Is there any kind of guide to C&D?
- Thread starter PennyStonks
- Start date
Start with the general genres you like, then explore from there from within their lineup.
I worked my way through some of C&D's bar with 2 ounce bulk purchases when on sale. There are several bulk blends I still haven't gotten to yet, but have a decent grasp of their bulk offerings.
I'm not a huge fan and seem to lean towards Mac Barn and a few other bulk blends myself. Others love C&D and certain blends are other referred to on the forum (just look around).
Lol thats like a new blend everyday for a year
Excluding the GL Pease blends, I've been through every one of them since 1996.
I really liked talking to Craig and his wife and ordered something every time I called.
I really liked talking to Craig and his wife and ordered something every time I called.
Man, I did too and ended up buying the factory.
What kind of stuff do you like? I don't smoke a ton of C&D offerings, but really like the Two Friends English Chocolate.
There's a lot of C&D blends I don't like. I'd rather think about the number of great blends they offer I enjoy often. They have something for everyone. Granted, given the huge number of offerings, it may take some effort to figure which ones are for you.
I started out by trying all the "highly recommended" C&D blends on tobaccoreviews.com having the highest number of reviews, working my way down the list. I haven't tried all their blends, but maybe around 50 at this point. With so many available in bulk, you can try a lot of 1 oz samples. Then...stock up on the ones you like best. There are a few great blends (especially the flakes) that are only available in tins. I WISH they'd make the burley flakes and Opening Night and a few others available in bulk!
I've only tried a few and went on gut feeling with them. And honestly my two most smoked blends are five Brothers and Yorktown. So even without having tried many of them, I'll say get Founding Fathers which is just a great aromatic, Burly Flake#5 because it's really great, Mountain Camp a great one that seems to fly under the radar, and then leave the Yorktown for me and open one of their tobacco pages on whatever site you buy tobacco from and just close your eyes point at the screen and buy which ever one your finger landed closest too
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Usually buy their limited releases. Nothing really caught my eye until recently. Pirate Kake was good. GLP offerings, tried most English/Balkan. Then from there, just started trying what I thought I would like. Now, there are some C&D I'm thinking about. After awhile, you just know what you want. There are some hit and miss, but most of the times it works out.
My index to C&D blends are the C&D pages on smoking pipes.com. The specs are complete, and the descriptions seem accurate. If you know a little about what you like, you can pick out the base tobaccos, condiments, and clues about proportions of those, and other flavorings, as well as cut. Even when I'm not shopping, I find it educational and entertaining with C&D and other blenders.
The same is true of some other online retailers, but SP is the leader in this regard, with its extremely well-maintained site.
The same is true of some other online retailers, but SP is the leader in this regard, with its extremely well-maintained site.
C&D is my favorite blending house but they do offer a bewildering number of blends. I used the same tactic as others here when I first started smoking pipe tobacco of reading suggestions from people on forums such as this one and also reading reviews on tobaccoreviews.com and focusing on what sounded good to my palate and going from there. The good news is they have a ton of great blends. The flip side is they have a ton that may not be up your alley, but the fun of tobacco smoking is the journey so I set my bar at smoke everything and let the taste buds sort it out 
I’ve smoked my way through a hefty portion of their roster in the past 20+ years of being a loyal C&D customer. Read through some descriptions and find 4-5 that sound like they might tickle your fancy and dive in. Once you find a couple you like just branch out and try other similar blends until you find that elusive one that feels like it was blended just for you 
It must be a daunting task for those who have wide interests.
I dislike and can eliminate Latakia, Aromatics and Perique blends and straight VA’s.
That leaves me Burley or Burley/Virginia/Cavendish in various ratio. I do enjoy deer tongue also. Even so….. it’s a daunting task for ME!
For example: I stumbled upon an unsung favorite — CD Winchester by happy accident. It’s Red VA and Unsweetened Cavendish and it’s a flavor explosion for me. A far cry from my Pegasus and Old Joe and Burley Flake #2. I know I enjoy Burley over most.
CD has over 200 blends!
I dislike and can eliminate Latakia, Aromatics and Perique blends and straight VA’s.
That leaves me Burley or Burley/Virginia/Cavendish in various ratio. I do enjoy deer tongue also. Even so….. it’s a daunting task for ME!
For example: I stumbled upon an unsung favorite — CD Winchester by happy accident. It’s Red VA and Unsweetened Cavendish and it’s a flavor explosion for me. A far cry from my Pegasus and Old Joe and Burley Flake #2. I know I enjoy Burley over most.
CD has over 200 blends!
In the 90’s and early 00’s, C&D had terrific little pamphlets and, I guess you’d call them mini catalogs that listed the blends by content. It was pretty easy to follow.
Me too.I really liked talking to Craig and his wife and ordered something every time I called.