Savinelli: Tre Rusticated (104) Tobacco Pipe

Savinelli's "104" shape designation corresponds to a Billiard design that showcases the Italian pipe making tradition's approach to classic English and French shapes. The basic Billiard form is maintained in the rigid, upright bowl; however, the proportions have been slightly altered as the shank and stem are a touch more slender and the bowl a tad taller. It makes for a dramatic visual effect and draws more attention to the bowl, while still preserving the shape's streamlined look in profile. The "104" also presents a trimmer alternative to the firm's more robustly proportioned Billiards, such as the "101" and "141 KS," while not sacrificing anything in terms of chamber depth.

The vast majority of Savinelli's portfolio consists of pipes drilled with a 6mm airway to accommodate the Italian marque's proprietary balsa filters. While these filtered Savinelli pipes come with an included adapter for use without a filter, some pipe smokers prefer not to deal with that added accessory. Thankfully, Savinelli offers the Tre series: It's a line devoted to pipes with a 3mm draft hole, tre meaning "three" in Italian. No filters. No adapters. Just briar. With this particular offering dressed in the line's chocolate-hued rustication with the added elegance of a trim brass accent ring to contrast the stummel's rugged texture.