Tobaccos Cornell & Diehl - Yorktown

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3050)	2016-05-28		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

The stoved red Virginia offers some tangy stewed, sugary, fermented ripe dark fruit, earth, wood, plenty of bread, a few blades of grass, light vegetation, a little citrus, and touches of spice and floralness. It takes a small lead. In a support role is the tart and tangy citrusy, bready and mildly toasty, grassy, lightly floral and acidic tart lemony, moderately sugary, bright Virginia. A dash of fermented red Virginia provides a burst of tangy ripe dark fruit, earth, bread, vegetation, and wood along with light vinegar and hint of spice. The strength is a couple of steps past the center of mild to medium. The taste barely reaches the medium mark. The nic-hit is in the center of mild to medium. Mildly complex and well balanced, you’ll notice every nuance in virtually every puff. It's a little dry, so I slightly moistened it to slow the burn rate, and bring out a little more of the flavors. Has a few rough edges. Won’t bite, and I experienced no harshness, though I do recommend smoking at a moderate pace. Burns fairly cool and very clean at a reasonable rate with a very consistent sweet and tart, tangy sour flavor from top to bottom. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Has a pleasantly sweet, short lived after taste, and room note. A fairly easy going all day smoke that would make a good mixer, too. Three and a half stars.

-JimInks

47 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2016-03-30		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

After so many average to poor reviews of Yorktown I was hesitant to try this blend, but was convinced by a You Tube video from C&D. I’m glad I was as I find myself only the second four star review of this blend. The pouch scent is quite inviting and sweet which led me to believe that there might be some added topping to Yorktown. After smoking several bowls, I don’t think that’s the case, but rather a result of the processing of the Virginia's, but that’s a guess. There is no bite, and it smokes sweet. It will burn a little hot if pushed. Also, if not smoked with the proper cadence, it can get a little ashy. But if smoked properly, the rewards are worth it. While there is very little complexity, a bit of a surprise given the components, I found it quite tasty. My only issue with this blend would be around cellaring it. It arrives a bit dry and I prefer to smoke it that way. But without the moisture content needed to get the best results from aging I am hesitant to buy larger quantities of it. This may likely be an issue with the retailer rather than C&D. I have finally found a bulk Virginia blend from C&D that hits the mark!

31 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2014-03-25		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

It's been in the neighborhood of 5 years since this blend has been reviewed. Perhaps some changes have occurred.

I find this to be the best straight Virginia I've smoked. The flavors are rich and delicious. Raisins and hay with ample sweetness. There's also a touch of spice. There is some complexity, but not a lot. Then again, I wouldn't expect a lot. Medium bodied with the flavors running medium to full. It's just a wonderful smoke. There's not even the hint of a bite.

I also see a lot of potential here for use as a blending component. If I ever get around to building my own English or Balkan these are the Virginias I will use.

Pipe Used: MM General, MM Country Gentleman

Age When Smoked: fresh bulk

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

22 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	L. Carl (1)	2017-05-07		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

I have used C&D Yorktown blend for over 10+ years now as my day-to-day go-to pipe smoking tobacco. In one of my conversations with Craig, the founder of C&D, we discussed this blend at length. He was always a supreme example of customer service and never shied away from doing so with his customers (something the new owners seem to shy away from...) That said, as far as the blend specifics itself, no, it has not been cased with anything. It is a 'pure' blend, in the English tobacco making tradition of stoved and cured Virginias.

I had already tried a huge number of C&D offerings with the intent of finding that just right for me blend that was lower in nicotine but slightly higher in sugars blend, but one that did not smoke hot, as some sugar-rich tobacco blends too often possess. Craig hit the nail head on this one as far as a light pleasant smoking blend that produced only a small amount of moisture (determined by the pipe type smoking it of course, and that I smoke filtered pipes), was not too smoky like burley blends and heavily cased tobaccos are, is very mild on the palate regarding tongue bite or roof of mouth burn, has a pleasant taste to the smoker but is also pleasant to the surrounding people, smokes at a very steady rate when properly packed - requiring few lights when tamped regularly, and doesn't cause the kind of nicotine hit so often seen with other heavier or robust tobacco blends.

On reviewing the two and three start ratings of other reviewers I've noted that maybe they're comparing this tobacco blend to other more heavy/robust blends, which is really a mistake, as Craig clearly told me that this is a blend intended to stand on its own and was never intended to compete or be comparable to other blends. In fact, when I told him what I was looking for as a daily go-to blend he immediately and without hesitation recommended Yorktown for me. I bought a packed 1# tin from him (which sadly, is no longer available, and I must say actually enhances the quality of the blend). Since then I have purchased pounds of C&D Yorktown, though I must say that in recent times it appears they have changed the blend to where it is much looser in its packing in the pipe and smoke slightly faster than the 'original' blends I purchased prior to their being taken over by another concern.

But still, the smoking qualities have remained constant. If one is looking for a low nicotine hit, lighter go-to daily smoking blend with the qualities I've described, C&D Yorktown nails it square on the head for meeting these criteria.

Pipe Used: Dunhill, Ferndown, Vauen, Peterson, etc.

Age When Smoked: when received and/or a year or so later.

Purchased From: Formerly direct from C&D, various now.

Similar Blends: A blend that stands on its own and according to the master blender of this blend, was blended to meet a specific smokers criteria and should not really be compared to other more heavy and robust blends..

18 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2082)	2017-11-15		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Cornell & Diehl - Yorktown.

Yorktown's constructed of very fine ribbons, virtually a shag. This arrived today but rather than cellaring it I decided to have a bowl imminently. It wasn't dry, but not moist enough for storage.

The initial smoke feels a little boring. At first the only real taste is mild hay. I find it takes until five minutes in for the flavours to develop: what starts out as quite a mundane smoke becomes rather good. I get a nice sweetness, some bready/doughy notes, dark fruit, and a touch of spice. Although I get a hay flavour I can't identify any sharp grass, and the fruity note's one of dark fruit, not citrus. Throughout a bowl I find the smoke becomes deeper/richer tasting.

Nicotine: mild to medium. Room-note: quite pleasant.

Yorktown? It's nothing flashy, or over the top, but would be a solid all day smoke. Recommended:

Three stars.

Pipe Used: Peterson Harp #03

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

15 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2016-05-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

An interesting blend that has a peculiar combination of bright, slightly earthy Virginia flavor with very mellow and cool smoking characteristics. I point this out because most blends comprised of this much sugary bright leaf have a tendency to bite, or at the very least burn somewhat hot.

According to Cornell and Diehl, Yorktown is a combination of red & bright Virginia, both stoved and unstoved, finished with a bit of black Cavendish. It’s also the only mixture they produce that contains stoved bright leaf. The result? Yorktown has flavor that’s naturally sweet and toasty. The stoved leaf seems to round things out, while also lending a good measure of bottom-end to the overall taste. By mid bowl, Yorktown sweetens some and the flavor gains more depth.

I enjoy smoking this mixture. It’s simple but still quite good. Yorktown is lightly nuanced & delicately sweet with plenty of natural tobacco flavor and a touch of spice. This is also a good blend for seasoning new pipes. It does arrive a bit too dry for me, so I chose to re-hydrate it to my liking with some distilled water which worked perfectly.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (403)	2016-06-14		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Upon opening jar, sweet smell of tobacco. One of my favorite Virginia's but I am also a hoarder and do not smoke it often. It is dry tobacco and I have learned to smoke it slow, it can bite a little. My jar is 17 years old and the pipe tobacco still smokes great. Update: June 2019. My Yorktown is now 20 years old. I don’t smoke this very often but when I do it still tastes great. I bought this back when you could only order by the pound from Cornell & Diehl. I actually called them on the phone to order and talked to a human being, Ha. I bought a pound of this, Gray Ghost, and Pirate Kake that year, not really even knowing much about what I was ordering. I was 39 and had not been smoking a pipe very long. I still have quite a bit of Gray Ghost, Yorktown, and a little bit of the Pirate Kake left. Never intended to cellar these but time has a way of causing this to happen I suppose. I have way too much pipe tobacco and way too many pipes and I sometimes wonder if I would enjoy my hobby more if it was simple like back then when I had a few pipes and a few blends….. ? Guess I will never know.

Pipe Used: Corn Cob

Age When Smoked: 17 years

Purchased From: Bulk from Cornell & Diehl

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cm1648 (108)	2020-04-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

One of the breadiest Virginas I have smoked. There certainly is an evident citrus character from the brights and some dark fruity from the reds, but sweet baked bread is on the forefront. There is a bit of spiciness as well. I believe the stoved virginas which are heat treated in some way to bring out a natural caramelization of the sugars, add a deeper sweetness than you find in the straight brights. I believe it is a good beginnger tobacco as well as its not incredibly complex but has sweetness. Does come quite dry, which is probably why I found little to no moisture in the bowl at the end. Despite the dryness, the flavor was still ample. Leaves a bready room note. I bought this primarily for blending as the C&D bright and red virginas I purchased left me wanting. This is definitely a superior Virginia product. Satisfying enough on its own. Though I prefer flakes and the usual benefits they bring, this blend will stay around for use. Definitely an underrated blend that deserves more attention, especially for the price. 7/10 score for me, so worthy of a "highly recommendation".

Age When Smoked: 0-3 months

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BurleyBhuddist860 (6)	2018-07-19		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I honestly don't see how this blend has any bad reviews (other than from smokers who smoke like steam engines) This blend is a very mild sweet, slightly grassy Virginia that can easily be an all day smoke. I smoke this mainly in cobs and have no problems with it whatsoever. It should be smoked slowly for it burns rather quickly. This is honestly one of the mildest blends in my cellar and if you're looking for a mild all day Virginia, Yorktown is the way to go.

Pipe Used: Tons of cobs , some briars

Age When Smoked: Various

Purchased From: Smokingpipes

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Randy Tuggle (46)	2019-06-30		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I have never found Virginias to be something I enjoyed. After buying a tin of Yorktown and keeping it aging over 3 years, I finally decided to give it a try before planning to pitch the tin in the trash with others I do not enjoy (Yes, TAD is real). I was SHOCKED to find how good this blend actually is. Not only will I smoke it regularly now but it will remain as part of my regular favorites. If you like Burleys and hate the typical Virginia tobacco blends, TRY THIS! It's smooth tasting, good burning, and holds it's flavor 'til the end of the smoking experience.

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum Cobbit

Age When Smoked: 3 years

Purchased From: SmokingPipes.com

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2018-01-26		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This is a great blend for people to try who insist C&D can't make a blend without Burley. Even still I have heard in forum talks some who insist this smokes like it is a burley. I did not experience that at all. What I experienced was a good solid bulk Virginia offering. This will give you all the sweetness you would expect in a Virginia. That being a sugary slightly citrusy haylike sweetness. It is not very strong, so in some ways it is not like your normal C&D blend at all.

This is not good enough to replace any of my favorite Virginia blends, but neither is McClellands 5100 and I always like to have some of that on hand, mostly for blending purposes. Yorktown is different than 5100 in that it is more citrusy and grassy, but would serve the same type function in my rotation: a blend that is good on its own and great to improve some other blends I am not that crazy about.

So I do recommend this blend, particularly for those who are looking for a good bulk Virginia offering.

Pipe Used: 1985 Dunhill Shell 5103

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Indianapolis (49)	2020-02-06		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Wow, I too am baffled by the negative reviews here.

I smoke a lot of virginias and va-pers. When I'm smoking a straight virginia, I'm looking for the sweetness to come through, some grassy/herbal notes, some toasted bread -- and for it not to bite me to death.

This mixture more than meets those criteria. It has more natural sugar than Opening Night or even Golden Slices (which, ok, I know has a touch of perique, but seriously not much...). It's not as creamy as Golden Slices, but does a better job of highlighting the toasty/bread flavors. Similar in the herbal/grassy notes to Opening Night, which I like, but I actually prefer this mix given the improved sweetness.

It's not a Tilbury-style "super subtle" mixture -- it does have some earthiness and a touch of spice to it. We'll call it a "medium" straight virginia, medium-mild overall. In contrast, something like Amphora virginia or FVF are medium+ straight virginias, medium overall type smokes.

I bought this in bulk, and can completely agree with other reviewers -- it came bone dry in the bag. It still smokes fine, but I put it directly into a jar to avoid any further drying. Maybe some rehydration would help it smoke a little slower (its a reasonably quick burn), but it's not critical. Almost no fragrance from the bag, I've gotta stick my nose down in there to smell it. But taste? Abundant.

It can bite ... if you really try! Smoked at a moderate pace, this was much less bite-prone than the Amphora or Opening Night.

This is a truly great straight virginia. If you're looking to really experience pure VA, look no further. Comically cheap in bulk, and totally lovely.

I'm putting this one right next to Golden Slices and Tilbury as my go-to virginias. Different flavors for different moods, and all equally good in their own way.

5 people 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 to Tolerable

Almost shag cut. Nice blonde ribbons of tobacco. Medium in strength but exceptionally smooth and mellow and very natural-tasting. Mostly citrus and straw aromas on a spicy background. Not grassy, closer to the hay side of the Virginia spectrum. Not very complex but completely natural as I said and really tasty.

I bought in bulk and it came a little dry but it smokes perfectly well if quick. Does not produce any tongue bite and does not smoke hot for a Virginia even if pushed.

Good for an all-day blend and ideal for me as a first smoke in the morning with coffee. Fully recommended to the purists of tobacco and former cigarette smokers.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2008-03-28		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Yorktown is a short-cut medium ribbon with a tin aroma which is earthy and grassy, a very natural scent.

The flavor is herbal and, again, grassy. There is a light touch of sweetness, simple and rustic with a vague citric quality. Overall, there is an impression of rawness and earth which gives this blend a homey, rural quality.

Try this if you want a rustic and straightforward Virginia. It is pleasant and inoffensive. This went best in a narrow to medium gauge chamber.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Knightsmoker (218)	2020-06-28		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

C&D Yorktown has a very limited jar note after 3 months. All I can smell in the jar is a light grassy note and some sweetness. This however, may be due to the fact that it came a little dry. Smoking it dry was a mistake, it burned hot and needed lots of relights to keep the temp down. The flavor was good. So I hydrated it and this has made all the difference. If you found it burning too hot re-hydration is the key. The flavor is more complex than I would have expected from a mild to med. VA blend. The note of hay starts in the lead but after a few puffs finds itself in competition with a lot of dark fruit notes some of which lean towards a stewed fruitiness, sawdust, a dry earthiness, some notes of toasted grains, a faint grassy note that underlies the blend, a note of citrus that comes and goes as well as a sweet spicy note that moves in and out as well, finally an occasional floral note or two pops in once in a while at about the half way point. These flavors deepen just a little toward the bottom. There is still enough sugar content to have a couple of rough edges but it did not bite. The underlying sweetness is quite pleasant and makes me think that it might improve a little with a couple of years of age on it. The room note is not all that noticeable outside but others around me had mixed opinions of it. The nic hit is not really noticeable either. The finish is very short and will not linger so this is a perfect blend for my first bowl of the morning or as an in-between bowl for bigger blends. I plan on picking up some more soon to see how it will age in the short term.

Age When Smoked: 3 months

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kokinhenik (93)	2020-05-02		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Absolutely delicious! I find Yorktown complex and very refreshing in this genre. I'm surprised its not talked about more. The tin note is unremarkable and the tobacco dry. Regardless, even in a rather dry state, it smokes like a dream. Based on the cut and color, you might expect a young grassy smoke. Not the case however. The blend tips to the darker, aged bakery and fall harvest flavors, with notes of bread, nuts, bailed hay, earthy fresh cut fields and cedar. This is a Burley lovers Virginia. The stoved Reds lead with dark fruit, walnuts, and a sweet medium bodied coffee note. Supporting that lead is the bright virginia with a grassiness, citrus, tang and a wee bit of honey. The flavors are right in my goldilock zone between bright and dark. I've smoked and cellared many straight Virginia blends and they typically take considerable aging to hit the kind of deep flavor profile that Yorktown is producing fresh out of the tin. Truly unique balance in my experience. I love it. All day smoke. Blending potential. Comes in bulk. Extraordinary bang for the buck. Smokes well in cob and briar. Yorktown takes my #1 Virginia spot. Simply gorgeous.

Pipe Used: Bjarne pot, Missouri pride

Age When Smoked: New bulk

Purchased From: Smoking pipes.com

Similar Blends: Peterson flake???.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RedDirtBlueSkies (4)	2016-01-29		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

When I first received this blend it was super dry, but that is what I've come to expect from C&D bulk. I was underwhelmed by the bag note, though I could smell a very slight sweetness, but I really had to go looking for it. I decided to try this in a cob first, and that was a mistake. I think because of the open draft of the cob and the fact that the tobacco was so dry, this blend burned super hot. There is a spiciness to the blend already and if it burns too hot it just over amplifies this. After I switched to briar, I was able to get a little more of the flavors from it, but that spicy note is always there in the background. If you sip this, there is a nice bread/toast flavor that comes through. The retro hale is loaded with the sweet dried fruit flavors, so it allowed me to vary the experience adding that needed complexity. This blend can be harsh and gets an ashy taste pretty quick if you let it, but what surprised me was the last third ramps up in flavor adding that fruit note to the toasty flavor on the palate.

This is not a bad VA, but because I had to really focus on it to get what I wanted it would not be something that I purchase again. I think this blend could very greatly with the pipe used, so I'll experiment with what I have left. Someone mentioned using this as a blending tobacco and I think that could be a good idea since there is a lot of sweetness here, especially if it was able to pick up some moisture from the another tobacco. Pressing this with an oriental could be really nice.

Pipe Used: MM Patriot, Bent Duca Carlo

Age When Smoked: New bag

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2004-08-12		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

The red virginia components mentioned in the description encouraged me to try this blend. I am a dedicated red virginia smoker, prefering the depth of flavor and natural sweetness. My sample was somewhat dry, but still within the range that I consider smokeable. The charing light did not reveal the bitterness that some other C&D blends have produced during my testing. The flavor was consistent throughout. I found the flavor acceptable, but never detected the subtle sweetness that I expected from the red virginias. The flavor was never very exciting. The tobacco burned cleanly to the bottom with no tongue bite.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WorkingClassChap (198)	2022-03-26		Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Smoking now:

Bulk version: The bag note is sweet honey and a vinegar tang. Interesting. The moisture is fine and ready to go from the bag. A no thrills ready rubbed straight Virginia.

Sweet honey, slight tangy grassy lemon, white bread. That’s the dominant flavors. The retrohale is fantastic with more of the same flavor notes. It’s quite good especially if you like bready Virginias. The more of it I smoke the more I taste dry crusty white hard rolls. I rather enjoy it. Nic hit is maybe up to medium. It’s a tad rough, grassy, has some harshness, especially if puffed on, but there’s enough good Virginia flavors in here that it can be over looked. Mild easy going after taste, smoked well for a Virginia. At bulk prices this isn’t bad. Less harsh, more sweet, and bread like than Derringer.

I tend to use this as a blending tobacco combining it with Izmir as it is very one dimensional. On its own it’s not bad at all especially because I like bready Virginias. 3.5 stars.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ATW (110)	2021-10-13		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Been putting this one off for years but finally decided to pull the trigger and try some. I'm surprised not many people talk about this one.

The bag aroma is sugary sweet with slight bread notes. Moisture level is perfect. Very consistent flavors from beginning to end with sugar, orange citrus, bread, and just a occasional slightly nuttiness. It can bite if it's chief'd on but does smoke smooth.

Overall a nice blend. Not as full flavored as I would have liked but a very nice blend that's worth having around.

Update 11/11/2021

The more I smoke Yorktown, the more I like it. After having Yorktown and Escudo in my rotation, I find that Yorktown is very similar in taste and aroma as Escudo though it's not as smooth and obviously has no perique.

Update 8-1-2022.with almost a year of age on the last batch I purchased, the flavors have deepened into a fuller flavored blend. The sweetness and orange notes are still there from the brights and stoved brights, but the reds have deepened, adding a fuller quality and almost like a cinnamon roll quality to it but more bready then cinnamon. This has really started reminding me of Elizabethan Mixture or a lighter version of Ye Olde Signe. Imagine adding around 8 to 10% perique and pressing it for a month or so.....it could be a dunhill killer.....

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rustedrailsmokes (293)	2021-01-22		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I picked this up in Bulk during a recent sale before holidays. I had read where this is a component of Popular Camp (VaPer) which I enjoy, so I figured it might be worth a try on its own.

I was right. This has quickly became my favorite C&D straight Virginia blend. It's a ribbon cut with lots of browns, lighter color, and a few dark strands in it. The bag note is sweet hay. The ribbon cut makes it easy to pack into most any shape bowl. Lighting is a breeze. The combination of Virginias produces a smoke which has a good level of sweetness, supported by a base grassiness. It's not as sweet as the European VA's that I smoke, I'm guessing because there isn't a topping. The taste is very consistent through the bowl and from bowl-to-bowl, which is another benefit.

I'd say the strength is about medium to my taste and the nic level seems mild-to-medium. I always feel the nic in this one, but I can smoke multiple bowls through a day still. It produces some moisture, but just requires a quick swab of a pipe cleaner to eliminate. Burns down to grey ash.

Available as a Bulk, this is a great smoke for the price-point and I've already ordered a pound to jar up and add to my cellar, it will have a place in my rotation as my VA Ribbon going foward.

Pipe Used: Radiator Pipes, Canadians

Age When Smoked: October 2020

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Leon (85)	2020-12-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A straight Virginia that has many other characteristics. Maybe it's the process, maybe the high quality leaves, but there is a lot of flavor developing out of its simple ingredients. Short verdict: I love this blend.

Tin Note are mostly of zest, hay, grass, and dry fruit.

Smoking notes: The smoke begins as a fairly mellow "flat" smoke. Some red wine from the red Virginia, some sweetness from the bright leaf. However, as the smoke proceeds, around a third of the smoke in, the flavor develops and becomes more spicy and more full bodied.

Red wine / dry fruit notes increase from that point on, as the red Virginia takes over the show. The bright Virginia is only there to add just the right amount of sweetness. Even some smokiness coming out, mostly in the retro-hale.

The tobacco comes pretty dry. I drop a small humidifier in for a bit and that does the work perfectly. Otherwise, it's a ribbon cut, very easy to pack and smoke, no relights. It has just the right amount of complexity to make it suitable for an all-day smoke. Aside from complexity, it has a good nicotine kick, but certainly not too much. When I finish a bowl I feel just the right amount of "full", like after a good meal. Doesn't get too hot, doesn't bite the tongue. This is very much a "sipping" type of blend, although it does smoke relatively fast.

I was pleasantly surprised by this blend. How a two-ingredient, both parts of the Virginia stock, processed in a certain way, have such a full flavor, sharpness, smokiness, spiciness, and still the hidden sweetness of the basic bright leaf. I went through the tin like a tornado and ordered more. Would love to see how it smokes with some age. Four stars.

Pipe Used: Savinelli 106, Stanwell 242

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BlueDog1950 (17)	2018-12-15		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Straight Virginia Short ribbon cut, very smooth, mild to medium taste and strength, medium nic, unlike some straight Virginias this blend does not burn hot, burns even with very little relights. No bite. Soft mouth feel.

No topping detected, just a very nice tobacco flavor. Tin note is old school pipe tobacco, no fuss just an outstanding solid Virginia flavor.

I like this blend a lot, great for relaxing, not complicated but not boring, a good blend for savoring the experience of smoking.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Roma 122 (Pot)

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sailorjack (57)	2014-09-18		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I had high hopes for this one but I must say I'm just terribly disappointed. No virginia sweetness detected at all. None of the hay-like flavor or any other attributes I look for in a good straight virginia blend. Bland and boring that leaves an unpleasant musty aftertaste. I did mix it 50/50 with Stokkebye's Sweet Virginia and that made for a pleasant smoke. If your looking for a good inexpensive straight virginia blend I would suggest looking elsewhere.

Pipe Used: various

Age When Smoked: Fresh Bulk

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	butman (50)	2008-11-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Another winner of a Virginia blend from C&D. This one is better with my favorite Scotch than some of the others. It stands up and the flavor blends well the malt of the whisky. I smoke it more in the evening either with whisky or a good tea blend from across the pond.

Try it in your medium sized pipes. It's a dandy.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spike (296)	2005-05-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Sometimes you wonder when buying bulk if you get the correct tobacco. My pouch tastes like a medium English dominated by Oriental leaf. Sort of a Durbar clone. A quality blend, it won't make my top ten at this time.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2004-05-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I concur with the esteemed reviewers before me that this is a nice VA that could be an all-dayer for some or a good evening smoke to finish off the day. Visually appealing with shades of gold & brown, nice cut for easy packing & lighting, burns nice and even to gray ash and leaves the pipe clean & dry. Nice citrusy flavors are there at the start & through 1/2 the bowl with a light sweetness here & there for balance. Subtle spice notes now & then. Becomes more full as you near the end of the smoke. I notice slight "ashiness" at this point but it is not unpleasant. I had no gurgle trouble at all and used no cleaners till the smoke was done and the ash emptied. The pipe I used was a full bent carved IL Ceppo apple that is exclusively a VA pipe. This is a dry smoking pipe in most cases, but I have had good results with other pipes including a coupla' straights. As advised by the others, keep your puffing moderate or you could fry your tongue a bit. Good VA flavors, smokes & burns well...not bad. Works for me.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2003-06-14		Mild	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is another excellent go to tobacco for nice smoke after dinner.

I packed this in a Bjarne Brandy Glass (A) and gently glided over the tobacco with a lit match, before firing up the second mmatch. I immediately detected the taste of a mild Lemon, which gradually became an almost full delightful Virginia. This blend needs to be smoked very slow as not to cause tongue bite.

As I was nearing the end of the smoke I could taste just a bit of sweetness but not overwhelming. This tobacco really needs to have a chance to entice a dedicated Virginia Connoisseur, the first 7 to 10 puffs leaves you wondering if this tobacco is really that satsifying; It is, very much so. I noticed this blend needs a little more attention when it comes to tamping, but seemed to me to be a very even buring tobacco.

For those who have never had the pleasure of a Virginia Tobacco, beware this is a medium to full taste with more of an emphasis on the full. Myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the rich tasteful tobaccos and I do smoke this on occasions.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2003-06-03		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

On opening the bag one is greated with a very mild tobacco aroma, Virginian. The tobacco is a mixture of yellow to medium brown tobbacos. Packing and lighting is easy.

The taste is a simple Virginia smoke, and remains consistent throughout the bowl. There is a mild sweetness that is very satisfying. This should be smoked relatively slowly to avoid tongue bite. I find it excellent in a bent bulldog pipe.

This is an excellent smoke for Virginia lovers looking for something that can be an all day smoke. Also, its a good introductory Virginia for smokers of aromatics looking to try straight tobacco blends.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DeathMetal.org (231)	2023-02-19		Very Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

Summary: a balance of bright and red Virginia flavors, this blend has a slight malted or bready flavor from the stoving.

Virginia blends serve best for slow smoking when distracted so that a sweet flavor rolling over the tongue is like an oasis for the mind. "Yorktown" offers a mixture of bright and red Virginias that is cost-effective because these bright Virginias are very new, so it is expected that you will throw the tin in the closet for a year to let the leaf mellow. Like many C&D blends, this has "rough edges" meaning that it is a bit bitey and inconsistent, but that is part of the charm we want from C&D, namely frontier blends with irrepressible spirit. Out of the tin, this blend provides an acidic and citrust flavor moderated by the fruity and malted grain flavors of the red Virginia, resulting in a wonderfully sweet and tangy flavor similar to the "Virginia Slices" from C&D also. If you hid any Burley in this blend, it would be a little white Burley before stoving, but I suspect there is less of that than people think, and mostly they are tasting the vegetal flavors of very "new" bright Virginia. Nonetheless, thanks to a sample from a generous reader, this blend remains a favorite, although it needs a year or more of age and is often prized most as a blender (try it mixed with "Cube Cut Burley" and some dark fired Kentucky Burley for a European-style long-burning blend).

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	OhioTony76 (59)	2021-02-27		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

This is a good example of a bright and red Virginia blend. Both are detectable and distinguishable individually, and depending on how the components fall into your pipe could produce a slightly different smoking experience. I’ve smoked two bowls just today of Yorktown. The first definitely produced more citrus notes and a heavenly floral room note. Most likely from the brights. The second bowl was a tad bit more spicy. Slightly darker notes and a bit more earthy. Possibly more reds in the mix. That being said, this blend doesn’t quite reach medium body. It’s on the mild side and quite subtle. It’s definitely not a hot air blend, although the flavors need teased out and do demand your attention to truly appreciate them. Yorktown burns very cool, has an exceptional room note, and leaves a buttermilk biscuit like aftertaste. I prefer this early in the day before I wreck my pallet with strong coffee and whatever’s for lunch.

Age When Smoked: 2 years

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pip (80)	2018-04-05		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Some say that Yorktown is a very under rated blend. So I decided to get some and try it out for myself. I got 2oz of Bulk. Immediately I knew from the tin note this is was very fresh and was going to need some age…serious age 8-10 years. So I jarred it up and kept a couple of pinches for a taste. The tin note was fresh and sweet. No tangy smell at all. Very much like a cigarette tobacco smell. Looks like cigarette tobacco too. Moisture was perfect and it lit up and stayed lit the entire time. As for taste…..this was very mild for me and I had to coax the flavors out of it….some bread, toast, caramel, honey, hay, grass. Nothing in your face. Very subtle….to me what’s the point? I’m working to hard on this. Maybe some age will do it some good. The tobacco is of fine quality and doesn’t bite at all. But with so many blends to try I’m going to pass on this for now. I retry in 10 yrs and see.

Pipe Used: Peterson Summertime 69

Age When Smoked: Fresh

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DCD (8)	2017-10-06		Very Mild	None Detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Tolerable

I bought this in bulk and it was drier than I prefer. It is a finely cut shag, which can creep into your draft hole if you're not careful. Overall I find this to be a rather bland and monochromatic Virginia, But as others have noted, it can be put to good use for blending (hence the second of two stars). I've used it 50/50 with Dunhill Durbar, which I like but is too strong for me as a regular tobacco (I guess I am not as "mature and experienced" as I thought). The result is a very pleasant smoke with more roundness and sweetness than straight Durbar. So the large amounts of both tobaccos I unwisely ordered will find a use. On its own, though, given all the truly interesting and well-made Virginias available, Yorktown is a disappointing smoke that does not show this noble leaf to good effect.

Pipe Used: Dublin's and billiards

Age When Smoked: fresh from bulk

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	natibo (169)	2016-02-06		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I thought I was going to love this, but to me it tasted too much like cigarettes. It has a good nic hit, which I usually love. But this tobacco put a bad taste in my mouth and stomach. Well, it was not THAT bad :)

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jacinto Cupboard (209)	2015-11-23		Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Short ribbon cut of mid to light brown tobacco. My bag came tinder dry.

Bag note is wet hay and grass.

This is a mild to medium fairly sweet tobacco with a very grassy profile. I get some citrus notes but none of the dried fruit other reviewers have noted. The smoke can be a bit acidic and harsh. Tends towards the hot as might be expected from any Va in a ribbon or shag form.

This is an easy, simple smoke that might be a good starting point for a transitioning cigarette smoker. Veteran Va lovers will probably not be swayed from the numerous flakes that offer a more complex experience than Yorktown can deliver.

Not a bad smoke by any stretch, but not for me.

Pipe Used: Lepeltier

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2005-09-28		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Hmm I had great expectations for this stuff, being a fan of C&D's VA blends and all, but I'm not sure what to make of it now that I've tried it. The aroma is very musty, like an old book. The taste, well its also reminiscent of a musty old book. I don't know if this is how it's supposed to taste. The lighter colored leaf is the color of dead grass, with black dots on it. I'm not sure if this is mold of some sort or if its just the dust from the stoved leaf. However, this combined with the overall dullness and mustiness of the tobacco makes me almost suspect that I have received some tobacco that had gotten wet and dried back out. Very strange, I'll have to order some more in the future and compare it to the rather dismal offering that I have tried.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2005-07-04		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Briar Fox is the C&D virgina I use as a guide to rate other C&D virginias. Yorktown was a little dull for me; just middle of the road. There was nothing too bright nor too strong. The tobaccos are of high quality but it was just boring. I will mix it with a touch of oriental or deer tongue to finish the batch and I will probably not purchase more. BTW, I am using the same review to rate Ridin' the Raid since I had the same experience.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	neuron_md (37)	2022-08-27		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I like this tobacco.

From the pouch it smells sweet and fragrant, like a pack of good quality Va cigarettes.

Lighting it up is easy, and the flavor is that of good VA. It is sweet and grassy at the beginning and builds up a darker flavor as you go.

There is that nice buttery aroma when you blow gently into the bowl.

It smokes cool but can bite if pushed. Sipping it works best.

Four Stars. Highly recommended.

Pipe Used: different briars

Age When Smoked: various batches

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	doc pipes (110)	2022-07-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a solid Virginia blend that I enjoyed significantly more than C&D’s flagship, “opening night.” Yorktown is smoother and has more flavor. This pure Virginia blend is presented in an unusually short ribbon cut. I cannot think of any other C&D offerings that have this precise cut. The mix is an approximately equal allotment of bright gold, red, brown, and drab/tan color leaf. The initial pouch aroma upon arrival was mild, sweet, and grassy. With some oxygen and time this aroma approached that of an unlit Camel non-filter, albeit a bit sweeter.

The char light gives some light citrusy sweetness that follows into the true light. Over time, the sweetness fades and the smoke takes on a drier character. Toasted cereal grains, dried straw notes, and earthy tobacco make up the flavor profile.

Mechanically speaking, this is a dry blend that smokes dry, but requires an unusually large number of relights. Yorktown has a tendency toward burning hot, but does not punish the tongue, smoking smoothly every time.

Pipe Used: Numerous briars

Age When Smoked: Fresh bulk

Purchased From: SP

Similar Blends: Poplar Camp minus the Perique and cavendish.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Cleonides (21)	2020-02-14		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

A straight virginia that seems to be a pretty even mix of reds and brights. That mix results in a flavor that is a little earth, bread, and hay for a mild complexity. Pretty full flavored.

It's great for real unadulterated virginia flavor or as a blender. No flavorings or extra sugar here which is a unique approach that basically only C&D and D&R are doing. Mild nicotine.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CoreyR (36)	2018-04-09		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Bright, grassy and lemony/citrusy, this was my first impression after lighting up C&Ds "Yorktown." I loaded two bowls the night before and one light was sufficient the next day. They both burned to a fine ash with one tamp each. I got a wonderful taste of summer grass with lemon and a hint of spice. The flavor stayed steady and strong all the way through the bowl. This is something I can see puffing away as I meander the streets of Colonial Williamsburg. It would just "fit," despite its "Yorktown" name. It would also be a great "all day" smoke while mowing the lawn or working in the garden. I highly recommend it and shall be adding this winner to may rotation.

Pipe Used: Little Devil Acorn Corn Cob Pipe, Sav 626

Age When Smoked: 3 months

Purchased From: gift

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LannarkGent (145)	2016-12-18		Mild	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This straight Virginia is a very old blend. The Virginia were simple and too toasted for my taste. While a one time delight, there are a number of other blends that overpass this one

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Otterly (5)	2023-05-18		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I rather enjoy smoking a nice pipe full of tobacco. This is a nice tobacco to fill a pipe with. There are notes, the sweet scent of hay and fruit, but the overall note is tobacco and tobacco often has notes of hay and fruit.

Much like walking into the moisture controlled room a fine tobacconist keeps cigars in, this has that warm rich feel of tobacco. Seems redundant to have a review of tobacco mention the aroma and feel of tobacco, but all artifice aside, this gives me a delightful experience smoking. Smoking this reminded me of hiking in Virginia in the seventies and seeing the fog drift over steep green fields planted with tobacco. I still don't know how they cultivated such steep fields. As my mind wandered I went back to considering how to describe the experience of smoking Cornell & Diehl's Yorktown. I kept coming back to the deep warm comforting note of tobacco. I will be keeping this one around.

Pipe Used: Mesquite pipe, inexpensive white clay pipe

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Old Burnt Stove (4)	2023-01-19		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Yorktown is a straight Virginia blend. I was concerned at first that it would lack any depth and quickly become uninteresting. Boy, was I wrong.

The Virginias marry perfectly with each other. Almost reminds me of 5100 RedKake. No tongue bite. Very close to Cornell and Diehls Tuggle Hall. Minus the Latakia.

Yorktown is my new go-to. It deserves four stars.

Pipe Used: Peterson

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: online

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bushleagueosu (20)	2021-09-17		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

Fantastic virginia blend. Should be talked about more often. Especially since it is available in bulk. Can't wait to try this after it has some age on it. This is a perfect mix of bright and red Virginia's. Plenty of grass and hay and just a touch of that ketchupy red virginia flavor you get from Mcclelland but not nearly as strong. Definitely worth a try for any virginia smoker. Quickly found a spot in my rotation.

Nobody has rated this review yet.