Bayou Morning (bulk)

[sparroa]

Hello all,
What do you gents think of bulk Bayou Morning from Cornell & Diehl? I just bought 4oz for $11 online.
Do you have any strong opinions about this blend?
I have been away from pipes for awhile but I've recently returned to my old standby, Escudo Navy Deluxe. I love that va/per; it is my favourite blend. It is, however, a little pricey for my purposes as an everyday smoke and I want a little more perique content than Escudo offers.
Do you folks think Bayou Morning is a respectable budget alternative for Escudo? I know the cuts are completely different, but I am generally referring to its flavour, strength, and smoking attributes... I know Stokkebye Bullseye Flake is generally considered to be the closest bulk cousin, but that stuff is as rare as hen's teeth and it actually sounds a bit milder...
As I said, more perique is a consideration but I also don't want a nicotine bomb. (Escudo is medium, medium-minus nic to me)
I had McClelland 2015 in consideration, but the price was high in comparison to Bayou Morning and I was not sure if the perique was more prominent in that one. Cool Hand Fluke also crossed my mind, but I couldn't make a decision based on the few reviews I could find...
Any help would be appreciated - and feel free to talk about Bayou Morning and any appropriate substitutes.
Thanks...

 

[sparroa]

No Bayou Morning smokers at all?
I'd settle for an indication of the perique level in this blend...
Thanks all the same.

 

[nsfisher]

Sorry mate, I can't help you out on that one. Haven't tried either blend.

 

[sparroa]

I thought it'd be popular around here because I remember a lot of people used to be big on C&D. It was a Bob Runowski blend that gets a lot of 4 star reviews so it can't be too bad!
I should have my order here in a week or two so I'll let you know if it is worth trying.
The price is definitely right - a little over 200g for $19 is an amazing steal, if I decide to buy more...
I just reread some reviews, and I usually take them with a grain of salt, but this is just what I wanted to hear from Demetri on TR.com: "If I was expecting an Escudo clone I was in for a surprise. The Perique here is right up front and hit me right off. Now, I do like Perique, but I wasn't sure if I liked this. Escudo seemed more Virginia with Perique where Bayou Morning seemed more Perique with Virginia. The peppery notes hit the back of my mouth and throat quickly."
I definitely want a spicier blend, so as long as it is not too crazy with the nicotine, I should enjoy it.

 

[chamartia]

Hey, Sparroa.
Alright, I think this is my second post on this board. I read a good bit more than I post, and usually only post when it seems like I might have something somewhat worthwhile to add--which ain't too often!
However, the sorts of tobaccos you're talking about are one area I do really enjoy. With C&D, there's Bayou Morning, which I think is a really nice blend. The flake version of it falls short for me, because the flakes are cut so thickly. But the mixture has a nice complexity to me, with the different Virginias, and the perique lends it a nice backbone.
They've removed it, but a number of years ago C&D listed #967 Exclusive as an Escudo clone. I'm smoking 967 right now, although it's been a long time since I've had any Escudo. My impression is that 967 is a good bit sharper and stronger than Escudo, although I'm not sure whether that is mainly due to (1) Escudo's rolled processing, (2) the greenness of C&D's bulk blends or (3) some difference in the perique. (Actually, let me take (2) back--this that I'm smoking is out of a tin that's six years old, and it is still a good bit more aggressive than Escudo ever thought about being. So it's not (2). For me, the aggressiveness is an improvement, although it might not be for you.)
One issue is the nature of perique itself. I might be wrong, but it seems like there are largely two sorts of tobaccos used for perique--St. James, from the eponymous parish in Louisiana, and Green River Burley, from Kentucky. The former is fairly low in nicotine content, whereas the latter is fairly high. I'm pretty sure that I remember reading that C&D uses Green River perique. In any event, the other tobaccos in 967 ought to make for a pretty mild blend, so the strength must come from the perique. Since Escudo is made with St. James perique, there's going to be a bit of a difference there with the C&D blends.
The other side of things, as far as C&D goes, is probably going to be Three Friars. At one time, this was marketed as a clone of Three Nuns. It has a fairly significant burley component, at least as compared to Bayou Morning and 967. But the perique is definitely there, and you might find that this is also a nice tobacco in the general range of Escudo.
Sorry for the verbosity. Short version: I love Bayou Morning. It has enough body (tars and nicotine) to promote slow smoking, and the perique is applied with some restraint. The Virginia base provides an interesting complexity. 967 goes over the top with the perique, and the base is much less complex--just red Virginias and cavendish. Three Friars has a similar level of perique to Bayou Morning, with some of the Virginia complexity traded out for a bit more burley body.
McClelland tobaccos, by and large, lack the body to be satisfying for me. If you find Bayou Morning too strong, I would probably look to McClelland. 2015 would indeed be the place to look, but the perique there is quite subtle indeed. To my knowledge, C&D are by far the most adventuresome blenders with perique, especially if you include Two Friends Redwood and GLP's Haddo's Delight under that heading. While they're more expensive, these last two would probably be the tobaccos I would identify as being closest to Escudo in refinement, although I still do think that both of them are a notch or so stronger than the esteemed rolls.
I hope the length of this post is justified by its being of some utility.
Best,

.cyb

 

[aristokles]

C&D Bayou Morning is my 'go-to' vaper and my favorite first bowl of the day. Normally I smoke Latakia-containing English blends all day outside of the first smoke but have smoked Bayou Morning as an all day blend on occasion. And I did find it a more than acceptable alternative to Escudo which I also enjoyed except, as you, for its price.

McClelland's Blackeneys Best Arcadian Ribbon is also good for a tinned product but one can't beat the value of the bulk C&D product, IMO.

 

[chopz]

i've been planning to try bayou morning the next time i buy tobacco. i'm a fan of escudo and i've been finding esoterica dunbar works well for me. very similar but a little less perique i think. i like it much better than the luxury bullseye flake.

 

[sparroa]

Outstanding responses, gentlemen.
Aristokles - value is what I'm after, and I agree that is what C&D bulk tobacco offers. I'm not looking to replace Escudo entirely, I am merely trying to stretch my budget and supplement my "diet" with a less expensive perique forward blend.
All signs point to my enjoyment of Bayou Morning, but only time will tell. I don't smoke a whole lot so I don't necessarily need an all-day smoke. I really just want something with a lot of flavour, at a good price, without being a complete nicotine monster. (I'm somewhat sensitive to it because I only smoke once a day, twice max, with several days off during the week)
Chamartia - thank you for the detailed post; I appreciate your effort and I liked hearing your perspective.
967 sounds like a treat; I love Escudo and I love its balance at times, but I do not always want that. I agree that a more aggressive character can be desirable sometimes. It must have been quite a powerful blend if six years of age still leaves it with more "teeth" than Escudo!
As far as perique goes, I've gotten the impression that all commercially available perique is a mix of St. James and the Green River burley you speak of. I've read numerous articles on the matter but I can't remember the full story.
Thank you for the Three Friars recommendation. I am going to do some more homework on that one, because I have had mixed results with burley blends to date. It is definitely going to be on my shortlist, though...
Based on all I've heard so far, Bayou Morning sounds like the right choice for me. A good slow, full-bodied smoke with a fair portion of perique and a decent amount of complexity. Three Friars is also speaking to me, but it sounds like the nicotine will be amped up quite a bit with the burley addition...
I may just try 2015 in the future, but it sounds like it won't blow my mind so it is a little lower on the priority list. I also have a slight bias against the trademark McClelland smell; though I do like their tobaccos in general, that puts me off a little. 5100 was the last thing I tried from them - it was a mellow smoke, pleasant enough but not earth shattering.
I will heed your other comments, and I just want to say thanks again for your helpful response.
Chopz - I wanted to try some of the Esoterica va/pers but I changed my mind upon hearing of their low perique content. After 18 months of aging, Escudo is very mild to me, so I don't think I'd appreciate Dunbar if I put it aside for any length of time.
If Bayou Morning is what I think it is, you might be in for a very affordable and enjoyable smoke... That'll be the first blend that I attack when my order shows up!

 

[cigrmaster]

I don't know if this is out of your budget ( 60-68 a pound) but Samuel Gawith St James Flake( they claim they only use St James parish perique in it) is a superior Vaper in my opinion. I am a big fan of Escudo and this is right up there with it. Also if you want to treat yourself once in a while, grab a tin of Solani 633, it ain't cheap but it is another great vaper.

 

[sparroa]

Thanks cigrmaster. I only use 4noggins for various reasons so I cannot get any St. James Flake. I have one tin cellared that I picked up on my last vacation. I am probably going to let it age for a long time, and hope that I can get another tin to try fresh one of those days!
I also have a tin of Solani 633 cellared; it is 1.5 years old so far, and I am hoping to put a few more on it. Luckily, I can get more Solani 633 and I do have it on my list for future purchases...
I haven't tried either of them yet, so I don't know what they are like, but I've heard plenty of great things.

 

[foggymountain]

Bayou Morning is a very good smoke for the top half of the bowl. The bottom is always a disappointment, to me. So though I like it, I don't smoke it.

 

[sparroa]

I tend to lose interest with most tobaccos by the time they reach the bottom; Escudo is a notable exception...

 

[sparroa]

I'm not prepared to give this a review just yet, but my first impression of Bayou Morning wasn't great.
Strike one...
It was really flavourless for the entire bowl. I don't know if the perique sank through the bulk bag or something, but even so I did not get any love from the Virginias either. I did, however, notice the increased nicotine level compared to what I usually smoke. It did not overpower me though.
I'll come back to this in a few days after I jar it and give it a good shake... I'm hoping for the best! I really wanted to like this one. I've been smoking more than usual, as well, and I'm going to give it a rest for a few days to let my taste buds recover.

 

[markw4mms]

I can't speak first hand on Bayou Morning bulk since I've never had it. I have read that it isn't nearly as good as Bayou Morning Flake which I have smoked, and enjoyed very much. If you have been disappointed in BM bulk, try a tin of the flake, if you like it better, it's also available in 8oz tins.

 

[sparroa]

Thanks for the tip. I've heard that the bulk and the flake were something of a different animal, but that was all.
I just jarred up the bulk and gave it a shake that time. I'm hoping it makes a difference in the flavour quality next time. It was definitely a big letdown, however, compared what I was expecting to find in the blend.
As I said, I'm going to give it another couple chances. If it doesn't speak to me then I'll probably go back to my old faithful, Escudo, to be honest... I've only tried a couple Cornell & Diehl blends but their style doesn't really speak to me so far. (I know they blend for GLP but I don't consider that to be the same thing)

 

[foggymountain]

I like the top half of the Bayou Morning bowl. The bottom half sours quickly.

 

[sparroa]

To me it was akin to smoking hay or straw. And not tobacco with pleasant undercurrents of these flavours, but literally tasteless dried grass... It wasn't sweet, nor much of anything else to be frank...
I was earmarking this 4oz for immediate consumption but if my next few bowls don't agree with me then it'll definitely be going to the back of the line - it may get a few years on it that way... I wanted it in the first place because it was supposed to have a wallop of perique. So far I can't even taste a trace of it, so my only hope is that it's concentrated elsewhere in the jar and it will emerge after my thorough mixing. lol

 

[cortezattic]

Sparroa! Interesting problem. Perique-forward VaPer, in bulk (inexpensive), and preferably from 4noggins. I got two recommendations:

Prairie Wind would be my 1st choice.

C&D's 837 Or Olam (Wm. Serad's Hebraica Series)
Both are available from 4noggins. Buy a bag of Prairie Wind and ask Rich for a sample of Or Olam.
I guarantee you'll be forever in my debt.

 

[markw4mms]

If you want to try another VA/Per, I can highly recommend Dan Tobacco's Limerick. It's available from 4 Noggins as well.
ETA: Sorry, I see they are temporarily out of stock.

 

[sparroa]

Thanks Mark, but I think that's been out of stock for quite awhile now. Most of the Dan products are depleted.
Cortez, I appreciate the 4noggins recommendation. I still haven't tried any of Rich's blends so Prairie Wind will be the first!
I'll probably fire up the Bayou Morning again in a well-seasoned cob later on today. My two days of rest are over. ::