Savinelli: Mega Rusticated (616) (6mm) Tobacco Pipe

One of the most full-bodied examples of Savinelli's approach to the bent Billiard, the "616 KS" dramatizes the standard form with especially robust proportions. It features a hearty bowl and generous chamber with an equally plump shank and stem. It's noticeably more muscular and deep-chambered compared to the marque's other bent Billiards like the "606 KS," "670 KS," "602," and "603" designs. The "616 KS" offers plenty of reinforcing briar at its chamber walls, transition, and shank, filling the palm with ease and exemplifying what it means to be considered an iconic Italian bent Billiard. This particular "616" rendition, however, is among Savinelli's largest interpretations as part of the Mega series, offering considerable substance through the shank and heel and a massive bowl for a well-insulated chamber.

Many pipe makers utilize certain methods for distinguishing the sizes of their pipes: For example, Dunhill has their six Group sizes, Ashton has their "X" stamps, and Castello marks its largest pipes with "G" designations. For Savinelli's standard array of pipes, the Italian marque uses "KS" and "EX" stamps — "KS" standing for "King Size" and "EX" for "Extra Large." EX pipes increase the overall size of their KS counterparts, but there is one Savinelli line whose shape are even larger than EX variations: the Mega series. While these pipes aren't distinguished by a size stamp, they're among the Italian marque's largest across their regular-production lineup, boasting hearty proportions and immense chamber volume. This Mega example makes good use of that added surface area, wearing a crisp, red-tinged rustication for welcome texture and accented by a trim brass band.