Sunday Picnic by Cornell and Diehl
This is another of the new flake blends introduced at this year’s Chicago Show. Golden Virginias, Perique and Izmir combine to make a wonderful Virginia Flake. The Perique is very much in the background as the Virginias and the Turkish Izmir vie for predominance. The resulting smoke is smooth and creamy tasting as well as mild – I detected no tongue bite at all. Considering the fine golden Virginias used in the blend, this should cellar and age very well. I recommend Sunday Picnic for all flake fans and Virginia lovers.

Manhattan Afternoon by Cornell and Diehl
I approached this new offering from C&D with caution. Golden Virginias “with a drop of honey� in flake form. My only previous experience with honey flavoured tobacco was something Mac Baren’s had produced and it smoked s if someone was applying a blow torch to my tongue. I needn’t have worried; Manhattan Afternoon is so subtly flavoured that I could not detect the honey at all. This blend is sweetened by the honey, not flavoured but it. It smokes sweetly and smoothly right to the bottom of the b owl. Since it is all golden Virginias, it ought to age into ambrosia. Get some and cellar it immediately.

Classic Samsun by McClellands
“The finest Maden-Canek� from Eastern Turkey, blended with unidentified other tobaccos by McClellands. Mellow and pleasant it is – so much so that I, for one, cannot detect anything characteristically “oriental� in it at all. A disappointment, this one. If anything, too mellow and pleasant. An OK smoke, but not noteworthy. 4. Katerini Classic by McClellands The seeds of Samsun from Turkey, but grown in Macedonia in Greece produce Katerini. McClellands has blended it in a Virginia based mix and produced an interesting smoke. At first light I detect and odd nut like flavour that quickly fades away. The rest of the bowl is robust and even piquant. Edgier and more satisfying that Classic Samsun, Katerini Classic is a good change of pace blend for those seeking something different.

Kendal Kentucky by Gawith and Hoggarth and Co.
What would you get if you smuggled Kentucky Burley seeds out of the USA and planted them in Southern Africa, and dark fired the leaves that resulted? You’d get “Kendal Kentucky� and you’d have discovered one of the all time great smokes. Not a tobacco for beginners, its full nicotine, robust dark fired, smoky flavour will delight the burley lovers that lurk all about us. I get panicky if I don’t have several pounds of the old Kentucky aging in my cellar. Highly recommended.

Venice Agonya by McClellands
This is the famous Xanthi seed grown in far western Turkey near and about the sire of ancient Troy. Sweet and mellow are the words for this blend. It has a wonderfully sweet aroma in the tin and that sweetness carries through to the flavour of the smoke. McClellands boasts of the “subtle fragrance� of this blend highlighting Agonyas claim to fame. I cannot affirm this from my own experience – but it surely does taste good! The best of the grand Orientals so far.

Interlude by Cornell and Diehl
Here’s a keeper for you Red Virginia fans, “Interlude� is Red Virginia sweetened with honey and pressed into flakes. Again, I cannot detect the honey flavour, just straight Red Virginia fullness with a fine sweetness throughout. Darker and more robust than Sunday Picnic or Manhattan Afternoon, Interlude is brilliant – a masterpiece! Obtain some immediately, it’s going to age into a memorable smoke.