What Are You Smoking Pages.

[Ranger107]

Nice big bowl of Hobbits Weed in the big Don Carlos 2 note bent dublin with first cup of coffee. Back to the stash for something different for a second bowl.

 

[Ranger107]

Grabbed some C&D Billy Budd for a change. Strong but mellow if that's possible. Kind of like strong morning coffee with a couple shots of George Dickle bourbon, my morning starter when deer hunting back in the day. Don't usually do lat weed in the am but this quite good.

 

[JimInks]

Not far from finishing this bowl of C&D Burley Ribbon Cut in a 1970s slight bend black sandblasted Comoy's Silver Cloud 624 square shank sitter with a silver pearl gray acrylic saddle stem. Ice water and bergs is my drink.

 

[JimInks]

Now smoking Wilke No. 111 in a smooth medium bend 1938-1948 Peterson Shamrock Killarney 9BC with a nickel band and a black vulcanite p-lip stem.

 

[GtrSmoker]

Currently about halfway through a bowl of 2010-era McLelland Dark Navy Flake. Kudos to @Natch for this generous sample. I find it important to have that reference point, as a serious pipe smoker.

I now better understand how Sutliff’s 515-RC actually compares to the real deal. While they’re in the same ballpark, this dark flake has a breadth and depth of flavor that the Sutliff lacks. I think mixing the 515 with Sutliff’s bulk stoved Virginia gets a little closer.

But it still ain’t McLelland.

I put myself in a bad spot as a pipe smoker. I first explored the world of pipe tobacco for a couple of years over a decade ago, but a series of rapid succession upheavals in my life led to my pipe passion getting lost in the shuffle, and I basically forgot about my pipes for a decade.

Back then, I had sampled just enough McLelland (I really liked 2015) to know I liked it. So when I rediscovered my pipes back around the holidays, the first thing I wanted to do was explore the brand in greater detail. It was a gut punch to discover they were no more.

I’d basically “slept through” the end days of this venerable brand. No chance to grab a few tins for a rainy day. And it’s not like there are other brands that are close to that, as far as flavor profiles.

Anyway... again, major props to Natch, who has also been indispensable in helping me add a good amount of well-aged stock to my respectable (but almost wholly new stock) little cellar.

I’ll try to remember to add a few notes/observations here as I work my way through some outstanding decade-old blends from Gawith Hoggarth, Sam Gawith, Rattray’s, Peterson and others. I’m also looking forward to tasting what a decade has done for GLP Triple Play, because I wasn’t exactly wowed by the new stock.

 

[JimInks]

Enjoyed a tasty lunch, and am a quarter of the way through this bowl of Prince Albert in a 2015 Basil Meadows black sandblasted billiard with an aluminum band and a pearl red acrylic tapered stem.

 

[JimInks]

A quarter of the way through this bowl of Motzek (TAK) Virginia Cake in an undated straight black sandblasted Kevin Arthur brandy with a multi-colored accent on the white acrylic saddle stem. This pipe was originally owned by Sante “FishnBanjo” Giuliani. Ice water and bergs is my drink.

 

[Ranger107]

Currently about halfway through a bowl of 2010-era McLelland Dark Navy Flake. Kudos to @Natch for this generous sample. I find it important to have that reference point, as a serious pipe smoker.

I now better understand how Sutliff’s 515-RC actually compares to the real deal. While they’re in the same ballpark, this dark flake has a breadth and depth of flavor that the Sutliff lacks. I think mixing the 515 with Sutliff’s bulk stoved Virginia gets a little closer.

But it still ain’t McLelland.

I put myself in a bad spot as a pipe smoker. I first explored the world of pipe tobacco for a couple of years over a decade ago, but a series of rapid succession upheavals in my life led to my pipe passion getting lost in the shuffle, and I basically forgot about my pipes for a decade.

Back then, I had sampled just enough McLelland (I really liked 2015) to know I liked it. So when I rediscovered my pipes back around the holidays, the first thing I wanted to do was explore the brand in greater detail. It was a gut punch to discover they were no more.

I’d basically “slept through” the end days of this venerable brand. No chance to grab a few tins for a rainy day. And it’s not like there are other brands that are close to that, as far as flavor profiles.

Anyway... again, major props to Natch, who has also been indispensable in helping me add a good amount of well-aged stock to my respectable (but almost wholly new stock) little cellar.

I’ll try to remember to add a few notes/observations here as I work my way through some outstanding decade-old blends from Gawith Hoggarth, Sam Gawith, Rattray’s, Peterson and others. I’m also looking forward to tasting what a decade has done for GLP Triple Play, because I wasn’t exactly wowed by the new stock.

McClelland was a great blender. I got started with them in 2000 when I was working in Little Rock. A gentleman in the pipe shop I visited offered me a sample of Dark Star and showed me how to fold and stuff. A technique I had never learned as I had never smoked flakes till then or if I did I rubbed them out. I liked it a lot and started trying their other blends. St. James Woods was a fave but fell in love with Frog Morton. Others may come close but none that I've tried can duplicate the original McClellands.

 

[Ranger107]

Broke into my C&D stash again for a pre dinner smoke. Last bowl of Byzantium in a Molina 1/4 bent rhodesian. Not bad but not as mellow as the Billy Budd I had this am. Honey bourbon on the side. And as Gtr noted it ain"t Frog Morton, lol.

 

[Idlefellow]

Has anyone have any opinions on the Peterson shamrock line of pipes? seems to be a lot of hazy info online.The one I am looking at is an older one,but I am a sucker for these author pipes...

I have a Shamrock in the 999 shape and a Shamrock billiard with a beautiful cross grain that that may have the tightest birdseye on both sides of the bowl of any Pete I own. It's funny how pipes that might have been relegated to lower status or even seconds back in the day might be a first today. Neither is a particular favorite just because I have others I prefer but both are good smokers. I certainly wouldn't shy away from one, particularly an older one. JMO

 

[Idlefellow]

McClelland was a great blender. I got started with them in 2000 when I was working in Little Rock. A gentleman in the pipe shop I visited offered me a sample of Dark Star and showed me how to fold and stuff. A technique I had never learned as I had never smoked flakes till then or if I did I rubbed them out. I liked it a lot and started trying their other blends. St. James Woods was a fave but fell in love with Frog Morton. Others may come close but none that I've tried can duplicate the original McClellands.

When I found McClellands British Woods I knew I had finally found - after years of searching - my Arcadia (see Sir James Barrie's My Lady Nicotine). When my stash of that is gone I just may give up my pipes all together.

 

[JimInks]

Half way through my last smoke of the day, which is Edgeworth Ready Rubbed Match in a smooth straight brown circa WW2 Trapwell mountain laurel patent apple with a nickel band and a black tapered vulcanite stem. A small bowl, but I had been wanting to try a pipe made out of mountain laurel for a long time, and now I am doing it. Getting great flavor from it.

 

[D.L.Ruth]

Country Squire By The Fire in a Christmas Petersons

 

[scottbtdmb]

Gawith Hoggarth Coniston Cut Plug in a Savinelli Estella

 

[Niblick]

S.G. Perfection in a Comoy's second Sunrise on the way into work.

 

[JimInks]

Starting off my smoking day with a bowl of circa year 2000 Edward G. Robinson's Pipe Blend in a 2014 Basil Meadows smooth slight bend squashed tomato with an aluminum band and a black pearl acrylic stem in the military mount style. Ice water and floaty li'l ice bergs is my drink.

 

[ftrplt]

Changed my morning routine a bit! 10-year-old GLP Union Square in a 1/8th bent flared Dublin Meer. Then 3-yr-old DH Dark Flake in a large Wolf's Head Meer 1/2 bent, both pipes with "faux" amber stems. Accompanied by strong, dark coffee!! FTRPLT

 

[JimInks]

Going walking on this cloudy day with a bowl of year 2016 D&R Three Sails in an undated straight brush etched black Molina apple with a nickel band and a black tapered vulcanite stem.

 

[EZONSLOW]

Smoking some Lane 1Q in an old custombilt oom paul pipe,I was told this pipe was made in the late 50`s. Still smokes better then some of my newer pipes.

 

[JimInks]

A quarter of the way through this bowl of Ken Byron Ventures Verg 21 in a straight smooth brown 1930s (Comoy’s) Lions Head 123 pot with a black tapered vulcanite stem. Watching Mad Dog Russo.