Age When Smoked: Fresh

14 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fr_tom (393)	2014-11-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I had a friend send generous samples of Pegasus, Orion's Arrow and Oriental Silk. I seem to have reviewed the first two and and never got to writing up the Oriental Silk. I have one more bowl left in the sample and it is time.

This is a wonderful combination of natural tobacco flavors. I claim there is no topping, and the individual tobaccos are identifiable in the flavor profile. The Virginia is bright and sweet. The perique is sour and a little peppery when pushed. The Turkish is spicy and contributes to a slight whiff of incense in the room note. The Turkish has a distinctive "mouth tingle" I have experienced with other oriental blends sometimes. It starts as a med/mild in terms of strength and transitions to a medium about mid-bowl. Think of it as a cousin of Old Joe Krantz.

It all works very well, and it is a tasty blend that is easy to smoke. I will buy more of this and would recommend this to anyone who likes orientals. It is a really a 3.5 on my rating scale. I have not bought it by the pound, but I will. If you want to try a VaPerTurk, this is an excellent place to start.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Funn (16)	2010-05-30		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I am scared of perique due to my own stupidity of hearing descriptions of spicey,peppery,et al. Got a sample of this years ago from C&D & finally decided to try it. It looked as if it would burn hot. Light flakes,squares, flat chunks,etc. Smells Virginiaish (Funn Dictionary). Have tried it in small meers, briars am currently smoking a second bowl in a Peterson System 309. I don't understand how Craig can take a feathery light blend that should burn like tissue paper & transform it into an amazing mixture! This is Va.lights & perique at it's BEST. Ultra mild light Old Gowrie. Gravity feed it lightly,grind up some into crumbs or dust on top for combustability (Funn Dictionary). And take your time. This is light Va and Turkish. I huff some and sip discriminently to start with. Don't epect Va. sweetness or perique biteyness or complexity as I did.Take your time and the subtlety of the Va and Turkish will reward your mouth exquisitely. Make sure you have something to drink because it will dry your mouth out. My preferance is green tea. I was shocked at how smooth and biteless this blend is. I bought a lb at the CORPS Show after my sample was gone. Smoking this gives me images of Holmes & Watson dressed in whites at a summer lawn gathering,Bengal Lancers enjoying it in the barracks shade,Sopwith Camel pilots in the summer's heat w/a lager. Cary Grant and Errol Flynn at a Beverly Hills pool party w/Vodka martinis. I light this continously till it doesn't light anymore then gently tamp stopping at any resistance. I can exhale thru my nose occasionally with no ill effects. This burns leaving the pipe walls clean down to a fine grey ash with no liquid or gurgle. The well of my System was left dry. You have to sip this and breathe smoke to appreciate the Turkish blendation (Funn Dictionary) w/the Va.s. Smooth as silk. Highly recommended to any mild Va. smoker but with a drink.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Cappadoc (10)	2015-08-28		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A total sleeper blend. This is a wonderful tobacco for any lover of Turkish/Oriental leaf, especially those who don't want Latakia. There is a hint of perique pepperiness hiding under a sweet Virginia, but the Orientals are what steal the show. A delicious tangy tin note translates into a slightly spicy bowl with strong wood notes. Medium body and taste and a perfect change of pace as Oriental forward blends without Latakia are not very common, especially at an economical bulk price. 4 stars.

Pipe Used: Billiard, pot, prince, apple, meer, rhodesian

Age When Smoked: Fresh and aged 1 year

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2011-05-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Upon reading some of the other reviews ( which I usually don't like to do before I make my own ) I noticed a lot of conflicting information. I suspect that since this is a Bulk, there maybe differences in the moisture content and pipe types smoked. My sample is about 4 months old, smoked in a cob and on the dry side. The "fish food" cut was easy to pack, light and stay lit at a slow sip tempo. The Orientals are out front from start to finish, Perique is none existent ( maybe near the bottom) and you could have fooled me if this contains Virginia. All in all, an easy none complicated, one dimensional smoke for when you don't want anything heavy, this is spicy. I could see myself smoking this outside in public because it stays lit so well at a slow sip so you're not generating clouds of smoke. Really too light on N for me but nice once in a while.

Updated 1/2/12= I've had this cellared for about a year and I've hydrated it slightly, and what a difference. The Turkish are more subdued , the Virginias and Periques are now noticeable. Perique provides some spice and interest. For anyone who has tried P&C "Marquee Series; Sweet & Savory" this is very close, not as smooth and no maple tin aroma but close. I will think about moving this to 3 stars but have other blends that I like better, still too spicy for me.

Updated 7/12/12- I'm still having problems with the heat/spice from this blend. It just isn't smooth enough to move to 3 stars. I have to agree with reviewer ,CaptnDan 01/29/2006, in that I also get a slight taste of Burley. Smoke this fast and you get a milder Old Joe Krantz. P&C "Marquee Series; Sweet & Savory" is better than this. I won't buy again.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2081)	2018-08-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Cornell & Diehl - Oriental Silk.

Because I'm going through a divorce I apologise if it's contorted my thinking!

Anyhoo, as I ordered this from bulk I never had a sealed tin's moisture to contend with. But, for what it's worth, the pouch had great hydration.

I don't consider myself that much of a fan of Oriental blends, but this ain't that bad! The name suits it well; there's heaps of Oriental flavour but it doesn't seem overly bitter or sour; a touch 'silky'. As if it's been slightly Cavendish processed. I find the Perique element extremely light; don't expect a pepper-bomb. The Virginias don't go unnoticed, they freshen the flavour with a 'grassy-breeze'. Oriental Silk gives a good, fairly cool, burn, producing a bite-free smoke.

Nicotine: a spot above medium. Room-note: a touch strong; to me.

Oriental Silk? A very nice Oriental blend. But, I'll award two stars not three, as I'd rather have a VaPer or Balkan:

Somewhat recommended.

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2006-07-09		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I tried Oriental Silk after reading a review by "the Professor," and it's been my all-day smoke for over five years. The Prof said to smoke it slowly, and he understated. Smoke it even more slowly than that.

In fact, I screen it before smoking. Cornell and Diehl favors a rather fine cut (2-3 millimeters) to begin with, and the package contains a good deal of crumbs. Right out of the bag, the tobacco almost flares up, with the natural result that the smoke lacks flavor. It does indeed have some of the character of cigarette tobacco. Use a kitchen strainer (NOT the same one the wife uses--no amount of cleaning will prevent a lot of discussion) to remove most of the fines, and the blend takes on a darker, richer flavor and aroma. It's very satisfying that way.

Smoke it dry, too. Craig Tarler is famous for shipping his product without much moisture, and adding much water to this one will make it burn hotter and lose flavor. After screening, I put the tobacco in a Mason jar, add a teaspoonful of water, cap it and put it on the shelf for a month before cracking the seal. The bright Virginia gets better with age, up to perhaps 3-4 years, though of course it usually doesn't last so long.

Focus! A fill can go for an hour, hour and a half, if you concentrate. Counterintuitively, when the flavor's best, lay off for a moment rather than sucking on it. Smoking while working often means mindlessly pulling on the pipe, overheating the tobacco and getting a fairish nicotine hit but less of the subtle taste. Beginners could well choose a different blend; Oriental Silk calls for a bit of technique.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2011-01-24		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The chunks pack very easily. Pretty smooth smoke. But gets a little stronger towards the bottom of the bowl. The turkish, virginia and perique meld together to form a enjoyable smoke. I can not figure out which is dominant among the three types of tobacco. I am leaning toward the vaper with the oriental somewhat in the rear. Taste like a mild Bayou Morning with added Oriental tobaccos.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Noorrmm (192)	2001-04-05		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Appearance: Mostly medium tan with a fair amount of pale yellow, and a small portion of dark leaf. The cut is random with some medium width ribbon, but mostly small cut. Like most C&D blends, this is on the dry side.

Aroma: The predominant part of the aroma to me seems to be the musty smell of perique, backed by the dry "grassy" aroma of turkish. I don't detect much, if any virginia sweetness.

Packing: Packing is easy in any size pipe, owing to the smallish cut. No special care was needed to get a springy surface with just a slight drag in the draw.

Lighting: The tobacco lights easily, sometimes with one Vesta.

Initial flavor: I get a tingle from the perique first, followed immediately by the spicy nuttiness of the turkish. I don't get much from the virginias, they seem to be too light to contribute much weight or sweetness to the mix. The first impression is light, but quite tasty

Mid-bowl: It burns quite easily, but does not get hot unless puffed agressively. The orientals start to dominate the blend here, with the perique playing harmony, and the virginia still stays in the background. The smoke lacks density, probably because of the lack of more mature, darker virginias

Finish: Even smoked slowly, the bottom comes fairly soon. I detect a slight bitterness, and some added strength at the end. I also detect a slight dryness in my mouth when I finish the bowl. The ash is clean and pale gray.

Tried in the following pipes: Several Sasieni Family era Four Dots, a GBD Militaire.

Summary: This would be a great tobacco for warm weather, when darker virginias and latakia are too heavy for me.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	strongirish (249)	2015-11-12		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I have now smoked a fill 2 ounce baggy of this blend and I have to say I enjoyed it. It is a nice light smoke, all natural, clean burning, and flavorful. It has a sweet, fresh pouch aroma, it consists of a rough cut mix of khaki and dark brown flakes of fine cut tobaccos and in my case arrived at just the right amount of moisture to smoke right away without any drying period. It packs easily into the pipe, is very easy to light, and smokes nice and dry all the way down to the bottom of the pipe, leaving a fluffy steely grey ash. It is not biting at all on the tongue, and could easily be an all day smoke.

The flavor is a very nice mix of grassy, hay like Virginia, the sweetness of the Turkish, and just a touch of the spiciness of the perique. It overall is sweet and a little creamy. It smokes all the way down without getting harsh and keeps the character of the tobaccos for the whole bowl. The room note is pleasant, I enjoy it and I received no complaints. This is a fine example of what C and D can do with their fine tobaccos. I would highly recommend this blend to all non aromatic lovers.

Pipe Used: briar, cob, meers

Age When Smoked: 1mo after receipt

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Demetri (113)	2014-07-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

After finding Orion's Arrow so much to my distaste I was pleasantly surprised at Oriental Silk. With ingredients seemingly so similar one would not expect such stark differences. Oriental Silk is most appropriately named. It is slightly sweet, slightly spicy, and incredibly smooth, very smooth. For those times when I do not feel like wrestling with Old Joe Krantz and also not wanting the demands of a Latakia blend, this fills the bill nicely. Everything works here; no bite at all, pleasant aftertaste. A superb all day candidate. This would make an excellent blend for someone wishing to try a non-aromatic without getting into a full on English (whether Latakia, VA Flake, or VaPer). Also recommended as a good start for a new pipe smoker who is a cigarette smoker as an introduction. A blend one can start with and remain with while checking out the array of other blends. By my own method of ratings, 4 star is only given to 3 star blends I have repurchased. But I make an exception to my personal rule here. Excellent.

Pipe Used: Corncobs, briars

Age When Smoked: Fresh production

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2006-01-29		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Oriental Silk is not a very 'interesting' blend. That doesn't mean it's bad - just that there isn't much going on as you smoke it. If you don't like the beginning of the bowl, you won't like the rest.

Definitely not one for the beginner, I believe that a bit of inattentiveness could produce a serious bite.

The Perique lends a nice backdrop for the interplay between the Va and the spicy Turkish. Neither the Va nor the Turkish dominate, rather they seem to meld into a spicy sweetness that at times produces an aftertaste that almost suggests the presence of Burley.

I realize that a good balance between the various typed of leaf is desireable, but in this case, the balance is almost too good. What could have been an interesting blend turns out to be a bit cloying.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cajomu (80)	2019-01-18		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

C&D Oriental Silk is a perfect example of how Turkish tobaccos can elevate a VaPer to a higher level and turn it into something unique. It is also representative of old school English blends, which relied primarily on Virginias, perique and orientals for flavor, instead of Latakia (see http://pipesmagazine.com/python/pipe-news/english-blends-and-latakia-blends-one-in-the-same/).

The buttery, flowery and slightly sour orientals balance perfectly high-quality sweet and citrusy Virginias. The perique in this blend is of the raisinous rather than the spicy kind. It is used with a light touch, which enables it complement the fruitiness of the other tobaccos and add depth to the flavor, while remaining in the background. The balance is so good that you will struggle to identify the different tobaccos, being presented instead with a harmonious blend of its constituents.

As delivered, the tobacco is fairly dry, so it lights easily and burns cleanly, requiring no relights if you keep it going. It won't bite if smoked fast, but to really enjoy it you should sip it slowly and savor it. If you do, you will be rewarded by a long, sweet and rich smoke. It also has enough nicotine to satisfy most smokers without threatening to over power you.

If you want to learn why pipe tobacco manufacturers add orientals in their blends, try Oriental Silk. You won't be disappointed.

Pipe Used: Various briars

Age When Smoked: 1 year old

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	J. Ward (71)	2016-12-14		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Oriental Silk is definitely amongst the better offerings from Cornell & Diehl. The tin/bag note is sour, almost off putting. The cut is a nice ribbon and easy to pack, easy to light. It's a tad dry out of the bag, so no drying time necessary. At first light, it's very grassy and you get that sour note from the orientals. As the bowl progresses it turns buttery, a smooth oriental forward blend with a slight undercurrent of sweetness. The perique is almost imperceptible, providing a bit of body and adding to the play of spice in this blend. Although rich in flavor, I found this blend a bit "airy" and dry in the mouth; rich in flavor, yet this is a mild-medium blend. Not a favorite, but it's growing on me. 3.4 stars. Recommended.

Pipe Used: MM Cob and briars

Age When Smoked: less than a year

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmokeKing David (134)	2010-02-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Another nice tobacco by Cornell & Diehl. Kind of a subtle smoke; no one taste or flavor jumps right out. But patience is a virtue. This tobacco grew on me; I found myself reaching for it pretty regularly instead of many other smokes.

This reminds me of other C&D blends, including Virginia Gentlemen and even Sunday Picnic, both of which I also enjoy. If you like a clean, natural smoke with a noticeable amoount of Turkish, punch this ticket.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	periqueguy (43)	2009-09-30		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Simply put, Delicious! A keeper for anyone who enjoys the flavor of turkish tobacco. Extremely well blended.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tomcat (226)	2020-09-29		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

C&D- Oriental Silk . Let me start by saying I was so impressed by C&D Smokinpipes.com 20th anniversary XX flake that has Bright Virginias. 2 orientals and Perique that I searched for other blends that had the same tobaccos. Oriental Silk was the first blend that came up . This one is more turkish - Oriental forward though . The Orientals have a buttery, creamy and very mild sourness that is delicious. The Virginias are always present with sweetness, hay and citrus and I think add to the floral notes. The Perique is fairly light as a condiment but is there with pepper spice and a little fruitiness . Glad I bought 8oz as I thought I may like it . There is a satisfactory nic nit and just a great flavor to it . Right up there with Haunted Bookshop and I think Some Turkish and Burley leaf have some similarities in flavor profile . Four stars , would definitely buy again !

Age When Smoked: Fresh in bulk

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spinkle (16)	2019-06-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Oriental Silk

Not too many Cornell & Diehl blends are available here in Ontario so I purchased a tin of this through an online US based outlet. I purchased on the assumption that the tobacco that I liked most in previous English blends had been the Orientals and wanted something with a big Oriental content to see if this was the case.

I open the tin and I get the scent of grass like from a straight Virginia, but also something that smells a bit astringent. The smell is different than the other blends I’ve tried thus far, but pleasing and mild.

The cut is almost like a ready rubbed, there are ribbons and some broken flakes throughout. The tobacco is a fairly uniform colour of bronze/orange and it seems nice and moist, but not too wet.

Lighting up was easy and the tobacco stays lit and burns evenly throughout the bowl. The taste is something that I was definitely looking for. Having assumed that I liked the almost sour/sweet flavour of the Orientals in similar blends, I was rewarded mightily. Smoking through this bowl the sour flavour developed until it effectively subsumed all the other tastes. Reminds me of a tobacco version of Sweet Tarts candy. Despite how it may sound, the sour flavour is quite delicious.

I would recommend this blend and I will likely be buying more tins in the future as I run low. Not having been doing this long enough I’m not sure that this would improve with age so I will probably just buy a tin here and there and smoke it when the need strikes me.

Pipe Used: Brigham Bent Dublin, Missouri Meerschaum Cob

Age When Smoked: Tin Dated Dec 2017, Opened October 2018

Purchased From: SmokingPipes.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	GabrielCRT (115)	2016-01-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I plan to keep this in my smoking rotation. The Turkish (Izmir?) is definitely dominant. It has a sour and spicy quality that I really enjoy. The bright Virginia and Perique work well together. The Virginia provides its hay and slight sweetness with the Perique offering mostly spice and pepper with a little fig taste. I don't know the proportions of this blend but it tastes like about 50% Bright VA, 15% Perique and 35% Izmir. A simple yet complex blend that highlights the fine qualities of Turkish tobacco.

(Edit) Definitely not 35% Izmir! More like 10%.

Pipe Used: Briars, Meers, Cobs

Age When Smoked: Fresh

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2013-02-11		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Being a burly fan this was never on my try list. Irish flake and junk yard dog are my go to tobaccos. Ill have to say this one caught me by surprise. I bought 2 oz bulk, it has a sweet aroma,it looked and smelled of all the things I dislike in a tobacco.The first bowl was just OK..But the perique send me back for a second bowl. I know some on here said the perique is non existent, I have to say this stuff had enough perique to clear my sinus. Not a whole lot of flavor complexity but I dont think that was the point of this tabacco it is a simple blend,well balance and makes a good all day smoke.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2001-02-25		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

I've doen a total about-face on this blend. Initially I didn't like it, but it won me over. It's many things I normally don't like in a tobacco- pale, golden, sweet, grassy, and heavily Virginia, but somehow all the components blend together into a fascinating harmony. It's very finely cut, and is easy to smoke too quickly - I wouldn't recommend it for a beginning smoker, lest he bite his tongue or crack his pipe. Given relaxed puffing and slow savoring, though, it comes into its own with a sweet and very pure taste that always reminds me of a summer evening.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipefitter (51)	2022-07-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Just the right amount of exotic tobaccos blended with one of my favorite Virginias. Smokes cool and clean and doesn’t bite. An all day smoke for sure.

Purchased From: City Tobacco in New London Ct.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mijnnif (130)	2022-04-25		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tin note sweet and sour, herbal, a bit musty, perfect moisture level. Ribbon cut. If you like Orientals this is a really great blend. A bit peppery (slow puffing required) from the perique but Oriental forward and the Virginia give is some nice sweetness. Its a bit bolder than Oriental express and the Nic hit is at the halfway mark. You will get more out of this blend if you sip it, fast puffing and it looses flavor . I dropped this to 3.5 stars as this blend seems to be inconsistent,

Pipe Used: 3 star Lee

Age When Smoked: fresh tin

Purchased From: Smoking pipes

Similar Blends: Oriental express.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gerry P (39)	2021-05-16		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Bought in bulk. The baggie note is nice, with raisins in front. When lit, I got a strong buttery note off the bat. Afterwards, I'd describe this as a good Balkan, but with Perique instead of Latakia. Or, if you prefer, a nice Va/Per with some fragrant Orientals thrown in. There's no question that the Orientals assert themselves here, but the Perique isn't far behind. Not exactly what I was looking for when I ordered this, but at the same time it was better than I expected. Burns cool, no bite, not too strong to smoke throughout the day. Nicotine is mild-medium. Unless you hate Perique and/or incense-like perfume, but not the Lakelands flowery type perfume because it isn't like that, I can't think of anything that's unlikeable here. Plus it's cheap as dirt.

Pipe Used: Rattray's bent Rhodesian

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pryhosm (248)	2020-07-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tart tangy tin aroma hinting of Perique and a solid base of Virginia tobacco. I find the Oriental forward genre not only tasty but the range of flavor that an Oriental blend can take on. They can be buttery and savory, all the way to dry, woody and spicy. They can be a great morning smoke or a final smoke of the day. I prefer the more subtle and buttery ones for the morning, McClelland Grand Oriental Series or Bijou, and smokes like these later in the day. I really like this blend, let's get that out of the way. This is a unique blend in the way they marry Perique with Orientals on a back drop of high quality bright VA. Vibrant, spicy, earthy and toasty are adjectives that come to mind to describe the flavor. The tobacco's marry beautifully and produce a complexity of flavor that I normally don't associate with a "lighter" tasting blend. There is some mild sweetness underpinning the experience but this is not a sweet blend. At time toasty and at others dark fruit and earth dominate. Always spicy, mild white pepper and hints of cloves. Great smoke if you are a fan of Orientals.

Pipe Used: Briar’s and cob’s and Meerschaum

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WolfmanSam (37)	2018-07-31		Very Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

I became interested in non-latakia Oriental blends after trying Peretti no. 9507, GLP Embarcadero and McClelland Black Sea Sokhoum. After running a search on tobaccoreviews.com, I learned approximately a dozen Oriental blends that were rated recommended and highly recommended. My search criteria had to contain Virginia, and or Turkish/Oriental tobaccos. I excluded latakia, burley, dark fired Kentucky, Maryland, cigar leaf, cavendish (but not black) and no flavoring. Some blends contain perique, but that was acceptable.

My one ounce sample came moist and I recommend drying first . The small ribbons are mostly light brown. I packed it loose at the bottom and springy to the rim.

Upon lighting, my initial sense is a mild, mouthwatering sour but pleasant taste. I also note hay, grass, a trace of wood, some sweetness and a very mild bit of spiciness.

It’s not harsh and burns at a moderate pace. The bowl will get hot with quick puffing. It smokes well in various size briars. It’s mild in body, while the nicotine level is faint.

Oriental Silk can be smoked mindlessly, and all day. Oriental aficionados will enjoy it. It works best for me as an early morning pipe. It’s good now, but I think it will sing with a few years of age.

Age When Smoked: 2-3 months

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Theologia14 (24)	2018-03-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This blend is absolutely magnificent! I was not expecting this blend to be as good as it is based on description alone, but I was very pleasantly surprised.

So as you can tell, I really like this blend and it has become a regular in my rotation. The tin note is grassy with a bit of fruity sweetness, but then the orientals play in the background giving off some sort of nutty, tangy, earthy smell that I can't really describe (the Perique may be contributing to that tangy smell).

On first light I am bombarded with the virgina. It is a Virginia forward blend (which makes it perfect for me). The oriental settles in pretty quickly providing that nutty mysterious flavor throughout most of the bowl. The perique though is what really keeps the whole thing interesting. It's not as perique heavy as other blends in my opinion, but its just enough to warm the senses with its spicy flavor. What is impressive to me is that it smokes just like a good old Va/Per, for an all day smoke if you'd like, but you can also sit down and tease out the different nuances and enjoy the blend. It is just a great over all blend that I especially will enjoy in the warm summer months.

Mechanically, I've never had any relighting issues except those caused by user error. The blend smokes down to a fine white ash every time. I did get it to bite me once when I was really puffing hard on a short smoke break, but it was an extreme scenario. I don't think you will experience tongue bite in most normal situations.

I'll be picking up a pound of this sometime this year to cellar. I bet this will get better over the years to come.

Pipe Used: Neerup Poker, Briar Works straight billiard

Age When Smoked: New Bulk

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CTS (138)	2017-05-26		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Well balanced blend that delivers through the bowl. Orientals are sharp, but not harsh, particularly on retrohale. Sipping fills the palate with a pleasant sweet flavor. Burns clean to the end. Definite four star blend!

Pipe Used: Basket Briar

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: P&C

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ambush1964 (19)	2016-12-16		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

The tin note was pleasant, with a sour, sweet aroma. My tobacco was at a moisture ready to pack. It took a few charring lights, but once lit, it stayed lit. Burned nicely to the bottom with a nice dry ash. I enjoyed the oriental tobaccos flavor and aroma. Overall this tobacco was sour, slightly sweet, and a bit spicy, more spicy towards the bottom. It also had a few puffs with a musty flavor in the middle, but in a good way. I enjoyed this smoke alot, and recommend it fully. I normally smoke aromatics. As a side note, the pipe I smoked this in was a smaller Kaywoodie Flame Grain 12B Straight Bulldog with a meerschaum lining.

Pipe Used: Kaywoodie 12B meerschaum lined

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	½ bowl (103)	2016-03-25		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

Exotic, musty, slightly pungent, and kind of herbal; this is a delicious blend with a sweet tobacco flavor and a very slight woody finish. The Perique works well in the mix without upstaging the complex flavors of the Orientals. No Latakia.

Pipe Used: wide chambers, but not too deep.

Similar Blends: H&H/Sweet & Savory, McC's/Drama and Smyrna, or maybe even Low Country/Waccamaw -- but better than any of these.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stah (153)	2023-04-17		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Appearance: The 2 oz tin of tobacco had a production date of "April 06, 2022." Considering that this tobacco is sold by bulk in the United States, a year is plenty of time for it to age. The blend is quite bright in shades of red, yellow and light brown, and the individual components are easily distinguishable. The cut of this tobacco (a wide and short chopped ribbon of Virginia broken flake and a narrower ribbon of oriental with small pieces of perique) is similar to a cigarette, which hints at a relatively hot combustion. Also, the tobacco is a bit dry. It's easy to stuff, easy to light, doesn't require drying and doesn't go out.

Flavor: The leading notes are spice, frankincense and citrus, but the raisin and fig notes of perique are also a serious support. The flavor is uneven and if you sniff it for a long time, the hay and grassy notes of Virginia occasionally become stronger, and then disappear into the background again. Barely noticeable woody notes complement the overall bouquet, adding volume to the blend, but in total, the flavor of tobacco is quite light.

Taste: Initially, the set of spices with a sour hint of lemon and badian prevails in the bouquet, accompanied by a mild spice of perique, with almost no room left for the sweetness of Virginia. Overall, the flavor is simple and not overly expressive. Gradually, the blend gains density with the support of sweet and biscuit notes, but remains, to my taste, not bright enough. Around the middle of the pipe, the blend becomes softer, the spiciness of the perique goes into the background, the flavor weaves into a unified bouquet - not too complex, but pleasant. The tobacco behaves about the same in different forms. By the way, the blend is somewhat critical to the smoking temperature - if you overheat, the sweetness immediately disappears, and, although the mixture does not bite, it in a moment loses all the charm, turning into a fairly faceless tobacco with medium strength and almost cigarette taste. The blend burns into a light gray ash, leaving almost no moisture in the bowl. The aftertaste is sweet, not persistent.

The smoke from the mixture has a smell of sandalwood and spices, it easily disperses.

What's the bottom line? If you're looking for a replacement for the prematurely departed McClelland and their Grand Orientals series, Oriental Silk is obviously not the right tobacco. Virginia is a filler, so the manufacturer skimped on it by using a rather cheap variety. In addition, the perique in the blend argues for attention with orientals, although, as a result, it has to concede. Overall, however, this is an appropriate blend for every day. I, however, would prefer less perique and more oriental. There are plenty of good Virginia-perique blends on the market, but good quality Virginia/Oriental blends are rare.

Pipe Used: Peterson 69, 106

Age When Smoked: 2022

Purchased From: Online

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ScienceSmoker (60)	2021-11-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Oriental Silk is one of the better Oriental blends I've had. It's Oriental forward, yes, but not overly so. The herbal and sort of mysterious incense flavor is there... that lush, sour earthiness. But it's sweetened a bit by the fresh, lemony tang of the Virginia's. The Perique is a bit light, but still essential. It adds some pepper, and a faint spicy plummy flavor in the background that, despite being mild, is an important addition. I've seen reviews saying Oriental Silk isn't complex, but I disagree. There's a fair amount going on. I usually smoke a tad fast, and Oriental Silk can get harsh when smoked fast. It really benefits from slowing down and enjoying it to get the full effect. And when it's gone, I always lament not using a larger bowl.

Bottom line: A pleasantly sweet Turkish forward blend that is quite unlike most other blends out there.

Pipe Used: Georg Jensen Achat

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Similar Blends: Reminiscent of Robert Lewis's Orcilla Mixture. , Also, it's like a smoother, more mellow version of Savinelli's Janus..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Balrrach (4)	2021-09-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is an OK tobacco.

Cut is loose and smell is perique forward. Taste wise orientals shared protagonism with perique and virginia stays in the background barely noticible. As with many other C&D blends with perique I found this one to have too much perique, to the point of stepping over the orientls. Also related to C&D blends found the taste to be too harsh and dry.

I'd like to taste this blend substituting the perique with more virginia. Recommended to those who enjoy C&D blends and also oriental blends.

Two and a half stars.

Pipe Used: Group 3,4,5

Age When Smoked: Two years

Purchased From: Smokingpipes

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Antonius Blok (192)	2021-05-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This review is based on the tin version.

Tobacco is mostly blonde, although some strands of brown tones also appear. The cutting of these strands is fundamentally in ribbon, although there is also some piece of flake that is of a darker color than the rest of the tobacco, so I deduce that the perique is there. Its tin aroma is one of the lightest and most confusing that I have seen to date in this type of mixture, and I think that in a hypothetical blind tasting, if I did not know in advance what are the ingredients that make up this mixture, it would cost me specify it based solely on your tin note. Once I know what these ingredients are and by sharpening my sense of smell, I think I appreciate the slight fermented aroma of the perique, but very subtle, as well as slight notes of hay from Virginia and perhaps very deep the fragrance of the Orientals.

Once the pipe is lit, the flavor is very rich. Virginia and especially the fragrance of the orientals take center stage, the perique remaining somewhat hidden, with slight appearances in some puffs. In my personal experience with this tobacco, I have been able to observe that it is not convenient to load it too tight, but rather loosely, thus obtaining a better experience because the tobacco burns better and needs fewer re-ignitions. Recommended.

Age When Smoked: Young

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	doc pipes (110)	2021-04-12		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I selected this blend as a way to get more familiar with Oriental tobacco. I have smoked plenty of blends that are oriental rich, but often times my experience is that Latakia overwhelms everything in its path. The bag smell (bulk order) is largely sweet and raisin like. There are plenty of bright ribbons, some partly rubbed flake, what appears to be some granulated perique, and some lighter colored drab leaf that I can only assume is the oriental. I am so glad I tried this! This blend is overloaded with toasty, floral, pleasantly sour notes. The sidestream is rich and redolent of a spice cabinet, no one spice or herb rising to the top. There are plenty of loamy earthy notes, crisp dried autumn leaves, and complex iterations of herbs and spices. There are so many aromatic (not in the topped or cased sense) qualities to the taste and room note that I have a hard time pinning down any one flavor. I have read the commentary of others who suggest that Orientals possess a sweetness akin to sunflower seed meat. While I do not pick up on this sort of sweetness, there are some fleeting nutty hints to the smoke. This is a terrific smoke. It doesn’t bite unless freight trained. It burns exceptionally well, though I have had some moisture at the bottom of the bowl. For the Oriental uninitiated as well as the old time oriental lover, this is an absolute must try. It is accessible, delicious, and not overbearing with regards to nicotine.

Pipe Used: Numerous

Age When Smoked: Fresh bulk

Purchased From: Sp

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tpatriarche (43)	2020-07-09		Mild	Very Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

It's taken a while for me to get around to reviewing this tobacco, because the more I smoke it the more subtle aromas I pick up. I had four or five rather bold dark blends on hand, from Périque to black Cavendish, and at first this (literally) paled by comparison. But as I smoked it, it grew on me, til I was smoking more of it than any of the others. A light, very pleasant smoke, definitely 'Silk' smooth. It reminded me of some sun-cured Yenidje purchased in whole leaf form from leafonly.com.

The aroma—especially when I first opened the pouch—was very sweet, new-mown hay with honeysuckle and even a touch of sherry. Others have said 'no flavouring', but I found this hard to believe. Perhaps a little topping of Tonka bean or coumarin? On the other hand, perhaps this is a natural aroma for some types of curing; it reminded me of a burley blend, purchased locally, which the salesman assured me was straight burley with no casing. If anyone can educate me, since we don't have a forum here—yet, I would be interested in hearing from you, either email tony@patriarche.net or Tony Patriarche on FaceBook.

From the colour I would assume the Virginia in this is Virginia Bright, but I detected none of the characteristic scent of that tobacco (about the only tobacco I DON'T like); must be a more southern variety than the Canadian Virginia I'm familiar with. Orientals dominate, but not the strong soapy flavour of some 'Turkish' varietals—nice, grassy, fresh taste. Couldn't detect any Périque in a 2oz bag, either by flavour or by eye. That's OK, I have a little C&D's Joie de Vivre left, and lots of pure Périque if I feel like blending on the fly!

Not quite enough assertive character for four stars, but a definite 3.49 ;-) And darn it, I'm really enjoying it.

**Update--Uprated…Any tobacco that can compel my attention when I have such good blends as C&D Oak Alley to smoke deserves 4 staes…a good candidate for an all-day smoke, now a favourite ….

Pipe Used: Carey Magic Inch (several), briar churchwarden

Age When Smoked: Fresh bulk

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Cornell & Diehl - Izmir Turkish.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2019-08-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I bought 2 ounces bulk of this a couple years ago when I could see that my cellaring days were coming to an end. Up popped a sale on C&D bulks from Smokingpipes and I just went down the line ordering 2 ounces of pretty much anything I hadn't tried at the time. (OK, I did skip some aros)

In a jar this one rested for nearly two and a half years. I popped it a few months back and was instantly wowed with the smell from the jar. It had a wonderful vaper smell, rife with hay and fruit with some citrus notes. I only wish that I enjoyed smoking it as much as I enjoyed smelling it.

This is not to say this is bad by any means, but I found it kind of boring. I also found it tricky to stay in the zone on this one. Whenever my mind wandered it started turning harsh on me quickly. It was when I had my full concentration on my technique that I was rewarded by the sweet and slightly sour taste reminiscent of the jar note. Once there, it just wasn't grand or interesting enough to keep that attention. So either this is difficult to smoke right, boring or I have attention deficit disorder. lol

I don't look at reviews before I have smoked through what I have as I am long past buying tobaccos and would rather not let myself be swayed prior to reviewing a blend. I was actually surprised to see all of the four star reviews on this one. I was trying to decide whether to give this one two or three stars myself. Based on the smell, those wonderful fleeting moments and all the four star reviews, I will bump it up to three stars, but would say it is really a 2.5. I am glad to have tried it, but I won't miss it or rue the fact I only bought two ounces.

Age When Smoked: 2 yrs 2 months

Purchased From: smoking pipes

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stefanos (222)	2019-06-03		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Short and narrow cut ribbons, almost shag with some pieces of broken flakes thrown in. Mostly bright colored but with some darker pieces as well. Very natural tobacco aroma. Has the natural taste of bright Virginia, citrus and hay with the added sweetness from Red?? Virginia and some nuttiness. These to me are the main players. There is some sweet floral aroma from the Orientals and Perique adds to the strength of the blend without being very prominent tastewise, although there is some peppery tingle to be sure.

I like Oriental Silk, it’s sort of cigaretty natural-tasting tobacco which as a former cigarette smoker I enjoy a lot. Tasty and very natural-tasting, highly recommended for those who like unprocessed natural-tasting tobaccos.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Knightsmoker (218)	2019-03-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

As the name suggests Oriental Silk is very Oriental forward. The Izmir really is showcased in this one. It is dry, woodsy with a peppery spiciness. It is buttery and a little sour and only slightly sweet. The grassy VA's form a solid base to this and have a note of citrus to them. The perique moves in and out and goes from almost undetectable to forward competing with the Izmir for a few puffs before moving to the background again when forward the peppery, plum, fig and raisin notes really shine. The frustrating thing here is that both the Izmir and the perique have similar but unique peppery notes I can tell the difference but I lack the ability to articulate exactly what is different so the description of pepper while fair falls a little short overall. I do think the Izmir is a little too far forward muting the other tobaccos slightly. I have used Izmir straight to add to blends myself and it does not take much to overpower other elements and this is the case here, but only slightly so. The room note is tolerable and the nic is at the upper end of med. The finish is very short and the flavors do not linger on the palate long. This could be a very nice morning smoke or used as an in between bowl between bigger stronger blends. I smoked a couple of bowls in a pipe dedicated to big lat blends and the lat ghost added a very nice element as well. So adding a pinch of lat might also be rewarding. This is easy to recommend but I don't see myself trying to horde pounds of this but I can see picking up a few oz to smoke from time to time. Well worth trying.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Cat Jockey (21)	2018-10-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is indeed a silky smooth smoke. The Orientals demand most of the attention most of the time, with the Virginia adding balance to fill out the Or. The Oriental brings with it a buttery sour that blends well with a touch of fruity tang from the Va. At times, a floral wisp makes itself known as does a touch of wood, with just a tad of sweetness from the Va rounding it all out. As far as the Perique, there seems to be two camps. For me, the Perique is not at the forefront, nor middle, of the flavor. It lingers in the back, demanding no conscience attention, with just a hint of raisin poking through at times. It is there, but contributes to the overall body of the smoke, rather than the flavor.

A smooth, well balanced smoke, for sure. Not at all overly complex, yet not entirely monochromatic in flavor either that includes a good tobacco taste. A very satisfying smoke.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	matthew miller (1)	2018-02-15		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

The guy from C&D had run out when I called so he 'knocked' some up for me. This was at least 10 years ago and I did not care for it so it rested in the bottom of a box in a large bell jar until I moved and found it. The aroma is tangy and mushroomy, very redolent of Perique of which there is more than a small amount as I can see it It in the blend. Tangy and peppery with a great burn and I can taste C&D's Izmir distinctly. Now a very good blend and a good find

Pipe Used: smio satou dublin

Age When Smoked: 10 years

Purchased From: C&D

Similar Blends: sunday picnic.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LannarkGent (145)	2016-12-18		Mild	Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

The oriental blend is very good.. The oriental flavor is smooth and non biting . The perique adds a degree of elusiveness.Virgins and maybe a hint of cigar leaf makes this a sublime a tasty blend.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ferncourt (1)	2016-11-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

Terrific blend. Well balanced. For those who love the Turkish accent, beware, because that accent disappears after about a year. Still a 4-star smoke, but different from fresh.

Pipe Used: Purchased at Smoking Pipes

Age When Smoked: Smoked fresh and aged

Purchased From: Best in a small to medium billiard

Similar Blends: Same tobaccos as Orion's Arrow with different ratios..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	point9 (114)	2015-06-13		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Cornell & Diehl makes hundreds of blends that I need reviews on TR to help me decide which to sample, and this is on top of the list. Vaper with oriental, simple but impressive combination. Easy to work with and good for all day smoke.

1 person found this review helpful.