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Oriental Tobaccos and Their Characteristics

April 30, 2021 by Chuck Stanion

15 Comments

Oriental tobaccos differ from other tobaccos in size, character, and blending applications. These plants are small in comparison to the tobacco plants we see growing in the mid-Atlantic south. Those plants grow tall, up to 10 feet, while the plants that produce Orientals are only about three or four feet tall, and although Virginias and Burleys have large, broad leaves, Oriental leaves are small. They are also sun-cured as opposed to the fire, air, and flue curing that we're most accustomed to. ... Read More

Top 10 Best-Selling Virginia Blends

April 8, 2021 by Truett Smith

25 Comments

Updated for Spring 2021. The most popular Virginia blends we offer, along with a few suggestions here and there, should you be looking to try something new or find blends similar to your favorites. ... Read More

The Mystery of Balkan Blends

March 26, 2021 by Chuck Stanion

25 Comments

A number of terms used in our hobby represent slippery concepts. Cavendish, for example, isn't a type of tobacco so much as a process, and discussions centering on the topic can veer into confusion when different participants adhere to different interpretations. ... Read More

Top 11 Best-Selling English Blends

February 17, 2021 by Truett Smith

71 Comments

Updated for 2021. English blends comprise a huge and insanely popular family of pipe tobacco, with hundreds of different options available from myriad manufacturers. That's why we've done our part as your friendly neighborhood online tobacconist and compiled a list of our best-selling English blends for your consideration. ... Read More

Top 11 Best-Selling Aromatic Tobaccos

January 21, 2021 by Andrew Wike

75 Comments

Updated for 2021. Aromatics are among the most popular pipe tobaccos in the world, smoked and cellared by newcomer and veteran pipe smokers alike. But if you're just starting out your pipesmoking journey, or simply looking to explore the wide world of aromatics for the first time, the sheer breadth of options can be overwhelming. ... Read More

Cornell & Diehl's Wintertime Reserve

November 3, 2020 by Andrew Wike

9 Comments

Cornell & Diehl's Wintertime Reserve is a special, seasonal line of pipe tobaccos — all crafted by hand, one small batch at a time, from recipes specially developed by C&D's head blender Jeremy Reeves for the holiday season. From fragrant aromatics to English and Virginia staples, all eight of this year's blends are ... Read More

Pipe Smoking Desktop Backgrounds: October 2020

October 1, 2020 by Andrew Wike

It's time for another round of beautiful pipe smoking desktop backgrounds! As in previous months, we've compiled some of our favorite shots and artwork to share with you. Below you'll find seven unique images, split between desktop and mobile orientations and available for download in two high-resolution ... Read More

Nicotine And Pipe Tobacco Blending

September 18, 2020 by Chuck Stanion

22 Comments

I once smoked a bowl of 1792 on an empty stomach first thing Saturday morning at a Raleigh pipe show. A friend recommended it and offered me a bowl and I thought, sure, why not? But I soon learned why not, and I've not smoked a bowl of it since. I was unable to smoke another pipe that whole weekend ... Read More

A Closer Look At Latakia Tobacco

September 4, 2020 by Chuck Stanion

30 Comments

Latakia, like Cavendish, is the result of a process; there is no tobacco plant that grows Latakia leaves. And Latakia production, like that of Perique, is a tiny industry; its annual yield of about 60,000 pounds is vanishingly insignificant when compared to overall global tobacco manufacturing, which is focused on cigarettes. ... Read More

A Closer Look At Aromatic Pipe Tobacco

August 7, 2020 by Chuck Stanion

35 Comments

Until recently, I had little interest in aromatic tobaccos. I considered aromatics to be a category of tobacco best left to newcomers, remembering how I had insisted on smoking them exclusively when I first started pipe smoking. I had wanted the most impressive-smelling tobacco possible and had terrible experiences with aromatics in those days. ... Read More

Cornell and Diehl