Italian Estates: Claudio Cavicchi Brown Sandblasted Bent Dublin Tobacco Pipe

Claudio Cavicchi is truly a master of his craft, and his ability to coax the best possible grain out of every piece of briar will always astound me. Originally a farmer, Claudio was first inspired to make pipes after an order he placed for one with his local tobacconist took many months to fill. What resulted was not only a pipe almost exactly like the one Cavicchi was looking for, but a passion that has lasted nearly five decades, his first piece made in 1974. A world-champion slow-smoker with three titles under his belt, Claudio Cavicchi relentlessly seeks perfection in every pipe that he crafts, not only able to read grain exceptionally well, but able to engineer pipes that smoke magnificently. A very gingerly bent Dublin, this rendition of the timeless shape is a muscular example of Cavicchi's prowess in shaping. The forward-urging bowl rests proudly on a pronounced heel and features a relatively wide tobacco chamber with ample room and thick, insulating walls. A dynamic, Zulu-like take on the classic shape, this piece is dressed in one of Cavicchi's iconic auburn-tinged sandblasts, revealing a stunning display of rippling ring grain.