Dunhill: Amber Flame Billiard with Silver (DR) (One Flame) (2022) Tobacco Pipe

Outside of its status as an Amber Flame pipe, one of Dunhill's rarest offerings, the first thing that stood out to me about this Billiard from the White Spot is its striking length. The second, was its weight, for, despite being nearly seven inches long, this pipe only weighs a little over an ounce. The combination makes for a pipe that's incredibly svelte of line and extremely clenchable despite its appreciable length, its lean shank and stem making up the majority of this lengthiness. A wide transition offers plenty of room to drape a thumb before we reach the bowl, its proportions relative to the shank and stem offering it a charming "Bing's Favorite" look. Said bowl is pert and plump and lends plenty of comfort in the hand, its walls standing atop a rounded heel and canting forward gently. The junction here is marked with an elegant band of silver, lending plenty of rich contrast against the deep mahogany hues of the Amber Root Finish, its Amber Flame status evidenced by its beautiful grain throughout, earning it one flame.

One of Dunhill's more recent finishes, the Amber Root was introduced in 1995. Like the Root Briar, it showcases a smooth stain, accentuating the briar's natural grain in traditional style. Typically auburn-hued, the Amber Root is often a touch darker in color than that of the Root Briar, pairing handsomely with the jet-black stem for an aesthetic that combines the grain definition of the Root Briar finish with the darker, smokier tones of the Bruyere. The Amber Flame designates those pipes dressed in this finish that display superlative grain and, much like the Dead Root, have a secondary grading system: Each pipe is graded with flames which increase in quantity as the quality of the grain revealed becomes even more brilliant.