Montford Point Marine

Montford Point Marine is Cornell & Diehl's ribbon-cut, unflavored English mixture. It is built on a trio of fire-cured dark burley, perique, and Latakia; the fire-cured leaf gives the blend an earthy, woody thickness, while the perique adds a peppery edge. Latakia smoke sits over this base, carrying the blend into full-bodied territory.

Nicotine strength runs high, so it suits smokers accustomed to hearty blends; it may be too much for those seeking something mild. The blend's name references Montford Point, the first training center for Black Marine recruits following Executive Order 8802, which ended racial segregation in the U.S. armed forces; records indicate more than twenty thousand men trained there through 1949.