


Reviews


Rattray's - Exotic Passion 100g
KNOCK ME DOWN 'N PICK ME UP!
This tobacco can do both! Knock your socks off and make your eyes glow (in a good way). Pack it right and it lights easy, burns to the bottom of the bowl with no problems. Does not get hot or bite your tongue. I have never tasted a flavor like this has. It is sweet, but surely not overpowering. My wife wants me to buy more simply because she loves the metal embossed tin. YIPPEE!!


Mac Baren - 7 Seas Regular 3.5oz
SADLY, A LET DOWN
I looked forward to this blend with high anxiety, anxious for its arrival. I found it to be too bland compared to what I was expecting after reading so many good reviews. I gave it 2 stars since it did not bite my tongue. Any aromatic that doesn't give tongue bite deserves some credit, but sadly this just is too bland for me.... Having had such high expectations, tears are dropping from my eyes after such a let down. I give it some credit for having nice tin artwork.


Cornell & Diehl - Sugarplum 2oz
A FINE REFRESHING TASTE!
C & D creates the best aromatics I have ever smoked and this blend is one of them. My 1st bowl was straight out of the tin, no drying time. It lit easily and smoked without relight to the bottom of bowl. Love the flavor, not overly sweet, no tongue bite. A blend that reminds me of why I smoke pipes. I wanted more immediately, plus it made me decide to buy more! I really wish C & D and Smoking Pipes would make this an always available tobacco rather than simply a come-and-gone blend.


Cornell & Diehl - Sunday Picnic 2oz
SOOOOO... SUNDAY PLEASANT!
I wasn't sure about buying, I did see a few rather negative reviews. But I went for some. Such a wonderful surprise! The first 2 puffs were bland; I thought OH NO. Then a sweetness came through as I sipped, some mild spice along with it. Down the rest of the entire bowl it was sweet (BUT NOT OVERLY SO) with a mild spice taste. Never got hot and burned all the way down with no problems. I don't know how Cornell & Diehl does this, getting such good flavor, never getting hot, yet burns easily without biting your tongue. This has instantly become one of my most favorite smokes and, frankly, I am not easy to please! Just ask my wife. UPDATE ADD ON: Just had to say that this is a pipe tobacco that reminds me why I smoke pipes!


Cornell & Diehl - Sun Bear 2oz
GONE! - I WILL CRY IN MY CLOSET!
Foolish me only bought 3 tins of this tobacco. IF I liked it, I would come back and buy more. Well, I love it! Always a fan of oriental laced tobaccos, this sounded like a very interesting blend, especially with the local harvested honey. Some oriental taste, some aromatic taste, it was great. When I opened the tin, I thought it was perhaps a little too moist. Well, I decided to try it as it was and not wait even 5 minutes to let it dry some. If I had trouble, I could let it air out and dry. Lighting was easy, gentle tamping, I never had to relight. It did not get hot on me, I smoked it slowly. I don't know if it can be pushed to being too hot. It burned very well to the bottom of the bowl. It passed my 2 ultimate tests - - I wanted another bowl immediately and I wanted to buy more. Didn't think all 4500 tins would be gone in 3 or 4 days. This has instantly become one I could smoke all day and enjoy immensely. A great change of pace My Dunhill pipe liked it too. Will there EVER be more?


Captain Black - Premium Edition Red Sky 1.75oz
Top Shelf Aromatic!
I found it difficult to believe the reviews for this "cherry" blend. So, I bought some. Best ever! I shy away from aromatics because of severe tongue bite. Absolutely none here. Wonderful flavor from beginning to end, not hot at all. One light and I was good to go. I wish this had been around decades ago. To the people who superbly blend this, I say, DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING!


Dan Tobacco - Midnight Ride 50g
A STEADY STANDBY
I like the flavor of this one. No heat, steady constant flavor, not up and down with good taste, then gone with an acrid, sour replacement for flavor. Gentle tamping and I never had to relight. This is now in my favorites list.


Dan Tobacco - Gordon Pym 50g
A PLEASANT SURPISING SHOCK!
I bought a tin of this nearly 4 years ago. Tried it then, didn't care for it. Almost threw it away. A week ago added moisture to it. Lit up a bowl full. Smooth, no bite, no matter how I puffed, and good flavor. Smooth burn all the way to the bottom, no relights. Shockingly, this is in my top 5 now.


Bengal Slices - Bengal Slices 1.75oz
NONE BETTER NOW!
If I have ever smoked a better tobacco, I can't remember what or when. Granted, the old original was slightly better, but today this is my tops for any tobacco. Just remember, you must like Oriental blends.


Cornell & Diehl - John Marr 2oz
A RELIABLE STANDBY
When I first opened the tin it seemed too moist, but I couldn't resist. I filled a bowl and lit up. One match is all it took. Man oh man, I liked it immediately. Judicious gentle tamping and I never had to relight. Burnt to a white ash to the bottom of bowl. Never got too hot. It passed my ultimate test which is that I wanted another bowl immediately. Remember, this does have oriental tobaccos as part of the blend, so... they are there somewhat on the mild side (not wild side) but do jump in to help with a nice sweetness to let me know they are helping out. I will reach for this tin again and again. Love this blend, it reminded me why I love my pipes. In my top 5 reliable blends. Great going C & D!
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Blog's Commented on
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Jody Davis: The Rock Star Pipe Maker
- ► "WE BELIEVE" Really instantly woke me up this morning! Last night I was listening to the Newsboys and played one of my favorite songs, WE BELIEVE, several times. I had no idea Jody Davis was a member of the band and at the same time was the world wide acclaimed pipe maker. What a wonderful and stunning event! So very good to know. Loved the story.
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Raymond Chandler: Author, Screenwriter, Pipe Smoker
- ► Hi Jeffery, a good interesting article, well written. Chandler is my favorite author to read. It's a close call between "The Little Sister" and "The Long Goodbye" as being my favorite; I lean toward "Goodbye." I always wondered what brand of pipes he smoked and what tobacco he preferred. Well, now I know that he had at least one Dunhill and one Kaywoodie. I have some of both. I guess the tobacco remains as his writings... a mystery. Without a doubt he had a way with words that no one else has matched though many have tried. Such a shame that his world collapsed when his wife died. We lost a great one!
- ► JUST AN ADD ON... I thought this should be noted as a teaser... At the very beginning of "The Little Sister" in the scene when Marlowe is in his office alone and the phone rings... the description portraying the "battle" between Marlowe and the Blue Bottle Fly is an absolute classic and has never been matched. Read it! It's on like page 2 or 3; you won't regret it.
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Tasting Notes: Cornell & Diehl Small Batch Sun Bear Mountain Flower
- ► I absolutely Love the entire Sun Bear series. They are all my most favorite pipe tobaccos. They are always the first that I want to put in my pipes!
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The History of Pipe Design: France and England
- ► A very interesting read. I have been hoping for more articles about the classic shapes, especially on the English brands. Thank you for this, Truett. I admit that I am "stuck" back in the old days with the classic shapes, though I have some rare exceptions. I like a good classic apple shape, though oddly one of my most treasured pipes is a large Dunhill that is essentially shaped like a "saxephone." Lately, I have noticed that I crave Dunhill pipes that are a combination of the Rhodesian and Bulldog shape; I don't know how else to describe it. Shell (ring grain preferred) or smooth finish will do nicely. Thanks again, Truett. Would love to read more!
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The Pipe Stem: The Most Important Component of Any Pipe
- ► What a superb article and such a great read! Such great info I have not found anywhere else. Incredible work done by these pipe artisans. All done so that us pipe smokers can enjoy our treasured pipes even more than what used to be. Thank you very much for this good story.
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Top 11 Best-Selling Aromatic Tobaccos
- ► A good list, but I was really surprised that I did not see Captain Black's RED SKY, nor can I find it anymore on your excellent web pages. Wondering; can you tell us what has happened to RED SKY?
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Visiting The White Spot
- ► A very interesting article, Shane. I have been smoking pipes for about 55 years. For a long time I shied away from Dunhill pipes. I thought they were over priced and did not look that good. Well, I found an estate Dunhill Group 5 that really appealed to me and took the plunge and paid the money. What a wonderful pipe it proved to be! The shape was beautiful and it smoked better than anything I ever smoked. I started looking closer at Dunhills and realized details that were done better on these pipes than any other. I now have more than 12 Dunhills and all are great smoking pipes. For those that have had disappointment with Dunhills, remember that John C. Loring, who wrote "The Dunhill Pipe," said that there had been certain decades when Dunhill pipes were counterfeited by some unknown makers and there is a high probability that you had one of these counterfeits. I have never had a Dunhill disappoint me, whether it was smoking qualities, the issue of a cleaner passing straight through (even on a "saxephone" shape) or its withstanding the rigors of time. I do not have a single Dunhill I would sell!
- ► SORRY, MY MISTAKE! In my earlier post I did not get the title correct for the John C. Loring book. It's title is "THE DUNHILL BRIAR PIPE."
A Quick Look at Pipe Finishes- ► Strange how preferences can change. My first love of pipes had to be highly figured straight grains with a smooth finish. Then I preferred good sandblasted pipes by Dunhill, especially Ring grains or Shillings. The best I ever saw was a Dunhill bulldog Shilling. Now, I think the pipes I admire the most (but only have one), is the OLD Barling Quaints with some major carving and a great deal of fine intricate carving. Go figure.