Cornell & Diehl Pirate Kake is a Latakia lover's cake blend — 75% Cyprian Latakia pressed into a dense crumble cake, with Turkish Katirini and Burley rounding out the body.
Pirate Kake is one of Cornell & Diehl's longest-running English-style blends and the standout of the Sea Scoundrels series. Where most English blends thin the Latakia with Virginias, Pirate Kake takes the opposite approach — it leans into the Latakia and uses Burley to carry the body, letting the smoky-leather-incense character of the Cyprian leaf run the show. Craig Tarler's blend, pressed into a cake and ready to crumble or rub out.
Blend Information
- Blend Family: English
- Components: 75% Cyprian Latakia · Turkish (Katirini) · Burley
- Cut: Crumble Cake
- Flavoring: None (non-aromatic)
- Body / Strength: Medium-Full
- Room Note: Distinct
- Country of Origin: United States (Morganton, NC)
- Format: 2 oz tin
Tasting Profile: Smoke-forward and oily, with the leather, campfire-smoke and incense notes you'd expect from heavy Cyprian Latakia. The Turkish Katirini weaves in a sweet-sour, mildly floral note that keeps the blend from becoming one-dimensional. Burley adds nutty depth and body. Dark chocolate, molasses and spice develop in the second half of the bowl.
A benchmark American English Latakia cake. For Latakia completists, English blenders, and cigar smokers crossing over to the pipe.
