Entering The Dreamlands with Cornell & Diehl: Dreams of Kadath

[thesmokindragon]

Having read another great JimInks review and seeing that Dreams of Kadath scored 4/4 , I figured with such a high rating it was at least worth a try and I'm sure glad I did. JimInks review was yet again spot on for this one :worship: ( see his review below ). The 2oz tin I received from Smokingpipes.com had about a year on it already and the plug was easy to slice and rub - blasting through this tin pretty fast but really enjoy it as my first smoke in the AM with some Grady's cold brew coffee - Happy to report I was able to escape the dreamlands with a few lbs to smoke and age but I enjoyed the journey and will keep going back for more ::
JimInks Review on Cornell & Diehl: Dreams of Kadath

The grassy, citrusy Virginia forms the base for the other components to shine, and I consider it to be a team player. The lightly smoky, woody sweet and floral Katerini also has a spice note as an important supporting player, though it doesn’t over take the other varietals. The nutty, woody, earthy, lightly sweet burley and the woody, nutty, dry and mildly spicy dark fired Kentucky are condiments. The overall spice level is fairly mild. The unsweetened black cavendish provides a little smoothing brown sugar. The raisiny, plummy, lightly spicy perique mostly plays a background role. The strength is just past medium and the taste level is a hair past that. The nic-hit is in the center of mild to medium. No chance of bite or harshness, and has no rough edges. Burns cool, clean, and a little slow as plug tobaccos will do. The nuanced flavors are very consistent from start to finish which is a hallmark of a well blended product. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires some relights. Has a pleasant after taste. Not quite an all day smoke, but it is certainly repeatable.

 

[hawky454]

It's a really good one, although the more I smoke it the more it does remind me of Temple Bar. I would say you definitely need to try one but having both can be a bit redundant. Good stuff for sure though and I'm so excited to see them doing whole leaf plugs!

 

[thesmokindragon]

I had also tried Temple Bar first and really enjoyed that one as well but I found the dark-fired Kentucky & Katerini in this blend changed it up a bit for me

 

[hawky454]

I've heard others say that as well, I guess I'm just not that sensitive to those flavor profiles as they more or less taste the same to me. I will say they DoK has a bit more topping (some kind of spirit?) but even the toppings on both taste the same to me. If I had to choose, I would go with DoK, it's one of the best blends I've had from C&D and is a testament to Jeremy's blending skills. I'm also wanting to try more from this line. I imagine this stuff is going to age extremely well.

 

[thesmokindragon]

Agree - I have noticed the topping as well and as others have noticed it as black raspberry or perhaps blackberry - I was just having a bowl this morning and had to keep from pushing it but when I did it just gave me more flavor. It is one of those blends that deserves your full attention :worship:

 

[perdurabo]

DOK is hands down my favorite tobacco. I love Katerini, the dark fired and the perique. The topping is wonderful, adding the right touch of seeetness. You guys need to try Mad Fiddler it's just as special. The Katsuri lending a cinnamon note, the virginias in both are malty, with excellent bready notes.

 

[thesmokindragon]

@perdurabo - thanks for info, I have not yet tried that one - adding to my list for next order ::

 

[saltedplug]

How much compression on these plugs? Tight like Condor or Salty Dog, or loose like Dark Plug or Revor Plug?

 

[mso489]

jiminks and C&D usually get it right.

 

[thesmokindragon]

@saltedplug - I have not sampled those other plug blends "yet", but I can slice through this one with ease with a good old Benchmade EDC.
Now something like Peterson's Perfect Plug on the other hand... :rofl:

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I really enjoyed this one as well. Mesmerizing.

 

[perdurabo]

Salted Plug- it's not tight like Salty Dog. Iits not loose and falling apart either. You can cut a nice thin flake, but once you fold it, it breaks apart. I don't fold flakes any longer, preferring to break them out. So no loss for me. I prefer DOK as a shag cut. I've messed with multiple cuts, finding the shag brings out even more complexity.
I'm not really a fan of the tight plug, I prefer these C&D plugs more.

 

[hawky454]

It’s my understanding based on the other thread Perdurabo started that these American plugs are pressed with the same amount of pressure as the British plugs but they aren’t steam pressed as the steam presses are very rare and there are only few in existence. The steam along with the pressure is what makes the British plugs more compact. Either way these American plugs are still proper, I still prefer the British plugs however but it’s really good to see more and more plugs hitting the market.

 

[saltedplug]

thesmokindragon, your cutting tool suggestion for PPP made me laugh. Thanks!
Russ Ouellette was kind to tell me a few things about plugs, one of which was that the immense pressure actually breaks the cell walls. So I prefer the denser plugs because. . .well, just because, loosely based on the idea that the greatest pressure melds the flavor by the ruptured cell walls. This is not entirely rational, but to me density is goodness. Plus density, as my chosen plug ideal, convinces me that I aim preparing my pipe in the manner of those centuries ago.

 

[perdurabo]

Understood, The Flavors are melded in DOK.
Salty Dog is the only plug I've had that's like a tire. I didn't really think the flavor was all that good. It's OK, but something is missing. Especially for the asking price. I've had FVF, ODk, and some other fine English flakes that have been steamed pressed. They are wonderful, but SaltyDog was lackluster. I know it's not SG but an Orlik made product, that may be the difference. Leaf quality perhaps. I bring the Dog up because it was mentioned.

 

[perdurabo]

I love Jim'sreview, but I never got a citrus Virginia note. I just finished a bowl of Dunhills Ye Olde Signe, it was citrusy. Supposedly it's tea like and malty, not so much to my taste. Just shows how people taste stuff differently. My wife tried some Haddo's Delight and said she tasted grapefruit, I guess that's the citrus note. I wish she hadn't said it, because I started tasting grapefruit.

 

[saltedplug]

Salty Dog's flavor is medium, perhaps mild to medium, but I like it.
I just can't get excited about expensive tobacco anymore. I spent ~$700.00 on Condor, and while it's a great blend, there are many others as good that are almost half the price. $10.00/50g is about as much as I'm willing to spend, unless it's something as fabled as Moztek Strang.

 

[perdurabo]

Yea, I like to spend about $11 on a tin at the most.

 

[lasttango]

I cracked a tin and I smoked it for the first time today. I really enjoyed it. It was my birthday smoke and I broke in a new pipe with it.
It was so rich. Great flavor.

 

[ben88]

I guess it won't be offered in 8oz package?