Sun Bear - Mountain Flower, Aug 2
- Thread starter DunhillPiper
- Start date
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I really like Sun Bear and prefer the Black Locust edition, but it is sweeter than the previous edition.
Sun Bear Mountain Flower 2oz
Designed to be the perfect summertime smoke, Cornell & Diehl's Small Batch Sun Bear combines top-tier Bright Virginias and tangy Reds with two distinct varietals of matured Oriental leaf. Natural casings of silver tequila and elderflower complement these tobaccos, alongside a drizzle of raw, unpasteurized honey to elevate the leaf's inherent sweetness and floral notes.
While previous iterations have featured honey from various farms, including the personal hives of C&D's head blender Jeremy Reeves, 2022's edition further augments the blend with ethically sourced wildflower and blackberry honey from a family-owned apiary in Morganton, NC — a community that Cornell & Diehl called home for over 20 years. The organic Mountain Flower honey complements Sun Bear's tobaccos, elevating their fruity and floral notes for a bright, refreshing character and a creamy rounded finish.
Despite its unique casings, Sun Bear: Mountain Flower is not an Aromatic, but a complex Virginia/Oriental flake with both top and bottom notes of mutual sweetness. It appeals to customers across the smoking spectrum without targeting an individual flavor profile, and is a rare summertime treat that every smoker can open and enjoy immediately or purchase in multiple tins to put away and age.
Designed to be the perfect summertime smoke, Cornell & Diehl's Small Batch Sun Bear combines top-tier Bright Virginias and tangy Reds with two distinct varietals of matured Oriental leaf. Natural casings of silver tequila and elderflower complement these tobaccos, alongside a drizzle of raw, unpasteurized honey to elevate the leaf's inherent sweetness and floral notes.
While previous iterations have featured honey from various farms, including the personal hives of C&D's head blender Jeremy Reeves, 2022's edition further augments the blend with ethically sourced wildflower and blackberry honey from a family-owned apiary in Morganton, NC — a community that Cornell & Diehl called home for over 20 years. The organic Mountain Flower honey complements Sun Bear's tobaccos, elevating their fruity and floral notes for a bright, refreshing character and a creamy rounded finish.
Despite its unique casings, Sun Bear: Mountain Flower is not an Aromatic, but a complex Virginia/Oriental flake with both top and bottom notes of mutual sweetness. It appeals to customers across the smoking spectrum without targeting an individual flavor profile, and is a rare summertime treat that every smoker can open and enjoy immediately or purchase in multiple tins to put away and age.
I wish I could smoke C&D stuff. Their offerings sound interesting, but every time I try there is something in or on the tobacco that just does not like me. Leaves a horrible taste after each draw and a coating I liken to eating a celery stalk without anything on it.
Still haven't succumbed to impulse buying Sun Bear. In fact, the only small run drops I've gone in on are the 2022 Eight State Burley (which I do no regret after smoking through a half tin so far), and Sansepolcro a couple years back. But the latest Sun Bear has me intrigued to say the least.
The only difference I see from prior releases is the source of honey.
When they make a Tupelo Honey version, I will be in on this deeply. I like the past releases but Tupelo would be a homerun.
The past two releases were fairly similar, not sure how "deep" to cellar this new release. Don't reach for it often, but It's a nice aro to change things up a bit and doesn't taste like grape.
Might get a few to have tins just to try and have some from each batch. Of course with that mentality I would need to seek out the first release as I missed the drop....
Might get a few to have tins just to try and have some from each batch. Of course with that mentality I would need to seek out the first release as I missed the drop....
Go to HEB and look for the "varietal" honey offerings from Walker Honey, in the square-ish bottles with corks, like this one:
Try several of the varieties. I really liked the Mesquite one and Orange Blossom one.
You can see all the varieties here:
Honey Products - Pure Raw Honey - Page 1 - Walker Honey Farm
www.walkerhoneyfarm.com
For those outside of Texas, I think they even ship reasonably.
After 2 or 3 varieties, you will be well prepared to appreciate the Sun Bear subtleties.
Or, grab your dog and daughter and make a day trip out of visiting. It's an hour north of you.
I sure miss HEB!!
I got a tin for review today. I'll start working on a review soon.
To the tune of “The Thunder Rolls” by Mr. Garth Brooks, if you will
The cellar grows
As the TAD bug strikes
The wife’s stare is cold
As I relight
The small batch storm
Is out of control
With a piper’s heart
The cellar grows.
Ah-thank you, ah-thank you, but most of all… ah-thank you.
The cellar grows
As the TAD bug strikes
The wife’s stare is cold
As I relight
The small batch storm
Is out of control
With a piper’s heart
The cellar grows.
Ah-thank you, ah-thank you, but most of all… ah-thank you.
The Sun Bear blends never really did much for me. They're not bad, just nothing special in my opinion. Will happily sit this one out
I really liked the first tin of Sun Bear Black Locust a lot. It was the only tobacco I took with me on a short vacation and it perfectly hit the spot. It made me regret only purchasing two tins. However, I opened the second tin recently and was less enamored of it. It's very slightly cloying. Although it could just be my palate at this particular moment—I've had the same reaction to Lakelands and lat blends on occasion—I do wonder how well these honey blends will age.
I have smoked a few tins of the original release and just started in on the Black Locust a few days ago ...I get in on this one every year because I really like Va/Or blends and also enjoy aromatics; if you aren't into those things, it's obviously not worth it.
I think C&D do some interesting things with Orientals - Sun Bear, Eight State Burley and John Marr have a aromatic/oriental thing going on that I really like. ...if they would press John Marr into flakes I'd be giddy...
I think C&D do some interesting things with Orientals - Sun Bear, Eight State Burley and John Marr have a aromatic/oriental thing going on that I really like. ...if they would press John Marr into flakes I'd be giddy...
I decided to try another bowl of Sun Bear Black Locust from the second tin opened and jarred a few weeks ago. Having had a chance to air out a bit, the tobacco tasted just as I remembered it from the first tin. You can detect the honey but the cloying note is gone and the flavor that's left is just delightful. I will be ordering a few tins of the new release.