


Reviews


Robert Lewis - Tree Mixture 50g
Fair legacy, Colonel!
Colonel Tree, to my knowledge, didn't do anything worthwhile in terms of establishing a military legacy. But damn did the officer have splendid taste!


Cobblestone - Brick Virginia Plug 1.75oz
Don't Purchase This...
The other review was correct in that if you're a new smoker, you likely won't be able to appreciate what's happening here. This is largely a Virginia blend sans flavour, so you have to love straight Virginias if your tastes are to have a stake in this venture. That being said, if you appreciate dry leaves with minimal processing, you'll love this blend like I do. Still, don't buy this. The subject requires more investigation, so I'll take all the tins, thank you very much.


Davidoff - Scottish Mixture 50g
Epitome of good
This won't blow your mind but much like Rick Astley, it won't let you down. I couldn't discern much in terms of ingredients, as the flavoring served to obscure rather than highlight any given leaf.


Cornell & Diehl - Crooner 2oz
Baffled by this
I tried it on a whim and stumbled upon a new favorite.


Cornell & Diehl - Big 'n' Burley 2oz
Solid blend
There's something to be said for a product being exactly as described.


Cornell & Diehl - Autumn Evening 2oz
Overpowered by the flavoring
I wasn't quite about to discern the taste of the tobacco through the maple flavoring.


Erik Stokkebye 4th Generation - Small Batch Resolution 2oz
Splendid smoke
This blend, much like President William Howard Taft, is especially rounded. Still, could've done with less hazelnut.


Cornell & Diehl - Morning Drive 2oz
Definitely a favorite
If you're into blends not so flavored, this is it. It's expertly made.


G. L. Pease - Géométrie 2oz
Simple and tasteful
Without touting many ingredients, this one is great for your taste buds and the people in the room with you.


BriarWorks - Pete's Beard's Blend 2oz
Underappreciated
This is one of the few blend on the market with no flavoring whatsoever. This is for the purists.


Cobblestone - Chess Knight 1.75oz
Yes.
I'm a sucker for Kohlhase & Kopp. Their simple ingredient tins are spectacular.


Peter Stokkebye - PS402 Luxury Twist Flake
A standard in its own right
The 2/1/3 is a rare combination (mild to smoke, lovely aroma, with plenty of taste) without a chemical mess of flavor additions.


Lighters - Kiribi Kabuto Short Black Matte
I'm a fan.
I've paid double for the same quality lighter before.


Gifts - Ebauchon Briar Pipe Kit Acrylic Stem-Bent
Ideal Starter
This is a great kit to initiate oneself into the whittling world. The blocks come well-drilled and for the most part the stems come well-milled. However, the stems aren't always plumb and that can make finalizing the project a real pain.


Gifts - Plateau Briar Pipe Kit Ebonite Stem-Bent
Opt for different stem
I feel like I sanded the stem more than I did the finished block and still it didn't look right. The stem was uneven and had a seam that ran as high as a mountain chain...


Gifts - Plateau Briar Pipe Kit Acrylic Stem-Straight
Can't afford not to do it
This is a great kit to initiate oneself into the whittling world. The blocks come well-drilled and for the most part the stems come well-milled. However, the stems aren't always plumb and that can make finalizing the project a real pain.


Gifts - Plateau Briar Pipe Kit Acrylic Stem-Bent
Terrific value
This is a great kit to initiate oneself into the whittling world. The blocks come well-drilled and for the most part the stems come well-milled. However, the stems aren't always plumb and that can make finalizing the project a real pain.


Gifts - Plateau Briar Pipe Kit Amber Acrylic Stem-Bent
Worth the purchase
This is a great kit to initiate oneself into the whittling world. The blocks come well-drilled and for the most part the stems come well-milled. However, the stems aren't always plumb and that can make finalizing the project a real pain.


Gifts - Ebauchon Briar Pipe Kit Acrylic Stem-Straight
Solid carving companion
This is a great kit to initiate oneself into the whittling world. The blocks come well-drilled and for the most part the stems come well-milled. However, the stems aren't always plumb and that can make finalizing the project a real pain.


Gifts - Morta Pipe Kit Acrylic Stem-Bent
Great starter
If you're looking to dig into a morta block, this serves as a great start. It has enough material to allow you to work out a few ideas, but if you're looking to make a masterpiece, you'll probably need to drill a block yourself in order to get more sizable walls for the bowl.


Seattle Pipe Club - Virginia Jazz 2oz
Fantastic but pricey
It has an especially pleasant aroma and almost never requires a re-light. I just don't know that it's worth the price.


Sutliff - Anomalous 50g
The perfect medium
By being 3s across the board you'd expect this to hit heavier, like C&D'S Briar Fox. Instead, the strength sneaks in and the room note, while prominent, is entirely welcome. They picked a fitting bird for this tin.


Cornell & Diehl - Daylight: Or L'yom 2oz
The archetype of Not Bad
Upon opening the can you might mistake the musk for stale and vinegared lemon. It's almost aggressive. But when lit, the initial odor undergoes a complete metamorphosis, to the point that you might've lit a candle. At first, I rated this a 4.5. Then I smoked it a few more times and changed my rating to a 4. A couple weeks later, I'm dropping it to 3. I won't drop it again, but the further I've dug into the tin, the more I realize that I'm ready for this tin to be over and probably won't reorder this one, at least not for a couple years.


Fribourg & Treyer - Vanners Mixture 50g
Perfect in its own way
I judge tobaccos by utility and I'm particular in what I'll try, intending to stay away from flavorings and aromatics altogether. That being said, this product steals the limelight in strength and taste as compared to room note. If you're looking to please those around you without sacrificing taste, this is it. As pleasant as a scented candle, this makes for an environment of welcome company.


Cornell & Diehl - Oak Alley 8oz
Dangerously smooth
It's easy to load this one up, blaze right through it, and find yourself with that unexpected head rush all before you realize what happened. It's easy-going and airy yet it packs quite a punch.


Seattle Pipe Club - Mississippi River Rum Barrel Aged 2oz
Always better than I recall
I come back to this blend every few weeks and I always wonder why I don't smoke it more often. Then I forget about it again. It's good, but I don't know that it's worthy of a name with so many syllables.


Cornell & Diehl - Black Frigate 8oz
For the discerning artist
If you're looking to get creative or buckle down and focus, this is it.


Warped - Kings Stride 2oz
Perfect for the cigar aficionado
I've got friends who prefer cigars over pipes and this one was a purchase intended to win them over in occasion. Turns out I'm a fan as well.


Cornell & Diehl - Joie de Vivre 2oz
Among the best so far
I've only recently gotten back into smoking tobacco after about a decade's hiatus and I guess I'd never realized just how many tobacco varieties were out there to begin with. I've tried quite a few now and this has been my personal second favorite. When I have people over and allow them to try anything that they see, their nose tends to lead them to this blend.


Seattle Pipe Club - Plum Pudding Bourbon Barrel Aged 2oz
Premium for a reason
This is worth the purchase, which, due to the price tag alone, is quite a statement. Definitely the best blend from the Seattle folks that I've nabbed.


Sutliff - Crumble Kake Barrel Aged Series No.5 Rustica Limited Edition 50g
A Taste of History
Before there was cotton, there was tobacco. Smoking this rustica is akin to drinking Madeira, smoking the substances consumed by our finding fathers. It also teaches that the founding fathers liked to get positively toasted! On a strength scale, this is a 6.5 out of five. It tastes of lemon, and of having one's taste buds dropkicked in the throat.


Cornell & Diehl - Briar Fox 2oz
Standard Bearer
In my opinion this is the perfect litmus test. It's got quite a settling effect on the mind while being pleasant in the room, though not particularly distinctive for its scent. In my opinion, it's the ideal standard bearer and I'll probably always rate tobaccos off this benchmark. Briar Fox represents the archetype of "good." Anything better than Briar Fox is great, while anything lesser won't see a second purchase.