Castello: Old America 2021 Collection Bent Billiard (02.20) Tobacco Pipe

Castello's Old America series was first fashioned in 2020 in place of the pipes the Italian marque normally crafts for the PCA trade show in Las Vegas. All pipes in the series are variations on a single shape, with this year's shape being a bent Billiard. It's part of a serialized run of 20 pipes, with this particular rendition being the second in the line.

A hearty, thick-walled pipe, this piece features a capacious tobacco chamber over two inches in depth, ensuring plenty of long, luxurious smoking sessions. The bowl features an undulating, plateau-crowned rim that lends the piece a touch of organic charm. The shank flares coming out of the low-slung transition before giving way to an arcing tapered stem of jet-black acrylic. The shank-and-stem arrangement provides a sleek S-curve out back that's lithe enough to not distract from the bowl-centric proportions evident in profile, while still promoting a comfortable smoking posture. The stummel wears a smoky, dark chestnut smooth finish that accentuates some handsome tendrils of flame grain on all sides of the bowl, and plenty of birdseye across the broad heel. Stylish, bold, and all together charming, this piece is perfect for those who enjoy large, eye-catching briars.