This is my second review of a tobacco from Cornell & Diehl's Cellar Series, three pipe tobaccos designed to be cellared for ten+ years. I reviewed Chenet's Cake here, and today we have Oak Alley.
This is, of course, a tobacco that is designed to grow on you. Over ten years or so. But even within the last month or two it has grown on me. I had to be convinced to like it; I've smoked about half the tin, and the tobacco has indeed convinced me to like it. On reading the description on the tin, the smoker might be tempted to think that Oak Alley would be an over-complex maze o' flaves. After all, Oak Alley is said to be "an impeccable partnership between sweet red Virginias and white/brown Burleys, discreet amounts of Perique and Katirini Turkish are added to enhance both the flavor, as well as promote the coolest smoke imaginable."
It is actually a subtle tobacco. (Except for the fact that it's a nicotine bomb.) The Perique and Katirini truly are added in discreet amounts, serving simply to stabilize and mature the Virginias and Burleys. It has a medium body with a campfire and gentle fruit note. There's a bit of sweet and earth, but really no spice at all. There's a distinct toasted pecan that emerges after a few puffs, with the baseline being a season of mellow fruitfulness I'd describe as white wine.
All in all a satisfying tobacco, particularly good as a robust morning smoke.
This is, of course, a tobacco that is designed to grow on you. Over ten years or so. But even within the last month or two it has grown on me. I had to be convinced to like it; I've smoked about half the tin, and the tobacco has indeed convinced me to like it. On reading the description on the tin, the smoker might be tempted to think that Oak Alley would be an over-complex maze o' flaves. After all, Oak Alley is said to be "an impeccable partnership between sweet red Virginias and white/brown Burleys, discreet amounts of Perique and Katirini Turkish are added to enhance both the flavor, as well as promote the coolest smoke imaginable."
It is actually a subtle tobacco. (Except for the fact that it's a nicotine bomb.) The Perique and Katirini truly are added in discreet amounts, serving simply to stabilize and mature the Virginias and Burleys. It has a medium body with a campfire and gentle fruit note. There's a bit of sweet and earth, but really no spice at all. There's a distinct toasted pecan that emerges after a few puffs, with the baseline being a season of mellow fruitfulness I'd describe as white wine.
All in all a satisfying tobacco, particularly good as a robust morning smoke.
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