Cornell & Diehl Haunted Bookshop Cake is the crumble-cake expression of the C&D blend that reframed Burley — Bob Runowski's classic Burley-forward recipe, pressed under weight and sliced for a more unified, consistent smoke.
The original Haunted Bookshop is widely credited with elevating Burley from a drugstore-codger filler to a modern pipe-tobacco centerpiece in the hands of the late Bob Runowski, one of the great American pipe-tobacco blenders of the late 20th century. The blend is often grouped with Old Joe Krantz and Morley's Best as Runowski's great Burley trilogy, and named for Christopher Morley's 1919 novel of the same name — a comic story set in a Brooklyn used-book shop. The Cake version takes the same recipe, presses it under weight, and slices it into traditional crumble cake. The pressure melds the components into a more homogenized, consistent smoke — and the heat generated during pressing imitates the mellowing effect of long aging, without the wait. The Perique has been sourced exclusively from 31 Farms in Louisiana's St. James Parish since C&D's 2022 partnership — the only Perique still grown traditionally in the Parish. Tear off a chunk, rub it to your preferred density, and load.
Blend Information
- Blender: Bob Runowski (original Haunted Bookshop recipe)
- Blend Family: Burley · Non-Aromatic · Codger-style
- Components: Burley (predominant) · Red Virginia · 100% St. James Perique
- Flavoring: None (natural, uncased)
- Cut: Crumble Cake (pressed and sliced)
- Body / Strength: Medium to Medium-Full
- Room Note: Pleasant
- Country of Origin: United States (Morganton, NC)
- Format: 2 oz tin
- Namesake: Christopher Morley's 1919 novel The Haunted Bookshop
Tasting Profile: Burley carries the body — nutty, earthy, bread-like, with gentle sweetness and a touch of sourness. Red Virginia brings toasty depth and cleaner natural sweetness. Louisiana Perique adds its signature peppery, plum-and-raisin spice that lingers on the finish. In cake form, the components come together more consistently than the ribbon version — the pressing marries the leaves into a slightly rounder, fuller profile with better aging potential straight from the tin. Reviewers who find the ribbon version a touch sharp often prefer the Cake for exactly that reason.
For Haunted Bookshop devotees who want more aging potential and a more unified bowl, for Burley smokers, VaPer smokers curious about Burley-forward alternatives, and anyone who likes to work a cake into their preferred rub-out. One of the best introductions to the Runowski Burley canon.
