Cornell & Diehl and Toscano Maestro Pipe Tobacco Collaboration
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Kevin Godbee - Jan 23, 2024
- 4 min read
Manufactured by Cornell & Diehl under license of Manifatture Sigaro Toscano, Toscano Maestro pipe tobacco will be shipping to retailers on Monday, January 22nd, and will be available for retail sale beginning Tuesday, January 30th at 6:00 p.m. ET.
About the Collaboration
The Toscano Maestro brand of pipe tobacco is a collaboration years in the making. Manufactured by Cornell & Diehl and developed by Jeremy Reeves alongside Manifatture Sigaro Toscano’s Master Blender, these mixtures were created to capture the experience of Toscano cigars, optimized for the pipe. Showcasing the nuance and complexity of top-tier, fire-cured leaf from Kentucky and Tennessee, each blend delivers its own nuance and complexity, naturally aromatic with bold notes of pepper and mesquite elevated by such choice condimental varietals as Red Virginia, genuine Louisiana Perique from St. James Parish, and Turkish Latakia.
Taking inspiration from musical composition, Toscano Maestro pipe tobaccos underline the harmony and synergy of the world’s finest tobacco components, each bowl building to a crescendo of flavor you’ll want to return to time and time again.
Toscano Maestro Pipe Tobacco will be distributed nationally in the United States by Laudisi Distribution Group and will be available for consumer purchase at participating online and brick-and-mortar retailers beginning Tuesday, January 30th at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Allegro
Integrating the richness of America’s finest Dark-Fired Kentucky Tobacco with the sweetness of Red Virginia and a woodsy whisper of Latakia, Allegro offers aromatic intensity perfectly balancing roasted and spicy notes alongside delicious aromas of vanilla, caramel, and maple.
Components: Stoved Red Virginia • Dark-Fired Kentucky • Unstoved Red Virginias • Latakia
Cut: Ribbon
Family: English
Strength: ★★★☆☆
Taste: ★★★★☆
Room Note: ★★★☆☆
Concerto
A selected blend of Perique, Latakia, and Dark-Fired tobaccos from Kentucky and Tennessee, Concerto is firm in character and bold in flavour, highlighting the characteristic woody and peppery notes of Dark-Fired tobaccos with a full-bodied profile that delivers strong, enticing flavours and nuanced aromatic complexity.
Components: Latakia • St. James Perique • Dark-Fired Kentucky
Cut: Ribbon
Family: English
Strength: ★★★★☆
Taste: ★★★★☆
Room Note: ★★★★☆
Sinfonia
Harmonizing the unique qualities of Dark-Fired tobaccos with the sweetness of Red Virginias and the smoky foundational tones of Latakia, Sinfonia divulges a complex intensity characterised by roasted notes and balanced by subtle, spicy nuance.
Components: Stoved Red Virginia • Dark-Fired Kentucky • Latakia • Red Virginia
Cut: Flake
Family: English
Strength: ★★★☆☆
Taste: ★★★★☆
Room Note: ★★★★☆
About Toscano
The Toscano cigar was founded (by accident) in the summer of 1815 by Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, after a large amount of Kentucky-seed tobacco was caught in a torrential downpour and left to dry in the Italian summer sun. These environmental conditions catalyzed a natural fermentation process, increasing the body and flavor profile of the tobacco.
In order to make the wet leaves pliable, the tobacco was placed in a barn over fire – introducing the world-renowned Kentucky seed, fire-cured Toscano tobacco. These naturally fermented and fire-cured leaves were then rapidly rolled into cigars and became so popular among the townspeople that the Duke created a tobacco factory dedicated to making them.
Toscano cigars continue to be manufactured in Lucca, Italy, maintaining the same historic process used to create the first Toscano cigar rolled in 1815 and utilizing fermented American and Italian Dark-Fired Kentucky-seed tobaccos. Unique in their special production process, tapered shape, and full-bodied profile, Toscano cigars are firmer than their Caribbean counterparts and do not require constant humidification, aiding in their enjoyment by discerning smokers all across the globe. Whether smoked whole (alla maremmana) or cut in half (ammezzato), Toscano cigars pair deliciously with a strong coffee or espresso and are bold enough to accompany a dram of Scotch or Bourbon — perfect for those who appreciate full-bodied, earthy, natural tobaccos.
About Cornell & Diehl
Since 1990, Cornell & Diehl has provided enthusiasts with some of the finest, handcrafted, boutique pipe tobacco on the market. Prioritizing quality over quantity, the blending house uses only a select few grades of tobacco, personally sourced by Head Blender Jeremy Reeves for their inherent qualities, and focuses production to small, limited runs to ensure the quality of each batch. In addition to C&D’s core lines, the manufacturer also produces all the pipe tobacco blends for the celebrated G.L. Pease brand, as well as those for BriarWorks, Two Friends, Drucquer & Sons, Warped, and many others. Cornell & Diehl also provides pipe tobacco filler for Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust’s celebrated StillWell Star line of premium pipe tobacco cigars.
About Laudisi Distribution Group
Laudisi Distribution Group, or LDG, is the exclusive U.S. distributor of Savinelli pipes, tobacco, and accessories; Peterson pipes and accessories; and Cornell & Diehl manufactured pipe tobacco brands, including Cornell & Diehl, G.L. Pease, Two Friends, and many others. Bolstered by proprietary software and industry-leading customer service, the organization is dedicated to supporting brick-and-mortar and online tobacconists across the country.
Written by Kevin Godbee
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