Italian Estates: Moretti Smooth Morta Apple (2020) (Unsmoked) Tobacco Pipe

Italian workshop Moretti's penchant for both plump, robust pipes and the use of alternative materials are on full display here in this bent Apple made from morta, presenting with a hearty, chubby build that belies its total length of just over four and a half inches. The shank and stem combination here are trim but quite thick throughout, the shank itself only just pushing out from its wide transition before meeting the stem, both possessed of a slow taper that accelerates at the bit. With all of the substance present here, it's no surprise that this is a substantially-built pipe, its dimensions allowing for easy portability but its weight lending it a generously hearty feel in hand. Said in-hand feel is made quite comfortable by the bowl, its nearly two inches in height almost matching its considerable breadth, with the entire build possessed of a striking curvature throughout that does well to fill out the contours of the fingers. A slightly glossy finish dresses the stummel here and highlights the unique wealth of grain that morta offers, its smoky hues complimented by the jet-black acrylic stem.