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Arguably the most famous of Louisiana’s antebellum mansions, and certainly the most immediately recognizable, Oak Alley is a splendid namesake for this cellar worthy, new American standard. After establishing an impeccable partnership between sweet red Virginias and white/brown burleys, discreet amounts of perique and Katirini Turkish are added to enhance both the flavor, as well as promote the coolest smoke imaginable.
Favorite Of 8 Users
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shane Ireland (8) |  |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Primarily a Virginia/Virginia-Perique smoker, naturally I was most intrigued by Chenet’s Cake when the Cellar Series made its debut. Oak Alley took me by surprise. It is a very complex blend that actually fills several spots in my rotation at once, as strange as that may seem. This is a cross-over blend for those who desire something “in-between” their usual Virginia/Perique, or Burley, or Virginia/Oriental blends. The base of Burleys and Red VA is expertly proportioned and balanced, with the Perique (more generous than you might imagine) and Katirini constantly evolving and weaving in and out of the spotlight. Plenty of strength to satisfy, this is a blend that can be as complex as you desire at any given moment during the smoke. If you are working/driving, you get a solid flavor that will not become dull. Once you focus on the smoke, layer after layer of flavor will reveal itself. Again, this may seem strange, but the flavors are at once subtle as well as robust, and will keep you guessing all the way down to the fluffy ash at the bottom of the bowl (did I mention how well the C & D crumble cakes burn?). Truly unique in the best way, I am obsessed with the tin I have open and have laid down quite a few to enjoy at various ages. I should also mention that at this time, the tins in stock at Smokingpipes.com are still from the original release and are already aged 6 months!
Pipe Used: Various briars
Age When Smoked: 6 months
Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com
33 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gentleman Zombie (729) |  |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
Yes, it is good right now. At the light the Virginias hit you first, but only 10 or so puffs in and all the components have melded together. The flavor is sweet and sour, tart, spicey, and mildly earthy and fruity. It has nice depth and is very smooth. No hint of a bite. Medium in body and flavor. I get the impression that the flavor has the potential to become rich with time. 3 stars for now. I'll reserve one for when I've tasted the aged product. I suspect it will have earned it.
I should add that it's not overly moist out of the tin. Probably enough to aid the aging process, but not enough to keep you from smoking it right away. I prefer to dry it a little before smoking.
Pipe Used: MM General, MM Country Gentleman
Age When Smoked: fresh
Purchased From: smokingpipes.com
29 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JimInks (3048) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The red Virginias are mildly tangy dark fruit sweet, earthy, woody and bready as it takes a very light lead. The earthy, woody, floral, nutty white burley is dryly sharp with some sourness. The earthy, woody, toasty, nutty brown burleys and are often drowned out by the white burley. The perique is mildly present with a little spice, raisin and plum. The floral, earthy Katerini Turkish is very smoky, herbal, vegetative, spicy, and woody with some dry sour notes, and is more obvious than the tin description describes. Overall, this sweet and sour plug is easily broken apart, and some flavors can be subtle as they are often more noticeable at various times during the smoke. Burns cool, dry and a little slow with no dull or harsh spots, no bite and leaves a little moisture in the bowl. Requires a few relights. The strength is a couple of steps past the medium mark. The taste is a slot past that level. Has a medium nic-hit. Has a strong after taste that lingers a little. The room note is a tad stronger than pleasant. I think it works best when puffed at a slow or moderate rate as white burley can show more strength when it's smoked fast. A regular cadence will better reveal the complexity of the blend. Not an all day smoke.
-JimInks
24 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perique (163) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
Presentation is a square, pressed plug of light and dark browns. Tin note is intense with naturally sweet tobacco flavors, and really strikes you when the tin is cracked. The initial cracked tin note is slightly pungent, tangy, with an overall sweet and sour nose. A few moments later, as the tobacco has a chance to breathe and settle itself down, Miss Perique walked in the room and asked me if she could mix this with chocolate and eat it. She said it smelled of Chaffhaye and cherries. When a non-smoker perceives cherry in the tin note of an unflavored blend, I've found it to suggest a very good, well-blended VaBur.
It fascinates me how different the Va/Bur/Per-Oriental mixes can be from each other, and I would say Oak Alley certainly represents the sweeter end of this genre's flavor spectrum.
Initially, the Virginias and Burleys are the stars of this show. The Virginias in this blend are truly first class - smooth, with no bite. Burley is a co-star, adding some strength and backbone to the blend, along with subtle salty, nutty, and parchment notes. The Turkish is a background player in the first third of the bowl, adding a sweet and vaguely floral note. The Perique component is very mild; my battle-scarred palate can't even pick it up.
I found Oak Alley to be mildly Virginia-forward in the beginning but quickly transitions to more of a burley blend with the smooth, sweet Virginia and Turkish more of a supporting act. That's fine by me. I find that red Virginias are nicely tamed by burley and there's no bite in this blend. Similarly, a little Turkish can go a long way and C&D nails the proportions with this one.
In the final third of the bowl, burley is dominant with the Turkish in hot pursuit. The flavor levels out to parchment, basswood, lightly salty, with a bit of background nutty sweetness. It gets a bit hotter and slightly ashy at the end, but nothing that would ruin the experience- Oak Alley remains vey smooth with no bite.
This is a very smooth and easy-smoking blend for this style of tobacco, and could easily be an all-day smoke. This would be an excellent choice for someone who found other blends in this genre a bit too strong or harsh, and for those who like this style of blend but are very sensitive to Perique. Even for the intrepid VaBurPer smoker, this makes an excellent daytime blend with few demands on the smoker. The moisture level is just right out of the tin with an excellent, slow burn and clean, dry ash.
This is one of those seldom reviewed sleeper blends that gets little attention, and deserves more.
15 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SmokeDawg (82) | |
Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
Pop the top of this rich tobacco and immediately you get the sense of quality and thought put into it. It even looks rich and the middle part of this squared cake has a dark chewy brownie look to it. The casing is hard to describe but it's sweet fermenting figs or raisins to me. It's at the right amount of moisture and ready to smoke like the folks at Cornell & Diehl intended. My favorite part of this blend, it's a firmly packed crumble cake yet can be pinched apart with medium effort. Once you do that it's very easy to pack, light and smoke. Overall this a a rich spicy tobacco due to the Turkish and Perique but not over spicy like in your face but a constant spicy tone none the less. The white burley and oriental slows it down and keeps it cool like they advertise. Smoke it slow and you'll get the taste of sweet VA's. This is good right now and especially with a cup of coffee in the morning, but will age wonderfully. Has a nice nicotine punch (just right) to give added flavor. I recommend this to pipers looking for a favorable tobacco with a nice little spice and nic punch to it. Interesting blend. Tasty. Cornell & Diehl you rock.
Pipe Used: Kaywoodie full bent. Kaywoodie straight dublin
Age When Smoked: March 2014
Purchased From: Ansteads tobacco Fayetteville NC
Similar Blends: Sunday picnic.
10 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JJ Sir Emmitt (40) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Pleasant |
This blend presents in a very nicely packed crumble cake. Smokes great with no dry time needed. The cake is a bit tricky to cut, use a very sharp knife. This blend is very burley forward. This is a must try for burleyphiles like myself. Oak Alley is a very full bodied smoke with a lot of complexity and nuance. The core flavors present as rich notes of chocolate, coffee, roasted nuts, hay, toast, and citrus. With a wonderful addition of a peppery spice through the nose and on the finish. The tin notes a peak age of 10 to 15 years, however it is great now. I really appreciate the out side of the box approach to the burly based blending that Oak Alley provides.
Pipe Used: MM Freehand
Age When Smoked: New Tin
Purchased From: Tobaccopipes.com
Similar Blends: C&D Burley blends..
8 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StevieB (2081) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Cornell & Diehl - Oak Alley (Cellar Series).
The 2 oz. tin contains a single kake, medium brown, a touch wet but not soaked, and easy to crumble; just pinch some off, and stuff it in.
The smoke: the brown Burley gives a rustic note, and is quite woody, with a tamer flavour from the white Burley, but there's also a sort of dustiness from them; this is only at the start, it soon dissipates. The Perique and Katirini are of an equal weight, giving a buttery, plummy, note, which sits atop the Burley/Virginia. The Virginia and Burley are the 'main' flavours throughout. Oak Alley gives a very good burn, which is cool and even. There's no bite whatsoever.
Nicotine: medium. Room-note: boring.
Oak Alley: yes, it's well made, and a fairly pleasant smoke, but it bores me. Two stars:
Somewhat recommended.
Pipe Used: Barling Meer'
Age When Smoked: One month
Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DenizBeck (323) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
I was granted a sample for about 4-5 bowls worth and REALLY enjoyed this one.. I even packed the last crumbs (maybe a quarter bowl worth of tobacco) into a pipe, because I found it to be that tasty!
An autumn-y scent comes out of the tin, the name is very aptly chosen, as it really reminds me of strolling down an alley in autumn. The scent of freshly chopped wood, old wooden doors and huts... "old-time-y"!
First off: They describe it as a VA/Burley, yet the Burley somewhat dominates for me! The Virginias on the other hand aren't really sweet, but moreso earthy and also offer a nice spiciness along with its hay-ish character! Characterstic for the C&D burleys, they offer their rich earthy aroma, with some nice nutty undertone lurking. Dry, spicy, warm!
The Oriental is what makes this really interesting! At first I thought there's some dark fired leaf in it.. but after reading other reviewers I'm quite sure it's the Oriental that contributes this distinct sharp-smoky aroma, that I really appreciate in this blend. The perique is discreetly added, just a bare hint of it to be perceived for me, yet the Katerini Turkish/Oriental is quite intense and genuine in its aroma. Less floral and ethereal, moreso sharp, smoky and spicy!
Stout in both nicotine and mouth-feel, but not overly so! A great smoke after dinner, in the evenings, or when strolling down an Oak Alley ;-) I'll definetly buy a few tins of this and the update my review, when I've smoke through a tin or two, but my provisional rating is: 4-stars! Great, unique smoke!
|| Personal rating: 4-stars | Attempt of an 'obective rating' : 4-stars ||
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GabrielCRT (115) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
I didn't think Chenet's Cake could be beat but Oak Alley may be the star of cellar series. I currently rate it at 4 stars and it will definitely improve with age. This is a complex, Burley forward blend. The nutty/bready brown Burley dominates and has a little sharp white Burley to go with it. The red Virginia is sugary and earthy with spicy Perique in a moderate dose. The Katerini also adds a little spice and wood. All these components are very well married and balanced. The tobaccos combine with flavors of coffee, chocolate, earth and some fruit notes. Delicious!
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mhulsey (36) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Oak Alley is an absolutely wonderful blend in the cellar series by Cornell and Diehl, and it has quickly become my second favorite in the series only taking a back seat to Joie De Vivre. This blend is absolutely loaded with flavors that seem to interchange as one smokes the bowl further down. Popping the lid off of a fresh tin dated 3/14, I am greeted with the wonderfully sweet smell of the Virginias and a nice rich chocolaty smell from the Perique and a nuttiness from the Burleys. In the tin is a nice compact 2 oz cake of tobacco that resembles a small brownie. It is obvious while looking at the cake, that the tobacco is of high quality and due to the presentation, there will be no twiggy or woody bits mixed in the tobacco. The tin note is amazing, with aromas of sweet grassy or hay like notes coming from the Virginias, which balance well with the nuttiness that I detect from the Burley. The Turkish provides a light tea like aroma to the mixture, and the Perique provides an almost smoky or chocolate like aroma. The moisture level of this particular tin is much drier than any of the other tobaccos that I have smoked from the cellar series, however, it is still on the damp side, and will require a short drying time before being smoked fresh out of the tin. I imagine that this moisture level is intentional, as the tobaccos in this series are intended to be aged, and at their best in ten to fifteen years. In order to help with the drying process, I took my cake and cut thin strips off of one end and then rubbed this out into a thin ribbon, setting it aside for thirty minutes to dry. After allowing the tobacco to set out for a spell, I packed the pipe easily enough with the thin ribbons, and lit the pipe. The first flavors that I detect are those from the Virginias, they are slightly sweet and then they become bread like, but they are shortly followed by the smoky and somewhat spicy Perique. As for the Burley, there seems to be a robust nuttiness that constantly shifts from the back of the flavor profiles to the front and then back again sometimes it seems to steal the show. The Turkish provides a tangy or slightly sour quality that is detectable throughout the entire smoke, but it definitely takes a back seat to the Burley and Virginias in this blend. This definitely makes for an interesting smoke due to the flavors constantly changing place and swapping roles. As for burn characteristics, I did not have to tend to this blend at all during my smoke which made for a relaxing and enjoyable experience. When finished, the tobacco burned down to a fine white powdery ash which made cleaning the pipe rather simple, only requiring that I run a pipe cleaner through the stem and around the inside of the bowl to remove any remaining moisture. As for the room note, those around me made mention that the tobacco smelled like a cigar, so I take that to mean that it is tolerable to strong, and one may want to smoke this blend outside or while alone as not to offend those that don’t tolerate the smell of smoke. Overall, I have been very satisfied with Oak Alley, and can only imagine what it will become with ten years or more of age. With that in mind, I purchased several tins so that I could smoke a few tins now, and cellar several, comparing my notes later on down the road. I would recommend this blend to anyone who enjoys a good Virginia and nutty Burley blend.
Pipe Used: Italian Briar
Age When Smoked: fresh from tin and tins aged two years
Purchased From: PipesandCigars.com
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| point9 (114) | |
Medium | Very Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
The tin I have is from the 5-set samples of cellar series and luckily they are all from the first release. This one has aged for 1 and half years and this is by far the most finest VaBur with perique and oriental blends I've ever smoked. The tin note is intoxicated with bright fruity, fig, winy flavor. The burley is in the back and provide it's backbone, while the red, ferminated virginia floats in the front with perique and oriental just in perfect propotions bringing out smooth and delicate taste. As smoky as it is, Oak Alley shows no harshness and the spice is right on the spot of interesting and not overwhelmed. Extremely smooth with enough N strength. I reorder few more tins for aging right after two bowls of sampling. Highly recommended!
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ½ bowl (103) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Unnoticeable |
I'll side-step redundancy and simply state that I wholly agree with Perique's review of 2015-08-05, only to add that I pick up a wonderful musty component in the blend.
Pipe Used: Meerschaum
Age When Smoked: 9 months
Purchased From: SPC
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greekpipesmoker (201) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Oak alley is A very decent blend.when you crack the tin a very tence smell of vinegar ,citrus and spices comes out.the plug is very manageable with right moisture.no drying time needed for me.while smoking the flavours are complex and several bowls are needed to get all the flavours.the main player are the virginias offering citruses ,dark fruits and bread notes.the other compoments offer sour notes,spices some plum notes and at last the katerini orientals gives you some earth and woods.the combination is very balanced between the flavours trust me!burns cool and slow leaving perfect ash with a bit moisture at the end of the bowl.the nicotine level is medium.never bit me.the room note is ok.definitelly an all day blend for every smoker.when i cracked the tin the smell reminded me a lot exhausted rooster ,while smoking though i found no similarity.
Age When Smoked: 1 year
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| moniker (220) | |
Medium to Strong | Very Mild | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
C&D’s Oak Alley is a complex blend that takes a few words to sum up. The first word that came quickly to mind, and one that stuck, was “Exceptional”. In the tin (mine’s dated 03-23-20) is a firm kake of mid red-brown, mid and dark brown bits smelling of festering old hay and wood, surface leaf mold, barnyard, yeasty bread, and dry Sherry, with traces of dark and other stone fruits. Despite it’s dubbed “Cellar Series”, and I have no doubt it will improve with age, it is very OK to smoke it at 8 months, as I have done, and it opens up with some rest, once it’s jarred. I just pinch a wad off the kake, spindle it, stuff it, and patiently light it. Right off, it starts with my favorite combination of barnyard and flowers, then funky plum that morphs to funky fig, old hay and meadow grasses, along with woody, bitter nuts, zing-y, yeasty bread, fruit leather, and mild-but-savory baking spices. It’s fairly sweet, also quite sour, and bitter, also salty, and the Perique is the sort that reminds one it started out as Burley. There’s lots of fragrant smoke that smells like a more nuanced iteration of the tastes cooking over fruitwood at a distance. Strength builds to between medium and strong, likewise the tastes, strength almost belied by its smoothness, which surprised me because my sample is not really aged. As for the room note, that’s hard to say. It smells great to me, but I suppose not so great to non-piper bystanders. Aftertaste is the best of the smoke, only sweeter, and it lasts and lasts. In case anyone cares, the first pipe I put it in, a small-ish (#4) pot with thick walls, worked a treat. All told, I Love Oak Alley!
It’s not a coincidence that I posted this masterpiece as my 200th review, on Christmas Eve. 4 bright stars, and a spot on my favorites list. Merry Christmas!
Pipe Used: VA/Per pots
Age When Smoked: 8 month old tin, then rested
Purchased From: smokingpipes.com
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| tpatriarche (43) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
On opening the tin, I was greeted by a marvelous, warm, earthy aroma. Chocolate, fruity, nutty, a little French coffee perhaps, complex rich and VERY inviting. The "Krumble Kake" falls apart easily as its name implies with very little rubbing, to a quite fine ribbon cut. There's a risk with such a cut of overstuffing the pipe, but I found it easy to load and it burned evenly, often to the end without relighting. The taste is almost as rich as the odour in the can. I would have sworn there was dark-roasted Virginia, but I think it must be the combination of extra aging and the Orientals. A perfect choice for autumn!
Overall, it reminded me a bit of the discontinued McClelland Personal Reserve series, although much lighter on the Perique than their St. James Wood, my old fave. Definitely a similar aroma. Blended with a generous helping of Périque, it approaches quite closely.
This is one of of the finest tobaccos I have encountered in recent years. If I could give this 5 stars I would. This tobacco is going on my list for the occasional special treat. <Edited> On second thought (and several pipes later), it just may become a regular item on my menu. I've got six fine tobaccos in my humidor at present, but I keep coming back to this one.</Edited>
Pipe Used: Carey Magic Inch, briar churchwarden
Age When Smoked: Fresh
Purchased From: E A Carey
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HeavyMetalPiper (64) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I've decided to review to cellar series blends from C&D upon purchase (or thereabout) and after the recommended amount of aging to see the changes. I intend to update the review after that period of time has elapsed.
Now:
The tin note is an overall light aroma. There's a hint of that trademark Perique smell, but it's nothing like what you get in a VaPer. There's a sense of flowers as well.
This opens sweet and sour, and almost immediately welcomes a mild nutty flavor. In general, this is like a slightly lighter version of 3P's, and there is a mild fruity sweetness. That sweet/sour flavor that came in at the light switches to a floral flavor and back over the course of the bowl.
You can view my review of this blend, unaged, here:
Aged:
Stay tuned.
Pipe Used: SMS Meerschaum Skater
Age When Smoked: 15 Months
Purchased From: Smoking Pipes
Similar Blends: Peterson - Peterson's Perfect Plug.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philo Beddoe (221) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
Oak Alley is a blend that I had to learn to smoke, but once I did, it opened up its potential to me. The first few bowls were kind of boiler plate Va/Bur/Per with an odd taste in the background, good but not really memorable. I had tried using different briars, but kept getting the same result. Then, around my sixth or seventh bowl the Katirini showed herself. I found the right sized bowl and just the right puffing cadence and voilá, there was the magic! The Katirini leaf seemed to spice up the whole bowl and it enhanced the Perique as well as softening the Burley, in other words, it really tied the blend together. I don’t think the blend will be so fussy with some age on it, as was the blenders intention. It’s very good now that I’ve learned to smoke it, but I believe that with five or ten years of age on it, Oak Alley will be sublime.
Age When Smoked: Fresh
Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATW (110) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Estimated peak: 10 to 15 years. I would say yes to that but I have a problem with that..... It's too damn good to wait that long! This is what I always imagined what an English blend would taste like without Latakia. Very smooth with no bite. Just a very nice slightly sweet and nutty full flavored. End of the bowl give a tar light flavor just slightly but definitely not complaining. And goes very well with coffee. In the tin it smells just like a pouch of Levi Garret.
Pipe Used: MM cob, Molina Milano 101
Age When Smoked: 10-11-15
Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CR (30) | |
Medium | None Detected | Full | Pleasant |
The tin say its estimated peak is 10-15 years. Ha. The batch I am smoking was 7 months old when I received it, now 9 as I sit and polish it off to write this. Has a pleasant tin-note of cedar and vingared greens. It consisted of one large cake and a smaller one tucked in beside it. Moisture is perfect upon opening. Crumbles, packs, and lights easily, burns evenly down to a clean powder. The nicotine kick is also decent enough.
Much of the cedar and vinegar in the tin translates into the taste of the smoke. The nuttiness and oily tang of the Burley seems to be the strongest component to me, but it does not mask the sweet hay of the Virginia - both are readily apparent. I get frequent hints of the sour and papery Turkish, but some of that could also be due to the fusion of the former two. I also wonder if that Turkish isn’t the major contributing factor in the delicious and pervading flavor of cedar, but then I think it could also be a combination of all the aforementioned. The Perique presents itself as a ponderous musk not too far in the background, and it no doubt contributes to the taste of vinegar, and to the overall warmth and pepper.
Oak Alley is an exceptionally well-blended and complex smoke, one I look forward to and always come away from satisfied. I am told it “smells like good pipe tobacco”, and it leaves a pleasant taste in my mouth that only lingers for a few minutes. I must say, though - it can be a bit harsh. Even after 7 months, my first impressions were that my batch needed to smooth out a bit. Nah - I would imagine much of that impression was due to the framing of this batch being “nowhere near its peak”, and this is C&D, so I can live with the usual roughness if that also means it’s raw and untampered with. On relights, it can occasionally produce a brief and foul taste somewhat akin to a dirty sock. Perhaps that’s the Perique. Having said all that, though, I still love this stuff - I doubt I’ll ever see it reach its peak, so I’m giving it a high recommendation regardless of these faults. It’s interesting, unique, and packed with flavor, even when it’s still too young.
Pipe Used: Various cobs, briars, clay
Age When Smoked: 7/ 9 mos
Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mr. Big (321) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
A hard to work with plug, get out your kitchen chef's knife and start slicing . An American style of tobacco that is , powerful ,and has some interest. This starts a little too tangy and Perique/Burley forward for the first 1/3 of the bowl, for me. It later smoothes out and gets more interesting with some minor Oriental support. A very satisfying smoke, that's nice after a big meal. In a style of 50/50 mix of GLP's Jackknife Plug and Temple bar.
I wouldn't go out of MY way to buy this again, but many might like it. Has a lot of C&D's Burley blending style in this one, with some earthy interest and some N punch. 2 1/2 stars now a full 3 in a year
Pipe Used: cob and maple
Age When Smoked: 1month open
Similar Blends: 50/50 mix of GLP's Jackknife Plug and Temple bar..
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| thims (1) | |
Very Mild | Mild | Very Mild | Tolerable |
It is a decent blend, I wouldn't smoke it a lot for two reasons: one, it rather costly for the quantity you get to not bring the richness that one desires in such a claimed tobacco; two, it has a luring, faint hint of the oak and spice one wants, without the fulfillment in richness and quantity that one desires.
It is a nice party tobacco, sitting around and conversing. A decent "time and place" tobacco, but not necessarily something you would write home about.
I would honestly go with something else if I had the opportunity.
Pipe Used: Cheap Disposabale
Purchased From: Cousin Cigars
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| HabaneroHardy (403) | |
Medium | None Detected | Full | Unnoticeable |
A friend of mine brought this in to the club as I had only tried this once maybe 4 or 5 years ago. The tin was dated 112320. Apparently, this is one of the cellar series where I guess they taste better with age. Well, sir, I do not have the luxury of time and found this one to be exceptionally full tasting, soft crumble cake with the usual sweet tin note from the Virginias but I also got a lot of worm dirt smell from the Perique. I guess over the past few days I have had around 5-6 bowls of this with maybe one bowl left from my pinoy sample. Full tasting with probably medium nicotine but I have built up a tolerance so others may find this more of a full nicotine blend. In other words, it did not make me dizzy or green. Enjoyed it and always have a blast trying something new.
Pipe Used: Meerschaum
Age When Smoked: 1 year, 8 months.
Purchased From: Gift
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| OhioTony76 (59) | |
Medium | Very Mild | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
I’m reviewing a 3 1/2 year tin. I consider myself an experienced burley smoker. Burley blends being my favorite over the years. Having never smoked Oak Alley before, and running out of OJK, I decided to pop the top on this one. It’s a Crumble Cake nicely cut in a block. It has that sweet fig like note that some other C&D offerings have when you open the tin. After busting off a corner of the block, very little prep work remains. It’s almost in perfect condition to load in your pipe straight away. 4 or 5 sec of rubbing out and it’s g2g. Lights extremely easy. The taste off the bat is C&D burley, without a doubt. No surprises there. The first 5 min is all burley goodness, but then the spice kicks up a notch. The taste is right around a medium. Not a powerhouse. I’m 10 min into the bowl before I really detect any real Turkish tobacco notes. The spicy burley and Perique tobacco combine to push this blend into the full flavored category by the end of the bowl. I would add that the Turkish tobacco came through much more in the room note than in the flavor of the of the smoke. This tobacco bridges the gap right between Haunted Bookshop and Old Joe Krantz for me. If you are a fan of those, this is a must have.
Age When Smoked: 3 1/2 years.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Martini (17) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
Moisture level is just nice. It is quite ready to smoke out of the tin. The tin was 2.5 years old. The aroma is not as rich as a virginia flake. The crumble cake is easy to load and lights on easily. It burns faster than a flake but it is still quite slow. Initially you will see mostly the virginia, but after a few minutes the burley backbone will show up. The sweet and sour mix is extremely well balanced. The taste is rich but not overwelming the virginia. It is so good that makes you a bit addicted. The nicotine is not so high, a stop down the medium grade. I was never tired of it. Perique and orientals are there but I cannot say how much they contribute to the overall taste. When the tin is open it is difficult to go for something different. It is easy to keep alight. For me after nearly 50 years smoking the pipe is one of the best ever. It is like a truffle. If you like it you will never get enough. Complex and rich I had some my best smokes ever.
Pipe Used: Ascorti, Castello, Peterson, Dunhill
Age When Smoked: 2.5 years
Purchased From: Monica Dubini in Chiasso
Similar Blends: I cannot recall of anything similar.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Kingdom Danimalia (13) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This may be my favorite Cornell & Diehl blend. I would love to know what the leaf percentages are. Unless the Perique and Katerini are doing the heavy lifting, I suspect there is a greater percentage of VA leaf than in many of C&D's Burley-based offerings. It's a sweet and sour offering with some nice fermented fruit notes. Extremely well-balanced. I do not notice any added flavorings, but that doesn't mean there are none. I would consider it medium in flavor, and medium-full in nicotine strength and body. Presentation is a crumble cake, which is exceedingly easy to prepare and smokes very well. All my experiences with this blend have been with younger tins, but I will put a few away to experiment with in the future. This would be a good choice for those who find some of the other C&D Burley-based tobacco, such as Old Joe Krantz or Haunted Bookshop, a bit too rough or plain tasting.
Age When Smoked: <1 Year
Purchased From: Smoking Pipes, Tobacco Pipes
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Stefanos (222) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
It comes in wedge-formed kake which rubs out easily to slim ribbons. Easy to handle and load and at optimum moisture. The tin smells of fermentation with sour notes like yoghurt. Not very appealing initially, but I guess it will change somewhat with time to breathe. The smoke is quite dry tasting, as a Burley blend is expected to do. It has some body which I believe it is the Virginias that impart it as they do add a background of subtle honeyed sweetness which serves as a nice counterpoint to the dry nuttiness of the Burleys. Perique spicyness is also evident as a black peppery tinge. Now for the Katerini I cannot really tell what it contributes, but the blend overall is quite complex and that is probably due to the Katerini as well. Strength is medium and mouthfeel smooth. As a predominantly Burley blend it leaves a bitter aftertaste which is also to be expected. Overall Oak Alley is an intriguing blend, very well crafted, one that will satisfy the Burley fans out there.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| RK_Oz (15) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
First 15 mins: Mildly earthy, slightly sweet and sour notes are picked on the initial sips and breaths. 5 mins in, this evolves into a sweeter blend on the palate with mild tangyness and light nutty and earthy notes.
Retrohale: Mild to Medium peppery notes with some fruity sweetness. I would conclude that in the first 15 minutes Virginias were in the lead followed by Burley and Orientals & Perique playing a support role
15-30 mins: Virginias are still in the lead giving the sweet fruity and floral notes nicely intertwined with the hazelnut and mild leathery notes from the Burley. There are very little or no tangy or spicy notes suggesting the Orientals and Perique have really been added to support the blend without taking the centre stage at any point. Retrohale: Mild peperriness complemented by sweet nutty notes.
30+ mins: Burley has taken the lead... Creamy, nutty and slightly earthy leathery notes followed by some sweetness and mild sourness from the Virginias on the palate. Orientals and Perique are still in the support role. Retrohale: Mild peperriness complemented by nutty notes.
Overall: interesting blend which burns nice and cool with no harshness or tongue bite even when sipped a bit hard. Reuires only a few relights.Burns into nice white/grey ash and leaves very little to no moisture.
This blend needs to be smoked nice and slow to reveal the full spectrum.
Medium in strength and Taste
My score: 3.5/4
Pipe Used: Nova Bee Briar with 9mm Big Ben charcoal filter
Age When Smoked: 12 months +
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Antonius Blok (192) | |
Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable |
Okay, I'm a Cornell & Diehl “celebrant” (without a medal), but with so many good blends that this brand produces, my “title” has no merit.
Once the best rated review here to date is so good, (I mean Shane Ireland's), that it can be complemented with that of “moniker”, which I also fully subscribe, I am shy about repeating or copying what is in they have been said. I refer to those reviews adding only a few small details to mine.
The truncated pyramid-shaped kake has a certain farmyard aroma, with slightly spicy notes and some vinegar. To crumble it I pinch the tobacco flakes that come with a perfect degree of humidity to load immediately, and this makes it burn without the need for many re-ignitions and without any hint of bite. It can be misleading, because although it may not seem like it in the first few puffs, it is not without robustness. Nicotinic strength and flavor are a couple of steps ahead of average. It has a good range of flavors ranging from sweet and sour to salty, depending on the puff, and it is very tasty without being overwhelming, which is why I smoke it every day. I would highly recommend it to any smoker who enjoys a good blend of Virginia and Burley.
I paraphrase moniker paying homage to this Cornell & Diehl mix in what is my 100th review on this page.
Age When Smoked: 5 years
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Reviewer (25) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable to Strong |
Sweet and spicy and tobacco goodness. C'mon now this is good. It goes through various flavors . Might get a patch of some spicy perique for a few minute followed up with sweetness from the Virginia and then moves onto the burley and everything all together. Enough to keep your interest and doesn't get boring.
Pipe Used: Brigham tundra
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| JaWiBr (565) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Tin note of Rasins, stewed apricots, and sugar. Tobacco cut is Krumble Kake, the chunk of tobacco is marbled light brown, darker browns and black. Tobacco breaks apart easily and rubs out fairly easy, it is also quite moist and may need a little drying. Burns moderate with normal amount of relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild-medium. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and complex, with notes of very grassy, very dry earthy, bitter roasted nuts, raisin bread, peppery retro, sour lemon, mild tangy sweet, mild wood, mild floral, and a mild herbal spice. Virginia is trading the lead with brown burleys and white burley, Katirini is supporting. Perique is bringing up the rear. Room note is pleasant to tolerable, and aftertaste is good.
Pipe Used: Wally Frank Limited White Bar Sandblast 128
Age When Smoked: 3 years
Purchased From: smokingpipes.com
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| OrtmanDJ (1) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
I don't know how this blend hasn't received more reviews. I've tried over 80 tobaccos, and this is my #1 favorite, hands down. It's rich, subtly sweet and full of amazing complex flavor.
Pack a bowl, sit back and enjoy, in my opinion, one of the absolute best blends out there.
Age When Smoked: New
Purchased From: TobaccoPipes.com
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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