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Brian F.

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Peter Stokkebye - PS400 Luxury Navy Flake
Simply wonderful navy flake
Some evenings I want to smoke my pipe, though I cannot summon the desire for any one particular blend. As I bought a good amount of this flake, I keep reaching for it on such nights, not wanting to deplete my supply of pricier tinned blends. I’ve always liked it, but I’ve grown to love it with time. It has a wonderful body, isn’t all that sensitive to being too moist or too dry, and it has a wonderful toasted marshmallow quality every now and then (though I don’t suspect an added casing is at work here). It burns exceptionally well, and in my experience, does best packed in rather tightly and not rubbed out a great deal. If you’re like me and love Orlik Golden Sliced, and want something that fills a similar niche for a bit less money, this is a wonderful tobacco to have in hand. Most recommended.

Cutters & Accessories - Credo Cigar Scissors
Perfectly serviceable
Being a pipe man, and only having the occasional cigar, I did not want to splurge on an expensive cigar cutter, but also was tired of using a pen knife. Having tested it out on some cheap General Grant coronas, it seems sharp and cuts cleanly. The plastic is fairly light and cheap, but considering the low cost it is fine for what it is.

Cornell & Diehl - Yale Mixture
My everyday smoke
This is my everyday blend. Lord knows there are hundreds of English blends on the market, and even just from Cornell & Diehl there are dozens to choose from. I picked this one because I liked the name and the fact that it only had two component tobaccos listed. I find it perfectly balanced, with excellent smoking characteristics (lights well, packs well, burns evenly in a variety of sized pipes). It's not the most full-flavored or complex English, but it isn't trying to be, and it has just enough Virginia sweetness and peppery Latakia to be interesting to puff on while reading a book or winding down after a long day. Is it anything really special? Not really, but some blends just come together really nicely in their balance of flavor and aroma, and this is a fine example of one. Some blends are just so perfectly done (Dunhill 965 comes to mind), that they just hit the spot. Yale Mixture reminds me of the Dunhill blends in that it is excellent quality and smokes really really well. It will not blow you away, but you just may find yourself reaching for it again and again when you're not sure which blend you want to smoke.

Stands & Pouches - Castleford Roll Up Pouch Plaid
A great little tabac pouch
I was surprised by the quality of this pouch for less than $10. The rubber lining is nice too, I'm sure it will keep tobacco fresh. It looks like something grandpa would take to the park with him while he feeds squirrels and smokes Edgeworth in his Medico. I should note it's made in India, for those interested. I recommend it.

Edward G. Robinson - Edward G. Robinson's Pipe Blend 1.5oz
Wonderful Light Aromatic
Edward G. Robinson makes for a very enjoyable smoke. It is lightly aromatic, not mucky or sticky, and it's an easy smoke without being boring. You could smoke it all day, but I like it enough to savor just one bowl. Makes you feel like an old time pipe smoker, too, great to have while watching old detective movies or reading a good book. It sort of tastes like a mix between a decent OTC blend and a nice English from Sutliff or Dunhill. Smokes extremely well out of a nice tall billiard. Recommend for everyone (see?).