Cornell & Diehl -- Three Friars

Brand: Cornell & Diehl
Blend: Three Friars
Style: Virginia, Burley & Perique
Pipe Used: 1/8 Bent Acorn
Price: $18.59/8oz.

Appearance: 9
Taste: 9
Room Note: 8
Value: 10
Overall: 9

Cornell & Diehl's Three Friars is advertised as a light VA/Per with Burley and I decided to add some to a recent tobacco order. The blend is a light brown ribbon-cut with sparse flecks of black Perique sprinkled throughout. The aroma is lightly sweet and sour with a hint of raisins and the tobacco arrived at the perfect moisture level for immediate smoking.

Upon lighting my no-name acorn I immediately tasted the nutty, tart sweetness typical of quality Burley and Virginia and this was to remain the dominant taste throughout the smoke. The Perique added a nice bit of zesty spice and mustiness but was very much in the background. Three was also a very faint hint of citrus that nicely offset the spiciness. If I had to sum up Three Friars in a few words I would say it's like a top-shelf Carter Hall with pizazz.

The room aroma was fairly benign even though the blend produced lots of smoke.

The tobacco burned clean and dry right down to the bottom of the bowl with only a few relights. There was a noticeable nicotine kick but nothing too overpowering.

C&D's Three Friars is a fine tobacco but I would classify it as a Burley blend rather than a VA/Per since the Perique was so subdued. Considered as a Burley it certainly shines and features much higher quality tobaccos than what is found in most OTC blends. And the crazy part is that it is even cheaper than those classic drugstore tubs. Three Friars might not break into my VA/Per rotation but it will certainly kick those lesser Burley blends to the curb.

The combination of light taste, stellar burn characteristics, and low price make Three Friars one of those much sought after all-day smokes and on that front it comes very highly recommended.