Savinelli: Mega Rusticated (121) (6mm) Tobacco Pipe

With its wide chamber and firm, jutting heel, Savinelli's "121 KS" is a thoroughly Italian take on the bent Pot shape. The bold, muscular bowl garners much of the visual attention but is expertly balanced out by the saddle stem's graceful downward turn — softening the design's masculine profile while also allowing the shape to be more comfortably clenched. The chamber's thick, insulating walls provide plenty of substance between the smoker and the burning leaf inside and offer a substantial presence in hand. The "121 KS" is also notably similar to the Italian marque's other bent Pot design, the "122," with the primary difference between them being the breadth of their bowls as the "121 KS" here has been lent some additional width around its base. This particular "121" 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.