Rattray's: Dark Ale (108) (9mm) Tobacco Pipe

A particularly classic rendition of the straight Apple, Rattray's "108" design beautifully exemplifies the balanced proportional standards of the traditional shape, fitting in well to English interpretations of the pipe-chart archetype. There's a touch of added muscularity about the shank to accommodate a 9mm filter, and it pairs naturally with the bowl's rounded curves, which both insulate the chamber well and provide a substantial fit in hand.

Inspired by the brown ales that originated in England and Scotland, Rattray's Dark Ale series presents pipes in a color palette similar to those dark beers. The smoky, dark walnut stain remains just light enough to still expose the briar's grain pattern, reminiscent of the namesake imbibement and not as dark as, say, a stout or porter beer. Complementing the smooth stain, then, is a cumberland-hued acrylic stem, the similarly dark hues separated by a flashy chrome band for handsome, accenting flash.