Peterson: St. Patrick's Day 2023 Rusticated (XL14) Fishtail Tobacco Pipe

Originating as the Deerstalker from the Sherlock Holmes series, the "XL14" is a sizable and very unique take on the classic Rhodesian. It incorporates the soft-lined shaping style often seen across Danish renditions of the bent Egg, with the soft, graceful, simple bend of shank and stem, as well as the seamless curve of the underside and overall forward-positioning of the bowl. However, it's full of bold, robust proportions — a signature aesthetic of the Irish marque and a style seen through Peterson's portfolio.

Peterson's longest-standing annual release, the St. Patrick Day series has been a perennial favorite since 1998, and 2023's edition marks the iconic line's 25th anniversary. Fittingly, the Irish marque returned to that first St. Patrick's Day release for 2023's limited-edition offering: Each St. Patrick's Day 2023 pipe bears a tricolor accent of green, white, and orange to honor the Irish flag's recognizable pattern, and it's the same accent that embellished the first St. Patrick's Day pipes in 1998. The 2023 edition, however, is available in three distinctive finishes — Peterson's signature, hand-tooled rustication; a dark sandblast; or a smooth chestnut version — with the smooth and sandblasted examples bearing vulcanite stems inlaid with Peterson's metal "P" logo, while the rusticated pieces are paired to acrylic stems. Moreover, the smooth and sandblasted St. Patrick's Day 2023 pipes are serialized out of the total 1,200 examples crafted in those finishes (800 smooth and 400 sandblasted), and those finishes are completed by Peterson-branded bags fashioned from tweed that was woven by Kerry Woolen Mills — a manufacturer of fabrics and garments in the southwest of Ireland whose history dates to the 17th century. Such a diverse array makes the 2023 edition among the most expansive and memorable, the perfect way to celebrate half a century of Peterson's St. Patrick's Day series.