Warped: Saint Espresso 2023

Saint Espresso is a Cavendish project Warped and Cornell & Diehl release as a seasonal limited run. The blend brings together three separate Cavendish types: C&D's own Carolina Red Virginia Cavendish, black Cavendish made from Kentucky leaf, and Cavendish prepared from Dominican cigar leaf. The leaf is steamed and toasted; the aim is a dark flavor evoking espresso without adding a heavy external flavoring. Ribbon cut.

On the flavor side, bitter chocolate, cream, and roasted-walnut tones come forward; sweetness comes mainly from the leaf's own sugars, giving a more tobacco-forward profile than classic heavily sauced aromatics. Nicotine load is medium. Appeals to those looking for something between an aromatic and a straight tobacco, suited to smoking alongside coffee. The 2023 release is that year's batch of this recipe.