Articles by Kayla Ivan | Smokingpipes Daily Reader

The Pipe-Smoking Community Celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the Chicago Pipe Show

May 1, 2026 by Kayla Ivan

3 Comments

Pipe makers and collectors are gathered in a small hotel room, smoke clouding the room, and a buzz of energy, chatter, and excitement fills the space. It's 4:00 a.m. and no one has slept. But there's community and joy to be had, so sleep can wait. A picture like this ... Read More

Bamboo in Modern Pipe Making: Natural & Unique Beauty

April 24, 2026 by Kayla Ivan

2 Comments

Pick up a piece of bamboo destined for a pipe and you're holding something a maker may have pulled from the ground themselves, hunted down on eBay, or selected from a pile of dozens for its particular curve, coloring, or the way its knuckles appear. That level of intention, and the craft required to honor it, is what defines bamboo's place in modern pipe making. A few weeks ago ... Read More

First Pipe Stories: Shane Ireland

April 17, 2026 by Kayla Ivan

11 Comments

You never forget your first pipe. Here at Smokingpipes, there are plenty of pipe smokers who have memorable stories for how they began their journey in pipes. I recently spoke with Shane Ireland about his first pipe, and he remembered joyfully starting his adventure ... Read More

The History and Introduction of Bamboo in Pipe Making

April 10, 2026 by Kayla Ivan

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A range of unique materials are used in pipe making, for everything from stummels to accents and stems. One fascinating material is bamboo. With hundreds of species and an array of uses, the world of bamboo is intriguing, and today we will explore its history ... Read More

Oversized Selections for Lengthy Smokes

April 8, 2026 by Kayla Ivan

Pipes come in all shapes and sizes. Today's list is dedicated to the oversized pipes that make lengthy smokes possible, including a few long-stemmed selections. Sit back, relax, and savor the smoking experience with these larger pipes ... Read More

Palmetto Balkan by Cornell & Diehl Returns

March 31, 2026 by Kayla Ivan

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Tobacco production adapts and shifts over time based on many global factors — social, political, environmental, and ecological — impacting availability and consistency in the leaf tobacco blenders utilize. One of these long-lost varietals, Syrian Latakia, was the inspiration for Palmetto Balkan — a blend harkening to Balkan mixtures of old through Cornell & Diehl's proprietary Latakia processing ... Read More

Tobacco Selections: Cornell & Diehl Palmetto Balkan 2026

March 25, 2026 by Kayla Ivan

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Cornell & Diehl's latest Small Batch, Palmetto Balkan, returns, and Jeremy Reeves, Head Blender of C&D, shares some insights about the blend and the unique varietals utilized to achieve the experience of smoking long-lost Syrian Latakia. ... Read More

10 Blends for the Spring Season

March 20, 2026 by Kayla Ivan

6 Comments

t's that wonderful time of the year where the weather starts to mellow and nature begins to bloom — that's right, it's spring! For the dedicated pipe smoker, warmer weather also means more comfortable outdoor smoking in the yard or on your patio. With that in mind, it's time for another edition ... Read More

Top 10 Best-Selling Aromatic Tobaccos

March 11, 2026 by Kayla Ivan

97 Comments

Updated for 2026. romatic blends, unlike Virginia, English, or Burley mixtures, aren't defined by their particular components. Instead, Aromatics are characterized by their flavoring and distinctive room note, a categorization that can be somewhat misleading for newcomers. While it's true that many tobaccos ... Read More

Tobacco Selections: Cornell & Diehl Small Batch Steamworks

February 27, 2026 by Kayla Ivan

7 Comments

In this Tobacco Selections video, Jeremy Reeves is excited to share the return of Cornell & Diehl's Small Batch: Steamworks for 2026, available on Tuesday, March 3 in limited quantities. ... Read More

Kayla Ivan