Tobacco Talk

Tasting Notes: Chacom #4

June 18, 2020 by Shane Ireland

2 Comments

Welcome back to another episode of Tasting Notes. In this installment, I take a closer look at Chacom's #4 blend, which features various Virginias combined with a small portion of Perique for some added strength and a touch of fruity spice. One of four new recent additions to Smokingpipes' portfolio of Chacom blends, this ... Read More

Tasting Notes: Savinelli Juno

June 10, 2020 by Shane Ireland

1 Comment

Welcome to another episode of Tasting Notes. Today I am talking about the third of the three latest additions to the Savinelli line of pipe tobaccos: Juno. Much like Jupiter and Janus, which I've covered previously, Juno continues a collaboration between Jeremy Reeves, Cornell and Diehl and Savinelli. ... Read More

Tobacco Curing Methods

June 5, 2020 by Jeffery Sitts

26 Comments

While tobacco is a necessity for pipe and cigar smoking, it's easy to overlook its preparation and how the leaf begins its journey. Tobacco is an extremely sensitive crop and the soil, climate, and curing process it's exposed to all play crucial roles in its production. ... Read More

Tasting Notes: Savinelli Jupiter

June 4, 2020 by Shane Ireland

3 Comments

Today, I'm taking a closer look at one of the most recent additions to the Savinelli tobacco portfolio: Janus. Often depicted as having two opposing faces, Janus was the Roman god of beginnings and endings, phases and transitions, and gates and doorways; Savinelli's tribute to his mythology is a fitting one ... Read More

G.L. Pease: The Man Behind the Blends

May 29, 2020 by Chuck Stanion

14 Comments

At a Columbus pipe show in the late '90s, I found myself talking with a very tall, very articulate gentleman wearing a fool's cap. He was brilliant and interesting. He knew more about tobacco than I could ever hope, and he was knowledgeable about the intricate details of pipes, from engineering to design and from classics to modern artisan interpretations. ... Read More

Mystery Tobacco Review: May 2020

May 28, 2020 by Andrew Wike

5 Comments

Welcome back to the Mystery Tobacco Review, the pipe tobacco taste-testing game that just won't quit! On this month's episode, Shane, Truett, and I put our palates to the test against a secretive blend chosen by yet another first-time Inquisitor: Steve Mawby from our Customer Service team. ... Read More

Tasting Notes: Savinelli Janus

May 20, 2020 by Shane Ireland

1 Comment

Today, I'm taking a closer look at one of the most recent additions to the Savinelli tobacco portfolio: Janus. Often depicted as having two opposing faces, Janus was the Roman god of beginnings and endings, phases and transitions, and gates and doorways; Savinelli's tribute to his mythology is a fitting one ... Read More

Tasting Notes: Mac Baren HH Rustica

May 6, 2020 by Shane Ireland

4 Comments

Welcome back to another episode of Tasting Notes. Today, I'll be reviewing the latest entry into Mac Baren's celebrated HH series, HH Rustica: an extremely strong, hot-pressed flake featuring a historic strain of tobacco native to the Americas (Nicotiana Rustica). ... Read More

The History of Nicotiana Rustica

May 1, 2020 by Andrew Wike

11 Comments

Europeans first encountered tobacco in October of 1492, when the local Arawak population of Hispaniola presented Christopher Columbus with a peace offering of dried leaves from a sacred plant, a plant we would later know as Nicotiana Tabacum, the species from which nearly all modern smoking tobacco originates. ... Read More

Mystery Tobacco Review: April 2020

April 30, 2020 by Andrew Wike

8 Comments

Welcome back to The Mystery Tobacco Review, the Social Distancing Edition! Tyler Caldwell served as our Inquisitor for this month's review. Ty's a huge cigar buff, but he's been reaching for his pipes more and more these days, so we were extremely excited when he volunteered to select this month's Blend of Intrigue. ... Read More