In today's episode of All Pipes Considered, we're taking a closer look at Savinelli's fantastic new pipe releases for 2023. And to make things interesting, I asked my old friend Kaz Walters — National Account Manager at Laudisi Distribution Group, the exclusive US distributor of Savinelli pipes — to join me and offer his thoughts on the brand new lines. Tune in as Kaz and I discuss each of the new series, including their inspiration and most notable features, as well as our own personal favorites from this year's set.

[Andy Wike]: Welcome back, everyone, to another episode of All Pipes Considered. I'm joined today by an old friend, Kaz Walters, who's here to talk about Savinelli's new pipes for 2023. Kaz, why don't you start by telling us a little bit about yourself and how you're involved with Savinelli.

[Kaz Walters]: Sure. So Savinelli's new 2023 releases are something that we at Laudisi Distribution Group, Savinelli's US importer and distributor, have been looking forward to for the past few months. We saw prototypes and samples, and it's been fun watching these concepts evolve; so I'm hoping I can bring some added context in that way. I think that Savinelli has done a really good job of explaining these series, but I'm happy to answer any questions or shine further light on any gray areas there may be.

Avorio

[A.W.]: Awesome. Well, thank you for joining us. Let's dive in. All right, so first we have the Avorio. Now, if I'm not mistaken, the word avorio loosely translates to "ivory," correct?

[K.W.]: That's right. So Savinelli has built a reputation around their use of proprietary acrylic that's unique both in color and pattern. A lot of you may be familiar with the Miele, which has that crackled, honey-colored stem. There's also the Oceano, which is that blue, mottled acrylic representing its namesake, the ocean. Savinelli has built a tradition around these types of patterns, colors, and materials, colors — all of which are proprietary. Savinelli is only manufacturer making pipes with these specific stems.

[A.W.]: That's right, yeah. Savinelli actually has their stems custom cast specifically for their pipes, which is really interesting.

[K.W.]: Right. And, for added context, speaking to the brand as a whole for a moment: You know, they're not far from Milan, which is like a fashion mecca. So it's really interesting that they're making these choices and creating these unique, fashion-forward palettes. And even though these particular colors and patterns are unique to Savinelli, you see the theme imitated across the industry — from other pipe factories to independent artisans. So in this way, Savinelli could be seen as fashion trendsetters but for the pipe world.

[A.W.]: Yeah, I can totally see that

[K.W.]: But back to the Avorio: So, obviously, each pipe has an ivory-colored stem — slightly off-white, almost like a natural bone or tooth color. But what really impresses me is that there's also a very subtle pattern to the acrylic; it's not solid white, but very slightly mottled to emulate texture and grain. Together with the really dark, almost wine-colored red accent, it really pops. And then it's further emphasized by the either dark brown stain in the Rusticated finish — which is an ever-popular choice among fans of Savinelli — or the more mahogany color in the Smooth.

[A.W.]: Exactly. It's full of really great details, and it all came together really well. The Avorio is available across all of your favorite Savinelli shapes, in either a Smooth or a Rusticated finish, and just overall, it's really well done.

Gianduia

[A.W.]: All right, next up we have one of the most exciting new releases, and probably the most radical in terms of color palette: the Gianduia. Kaz, will you tell us a little more about this line?

[K.W.]: So for the past few years, Savinelli has released a new pipe annually following a masquerade theme inspired by the commedia dell'arte. There was the Arlecchino and then the Pulcinella, both of which reference specific carnival masks tied to specific regions of Italy. The closest association for most Americans, I think, would be Mardi Gras, and even that is highly regional. But think of the unique masks and the jester's outfits and the rivalry — it's the same sort of atmosphere and aesthetic

And so for 2023, Savinelli released a pipe inspired by the Gianduia (sometimes spelled Gianduja). Like the Arlecchino and the Pulcinella, it's limited to one shape in two finishes. This year they've decided to go with a lovely Prince shape, topped with, again, a proprietary acrylic stem in a color palette evocative of the character Gianduia, whose carnival mask represents the town of Turin.

So it's a really fascinating piece that digs deep into Italian history and exposes a part of Italian culture to the rest of the world in a really interesting way. They're basically making this trek through Italy, using the carnival as a vehicle to highlight different regions through commedia dell'arte characters. So it's something that I thought was really interesting.

[A.W.]: Yeah, I totally grok with that. Using these one-shape series as a vignette into Italian heritage, Italian tradition, is super cool. And it goes back to what you said earlier about Savinelli being a trendsetter when it comes to pipe design. They always have been, but the color palettes here, I think, are really exciting. The proprietary acrylic stems on the Gianduia are just awesome. They're like a technicolor swirl with really bright greens, yellows, oranges, and reds. It's almost kaleidoscopic.

[K.W.]: Exactly. And the palette is meant to represent specific parts of the costume. For example, and please forgive me if I get the colors wrong, the yellow is meant to correspond to the waistcoat. And the green, I think, represents the trousers, and red nods to the iconic coat. So it's almost how we would think of Santa Claus. Everyone has this image of Santa Claus' attire in their mind: It's a red suit with white trim. And likewise, this particular color scheme is specific to the character of Gianduia. And Savinelli has incorporated all of those trademark colors into the stem. And it works quite well.

[A.W.]: Yeah, it totally works, and I think it works because of the stain colors that they used — a warm natural stain for the Smooth, and a dark, red-tinged brown for the Rusticated — affords the stem more visual hierarchy, and the Prince shape, too, fits the theme really nicely. It showcases the stem really well, and it's also just a great shape.

Paloma

[A.W.]: All right. And then, of course, we have the Paloma, which is another great entry this year showcasing Savinelli's proprietary acrylic. And I have to say, I think these might be the most striking in terms of making an appearance. If you were to see these on a table at a pipe show or notice someone has one in their mouth walking around, you would recognize it as something unique and different.

[K.W.]: So these are my personal favorites this year. You wouldn't think that a pipe with a multicolored stem of primarily neutral tones would be as striking or perhaps even more striking than something like the Gianduia, which is a very bright technicolor, but the Paloma is. When we first received these, I immediately had that impression, but I couldn't figure out what about them was so striking. But I figured it out: This is the first time, to my knowledge, that Savinelli has done a mottled, variegated acrylic stem like this where every individual patch of color is outlined in black. Honestly, from a practical standpoint, I don't know how you even do that.

[A.W.]: I don't know how you'd do that either.

[K.W.]: But it's really impressive. So the pattern itself is more segmented, more blocky. It reminds me, in a lot of ways, of some modern art. Like I'm thinking of Picasso, and it's something about them being outlined and segmented. They're individual but meshed together.

[A.W.]: One-hundred percent. It's not this interweaving pattern of colors that's almost reminiscent of cumberland or brindled vulcanite. The swaths of color are big and blocky and chunky. And it almost reminds me of a lava lamp. It's got a certain '70s vibe. They're groovy. These are groovy pipes.

[K.W.]: Right. And I think it works because they used these neutral earth tones. If they had done like this bright rainbow, I don't think it would've been as successful. But yeah, Paloma is the name of the line, which references doves. And that's why you have these, what I would consider like, fauna tones.They're available in a Smooth Natural or a Rusticated Black finish, and they come in a variety of shapes.

[A.W.]: Right, right. And on the topic of shapes: So I'm not a large pipe guy, but I think that this particular series works really well with the sort of chunkier, chubbier, shapes. I think, because the patterning in the stem is larger, the theme really works with those larger shapes.

[K.W.]: There's a boisterousness about it. Savinelli has managed to nail being ostentatious without being gaudy; they were able to make something that is really big and eye-catching that is still quite refined and sophisticated. And that's not an easy feat.

Oliva

[A.W.]: All right. Next we have Savinelli's new entry into their Naturals series. So every year, Savinelli releases a pipe in a virgin finish. It's not stained, but it's typically rusticated or carved and is typically evocative of some sort of theme.

[K.W.]: That's right, and every year the rustication itself is unique to the theme as well. A couple of years ago, for example, there was the Riccio, which took inspiration from sea urchins and featured a finely carved texture reminiscent of its namesake. And last year was the Granola, which featured a rusticated pattern reminiscent of grain.

[A.W.]: Right. Wheat and barley, etc.

[K.W.]: Yes, exactly. And so this year, Savinelli took their inspiration from the olive tree, which brings us to the name Oliva. So not only does Savinelli make the rustication unique to each year's entry and theme, but continuing their reputation for proprietary acrylic, they also highlight a unique stem that matches the motif. And this year, they went, appropriately, with a lovely shade of green. It's this muted earth tone green with these brown bands. So it's understated but also won't escape anyone's notice. The rustication this year, moreover, is reminiscent of the bark patterns on olive trees.

But rewinding just a bit, this year's theme doesn't surprise me, because the olive has historically been such an important crop for Italy and the larger Mediterranean. So it's really cool that they went with that. And of course, being a natural finish, as it is smoked over time, it will patinate. And so no two will be alike.

[A.W.]: Right. And I think particularly the rustication here is really unique. So it's a carved rustication, so it's not a uniform pattern, per se. It's very organic, very bark-like. What I particularly like is how Savinelli has varied line weights here: You have like these deeper channels of striation and then much thinner, almost tick marks. It's almost like crosshatching. It's really neat. And to speak to the stem, again, I love the stem. The actual chocolate brown in the accents, against the more muted green, almost looks purple to me in some lights, which gives it this green olive, black olive, sort of theme. It's really understated and probably one of my favorites in the Naturals series.

Arancia

[A.W.]: Alright, so let's switch gears and discuss the new flavored pipe for this year. So every year, Savinelli releases a pipe that's evocative of some sort of food or fruit, and the chambers themselves are typically coated with some sort of extract.

[K.W.]: Right, so Savinelli makes some sort of culinary reference with their flavored pipes every year. And for those wondering, the flavored bowl coating is going to impart only a slight hint of the themed flavor during the break-in period. Eventually, as you build up cake, it's going to smoke as any Savinelli would, but it makes the break-in process really interesting. And I've personally enjoyed this, and I love hearing from people who do the same, but I'll often pair break-in smokes with they'll pair my initial break-in smokes with tobaccos from that same flavor theme. With this year's release, the Arancia, the theme is oranges, soo immediately I'm thinking, "Oh, that'd be really good with a red Virginia or something."

[A.W.]: Sure. Or Orlik Golden Sliced.

[K.W.]: Yes. That's a great example. So this year, with the theme being oranges, the Arancia pipe is finished in a smooth, warm, slightly darker than natural finish. And you have, once again, a proprietary acrylic stem: The Arancia features a fascinating, crackled orange with a nice iridescence. It almost reminds me of an opal.

[A.W.]: Yeah, there is an opalescent quality to it. It is very shimmery. It reminds me of an orange Oceano stem in some ways. It almost seems to move in certain lights.

[K.W.]: It does have a perceived depth because of all the layers that it has and how they interplay with light. And then, of course, you've got a pop of green in the accent, which is meant to represent the leaves of the orange tree. Overall, I think it's my favorite of the flavored pipes from the last few years.

Collection 2023

[A.W.]: One-hundred percent, sure. Alright, and now lastly, we come to this year's Collection pipe. So Savinelli has been releasing a collection pipe for years now. And correct me if I'm wrong, Kaz, but it's typically a one-off shape, right? It's a shape that's not necessarily part of the core line. It can be reminiscent of pipes in the core line, but it doesn't correspond 1-to-1 with an actual shape number. So tell us a little bit about this year's Collection pipe.

[K.W.]: So this year's Collection pipe is a Lovat. I like to think of this series, generally, as equivalent to other manufacturer's Pipe of the Year line. It's meant to be a unique, as you said, one-off design. It's not a catalog shape, even though it can definitely borrow details from one or more models.

So again, this year's model is a Lovat. It is, of course, not a shape that Savinelli has invented this year, but it is a unique interpretation outside of the scope of the Lovats they currently offer in their catalog. And per usual, it's offered in a variety of finishes. You have a Smooth, Sandblasted, and Sandblasted with a smooth rim, which I think is my personal favorite. Each pipe also has a natural-finished briar accent, as well as Collection line's signature placard or plate embedded into the shank, denoting the year these examples belong to. And of course, liek all Collection pipes, they're quite limited, so there is only a finite supply.

And while all of the new releases are very well-thought-out and executed, the Collection pipes are meant to represent the gem and the crown. They're superlative examples and are collector's items.

[A.W.]: Exactly. If you're a diehard Savinelli fan and you want to see what they can come up with, these are a must. Savinelli flexing their creative muscles when it comes to proprietary stem colors and accents is obviously a good thing, but the Collection is a new shape; it's a new Savinelli shape, which is not something that you see very often.

[K.W.]: And it's all about the shape and the finish. The Collection pipes are offered in the same colors and finishes each year. The Smooths are all going to be this natural color, the sandblasts will always be the same color and depth, and they'll likely always come with black stems. So it becomes about the silhouette, the profile of this shape, and the quality of the grain that you see in the Sandblast or the Smooth — that's what you're getting. They're meant to be a pinnacle release to showcase the heart and soul of Savinelli's craft. It's not about the color or the stain color or anything like that. It is about realizing the quintessence of 2023 as a pipe.

[A.W.]: Yeah, I think that's really beautiful, Kaz. It's like a timestamped capsule of who Savinelli is at this moment, right? I love that. And I love this year's shape as well. I am partial to Billiard-family shapes, but I particularly love this interpretation of the Lovat. I like that they've played with the proportions; the saddle stem, for example, is a little bit longer than I would typically expect from a Lovat, and they've extended the shank itself through the briar in the saddle stem.

[K.W.]: Everything is beefed up, which you see a lot across the Italian shaping style. The saddle is longer, the shank is longer; even the bowl feels a bit broader and roomier. So for the sake of imagining what this would be, to me, it's like you took a Bing's Favorite, then beefed it up and took away the elongated stem. And I think it's further distinguished and made unique with that briar extension. It's a subdued accent, which keeps the focus on the grain of the pipe. It's not a bright flash of silver or any other material that might take away from the actual piece; it's something that complements rather than distracts.

[A.W.]: Yeah. One-hundred percent. So there you have it: a closer look at Savinelli's new releases for 2023. I have to say, it's really hard to pin down a favorite, but Kaz, what are your predictions for how these are going to go over with customers?

[K.W.]: I think they're going to be well received. I think that it's a solid lineup. My personal favorite, which I referenced earlier, is still the Paloma. That's the one that I'm thinking will be the general favorite, but that's also colored by my preference. They're all really good, so it's really anyone's game right now.

[A.W.]: I think the Avorio might really capture some attention, particularly with folks who are really into old Bakelite stems or old horn stems. It also has this very vintage, red, Bruyere-like stain, which is very classic, so I can see that one doing really well. But I'm with you on the Paloma. The Paloma is probably my favorite. I really want to get a chunky 320 KS with a really boldly patterned stem. They're just really cool.

[K.W.]: Yeah. It's just really cool. And the only word that comes to mind immediately is "funky," but in the best way. That being said, my personal favorite of last year's releases was the Morellina. And it's done well, but the Foresta was definitely the crowd favorite. So, we'll see. I may be surprised, but I think the Paloma is going to be well received.

[A.W.]: All right. Well you heard it here first, folks. Kaz predicts that the Paloma will be the fan favorite, so we'll hold him to that! But of course, these pipes aren't the only releases Savinelli has planned for this year, so stay tuned. These are some new lines that are part of the core catalog, but I'm sure we will see a lot of really cool limited-edition releases and some other things coming up down the road.

[K.W.]: Oh, yeah.

[A.W.]: So thank you all for joining us and thanks again, Kaz, for coming back and talking to us.

[K.W.]: Thanks for having me. It's been a pleasure, guys.

[A.W.]: Yeah, it's been great. Thanks so much.