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Comoy's - Cask No.7 3.5oz
Down to the last few coins
I should have bought more. It was delicious when fresh. It got even better with a year of age and, in the last few months, it has become something I look forward to smoking. Alas, I have been unable to find any available for the last year. I'm hopeful that is only a result of stock and shipping issues as a result of the pandemic, but...


Tobacco Jars - Smokingpipes Tobacco Jar
I have about six of these now
My tobacco rotation is easier than ever to get to and stays perfectly hydrated in the meantime. I'll pick up more of these as my ready-to-hand tobacco needs grow.


Missouri Meerschaum - Wizard Cobbit
Another cob to love
I *LOVE* my cob pipes. I have no time for folks who think they are played out or old fashioned. I love them. Consistently the best smokers in my rather large collection. This one is no exception. I agree with Andrew C that the tobacco has to be dried a bit further and this bowl is a mile deep. I love sitting and smoking it for very long sessions.


Stands & Pouches - Peterson Grafton Single Pipe and Pipe Bag Hardshell Case
A home for a house pipe
I picked one of these up to make carrying my favorite Peterson House pipe with me when I desired it easier. The case is perfect. Everything I hoped it would be and more.


Cornell & Diehl - Poplar Camp
Wow
I am a Va/Per lover, so this caught my eye some time back while it was out of stock. Glad I picked some up when it came back around. I told a friend today that this is the most delicious forest fire I have ever encountered. Do yourself a favor, provided you like strong blends, and get some.


Stands & Pouches - Neal Yarm Solid Back 7 Pipe Stand Oak
A fine stand for a beloved rotation
I bought one of these to see how it stacked up to my current favorite stand and I must say, I am buying another to replace my previous favorite. Very well made. The pipes are easily accessible and the presentation is trim and functional.


Old German Clay - Cutty with Aluminum and Stem
The best of both worlds
Clay has a distinctive smell when it is new. I love that. I love clay pipes, but I have never been a fan of the mouth feel of a clay stem. This provides an answer. The vulcanite stem brings a great feature and familiarity to a clay pipe smoking experience. I'll pick up a few more of these.


Missouri Meerschaum - Mark Twain Straight (6mm)
I dearly love my Mark Twain cobs
A much more substantial feel in hand and a better thermal absorption than my other cobs. I've just bought two more so that I can give my older one a rest every now and then. Even with 40+ briar, morta, and meerschaum pipes in my collection; I find myself grabbing a cob at least once a day for a smoke. I call them my workhorse pipes. I can focus on what I am doing and chug away on whatever tobacco I have in them with no issue.


Seattle Pipe Club - Plum Pudding Special Reserve 4oz
How does one describe Heaven?
I am in an ongoing love affair with Plum Pudding, but I think this may be my all-time favorite Lat blend. I make time for this every day and I will for as long as possible. Just can't get enough time to sit and savor.


Peterson - Elizabethan Mixture 50g
A first taste of the Peterson version
I loved Dunhill's blend of this, so I was really worried going into the new branding, but I have been really relieved to see that the taste is the same if not better. This just has that flavor I expect. No gimmick. Gotta grab some more and get some age on it.


Daughters & Ryan - Three Sails 3.5oz
This is really great stuff!
I picked this up specifically to blend a little something as a test, but I love to smoke it on its own. The shag is a great cut and it is very springy. The tub is a perfect moisture level and there is a quality about the smoke that I have not gotten from other Virginia offerings. I'll be keeping this on hand when my fever to blend kicks in.


Seattle Pipe Club - Plum Pudding 2oz
Just finished off my first tin
I really love F&K Merde de Cheval, but I didn't know how this would compare to it. I'm delighted to say they are of a lineage. The flavors in Plum Pudding are different, but in the same vein. I dearly love this tobacco. It is on my English/Balkan rotation now. A nice mild flavor to my taste with the distinctive melding of some fantastic leaves. This is a daily smoke for me. I especially love the retrohale.


Cornell & Diehl - Carolina Red Flake with Perique 2oz
Just polished off a tin
Glad I bought more than the one. This smoked divinely. The perique gave a wonderful flavor to the sweet virginia leaf. I'll be happy if this comes back around again next year.


Daughters & Ryan - Picayune 3.5oz
Hoo boy!
Perfect moisture right out of the tub. The burley provides a huge nicotine hit, but the flavor is very nice. strong and tasty!


Tampers & Tools - 8deco Penner Tamper
Impressive
I continue to be impressed by 8deco tampers. I have 5 different kinds now and this is the cream of the crop. Mine varies slightly from the photos in that it is smooth and rounded and the ends are black enamel. This tamper has the size and heft to make it appear as one of my older fountain pens. I love it! a dependable brand and a fantastic product. ~J


Books - Confessions of a Pipeman, Second Edition - Gary B. Schrier
Food for thought
I read for the pleasure of it. This book was a pleasure. I found a lot of clear information mixed with a lot of personal opinion. Gary presents his opinions with the force of a prosecutor, but also contradicts on occasion. Much like any life lived shows contradiction. I feel like I am wiser for having read this and more fully solidified my opinions on those areas where Mr. Schrier and I differ whilst also having the benefit of him fully explaining his stance. I think this book will age well and provide numerous opportunities to reflect in future readings. ~J


Tampers & Tools - Rubber Pipe Bits (2 pack)
I always looked at theses sideways
I never thought I could need such a thing despite many friends and colleagues using them. Then I bought some. I get it. These are very comfortable and I have much less apprehension when engaging in tasks such as driving or yard maintenance. I can clench and not worry about the pipe slipping. A great product. ~J


Books - Bo Nordh - Pipemaker
What can one say about the illustrated description of a life
This was a rather emotional journey full of facts and stories. Bo had a good and full life. The pictures of the pipes are magnificent. We should all be so lucky to have fans and friends remember us in such a way. ~J


Stands & Pouches - Pipe Rest for Car
I was always skeptical of these
I mean, a rubber pipe holder for your car, how would that work? I am pleasantly surprised, though as others have related, the adhesive leaves much to be desired. I have used it to keep a pipe steady in the console while I was driving, but I will need to replace the adhesive before I mount it. ~J


Tampers & Tools - 8deco Classic Tamper Gold Diamond Cut
My favorite tamper design
I continue to love this tamper style by 8deco. This is the third in their range I have purchased. The foot is the same size and style as the bamboo tamper and the pick is very similar to the desk tamper. This is my favorite of the lot. ~J


Cornell & Diehl - Corn Cob Pipe and A Button Nose 2oz
A fine festive blend
Smoked a bowl of this today in my new Sav. St Nick 2017 I bought here. Nice tin note of Christmas baking. I get a beautiful chocolate/marshmallow flavor in the retrohale along with some bready goodness in the aftertaste. I smoked it a little too wet in my exuberance, but it puffed well and needed no relights. Excellent room note in a similar vein as the tin note. I am very pleased with this concoction. Update: I neglected to add that his has absolutely no tongue bite or burn. ~J


Tampers & Tools - 8deco Shank Reamer 4.0mm
Works great
Very sharp and easy to use. I have already cleaned up the shanks of a few of my 'problem children' to great effect. ~J


Tampers & Tools - 8deco Shank Reamer 3.5mm
Works great
Very sharp and easy to use. I have already cleaned up the shanks of a few of my 'problem children' to great effect. ~J


Tampers & Tools - 8deco Bamboo Tamper
A cheaper and smaller tamper from 8deco
I dearly love my house tamper from 8deco. That made picking this cheaper bamboo version a no-brainer. The tamper is slightly smaller around than the other thus fitting quite a bit more easily into the chambers of my cobs. Very lightweight, but doesn't feel cheaply made. I'll pick up some more. ~J


Books - Still Searching for Pipe Dreams (2 Bonus Chapters)
An excellent follow up to the first
I found the Eulogies especially moving. I am also about to tell Bo's favorite joke to everyone who will put up with me. Excellently written with more of the articles I have read before compiled with new information and preludes. A very welcome addition to my library. ~J


Books - About Smoke...A Christmastime Companion Set
Interesting from a historical advertisement perspective
The witticism in the pamphlet was very interesting from a long view of comedy of the past. I'll be sure to warn my roommate about the 'women's section' should she wish to read it. A very interesting stroll into targeted advertisement for pipes from the 20s. ~J


Books - Pipes and Tobacco - J. W. Cundall
An interesting trip back into time
This was a fascinating look back at the pipe smoking world of the early 1900s. I found the advertisements from the time unlike anything I have seen. Pricing information was interesting and the funny anecdotes, poetry and legends were worth it entirely. ~J


Books - In Search of Pipe Dreams - Rick Newcombe
I thoroughly love this book.
I am a fan of written works on my chosen obsession, and often read many online articles in a given week on the subject. This book has the dual quality of providing readings that I have seen before and offering them in a novel form while providing a snapshot in time of history that gives a clear picture of the pipe smoking world. The best thing about it, in my opinion, is that most of these writings and stories occurred right at the time, or slightly after, I started smoking pipes myself. I am enamored of the author's clear intention to identify his own opinions while at the same time providing contrasting views from others all the while maintaining the fervent love of pipe collecting itself. ~J


Books - Pimo's Guide To Pipe Crafting at Home
Gave me a lot to think about
I have been a wood worker for some time, but I never thought about making pipes as I felt like it was a completely different method of wood work. I realize now exactly how wrong that is. This book gave me quite a lot to consider about the craft of pipe making. ~J


Dunhill - Three Year Matured 50g
One of my go to Va/Or mixtures
I love McConnell's 5 year matured, so of course that is a direct result of my love for this particular blend from Dunhill. The two are similar, yet stand apart. Flavors are similar, but I can tell the difference. This has a regular spot in my tobacco rotations. ~J


Cornell & Diehl - Bayou Morning Flake 2oz
My new favorite above all others
I only recently became aware of this blend. I dearly love the Va/Per variety of tobacco blends, so when I came across this one, I had to try it. I'm in full agreement with those reviewers who caution that this blend will knock your block off. My first outing was quite the experience, and it laid me out flat for a bit, but even that does not dampen my overwhelming love for this particular offering from C&D. I will have this with me at all times from this point forward. ~J


Chacom - Royale 50g
I love this light English mix
I am a person omnivorous for pipe tobacco, but I am always wary trying a new tin of something I have not had before. This fits lightly in my impression of English blends, but I don't love it less for that. If anything I am a bigger fan for the flavor differences between this and my favorite full English. ~J


Orlik - Golden Mixture 50g
Picked this up quite by accident
It was my intention to buy Golden Sliced, but I was apparently half asleep. The mix is a great virginia blend on its own merits and I have enjoyed smoking it regularly in my rotation. I'll pick some more of this up soon. ~J


Davidoff - Flake Medallions 50g
A pleasant sub for Escudo/LNF/LBF
I like to rotate out my dailies and this has taken one of the rotation spots. Very mild strongly reminiscent of LBF by Stokkebye. ~J


Replacement Stems - Amber Straight Non-Filtered Stem (for Missouri Meerschaum)
Favorite thing about a cob...
...is that I can chew on the stems (which I do without realizing) and then replace them easily and cheaply. This option makes my workhorses last so much longer than they would otherwise. ~J


Tobacco Jars - Neerup Wenge Tobacco Cutting Board
Great little board
I picked one of these up on a lark. I have a board that I made, but it is bulky. This one fits in my four pipe bag and travels well. I used it to cut some plug on a recent vacation and it was the perfect size and weight for travelling. ~J


Peterson - 3 P's Peterson's Perfect Plug 50g
A fine plug from Peterson
I picked up a pair of tins to try. This is the first plug I have had from Peterson. The tobacco was very moist from the prep and required a bit more drying than I expected. A welcome surprise. I prepped a bit right away and enjoyed the smokability. Gave a bit to a friend to chew and he was pleasantly surprised. I cut the last half into thin ribbons a bit wider than shag and cubed the last chunk. In every option it has smoked consistently well. cellaring the other plug for a bit to enjoy later. ~J


Stands & Pouches - Tobacco Pouch Humidifier
Best cheap humidification
I have a half dozen of these now. I like to put them in tobacco that may not be in my daily rotation, but that I want to keep ready for smoking. I also keep one in my rollup so that I am not having to deal with sawdust by the time I am ready to smoke. They work great. ~J


Tampers & Tools - Pipe Nail
A classic pipe tool
The same styling as the one I have had for almost 30 years now. I pick up a few of these every now and then to keep one on hand all of the time. ~J


Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - B. J. Long 9 Inch Pipe Cleaners (32 pack)
Useful for larger/longer pipes
I love these. I have a few larger size pipes that are not churchwardens. I like having a cleaner that allows me to freshen them up without being overkill and I already love BJ's other offerings. ~J


Tampers & Tools - 8deco Black Leather Double Ended Tamper
Favorite tamper so far
I'm not generally the type of pipe smoker who uses tampers, but I have been using this one very often since I got it. I like the angled end for use while smoking most often. The vented foot is also very useful in that it does not put out the embers when tamping, and the pick inside is well-made. I carried this tamper on vacation with me last week. I can see why others think it is too heavy, but I prefer that to a light and cheap feeling tamper. I'll pick up a few more of these. ~J


A & C Petersen - Escudo Navy Deluxe 50g
The taste on my first smoke really surprised me
The pepper! Tin note was a light sour with underlying tobacco hay and fruit. Smelled very interesting. After rubbing it the note changed to a bit of the barnyard, but not in a detracting sense. The first smoke straight from the tin was very moist. More than I was expecting as it did not feel that damp when rubbed out. Subsequent bowls further my absolute love of this presentation. Holds its moisture very well and the flavor is always a treat. This is my new #1 smoke. ~J


Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - B. J. Long Regular Pipe Cleaners (56 pack)
Best I've had
My old extra fluffy pipe cleaners are no match for these 'regular' ones. Bought the extra fluffy of these and I am never going back. There is a high bar to get me to change cleaners again. I try to buy some with every purchase.


McConnell - 5 Year Matured Virginia 50g
A Very pleasant Virginia
The tin note on this was magical. The tobacco tamped and smoked well right out of the tin. I like both the balance and flavor that the oriental leaf brings to the smoke. Will update with more as I smoke the rest of this tin. Update: Finished the tin and this is going in my regular smoke group. I'm a big fan of the subtle variation the blend has versus Va/Per and Va/Bur blends. I love the difference. ~J


Lane Limited - 1-Q
A time machine of flavor and scent
This is my childhood in a scent. Takes me back as far as I can remember. My Grandfather's pipe still smells like this tobacco. ~J


Cornell & Diehl - Nutty Irishman
A new favorite
I regret not having tried this great blend before. This has become my relaxing smoke of the day and my roommate really likes the room note. A comforting smoke to end the day. ~J


Sutliff - A Taste of Summer 1.5oz
A surprise
I am pleasantly surprised by the flavor in this offering by Sutliff. The tin note was muted quite a bit, but still noticeable. The room note was very peachy and there was a mild peach flavor that I did not expect. ~J


Stands & Pouches - Smokingpipes Leather 4 Pipe Bag Dark Brown
I like it better than my older, more-expensive bag
I got this to prepare for some upcoming travel. I already have a bag that can hold two of my pipes, but I wanted to take more as this will be a longer trip. I was initially worried they would not fit as I am interested in taking my Savinelli 320 models and the leather loops for the pipes looked like it could be too small. I'm happy to report that they all fit very nicely and I am tremendously well pleased with this product. The leather is even of a higher quality than the more expensive bag. ~J


Mac Baren - HH Pure Virginia 1.75oz
Brings back memories...
When I was 15, I befriended an 86 year old pipe smoker. At the time I had my grandfather's pipe and nothing in the way of pipe knowledge. He taught me his own feelings of tobacco and pipe smoking and they have informed my every bowl in some fashion. His favorite blend was a simple Virginia-heavy mix with a little cavendish, but his advice was to always start with the virginia. "It'll never do you wrong." And it never has. This flake brings those memories into sharp focus nearly 30 years later.


Mac Baren - Roll Cake 16oz
A fine smoke
I harbored some concerns after the initial smell direct from the bag. The burley and cavendish were very scent-forward. packed a half bowl in preparation of disappointment only to be pleasantly surprised by the mildness and flavor. ~J Update: This has become a daily smoke for me. The difference in the taste and room note based on drying time surprised me a bit.
Favorite Products
Blog's Commented on
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Live & Learn: Advice From A Beginner Pipesmoker
- ► Lately I have been focusing more on how different tobaccos taste and behave whilst being smoked in different pipes. It is a luxury unmatched in the previous years of my smoking life. Blends that I smoke regularly have shown me new tricks that I would never have thought of if I had not taken the time to play around with my style of packing, tamping and smoking cadence. I have also experimented with packing styles for different pipes. After the education of a Peterson System packing style, I have found other pipes benefit from using a different style. Whether that be a lighter pack, tighter pack or a delayed tamp when smoking.Cleaning has had its revelatory moments as well. I wipe down all of my smooth pipes after each smoke and will come back to them now more often for a quick polish to make sure they are clean and dust free so that I can get them into the rotation quickly if I find myself in possession of a wild hair. My cobs have been getting chamber brushing after a smoke and cool down, and I am regularly brushing the rims down with cleaner to remove the tar that tends to gather.I've been smoking for about 30 years and I still hear, see and encounter new methods all of the time. Pipe smoking is an ongoing exploration of possibility. Learning truly never ends. ~J
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Pipe Cleaner Strategies
- ► I have only recently begun using pipe cleaners in this manner and I must now wholeheartedly endorse this position with feet stomping and hand clapping included. I have seen a marked decline in surprise 'bitter beer face' whilst puffing and my attitude over time in general has improved. ~J
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Recommendations For Building A Pipe Rotation
- ► I will say this, since I can't figure out how to add it to my previous comment, My favorite smoke from any of these pipes comes after I have given them a thorough cleaning (usually every other month).~J
- ► I realized today that my initial post was concerning the rotation I currently have and not my initial pipe rotation build. I, like Bill M, have been smoking pipes for nearly 30 years now, but my rotation didn't start like it is currently set up. Here is a reflection on that.I was in the Army at the time and I wanted something that wouldn't be smashed into uselessness in my ruck when I wanted it. Dip didn't appeal to me, so I went to Briar and Bean in the Clarkesville, TN Mall to see what was available. I picked up a cob and two briar 'basket pipes' that I liked the shape and hand feel of. I didn't know at the time that I was building a rotation. All I knew was that, after I found the first basket pipe I liked, I was hooked. I wanted to buy all of the pipes I could get my hands on. The cob was picked up as a curiosity, but it got the most work. It broke in Korea on a particularly rough weekend field exercise. I still have one of the briars, but I gave the other to a buddy so he could smoke a pipe. I also didn't smoke every day back then, so my rotation had much longer to dry. I still have periods where I don't smoke every day or even for a week or month at the time, but that all depends on what work I am doing and the impact smoking would have on it. Those times grow more rare.~J
- ► I admit to being a bit... eclectic in my rotation.I have a number of pipes and a selection of those are my 'workhorses'. I do a bit of strenuous work during the day and I use my workhorses during that time. I have enough of them that I never have to smoke the same pipe in that week. It is a luxury, I realize. Then there are the Corvettes and Caddilacs (or thoroughbreds, if you prefer) that make up my relaxing smoke time. I don't always get to indulge in a relaxing smoke, so these see a much wider rotation than the workhorses. I vaguely keep track of what I have smoked in the last week, but not to an exacting degree.~J
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The Inauguration
- ► My own personal 'Inauguration' occurred at Briar and Bean in Clarkesville, TN back when it was located in the mall there. I had gone in for a bit of coffee(I was in the Army in Ft Campbell at the time and coffee was life). I came out with a basket pipe, some tobacco and accouterments and no coffee. Also, no regret.~J
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Try Everthing Twice
- ► I can absolutely endorse this concept. As a young pipe smoker I leaned toward specific mild aromatics. I HATED latakia. It was a number of years later that I tried a more full selection of what was available and I shifted to burley blends and later to full English blends. Over the years my tastes move around to things I haven't tried or return to old first loves. These days I smoke nearly everything swinging between pure virginia blends and English blends to exotic aromatics I haven't tried before. I love the variety available to us. ~J
Delayed Gratification Technique- ► I discovered this a bit myself in the past. Thank you for the reminder. I recall being pleasantly surprised yet baffled by the new definition of the bowl I was smoking. Glad to see someone else encountered this as well. Cheers!~J