Cornell & Diehl - "Plantation Evening"

[deathmetal]

Summary: An English blend with some power, "Plantation Evening" delivers a cool and sweet smoking experience in this spicy blend.
As the two ounce sample of this dwindled to nothing, I realized that feeling that every reviewer wants to feel about something that comes across the desk: I will miss this when it is gone. C&D "Plantation Evening" has a place in the life of every smoker who enjoys a good English blend, and while it does not get the press that fancy tins English blends receive, it deserves a second look -- perhaps also by the blender.
The first strike of the match brings a heavy layer of Latakia flavors, complemented by Oriental leaf which makes the spice bittersweet, then the fruity pepper taste of the Perique emboldens both. A mixture of Virginias provides both a harvest season flavor and a sweetness, using C&D "Bright Virginia" ready rubbed to bulk up the mix and soften it, but also creating moments of pure savory sweet flavor within the spicy profile of an English blend.
Since the mixture also has some power, it smokes well slowly which is just as well as the Virginias burn hot. Over time, the sweetness fades and the Perique and Latakia take over again for a smoked plum taste that matures into a rich bond with the darker Virginias. Despite the hot burn of the bright Virginia, "Plantation Evening" burns slowly down to a condensed ember of once-damp leaf. This provides its final flavor, a rich dark woody taste like a campfire after meat has been cooked above it.
What "Plantation Evening" lacks is mostly packaging. It has an old style but unexciting name, it does not come in a tin with fancy graphic art, and there is no backstory to this that is compelling. It is just a solid English blend with Perique, like Dunhill "Nightcap" done to less intensity. It could be improved -- in my view -- by shredding all of the leaf to the same form factor, so that the Latakia and bright Virginia were in normal size ribbon cut and did not suddenly dominate the taste profile for several puffs because a large chunk caught fire. Drying this overnight and rubbing it between two palms somewhat equalized the size of the pieces, and led to a more balanced and "mature" smoke like the Dunhill. Regardless, this is a fine blend that can only improve.

 

[mso489]

Thank you for reminding me about this C&D blend I haven't tried. I enjoy their Billy Budd, Old Joe Krantz, Big 'n Burley, and Stratfordshire, among others. C&D has one of the best selections of bulk in terms of quality and variety as well. Ephiphany, Pegasus, and so on. I'll definitely keep this one in mind. Speaking of Dunhill's Nightcap, nothing is quite like it, but it's in a category of its own.

 

[deathmetal]

Old Joe Krantz, Big 'n Burley

These are favorites too. I narrowly passed on Stratfordshire and Epiphany the last time I ordered, but will rectify that in the future!

 

[skraps]

Epiphany used to be a favorite of mine. Damn good stuff. Latakia doesn't agree with me anymore, but this was a go-to. You will serve yourself well to grab some, Death.

 

[deathmetal]

I'm on it. Sounds delicious.

 

[aristokles]

Yes, a pretty good blend and one with an interesting pedigree as I recall. It seems Craig Tarler made a blending error on some undisclosed blend, a rather large run was not properly mixed by himself. Berating himself, he gave it some provisional moniker such as "Mistake" or "Craig's Mistake" and sold it as a one-time thing. The "mistake" was well received however and he was prodded into placing the "mistake" into production: Plantation Evening.