Dunhill: Cumberland (4105F) (2017) (9mm) Tobacco Pipe

Dunhill's "05" straight Dublin always seems to have a natural ability to scale rather nicely across each of the marque's various Group sizes. This robust Group 4 example has a touch more stoutness to its shank than the comparatively trimmer Group 3 or 4 renditions we've seen previously, giving this example an extra touch of muscular heft throughout. From out of the firm heel, the bowl gradually flares upward toward the rim, and there's no shortage of chamber depth with plenty of insulating briar lent to the chamber walls. It's all dressed in a crisp application of the iconic Cumberland sandblast and handsomely complemented by that line's matching brindled stem. The "F" stamp is also noteworthy as it denotes Dunhill pipes that are drilled to accommodate the use of filters, this particular example accepting 9mm ones.

When Alfred Dunhill released his patented Shell Briar, he forever changed the pipe-smoking world at large. Dunhill has often been credited with being the first to offer sandblasted pipes (arguably the most popular finish today), and the Cumberland finish further displayed Dunhill's innovative spirit. Well received after its release in 1979, the Cumberland series was named for the English marque's warehouse on Cumberland road, and the line's signature, brindled vulcanite stem became so iconic, the warmly striated material is now referred to simply as "cumberland."