Recent Articles | Smokingpipes Daily Reader

The Devil's Pipe

October 28, 2022 by Chuck Stanion

24 Comments

Kenan was a neighbor, but I didn't know him well or like him much. We'd mutually attended a couple of neighborhood barbecues, and this was the second time I'd been in his house. The first time, I decided not to make it habitual because Kenan was a little too weird. He was a professor specializing in medieval artifacts who collected occult items and displayed them in his home, and they were disturbing: ugly dolls, ouija boards, ... Read More

The Spookiest Pipes, Tobaccos, and Cigars Available This Halloween

October 27, 2022 by Davin Hylton

1 Comment

Halloween: that time of the year when the witches, ghosts, ghouls, and haunts are at the forefront of everyone's mind. We here at Smokingpipes are fans of the macabre, sinister, and altogether frightening, making Halloween something of an event around the office. As such, we thought it'd be appropriate to highlight some of the spooky offerings on our site for those who share our collective admiration for the unnerving. ... Read More

Mystery Tobacco Review: October 2022

October 26, 2022 by Shane Ireland

9 Comments

We filmed this month's episode live at the Las Vegas International Pipe Show, where Truett and I reviewed multiple blends submitted by convention attendees alongside our special guest panelist, head blender of Cornell & Diehl, Mr. Jeremy Reeves! With multiple, rapid-fire rounds and no takebacksies, this was probably our ... Read More

The Kiseru: An Overview of the Traditional Japanese Smoking Pipe

October 21, 2022 by Gabriel Bass

6 Comments

While Japanese artisan pipes are world-famous for their innovative design and smoking quality, there is a long tradition of pipe culture in the island nation that stretches back over four centuries. Tobacco was introduced to Japan by Portuguese traders in the 1570s and quickly became popular among the wealthy merchant and feudal classes. ... Read More

Mystery Cigar Review: October 2022

October 20, 2022 by Shane Ireland

1 Comment

Welcome back to the Mystery Cigar Review! This month is special — very special — because of Halloween, yes, but also for our inquisitor this month. In the past we've had Rocky Patel on the show as a brand, but today, our guest inquisitor is none other than the man himself: Mr. Rocky Patel! Born in 1961, Rocky was an entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles ... Read More

The History, Manufacture, and Use of Clay Pipes

October 19, 2022 by Gabriel Bass

21 Comments

Long before meerschaum and briar were utilized as pipe-making mediums, clay was the primary material used to make pipes. Clay pipes were at one time ubiquitous, often smoked in taverns, churches, and homes, and even after meerschaum became available, they were the choice of many because meerschaum was expensive. ... Read More

Low Country Atalaya: Blending The Familiar And The Exotic

October 14, 2022 by Chuck Stanion

8 Comments

Great pipe shops through the years have furnished their clientele with proprietary smoking mixtures of impressive quality. Consider, for example, Drucquer & Sons, Astley's, Kramer's, or W.Ø. Larsen, whose blends have maintained legendary popularity long after the originating shops closed their doors. ... Read More

Arne Jacobsen: Pipe Smoking Paragon of Functionalism

October 13, 2022 by John McElheny

4 Comments

We often reference Functionalism in regard to pipe making here at Smokingpipes, particularly when discussing Danish pipe designs, and we occasionally mention the name, Arne Jacobsen. If you're an enthusiast of the work of Tom Eltang, then the name should be familiar. One of Tom's most iconic designs is named after the ... Read More

Tasting Notes: Low Country Atalaya

October 12, 2022 by Shane Ireland

Welcome back to Tasting Notes, everyone. On this episode, I'll be reviewing something really interesting and unique: the first limited-edition blend in the Low Country line of pipe tobaccos. For those unfamiliar with the line, Low Country's stable of mixtures are manufactured by Cornell & Diehl exclusively for Smokingpipes and ... Read More

Sixty Second Cigar Review: La Palina Goldie Laguito No. 2

October 6, 2022 by Shane Ireland

Hello, everyone, and welcome back to the 60 Second Cigar Review — a show that gives you some of the most detailed cigar reviews you'll get, in 60 seconds or less. For our second episode we have something special and heralded by the cigar community: La Palina's Goldie No.2. ... Read More

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