Castello: Aristocratica Great Line Bent Dublin Tobacco Pipe

During the period from 1968 to 1979, Castello founder Carlo Scotti produced a number of special pipes, called the "Aristocratica," that he gave only to close friends. Each of these briars bore a darkened rim and were individually recorded in a special book signed by both Carlo and the recipient. The Aristocratica are now part of Castello's regular lineup, but with one important change: You no longer have to be a personal friend of the head honcho to get one. I've seen quite a few pipes before with "fumed" finishes — it's a look most prominent in the Italian school, if not terribly common these days. Castello, rather unsurprisingly, does a finer job of it than most, lending the rim and upper bowl a rich, smoky look while preserving the contrast of the primary finish along the flanks. This Great Line Dublin is particularly noteworthy given that, as expected, the stummel displays a handsome array of flame grain.