Castello: Old America 2020 Aristocratica Hawkbill (Big Line) (01.18) Tobacco Pipe

Castello launched this Old America 2020 limited edition line as essentially their pipe of the year in lieu of the annual IPCPR trade show selection, which was not held because of COVID-19 restrictions. Serialized, the "84" Hawkbill for 2020 is found in smooth, rusticated and sandblasted finishes and represents the special series in which only 18 were made; this particular smooth iteration is the very first one of the line. Additionally, these giant pipes are all part of Castello's Big Line, the briar aged and cured for 12 years.

The Hawkbill shape is synonymous with Castello, as it's a design the Italian marque popularized. Boasting a palm-filling, round bowl that's striking in its depth and breadth, it's paired to the elegantly downturned stem that's characteristic of the shape. Dressed in the dark, smoldering finish of the Aristocratica line with its generous rim rusticated to simulate the look and feel of plateau, the remainder of the stummel wears a handsome honey-blonde stain, providing an eye-catching contrast. Topped by a jet-black mouthpiece that features the marque's rhinestone logo, this pipe is sure to appeal to Castello devotees or collectors of larger briars.