Shane Ireland

It would be difficult to talk about classic Virginia blends without the mention of Rattray's. For generations smokers across the globe have enjoyed these now legendary Virginias: Marlin Flake, Brown Clunee, Old Gowrie, and Hal O' The Wynd. ... Read More

When you've been in the game as long as American master Brad Pohlmann, you're bound to end up with at least a few favorite forms. Whether they're standard shapes that one explores over and over again, or experimentations that end up becoming signature shapes, it's these repeated exercises that truly define a pipe maker's body of work. ... Read More

Visiting the Peterson factory for the first time earlier this year was an incredible experience — there was a lot to see and a lot to learn. While I've also found this to be true for several of the larger pipe factories ... Read More

Peterson's University Flake is one of those blends that has been around for a while and has amassed quite the loyal following. I've smoked it before and enjoyed it, but for whatever reason it's been quite a while since I popped a tin. ... Read More

Todd Johnson is a talented pipe maker. There's no doubt about it. He's done so much to propel the American pipe making movement in the last two decades, as well as completely change the game of the serially produced pipe. ... Read More

Straight Up English is the first installment of C&D's new Small Batch project, and it delivers exactly what the name promises: a no-frills English mixture that's simple, rustic, and immensely satisfying. This blend will show you sides of Latakia that are anything but common; there's no other condimental leaf to take ... Read More

​McConnell's Scottish Flake and Scottish Cake have been long-time favorites of mine. They're well-represented in my cellar, and I find myself reaching for these blends often (especially the Flake), even after years of enjoying them. But it recently occurred to me that I've never given Scottish Blend (by the same marque) a fair shake. ... Read More

Chances are you have either already heard of Solani or smoked at least one of their offerings. Several of their blends are on the top of many smoker's "must try" lists, and Aged Burley Flake (or Blend 656) is no exception. ... Read More

New blends from Samuel Gawith aren't exactly common, but the fact that Cabbie's Mixture is also the first coin cut from the venerable English blending house makes it all the more exciting. This Virginia-Perique coin is the perfect addition ... Read More

For this video, I sampled the blends myself (and loved every minute of it). What's more, I sent out pre-release samples to a few willing participants that had no idea what they were trying. ... Read More