Cornell & Diehl - Bright Virginia Ribbon

[Briar Lee]

Just to read the description was worth the $26 for the one pound bag.

——-
High grade Old Belt golden Virginias. Sweet, with just a hint of citrus. Due to a naturally high sugar content and relatively low presence of oil, this bright leaf makes a both fine companion to a burley, and makes for a dandy smoke on its own.

——

The bag further brags about how this tobacco is from the Carolinas, and you can almost imagine the proprietor of what would become Bull Durham worrying about what would become of his business after the surrender, until all those orders from Yankees poured in for that sweet, golden Carolina leaf.

There’s no subtle aromas of nuts, almonds, cherries, or such foo fraws, as that. This is straight golden ribbon cut flue cured Virginia tobacco, which is what it tastes like. It’s sweet, with a citrus note, and the pouch smells like newly mown hay. It’s mild, sweet, delicious, tobacco flavored tobacco, nothing more.

This is what Bull Durham, Our Advertiser, and Country Gentlemen tobaccos were, only those were shredded and bagged into cloth sacks.

I can’t detect anything to give this an artificial humidity, nor any flavorings or top flavorings. It’s surprising just how much bulk there is to a full one pound bag of ribbon cut Virginia tobacco. I’ve packed it tightly into two jars, to age.

This would be perfect to try and help out another blend that was too wet or needed some mildness added.

But it’s burning sweet and cool in the bowl of my pipe, just exactly like Our Advertiser did years ago.

I just wish it came in cloth sacks.

 

[didimauw]

Just to read the description was worth the $26 for the one pound bag.

——-
High grade Old Belt golden Virginias. Sweet, with just a hint of citrus. Due to a naturally high sugar content and relatively low presence of oil, this bright leaf makes a both fine companion to a burley, and makes for a dandy smoke on its own.

——

The bag further brags about how this tobacco is from the Carolinas, and you can almost imagine the proprietor of what would become Bull Durham worrying about what would become of his business after the surrender, until all those orders from Yankees poured in for that sweet, golden Carolina leaf.

There’s no subtle aromas of nuts, almonds, cherries, or such foo fraws, as that. This is straight golden ribbon cut flue cured Virginia tobacco, which is what it tastes like. It’s sweet, with a citrus note, and the pouch smells like newly mown hay. It’s mild, sweet, delicious, tobacco flavored tobacco, nothing more.

This is what Bull Durham, Our Advertiser, and Country Gentlemen tobaccos were, only those were shredded and bagged into cloth sacks.

I can’t detect anything to give this an artificial humidity, nor any flavorings or top flavorings. It’s surprising just how much bulk there is to a full one pound bag of ribbon cut Virginia tobacco. I’ve packed it tightly into two jars, to age.

This would be perfect to try and help out another blend that was too wet or needed some mildness added.

But it’s burning sweet and cool in the bowl of my pipe, just exactly like Our Advertiser did years ago.

I just wish it came in cloth sacks.

Nice review. Nothing to add as I've never smoked it. Can't do Virginia blends. But i also wish tobaccos came in cloth sacks, or even the old Prince Albert flip top tins. Ease of use back then.

 

[macaroni]

Briar Lee--I'm with you on this all the way! Thanks for writing it up so wonderfully well, too. Great post!

I love this tobacco. I start and end most days with it and often smoke it throughout the day. I admit I do love Vapers and Va blends with reds -- but I'm lessening (not stopping) my smoke of those while my tongue reaction calms down (I think I overdid it with those for a few weeks and got a reaction under my tongue with some swelling etc). So, this straight bright Va is not only good -- really good -- but it's simply good for me these days I think.

Thanks again and Merry Christmas.
kindly,
mike

 

[Briar Lee]

This tobacco is about a year and a half old now, and I’ve kept it in two plastic peanut cans aging.

It was really good then, and it’s larapin’ good now, just outstanding!

This is what Bull Durham must have tasted like back in the day when it was aged two years.

Aging improves North Carolina bright leaf.

Try some, while it’s still about a dollar and a half an ounce.

 

[Ray Popp]

Where did you get it at that price? PM me if you must ...

 

[The Clay King]

Just to read the description was worth the $26 for the one pound bag.

——-
High grade Old Belt golden Virginias. Sweet, with just a hint of citrus. Due to a naturally high sugar content and relatively low presence of oil, this bright leaf makes a both fine companion to a burley, and makes for a dandy smoke on its own.

——

The bag further brags about how this tobacco is from the Carolinas, and you can almost imagine the proprietor of what would become Bull Durham worrying about what would become of his business after the surrender, until all those orders from Yankees poured in for that sweet, golden Carolina leaf.

There’s no subtle aromas of nuts, almonds, cherries, or such foo fraws, as that. This is straight golden ribbon cut flue cured Virginia tobacco, which is what it tastes like. It’s sweet, with a citrus note, and the pouch smells like newly mown hay. It’s mild, sweet, delicious, tobacco flavored tobacco, nothing more.

This is what Bull Durham, Our Advertiser, and Country Gentlemen tobaccos were, only those were shredded and bagged into cloth sacks.

I can’t detect anything to give this an artificial humidity, nor any flavorings or top flavorings. It’s surprising just how much bulk there is to a full one pound bag of ribbon cut Virginia tobacco. I’ve packed it tightly into two jars, to age.

This would be perfect to try and help out another blend that was too wet or needed some mildness added.

But it’s burning sweet and cool in the bowl of my pipe, just exactly like Our Advertiser did years ago.

I just wish it came in cloth sacks.

@Briar Lee I agree; cloth sacks would be far better for the environment and more appropriate for re-enactment supplies. I liked the golden colour of this Virginia leaf and the taste; it definitely suits the King's Clay
Will definitely be ordering again!

 

[The Clay King]

Nice review. Nothing to add as I've never smoked it. Can't do Virginia blends. But i also wish tobaccos came in cloth sacks, or even the old Prince Albert flip top tins. Ease of use back then.

@didimauw Yes would be better for the environment than plastic!

 

[Egg Shen]

Just to read the description was worth the $26 for the one pound bag.

——-
High grade Old Belt golden Virginias. Sweet, with just a hint of citrus. Due to a naturally high sugar content and relatively low presence of oil, this bright leaf makes a both fine companion to a burley, and makes for a dandy smoke on its own.

——

The bag further brags about how this tobacco is from the Carolinas, and you can almost imagine the proprietor of what would become Bull Durham worrying about what would become of his business after the surrender, until all those orders from Yankees poured in for that sweet, golden Carolina leaf.

There’s no subtle aromas of nuts, almonds, cherries, or such foo fraws, as that. This is straight golden ribbon cut flue cured Virginia tobacco, which is what it tastes like. It’s sweet, with a citrus note, and the pouch smells like newly mown hay. It’s mild, sweet, delicious, tobacco flavored tobacco, nothing more.

This is what Bull Durham, Our Advertiser, and Country Gentlemen tobaccos were, only those were shredded and bagged into cloth sacks.

I can’t detect anything to give this an artificial humidity, nor any flavorings or top flavorings. It’s surprising just how much bulk there is to a full one pound bag of ribbon cut Virginia tobacco. I’ve packed it tightly into two jars, to age.

This would be perfect to try and help out another blend that was too wet or needed some mildness added.

But it’s burning sweet and cool in the bowl of my pipe, just exactly like Our Advertiser did years ago.

I just wish it came in cloth sacks.

So Old Belt = NC or did that include other states? Is there a New Belt?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

LOVE IT!!!
Try mixing this eaqual parts with C&D’s Red Virginia Cavendish, which is just a rich unflavored but smooth Red. It is rather high in nicotine, but the Bright Ribbon tones down the head slam.

 

[Fralphog]

Great review!
I bought 2 ounces in Dec 21 along with several of C&D’s other “blending” baccy. Great to smoke 50/50 with a good straight burley. Haven’t smoked it straight in several months. I’ll have to get out and see what a year of age has done.

 

[ADKPiper]

I mixed some with granulated Perique and pressed it a crude cake.
IMO it will benefit from aging or stoving.
It is a bit "raw" to my tastes. But I anticipate greatness.

 

[Briar Lee]

Where did you get it at that price? PM me if you must ...

It might have been on sale a year and a half ago, or I bought it someplace else but it’s two dollars an ounce now for a pound at Smoking Pipes.

https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipe-tobacco/cornell-diehl/bright-virginia-ribbon/product_id/114409

It won’t break anybody to pay $31.51 a pound or not quite $5 for a two ounce sample.


It’s not likely to get cheaper if you wait, either.

 

[Grangerous]

@didimauw Yes would be better for the environment than plastic!

Many are old enough to remember when plastic bags replaced paper bags in order to save the trees. — Trees are biodegradable and renewable and we repurposed our paper bags. What a world

 

[Ray Popp]

It might have been on sale a year and a half ago, or I bought it someplace else but it’s two dollars an ounce now for a pound at Smoking Pipes.

https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipe-tobacco/cornell-diehl/bright-virginia-ribbon/product_id/114409

It won’t break anybody to pay $31.51 a pound or not quite $5 for a two ounce sample.


It’s not likely to get cheaper if you wait, either.

I did not realize it was something you brought a couple of years ago ... and you are correct, today, $31.51 is not that much for something that will only get better with time.

 

[Fralphog]

@Briar Lee ,
I’m smoking some Dec 21 Bright Virginia ribbon now. And I have to agree, it is absolutely wonderful - definitely going to buy some more of this baccy.

 

[The Clay King]

@Briar Lee ,
I’m smoking some Dec 21 Bright Virginia ribbon now. And I have to agree, it is absolutely wonderful - definitely going to buy some more of this baccy.

@Fralphog Me too!

 

[orvet]

I miss the bags of Bull Durham. I always kept one under the front seat of my car and when it started raining there was nothing like a bag of Bull Durham to remove the road film from the windshield! Worked better than any windshield washing liquid!
I never smoked it in a pipe but tried to roll a cigarette or two and the fine cut was almost impossible to roll for a novice cigarette roller, I think I was about 15 when I tried to roll it. Not what you want to roll your first cigarette with!

I must say the Virginia ribbon does sound good, right up my alley. I will have to look for some.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

For those interested, SPC has 20%off C&D bulk blends right now. As a result, Bright Virginia Ribbon is $2.07 an ounce and $25.21 a pound.

 

[Coreios]

Great review. I love Virginias.

 

[huntertrw]

But i also wish tobaccos came in cloth sacks, or even the old Prince Albert flip top tins...

You might do what I do, and that is to put your modern tobacco in old-fashioned tins (e.g., the Prince Albert flip-top). It's a pleasant nod to the past, and the closest thing to time-travel that I've ever experienced.