Where to begin with Cornell & Diehl’s Autumn Evening blend…
I’ve been trying to find an aromatic that both tastes great…or at least tastes good enough…that also fills the room with a pleasant aroma. Digging through multiple sites, Autumn Evening read well. Supposedly heavily cased in maple flavor and a lovely maple aroma. Some reviews even made mention of maple drenched pancakes. Naturally, I was sold.
Upon popping the tin, it smells amazing. It definitely has a maple aroma. This had me a little giddy, as I love the flavor and was expecting something amazing.
Right out of the tin, it was a little moist. I sat out some to dry for about 20-25 minutes. Again, I prefer my tobacco a bit on the dryer side. While I waited, I emptied out the tin into one of my jelly mason jars for storage. Then, I went about my ritual of loading my first bowl. I decided upon my Peterson St. Patrick’s Day 2006 B10.
It took to light easy enough, with the char light taking one match and one more to get things goings.
The flavor…was not anything I was expecting. I tasted no maple. There was a hint of brown sugar somewhere underneath a horrible burned/charred taste. Somewhere in there, there might have been a smidgen of expired and crusty molasses…the type that no one wanted and has sat in the fridge for generations.
I attempted to work my way through the bowl. Both puffing and sipping. It was a struggle. The aftertaste was all but unbearable. Again, no maple…and rolling my tongue around all I could get was that horrid charred taste left to remind me of what I stuffed into my bowl.
The tobacco itself burnt well. In fact, for an aromatic, it burned to the bottom well enough that I only had to tamper, rather than relight.
Thinking perhaps there was something ghosting this particular pipe, after it cooled I went about cleaning it out with some moonshine and left it to dry.
Then, second times the charm, right? I figured it was a fluke. The next day opening up the jar with reservation, it was that intoxicating smell that got my hopes up. Loading up the bowl I set my expectations high once more, giving the benefit of the doubt. I was disappointed. There was no improvement, and giving that what I had been smoking in the bowl prior too had been sweet, there shouldn’t have been too much tainted flavor.
Whatever Autumn Evening was meant to be…I don’t know. I could have simply gotten a bad batch (manufacturing date on the bottom of the tin reads 2013-12-12), but there was nothing pleasant about this blend. As I sit here writing this, I’m still cringing at the taste left in my mouth.
Usually, I will give a blend a fighting chance and won’t pass judgement until several bowls have been given a go. In this case…I think I will simply cut my losses. As this is my first sampling of what Cornell & Diehl have to offer I just hope whatever I try of theirs in the future gives me a better impression.
That being said…I will let what I do have age a bit and give it another bowl or two. If there is a noted improvement I’ll most definitely be writing up another tasting. If there isn’t…well, It’ll never again see the light of day. As it stands, however, Autumn Evening is not one I’ll recommend…ever.
The Rustic Briar 