My dad's favorite of the 18 or so I've let him sample is the C&D blend CROONER. The only thing different from the others is deertongue. Not partial to it myself but hey, you like what you like. Ennerdale and the old VIP (especially mixed) are still my favs so I can't judge.
Rummaging around my place today, I found a long-forgotten biscuit tin with a small Ziploc of Peter Stokkebye Peaches & Creme and a big Ziploc of Balkan Supreme. Judging by the pouch note of the Peaches & Creme, a totally one-sided marriage has taken place and it's been Balkanized. I'm going to give the P&C a go tonight at work in this carved Grabow Riviera. Yes, Prince Albert is in this can...
That sounds almost as bad as when I grabbed the wrong bag and went 50/50 on a cherry aromatic mix with Father Dempsey. Horrible.
I hope you didn't ruin a good pipe with that...or even a bad pipe. As I recall, this Peaches & Creme was nearly flavourless when last smoked. Picking up notes from the Balkan Supreme could only make it better. In a few hours, I'll have my answer. Speaking of ruining pipes...somewhere around here is an unopened pouch of Borkum Riff Honey & Orange.
Have never seen that one but not impressed with Borkum and I've tried pretty much all of them currently available. The bourbon whiskey is downright terrible. They must be an acquired taste.
BR Honey & Orange wasn't on the market for all that long; you may have missed it when it was available. I don't think BR is an acquired taste; the simple truth is that BR just doesn't work well with most pipes. You pretty much have to devote a pipe for exclusive use with BR, and the bowl needs to be deep but not very wide to get the best of what it has to offer. It also helps if the draw of the pipe is more of a "slow sipper" than something wide-open. People who are into BR probably keep a stockpile of it on hand in bail-top jars, and let it percolate for a couple of years before smoking it. If I was presented with BR as a gift, I'd blend it with White Burley, put it in a bail-top jar, and it'd be a decent smoke that would improve with age.
In that case, I have some different BR pouches on hand that I'm not patient enough to age, if you're interested.
So glad to see this thread still running strong. I'll try to do better at sharing my pipe of the day. Hope everyone is having a great day and enjoying some fine tobacco! KC
Didn't have a smoke today, but did check out two new smoke shops here in town. One had a nice selection of quality pipes; the other had a full selection of Grabows, which is something I haven't seen anywhere in many years. Neither one had any premium tinned or bulk pipe tobacco. Grabbed some pipe cleaners and a bag of Smoker's Pride Black Cavendish for blending. Cleaned up these guys on Saturday...my first-ever pipe, an Peterson Irish Seconds bent, is at far right. Bought it when I was 19, and I'm...groan...55 now.
I was about 40 when I was confronted with the fact that the things I grew up with are now considered "vintage." Seeing 20th Anniversary editions of movies has the same effect.
Now, that sounds yummy! Anyone else here notice that the Sail and Amphora sold in Canada is better than the USA versions?
60/40 Sutliff Peaches & Creme/Smoker's Pride Black Cavendish in an L.L. Bean Smoke Master Series 50. This pipe looks like your typical Grabow Duke but uses a cutoff pipe cleaner as filter media, should one desire a filter. This pipe was given to me as an estate-find gift nearly 30 years ago along with an Iwan Ries & Co. Jacques and Kaywoodie Saxon. Thinking it was just an old Grabow, I never bothered with it until Sunday's pipe cleanup marathon. Noting the oxidized vulcanite stem, it finally dawned on me that this was either a super-deluxe Grabow from ages ago, or something else entirely. After cleanup, it's a beauty! Fired it up Monday and it's a gem.
Smokemaster pipes are unusual in that they had two different makers in different time periods, and in the style of their tenon. The tenon had a single aluminum inner tube and two holes which were meant to hold a pipe cleaner folded in half, one end in each hole. By the font, it is a Dr. Grabow made pipe. How well does the filter gimmick work?
My first posting in over 5 years. I’m still among the living, but an as yet undiagnosed autoimmune disease has left me unable to drive and dependent on a walker for more than a few steps. I have found the ritual of loading and smoking a pipe helps take the edge off the pain and anxiety of my condition. Today’s offering is Samuel Gowith Squadron Leader in a Dr. Grabow Royal Duke. A nice light English blend, that smells like a Latakia bomb, but smokes smooth and mild.
I haven't tried using it as a filter pipe. I haven't used a filter in my Grabows for the last 20+ years, either.
I’m not as big into Latakia as I once was, but Squadron Leader is an excellent blend. I’ve got a couple of tins that are probably 7 or 8 years old. I’m working a couple other jars right now, but may open up a tin of Squadron Leader soon. Rattray’s Accountant is another Latakia blend you may want to try. Not as good as Squadron Leader, but I found it enjoyable when I was in a Latakia mood.
