Private Cellar: 2009 Cornell & Diehl Exhausted Rooster

Exhausted Rooster is a flake of Virginias, dark-fired Burley, and a dash of Perique. Its appeal is the meeting of three distinct characters: Virginia sweetness, the woody and earthy depth of dark-fired leaf, and Perique’s lively spice. It should feel more substantial than a straightforward Virginia/Perique blend, while keeping the Virginias at its centre. The 2009 date makes this an especially old tin which should have aged this one very well.