It's a very very good tobacco, basically VA rolled around Dutch black Cavendish burley. It will smoke a bit sweet, but it's not aromatic in the flavored sense. For me the issue is not quality, it's just not one I stock regularly because my preferred VA/Cavendish is Orlik Golden Mixture. It's very similar to the Stokkebye you purchased. VA/Cavendish is a style that is a "must-try" in my book, and Stokkebye is a fine example of the genre.
What do you think of the P-lip? Do you prefer it to the standard? From the looks of it, I guess you won't be able to use soft bits with it. It's a nice looking pipe. You must have extraordinary willpower to hold on to that for 25 years without smoking it.
Sunday morning, a nice leisurely smoke in a Pioneer african meerschaum on the back patio while reading the paper in my pajamas. An overcast sky with no wind and temp in the mid 60's, I expected a heavy dew but the patio furniture was dry. I guess it's time to take a shower after finishing one last cup of coffee.
That's the ticket! And jar it fairly quickly. The plastic zip lock bags won't keep it fresh for long, unless the tobacco is gooped up with PG.
I would recommend getting one or two vulcanite bits from MM if you place an order with them. They're fairly inexpensive, and well worth it, much more comfortable to the mouth than the plastic bits. They may fit only MM pipes designed for filters. And then I might make a mark on the stem with a permanent marker as to which one is Latakia and Virginia.
I really like that bowl on the Falcon. Yesterday at The Briary's annual pipe event, I saw a couple of people wth Falcons, one with a straight regular aluminum stem, the other had a brown bent stem. I have to say the brown one was quite attractive and got my interest up in a Falcon. Both of them told me they do not use the dry rings, they just take the bowl off and wipe it out if they feel the need.
At the Briary's Annual Pipe Event yesterday, I won the pipe smoking contest! You get about 3 grams of tobacco, everyone gets the same blend so it is a level playing field, and two small wooden matches with a box to strike on. You can't strike a match until given the signal to start, and you have one minute to use both matches. After that, the only thing you are allowed to do is tamp whenever you wish and smoke at whatever cadence you desire. The last person still smoking after everyone has gone out wins! After it got down to me and one other, he finally went out and I went on for about 10 more minutes. I won the pipe shown above, an Eric Stokkebye 4th Generation pipe. This pipe would cost well above the normal range I would spend on a pipe. It's really just about the ideal shape IMHO, the shank is straight coming off the bowl, the bowl is larger around the bottom which handles heat better, and the saddle bit stem has a very slight bend that is just enough to accommodate clenching, and a pipe cleaner passes easily through it versus a deep bend. It's very light for a pipe this size, and the draft hole is dead centered and right at the bottom. Very well engineered pipe with quality briar. As a bonus, it came with a leather bag versus the standard cloth bag that pipes in the $90 plus range typically come with. The metal band has a slight gold tone, has 4th Generation imprinted on it that really sets it off, especially seeing in person. I took it on a maiden voyage a little earlier with OGS. The bowl would easily accommodate a whole flake, but I only used about 2/3 flake with a slight air pocket at the bottom. Super easy draw! The pipe smoked as one would expect for a pipe in this price range, which was superb!
@Bama Samurai , I concur wholeheartedly with you on this, and the dollar ranges you cite are spot on IMHO. In the $40 to $$90 range, your chances of getting a good pipe go up versus the sub-$40 range. They go up exponentially above $90. Very good analysis Chris. Tony
It really is. There is always a pipe vendor there, usually a major vendor or maker with a lot of pipes, tobacco reps, and a cigar rep. A local micro brewery guy was there serving up a couple types of free beer, but since I'm not much of a drinker that did't do much for me. There's always some kind of food, Saturday there was a hot dog street vendor serving up fabulous hot dogs, not the typical run of the mill dog. Lots of comraderie, meeting up with old friends and making new friends. It is a fun event.
I was told the Eric Stokkebye 4th Generation pipe that I won was about a $200 or more pipe. I've never really priced one of these, so I didn't know any different. I liked it so much I started looking at them online and found them for between $175 to $200, then I found it on sale at P&C for $145, which is in the price range I have paid for several pipes. Everything I said about the pipe is definitely true, it is a fantastic pipe, well engineered with quality briar. For $145 and shipping, that is a real bargain. If this is in your price range, it is well worth considering!
Today I smoked some University Flake in my Dr Grabow Grand Duke. I attempted to rub it out while hiding from the rain on my girlfriend's grandma's porch. It ended up only half rubbed out but it still packed nicely and I had an almost 2 hour smoke from most of a full flake. I did have to give it 2 false lights to get it to light well since it was kinda chunky and course but it smoked to the bottom after the 3rd time fire hit it.
I think OGS will be my morning pipe. I still have a few flakes left. I've been trying to conserve it until tax time when I could order more. A few more weeks and Ill have an order on its way to me.
