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Toscano - Brenta
Outstanding Construction
Take the following for what it’s worth since I prefer medium to full cigars. It has an outstanding construction and that’s about it when it comes to the things to write home about. The ash fell once, when I was almost done with it and on a relatively windy day. It’s not a bad, it offers plenty of complexity for a mild cigar, but it doesn’t offer anything you wouldn’t find in a better presentation in other sticks. Maybe it’s worth trying if you want to learn how Havana seed does in the Italian climate.
Warped - Gellis Family Absolutos Corona Gorda
A Decent Nicaraguan Puro
Nice cacao and barnyard funk cold. Those notes become more subtle when lit to give way to leather, some pepper and minor notes of brown sugar, quince cheese, dark fruit, and licorice. It’s not outstanding compared to other Warped cigars, but definitely worth trying for the price. The construction is very good. It paired well with the black coffee I had with it.
Crowned Heads - Las Calaveras EL 2023 LC52
Balanced, Complex
This is a very good cigar. It’s milder than las calaveras from some previous years, but it’s still medium- to full-bodied. It has notes of cacao, leather, and more subdued notes of black pepper and earth. It also has a note somewhere between licorice and anise. I smoked it with a rum old-fashioned and it proved to be a great pairing.
My Father - #4 Lancero
Bitter Struggle
This one was difficult to taste. The draw was tight, and even though I tried to sip, I ended up getting too much bitterness. It has cocoa, almond, citrus (grapefruit), peppery spicy, and some quince and dark fruit notes; but given how difficult it is to get those notes, I fear it’s not worth it. I’ll give it a second chance and come back.
Illusione - Original Documents 33 Ninfa
Great
Notes of baking spices, leather, and pepper in the cold draw. I get leather, anise, almond, vanilla and pepper throughout the smoke. It’s a very satisfying stick.
Caldwell Cigar Company - Long Live The King BAR-NONE Toro
Leaves Things to Be Desired
You’ll be greeted with nice notes of black pepper and chocolate in both the cold draw and the smoke, although the chocolate fades. Pepper and general minerality are the dominant notes, with pepper always at the front, but I get a pleasant pastry almond note now and then in the last third. It’s satisfying for what it is. It could use some aging in the humidor to mellow and gain character. At one point, I picked up an unpleasant note of young tobacco. The draw is good, the construction unreliable. I had to do a couple of minor touchups. Fine for the price if you have the ability to age it.
Warped - Bird on a Rose
Great
It will feel one-dimensional at the beginning, but that dimension, stereotypically cubanesque (leather, earth, and black pepper) will give way to floral, fruity (dark fruit) and soft black tea notes you can also find in La Colmena, Maestro del Tiempo, and Oso Blanco. My guess is they come from the desflorado habano wrapper. You also get cashew here and there as with El Oso Blanco. The construction, including the draw, is excellent. The ash remains long throughout and the burn is even without any touchups. Worth trying if it’s restocked.
Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Rum Twist
Hike in Price
Every restocking comes with a hike in the price. A year ago, it was $102 for 500g. The year before that it was $68. Now it’s selling for $123. They almost doubled the price in 2 years.
Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Sweet Black Cherry Twist
Disgusting
The topping is so strong the tin note makes me sick. The artificial cherry smell is definitely there, but at a level I can only assume is intended as infernal punishment.
Tampers & Tools - Larry Blackett Tamper - Pewter Coffee Pot
Great Tamper
I bought one each of the bat, the horn, and the coffee pot. This one has the best size, dimensions and weight to work as a tamper. The other two were too large and heavy. They are all great metalwork, but the horn and the baseball bat are not very practical.
Tampers & Tools - Larry Blackett Tamper - Pewter Horn
Too big
I bought one each of the bat, the coffee pot, and this horn. In my opinion, only the coffee pot has the size, dimensions, and weight appropriate for a tamper. The weight and length of this tamper make it too cumbersome. They are all great pieces of craftsmanship but I doubt I will be using them to tamper my tobacco.
Tampers & Tools - Larry Blackett Tamper - Pewter Baseball Bat
Too long
If this tamper were half the size, it would be perfect. As is, it’s too large and heavy to carry around.
Seattle Pipe Club - Christmas Spirit 2022 4oz
Sorry to add another non-review
I’m sorry to contribute to the non-review train but it seems like some clarification is needed because people are not reading closely. This tin is double the price of the bourbon barrel aged version for a reason: it contains double the amount of tobacco. Did more people not realize this is a 4oz tin? This tin is not much more expensive than other SPC 4oz products, or I should say “was” since it’s sold out. I’ll let you know how it tastes.
Tampers & Tools - 8deco Tamper - Kokka Deluxe Silver
Too big
It’s a good tamper, but it’s bigger than the usual 8deco tamper. If you want something closer to the Czech tool size, I would not recommend this one.
Warped - Kings Stride 2oz
In a Category of Its Own
Probably because of the cigar leaf Cavendish, this blend is unlike any other tobacco. It has notes I didn’t know I would want in my tobacco: peanut and a savory sour cream quality. The aged burley adds depth and a density in the mouthfeel, which is very satisfying.
Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust - Sobremesa Short Churchill
Habano Rosado
What a satisfying smoke. It’s has a nice body with classic wood and coffee notes. I wish it was a regular Churchill so I could smoke more of it and have it evolve more throughout the smoking experience.
Warped - Flor Del Valle Sky Flower Lancero
Great
It’s a great stick. The vitola was chosen wisely. Besides the notes listed in the description, I picked up savory notes of mushroom in the last third. It’s a very well-rounded, complex smoke with a nice dense mouthfeel. I let mine sit in the humidor for about a year before lighting it, which probably added to the complexity and mouthfeel.
Warped - Maestro del Tiempo 6102R
A Beauty
This is a great cigar. It has a lot of very pleasant natural sweetness, probably from the medio tiempo. It has notes of jasmine tea that pop every now and then to complement cedar and sweetbread notes present throughout the smoke. It also has a very subtle note that to me walks a fine line between honey and molasses. I’ve had it a few times, but today I had it after a meal and it’s true to the Mexican saying: after a good taco, a good tobacco—so satisfying.
Warped - El Oso Blanco Papa
Impressive
This is an impressive cigar. It shares some similarities with la colmena and the maestro del tiempo: natural sweet and floral notes—some honey and some cashew. It’s also very evocative of chamomile and other floral teas. It has wood (cedar) and barnyard notes throughout. It’s bready in a very satisfying way; it has cinnamon notes in the first and final thirds and in the retrohale. The smoke it produces has a pleasant feel. The only downside I found was the draw. It can be a bit tight, even though I let it sit in my humidor for a couple of months. It’s worth the price.
Lighters - Zippo Pipe Lighter - Cornell & Diehl
Better in Person
I was on the fence about buying this lighter. I’m glad I did. Smokingpipes has a top-notch photography department and the fact that they take wonderful pictures of every pipe is a testament to that; but the pictures of this lighter do not do justice to the quality of the logo. I suspect that the shine of the lighter proved to be a challenge for the photographer(s).
Caldwell Cigar Company - Anastasia Vintage 2016 LE Corona Clasica
Great
I’ll preface this by saying that it’s not worth the price. The first half has classic cubanesque notes of wood and leather, plus hints of currant. After the half point, it opens up with wonderful dark fruit, especially cherry, and floral notes. I also picked up the floral notes in the retrohale throughout the entire smoke, along with the currant. It’s a very good cigar, but there are better options at a more affordable price. I’ve aged cigars for 6+ years; the aging in this one did not add the depth you would expect from an aged cigar. The draw was somewhat tight.
Samuel Gawith - Cabbie's Mixture 50g
Great Va-Per
There was a time when it was possible to acquire this tobacco on demand. Then, people realized what they had in their hands and that time passed. Before, this was my tobacco of choice; so much so that I felt the need to share my love of it. So share I did—especially with a close friend who eventually died of a Ewing sarcoma in 2017. A couple of years later, I found his wife had been smoking this tobacco in his memory. At the time, she did not know I had introduced my friend to Cabbie’s Mixture. This incident has led this tobacco to remain close to my heart, even when it’s not readily available.
Tabac De La Semois - Reserve du Patron 3.5oz
Great
There will come a time, you’ll see, when Smokingpipes customers will lament the scarcity of this tobacco.
Cornell & Diehl - Palmetto Balkan 8oz
Hoisted by your own petard
Next time I have to explain the concept of performative contradiction to my students, I will show them Brennan C’s “review”.
Cornell & Diehl - Carolina Red Flake with Perique 2oz
Wonderful
The 2021 batch is stellar. With just a month in the tin, it already has the body or density of a blend with several years of age. I’ve only had one bowl, but it has great notes of dark fruits, mostly cranberry. I’m also getting a nice zesty note and some subtle chocolate that pops in now and then. The 2020 batch is great, but this one is substantially superior. My only problem is that it’s very wet off the tin. It needs about 30 minutes of drying for my taste. I dried it for 20 and had some trouble with it.
CAO - Pilon Corona
One of My Favorites
I really enjoy the fermented leaf in this cigar, especially in this vitola and the Churchill. These two sizes bring out some sweet notes you don’t usually get in the Robusto, for example, such as a subtle licorice note that complements the more dominant wood and pepper.
Cornell & Diehl - Speakeasy Navy Blend 2oz
An Excellent Blend
There was a time when this blend included the grade of Virginias found in 2019 tins of Carolina Red Flake, which is a superb tobacco. I imagine they found a suitable substitute when they ran out of that grade. It is no surprise then that this is such a satisfying smoke for Virginia fans.
Stands & Pouches - Brigham 1 Pipe Bag Combo - Vintage
Good
A good pouch—it’s quality leather with a nice look and a good pocket for one average-sized pipe. The only problem I have with it is that the side pocket is too small for storing pipe cleaners without bending them a little.
Warped - Cabinet Selección de Warped: Lirio Rojo
Good Medium to Full Cigar
This is a quality cigar, with a good construction and draw. You can tell this has been aged. I have had an unaged lirio rojo in a different vitola, and this one has richer smoke and more complexity. It has a Cuban-style profile with wood and black pepper notes.
Warped - La Colmena No. 44
One of My Favorite Sticks
This is an excellent medium cigar. It tends to have a flawless construction and good draw. It has notes of cedar, black pepper, and honey, and the last time I smoked it I got a nice floral note in the retrohale.
Tampers & Tools - 8deco Tamper - Club Redwood
Great Tamper
This is an elegant but affordable option if you want an upgrade from the classic Czech tool. It is slightly darker than it appears in the pictures--a quality that suits my preference. My only issue is that the tamper is too wide for some of my narrower, tapering bowls, which as an avid VA and VA/Per smoker are the bowls I use the most.
Rocky Patel - Edge Limited Edition Corojo
Excellent flavor, awful construction
I bought two of this. The flavor was excellent— complex notes that remain accessible to the palate throughout. The construction left much to be desired. One of the cigars came apart in transit so I decided to use it as cigar leaf for pipe tobacco blends. I was able to smoke the other stick, until it too started to fall apart. If it was due to the size, it is no surprise the cigar was discontinued. It proved to be too ambitious a vitola.
Cornell & Diehl - Oak Alley 2oz
Excellent tobacco
It took me a while to get to this blend in the Cellar Series. I smoked Bourbon Bleu and Bijou when they came out and I loved them, especially Bijou; but Oak Alley is even better, and I think it has to do with the harmony Reeves achieved blending the components. This is the kind of blend you can smoke without paying much attention to it and still enjoy; but you can also sit down and smoke it slowly to appreciate the dark fruit notes of the perique and red Virginias, which are also satisfyingly bready. The Virginias play off the nutty flavors of the burley. The burley provides the blend with a nice body and depth. Every now and then the Katerini pops with floral notes that complement the rest of the tobaccos very well. I like to smoke a variety of blends, especially of VA/pers, but if I had to only smoke one tobacco, I would be glad to smoke this one for the rest of my pipe-smoking life. It pairs well with coffee, lagers and lighter IPAs.
Tampers & Tools - Rubber Pipe Bits (2 pack)
Helpful
They are comfortable and easy to fit. If you have teeth like Dracula's and you keep damaging your pipe stems, you won't regret buying these bits.
Cornell & Diehl - Bijou 2oz
I prefer it fresh
Since this blend already comes with some age (some of the Virginias are from 2003), and since the honey contrasts the sour and tangy notes from the Katerini very nicely, I prefer to smoke this one fresh or with no more than 6 months in the tin. With age, the note of honey fades and that balance between sweet and sour goes away. Of course, I cannot speak to its quality with 10 to 15 years of age yet.
Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - B. J. Long Regular Pipe Cleaners (100 pack)
Recent change
The quality of these cleaners declined in recent years. They leave lint everywhere. However, I have found that pressing the cleaner between your thumb and index finger, running your fingers down, and repeating in the opposite directions helps reduce the lint problem.
Cornell & Diehl - Chenet's Cake 2oz
Age it
More than the peppery spice common in blends with lower amounts of perique, in this blend, the high amount of the component produces notes of fig and other dark fruits, like plum. Age it for at least a year. If you are a devout vaper smoker, you will not be disappointed.
Solani - Virginia Flake - 633 100g
Excellent
This is a marvelous vaper. Complex notes of dried fruits from the perique playing off the sweetness of the Virginia. If you can, let it age for three years. You will find a tobacco with a very satisfying mouth feel/body.
Cornell & Diehl - Kajun Kake 2oz
Do your future self a favor
If you have the option, age it for at least a year. You will find a blend with flavors across the spectrum: mustiness, dry red wine, mushroom, but also natural sweetness and orange rind. Smoke it slowly; it's a Va/per.
G. L. Pease - Penny Farthing 2oz
Worth trying if you like Pease’s VaPers
If smoked in a smaller and narrower bowl, this blend is worth trying. It demands the smoking technique of any Virginia, or VaPer mixture. My first smoke opened with sweet and bread-like notes. The sweetness comes as a hint of molasses. You also get the grassiness you would expect from bright VAs. What interested me the most is that during the final third of the bowl, I picked up pleasant nutty and savory notes (probably from the dark fired KY) that contrasted nicely with the sweetness. UPDATE: I let a tin age for more than three years. The blend is sweeter now, which combined with the savory and smoky notes of the dark-fired Kentucky makes for a very complex mixture. I get nice notes of black and jasmine teas that weren’t there when the tobacco was fresh. I would give the three-year-old tin a 4.6 out of 5.
Drucquer & Sons - Blairgowrie 200g
Nuanced, Dried Fruit
I let a tin age for two years and it resulted in a profoundly satisfying smoke. The perique and Virginia complemented each other in a way that produced rich notes of figs, apricots, and plum, with a mild and subtle sweetness proper of high grade Virginias.
Sutliff - 515 RC-1
Unpleasant acidity
People have compared this to McClelland’s 5100, also known as red cake, because of a supposed similar profile that combines a tangy flavor with sweetness. I have only smoked this once, but the taste of artificially produced acidity overpowered all the flavors and subtle notes this tobacco may have. I will leave this in the cellar for a year then revisit and reevaluate. For now, I agree with Cosmic’s review above. There is something wrong with this tobacco’s acidity. UPDATE: After four years of aging, this tobacco is still an affront to humanity.
Favorite Products
Cornell & Diehl
Smokingpipes 20th Anniversary Blend: XX Flake Dark 2oz
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Blog's Commented on
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Mystery Review: February 2025
- ► The “continent” in continental philosophy refers to continental Europe, as opposed to the island(s) that make up what is now the UK. This would exclude Mill and Hume from the tradition since they are from the islands. Ludwig Wittgenstein, who was Austrian, is considered one of the most important analytic philosophers; so the geographical distinction doesn’t hold. On the other hand, the distinction is taken to describe a methodological difference among philosophers beginning in the twentieth century. This would mean that chronologically, we would also exclude Hume, Mill (and Kant) from the labels. Some philosophers see the distinction as the result of two main, competing readings of Kant (this would also mean he is not part of one tradition or the other but the source of the distinction). Some see in Kant a project to turn philosophy into a science, and they identify that as key to the analytic method; others see in Kant a critique of the sciences, and they identify a critical attitude as key to what it means to do philosophy. At some point, some philosophers decided we needed to lump together many, disparate philosophical movements under a label with a geographical reference because they appeared to shared a critical outlook (and an alleged lack of scientific rigor), but the development of critical views among these different philosophical movements is so thoroughly different that it is laughable to claim that they belong together, while the claim that there is a lack of rigor speaks more to the cataloguing philosophers’ anxieties over their inability to easily understand their peers’ work. Good philosophers work on issues, not within traditions.
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Mystery Tobacco Review: October 2022
- ► I imagine YouTube’s restrictions on tobacco content led Smoking Pipes to jump ship. It’s a shame they took down their videos. They were a valuable resource. I hope they create some kind of archive for consultation on this site.
- ► @Andy Wike Thanks for your reply—and the great content. I’m glad to read about the migration. It would be a shame to lose such a valuable video archive.
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Mystery Tobacco Review: October 2023
- ► You all did kick out Andrew after he El Niño’d you!Also, Eryn is my favorite Smokingpipes member because I know from her bio that she reads philosophy. As a professional philosopher, that gives me hope, or something akin to it, and that is hard to come by when you do what I do.Thanks for the videos.
Mystery Cigar Review: November 2022- ► So why did he cut the cap?! Did he give you an answer? We also want to know.
- ► That is a very funny coincidence, Samuel. Thank you and your colleagues for a great mystery review.