Ted Swearingen

Having studied art and poetry at CalArts in Valencia, California, Ted admits freely that his initial impulse to pick up a pipe had more to do with cultivating his pretentiousness as a blossoming young artist than it had to with his desire to smoke fine tobacco. Fastforward ten years and Ted's thoughts on pipes and tobacco are as sober as his critique of conceptual art. After years in a local rock band in Stockton, California, and six years with Starbucks Coffee, Ted came into the company as Sales Manager. Ted's current role is Vice President, Brands.

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Smoking Is The Art

March 20, 2019 by Ted Swearingen

3 Comments

This weekend I showed my wife a 110-year-old Barling, a pipe in pristine condition, one dressed in a few lovely silver adornments, which is something I like in a pipe right now. The pipe didn't belong to me, and to the best of my appraisal it appeared unsmoked. "If that were mine, I'd smoke the hell out of it!" I shouted ... Read More

How To Be A Pipe Smoker: 5 Ways To Accessorize In Style

May 16, 2017 by Ted Swearingen

4 Comments

While the pipes that make up your rotation certainly say a lot about your style, the accessories you use can also be statements. That said, there's a lot to think about; you have to balance practicality with aesthetics, functionality with design — they also need to be fairly accessible price wise, as well. ... Read More

How To Rotate Your Pipes In 8 Easy Steps

September 22, 2016 by Ted Swearingen

15 Comments

One of the most recommended tips for beginner pipe smokers is to rotate your pipes. Now, if you already have a dozen or so briars, meers, or cobs in your collection, this isn't that hard to do. But if you're just starting out, building an entire rotation based on your smoking habits can seem quite daunting. But it doesn't have to be. ... Read More

8 Advanced Pipe Smoking Techniques: Have You Learned Everything ?

August 25, 2016 by Ted Swearingen

33 Comments

There's a whole lot of information available on how to get started as a newbie pipe smoker. But what about pipe smoking techniques aimed at the more seasoned, serious, fully initiated pipe smoker? Not so much. ... Read More

More on Bourbon Bleu and Old Grove

May 18, 2015 by Ted Swearingen

3 Comments

By now we all know the song of the Cellar Series: Designed to mature, delicious immediately. On Friday, we released C&D's latest entries into the Cellar Series lineup, Bourbon Bleu and Old Grove. But with so many tasty blends on the market to choose from right now, so many new mixtures yet to try, so many unopened tins in an-ever growing tobacco cellar, why pick up two more you might not get around to smoking this year? ... Read More