I've charged the "new" pipe with Petersen's Irish Whisky. Draw is wide open, the way I prefer it. The pipe has been reamed all the way down to the wood. I've tasted some briar but not in a bad way. I believe it won't take long to build a new cake and I will be smoking it for the next couple of days to "break it in".
All of my Sasieni's, past and present, were/are very good smokers. This one won't be different