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Eric G.
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Reviews
Cornell & Diehl - Five O'Clock Shadow 2oz
Sleeper Blend
Pipe: Filterless Boswell egg (full bent) Flame: Match lit After smoking Firebird Flake almost exclusively for over a month, I needed something different, so I reached for this tin that I bought on a whim about 5/6 months ago. And boy… I’m really glad I choose to give this a try. It’s subtle, smooth, and lightly sweet. It comes in a pressed cake, so you can cut or tear off a chunk as you please. The cake retained an excellent amount of moisture which didn’t require much dry time- I just slice a chunk off, crumble it, and go. I can’t say enough about its balanced flavor and smoke- it’s amazing. I really enjoyed this blend and highly recommend it. So, go on and grab a tin- you can thank me later.
Cornell & Diehl - Firebird Flake 2oz
Delightful Flake
Pipe: Morgan Bones (unfiltered) The flakes have noticeable moisture when rubbing and tearing them apart. I let the tobacco dry just for a few minutes before I packed it. It was a little challenging to get it lit, but once you get it going, it won’t stop. Top third seemed a little spicy to me- C&D described a green peppercorn flavor and I would say that is pretty accurate. To me, it has a somewhat bright and peppery flavor that draws you in more than pushes you away. Towards the end of the first third, I noticed the flavor became a little more bready. Once again, the flavor pulls you in, so sip and enjoy slowly. Also, there is a touch of sweetness that is not overpowering. I can definitely tell this blend is walking a tight rope a flavors, but will reward you when your cadence and ember are in harmony. The retrohale catches those orientals, but then trials off with a bit of spice. It kind of reminds me when I first tried olives- I wasn’t sure if I liked it, but I couldn’t stop putting them in my mouth!. Anyways, the tin note is bready with a hint of fruit. It’s very enticing to say the least. The room note will not make you any friends, so keep that in mind when you’re puffing away. Strength is above average and I am guessing that’s from the dark-fired Kentucky. I definitely noticed the nicotine in this blend (even with a mostly full belly). This blend is growing on me and I think it will only get better with age. I bought 3 tins- one for now and two for later.
Seattle Pipe Club - Plum Pudding 2oz
My First SPC Experience
I am a new pipe smoker and only recently started to venture out beyond the aromatics. I do not have a deep understanding of all the blends and possible combinations that are available and I’ve never had the original. All that to say: this stuff absolutely rocks. It has it’s own character in the flavor- is soft and little sweet and the retrohale is so entertaining. I’m literally smiling as I puff away on my pipe writing this- I am impressed. I am a believer and I want more!
Cornell & Diehl - We Three Kings 2oz
It’s Good, But…
This is an extraordinary subtle smoke. There is a definite taste of bread and a little bit of spice and that’s about it. I’ve smoke a few bowls of this blend and only once was I happy about it. The others were just ok for me. I really wanted to like it more, but it doesn’t do it for me.
Molina - Starter Kit Smooth Light Brown Billiard (9mm)
Definitely a Starter Pipe
UPDATE: I decided to look into the situation a bit more and found through cleaning the pipe, that the hole at the bottom of the bowl was not completely drilled through. I took a 1/8th inch bit (seemed to fit snuggly in the hole) and drilled out that little bit at the junction from the stem to the bowl and the airflow improved. I’m still keeping the 3.5 stars, because even though I could fix it, that’s unacceptable quality assurance from the company. The overall fit and finish is nice with no visual imperfections. Finish is consistent and fitment for the stem is nice and tight. The provided charcoal filter did not cause any drama when inserting in the pipe and stem. Prior to inserting the filter, the pipe has considerable resistance without tobacco or filter. In fact, I thought there was a filter already installed when I gave it a try, but there wasn’t. The bowl is deep, but narrow which doesn’t mean much to me other than relighting can be a little awkward about 1/3 of the way down. The stem is very comfortable and I really enjoyed the mouth feel. Smoking was good, but at this price point you’re getting it more for the look than the function or at least my particular model felt that way. It took considerable effort to draw smoke from the pipe which made for a more laborious smoke. Overall it’s an average pipe with a comfortable stem and good hand feel. It’s a bit hard to smoke, but with time I will get used to it and maybe not use a filter.
Cult - Blood Red Moon 50g
Hazelnuts
Pipes: Rossi 8636 and Country Gentleman. Very smooth, mellow, and I get a lot of hazelnut (especially with the country gentleman) . I was worried that the cherry would be overpowering, but I was wrong. Totally delightful smoke- this will be one of my new favorites.
Cornell & Diehl - Autumn Evening 2oz
This is My Current Fav
I’m in that aggressive discovery phase of pipe tobaccos and it has been a long winding road of just buying and trying with more buying and trying. That was until I tried Autumn Evenings; it stopped me in my tracks and was the first tobacco, that when I took my first sip, I knew it was different. Now, I am not good enough to pick out flavors or anything- all I know is this stuff is smooth, pleasant, and smells good. In fact, I just placed another order for more. This stuff is amazing!
Rossi - Mezzanotte (8636) (6mm)
Novice Pipe Smoker’s First Impressions
I’ve only been pipe smoking for a few weeks now (I’ve been using a Country Gentleman and a filterless Crown Aristocrat). Both pipes get the job done, but I wasn’t satisfied. I took a chance on this one- it was a really hard decision, but I knew a few things I liked and this pipe looked like it would be a great fit. Enter the Rossi- this is a total step up from the corncobs and cheap filterless briar I started with. The fit and finish is good- I have no complaints on the cosmetics. The stem and pipe fit well together along with the included balsa filter. I decided to pack it with Autumn Evenings at dusk and all I can say is wow- it was such an enjoyable, relaxing moment. The pipe felt great in my hand and didn’t get too hot. After I was finished, it took awhile for it to cool off. Once cooled, it was easy to clean. Since this was my first step towards quality pipes I am genuinely curious how much better it can get.