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Top Cigars of 2021

December 31, 2021 by Truett Smith

1 Comment

Myriad aspects define a cigar, but the quality of their combination comprises a great cigar. A certain cigar's flavor profile may transport us to an elevated state of consciousness, but if its wrapper consistently unravels and musses your suit pants with ash, then that distinguished flavor profile comes at the cost ... Read More

Peterson's 2021 Pipe of the Year: The Iconic 4AB

December 3, 2021 by Chuck Stanion

25 Comments

Some pipe shapes are so inviting and attractive that they become iconic. Peterson's 4AB is such a shape, and it's return after decades of absence as the Peterson 2021 Pipe of the year was an event to be noted.

"Iconic" is a big word to throw around. A great example of an iconic shape is the Churchwarden. It was there at the beginning of European pipe smoking, long, graceful, and attending the first generations of modern smokers. ... Read More

StillWell Star Cigars: Bridging the Gap

November 5, 2021 by Truett Smith

5 Comments

Steve Saka, founder and head blender of cigar company Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust, shocked the industry when he announced earlier this year that he'd been a clandestine pipe smoker for most of his life. He assured cigar aficionados that he's still first and foremost devoted to cigars, but he extended his hand to pipe smokers with this declaration. The controversy, to even call ... Read More

The Hygge of Danish Pipe Making

September 24, 2021 by Truett Smith

14 Comments

Widely considered the Mecca of pipe making, Denmark is home to some of the most illustrious and prolific pipe makers in the world. The Danes are credited with pioneering artisan pipe making, and they've both contributed a distinctive pipe design aesthetic and developed engineering techniques and standards that have elevated the craft. ... Read More

Italy, July, 2021: A Pipe Travelogue

July 23, 2021 by Sykes Wilford

15 Comments

We go where the pipes are. Our special relationships with pipe makers and manufacturers are predicated on being responsible, supportive stewards for their pipes and their efforts, and a near limitless willingness to just show up. Travel is a big part of what makes Smokingpipes what it is. ... Read More

7th Annual American Pipe-Making Exposition

July 16, 2021 by Truett Smith

Introduced in 2015, the American Pipe-Making Exposition is an annual Smokingpipes tradition that showcases the work of U.S.-based artisan carvers, the style of each pipe united by a specific theme. Past years have highlighted the use of bamboo, certain finishing techniques, and aesthetic influences, and for 2021 — the 7th edition of the Expo — we return to 2017's theme: accent stems. ... Read More

A Beginning Smoker's Learning Curve

April 7, 2021 by Joel Balyeat

12 Comments

When I first happened upon Smokingpipes.com, it was because they were advertising to hire a copywriter. However, I quickly became intrigued by the pipe descriptions and the dizzying array of pipes. I began searching the site and was stunned to find a $3,500 pipe and even more stunned to see how incredibly beautiful ... Read More

The History of Pipe Design: Denmark

March 12, 2021 by Truett Smith

14 Comments

As we've discussed in previous installments of The History of Pipe Design series, briar pipe making began in France before spreading to England, Italy, and elsewhere across Europe — including Denmark. English pipes in particular were popular among Danish pipe smokers through the initial decades of the ... Read More

Smoke Rings: Talking Pre-Industry with Steve Saka

January 7, 2021 by Shane Ireland

Welcome to another episode of Smoke Rings. For this installment, we're joined once again by a very special guest, our good friend Mr. Steve Saka of Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. Tune in as Steve and I discuss some of the more nuanced and seldom talked-about sides of cigar making, including sourcing raw materials, fermentation ... Read More

Top Cigars Of 2020

December 29, 2020 by Truett Smith

9 Comments

It's that time of the year again: the final days of the calendar that blur Christmas with New Year's Eve and suddenly spit us out into January. It's a time of looking toward the future while also reflecting on the past 12 months. And it's time for Smokingpipes' Top Cigars of 2020! ... Read More

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