Peterson: Aran Smooth Nickel Mounted (124) P-Lip Tobacco Pipe

With its tall, poised bowl, hint of forward cant, and well-balanced proportions, this "124" Dublin from Peterson is easily one of the most svelte shapes to come from the Irish marque. It's highly reminiscent of their "268" Zulu design, but here the bowl is noticeably elongated and a touch more upright with more depth added to its chamber, and the stem is straight rather than gently bent. The lack of hard lines and elegant proportions result in an impressively refined take on the classic form, departing from the stout, muscular shaping style typically associated with the historic Irish firm.

One of Peterson's most traditional finishes, the Aran presents a color palette of chocolatey stain and jet-black stem. In the smooth iteration, it highlights the briar's natural grain pattern with handsome reservation — not distracting from the form's shape yet, at the same time, offering enough definition and detail to remain intriguing and individual, accented here with a flashy nickel band to add some formal panache and elegant appeal.