Thank you. Presently, I only smoke straight pipes (mainly billiards and dublins). With time I've discovered that bent and even half-bent pipes are aesthetically and smoke-wise not my cup of tea. I can still appreciate them, but not in my mouth. So, having said that, I've got a fair amount of pipes that are not smoked for several years. As for tobacco, I do prefer English mixtures, but I'm also constantly available to try aromatics. My favorite type of cut is flake (or cake). My all-time favourite mixture is (was) Dunhill's Royal Yacht (I've never tried the Peterson recipe) and my favourite aromatic is - the also gone - A. & C. Petersen's superb Highland Cream (I've managed to buy the last tin in Czech Republic in 2010). Cheers.