Cornell & Diehl Night Train

[clueless]

I ordered some of this blend after reading some very good reviews. I was looking for a fuller bodied smoke with some character. I clearly got it. Since I only ordered a few ounces it came in a chunk in a plastic baggy rather than a tin. It arrived as a block of pressed tobacco that easily broke up into flakes to pack. The texture was reminiscent of a moist herbal smoke. (I actually had to pull some apart like I did 'buds' in my misspent youth.) Since I don't have a very sensitive nose I didn't really detect much when I broke it up and packed it. It was a little moist when packed and took a few more seconds with more flame to get a good light initially. Once lit, though, it required few relights and then only after tamping and clearing considerable white ash formed on top. It smoked smoothly and all the way down. And I definitely felt the nicotine more than I have any other pipe smoke. More than the Samuel Gawirth Commonwealth I tried recently. If you don't want that kick don't smoke this blend. I kind of liked it for a change up. My first bowls were late night after a full dinner and made for a very nice way to end the day. There was no bite and definitely some character. I tried a bowl this morning with my first coffee of the day and probably won't do that often. The nicotine was a little too strong for the start of the day. I will definitely go to this when I want a stronger taste and am not worrying about 'room note' but it is a little much for me to consider an every day, 'go to' , smoke. Clearly a good alternative to keep in rotation.

 

[Muddler]

Good review. Night Train is a great Va blend. I also find the nic kick quite severe.

 

[woody]

yup - it's the go to for nicotine addicts.

 

[Hermit]

Looks good enough to take a big bite, doesn't it? :twisted:

 

[babysinister]

Looks good enough to take a big bite, doesn't it?

Looks like some of dem dere chewin baccy deals.

 

[SailorJack]

I have been wanting to try this blend but I don't like a big Perique presence.It just gets too peppery and spicy for me. I like the Virginias with just a pinch of Cajun weed for no more than a seasoning effect. Do you think that I would like this one?

 

[jlong]

Good review. This is a C&D blend on my want to try list along with Star of the East and Wasted..er...I mean Purple Cow.

 

[Hermit]

I have been wanting to try this blend but I don't like a big Perique presence.It just gets too peppery and spicy for me. I like the Virginias with just a pinch of Cajun weed for no more than a seasoning effect. Do you think that I would like this one?

It has a generous portion of Perique and some Burley.
I love it, but it isn't meek.

 

[babysinister]

I have an aging jar of this stuff. But my nic tolerance has gone way down in the last few years. I'm going to have to trade it off or just cut it the hell down with CH or some other anodyne burley.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

C&D states that this blend has "Cavendish Cut Brown Va. Burley"; what is Brown VA Burley?

 

[deepbass9]

what is Brown VA Burley?

A lack of punctuation.

 

[cakeanddottle]

I have been wanting to try this blend but I don't like a big Perique presence.It just gets too peppery and spicy for me.

I find that C&D blends with Perique don't give me that peppery element that some other blender's Perique does. I don't care for that either. Ruins Escudo for me. I love Perique in C&D tobaccos. Gives those blends a fermented fruit tang that smells wonderful and adds a nice depth to the smoke, and doesn't offend the tongue, at least in my case.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

I found out that the place where the tobacco is grown precedes the name of the tobacco, and this follows the nomenclature of cigar tobacco; this is the first time I've seen this done in the pipe tobacco world. So we have burley grown in VA.

Examples of this nomenclature from the cigar world:

sungrown Ecuadorian Habano-Rosado hybrid
Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro
Honduras Criollo 98

 

[Zeno Marx]

I have been wanting to try this blend but I don't like a big Perique presence.It just gets too peppery and spicy for me.

I find that C&D blends with Perique don't give me that peppery element that some other blender's Perique does. I don't care for that either. Ruins Escudo for me. I love Perique in C&D tobaccos. Gives those blends a fermented fruit tang that smells wonderful and adds a nice depth to the smoke, and doesn't offend the tongue, at least in my case.

I've found the opposite. I'm also a big perique fan, and all C&D but Night Train have proven to be so spicy that they come across as harsh. Night Train isn't like that at all, though. I've only had fresher stuff. I'm really curious to know how it ages.

 

[SailorJack]

Tastes change and develop , I have learned to love Perique. It's all about the skill of the blender, in using any component judiciously and in their treatment of the tobaccos in the blends. It's all about a balance of flavors.
I never thought that I was a nic-head and generally have in the past avoided blends reported to be high in vitamin N. On a whim I bought a tin of Peterson's Irish Flake which is one of stronger blends in terms of nicotine content. I was surprised to find that the nicotine had no effect on me. I have recently purchased a pound of Night Train and I smoke it in the morning or whenever without any ill affects. Go figure! I seem to be immune to the stuff. I don't find that I need or want the nicotine but prefer more full bodied blends that just incidentally contain a good amount of it.

 

[Brewdude]

Night Train is always in my rotation.


Cheers,

RR

 

[shootist51]

I ordered this blend in bulk and recieved it in a ready rubbed condition. I liked it! I ordered a few tins and it came in a flake form, I liked it better.

 

[juanmedusa]

Has anyone found a benefit to extended aging of this blend. I would jar a fresh brick of it for awhile before consuming as a matter of practice but I've not considered jarring and storing indefinitely. If I'm not seeing the potential let me know.

 

[Aristokles]

I always have some on hand and never noticed any blatant changes with aging, if that's what I do keeping it tightly jarred for months, even years. But then that is just my opinion.

 

[juanmedusa]

I always have some on hand and never noticed any blatant changes with aging, if that's what I do keeping it tightly jarred for months, even years. But then that is just my opinion.

Thanks. Yes, that's exactly what I'm getting at.