English Estates: Orlik Straight Grain Dublin (10) Tobacco Pipe

Though perhaps most readily recognized for their Golden Sliced pipe tobacco, Orlik was originally founded as a pipe-making marque by Louis Orlik on London's Bond Street. The company found great success thanks to their high-quality briars and reasonable price points, and they later expanded into Birmingham in order to keep up with production. In 1980, Orlik was bought by the Cadogan group and production was moved into a new factory, where the brand continues to make pipes to this day. This "10" is a timeless take on the Dublin, with an especially sleek combination of shank and stem that are near pencil-thin, the stem itself boasting an extended reach through its taper of jet-black vulcanite. Up front, the bowl stands on a rather firm heel and grows thick, flaring walls that rise to a flat rim, offering a capacious chamber within while maintaining a delightfully feathery weight overall. Dressed in a warm, rich stain, the stummel showcases plenty of handsome grain, with flame surrounding the bowl and flowing through the shank.