Cornell & Diehl Firebird Flake

Firebird Flake is a pressed blend from Cornell & Diehl's Small Batch series, periodically reprinted. It contains three separate red Virginias, aged Samsun- and Izmir-type Oriental leaves, and two different fire-cured Kentucky varieties. Per the manufacturer's data, Orientals make up roughly forty-three percent of the blend, with fire-cured Kentucky accounting for close to five percent; the name itself references the fire-curing method. The flavor profile leads with citrus, wood smoke, and green peppercorn traces, carrying a tangy, herbal, salty-spiced character. Thanks to the balance struck between the fire-cured leaf's smoke and the sun-cured Orientals' spice, no single component overwhelms the others.