Three things I’ve been wanting for a while now, to try some country squire blends, to get another actual new pipe, and to find some Latakia & Aromatic blends or hybrids that were worth a damn. I got two of them done for sure and it’ll be a joy to figure out if the last is true!
I received a “Trick or Treat” box from a fellow TPL brother Friday. It was mostly treats, but there was an evil presence of a couple of Latakia blends lurking in the box. I was lucky to sus out the two evil menaces quickly and septuple bagged them so they did not corrupt the other heavenly blends that occupied the box🙂 So, samples are meant to be sampled, and I am going to smoke the two Lat blends, albeit with some reservation and most definitely in a small cob. My guess is, someone else may be “gifted” the Lat blends (If you can call it a gift😬) in near future. Spread the evil….I mean love…right🙂 Many thanks to the generous TPL Brother of the Briar.
Received a pair of four dollar coupons from Captain Black so I went out and finally located a smoke shop that carried Captain Black tobacco products. Was lucky enough to find a shop that had the latest Captain Black tobacco ""Platinum", so I picked up two pouches.
Smoked a bowl last night and it's not one of their sweet aromatic blends. There is little if any of that familiar vanilla flavor associated with Captain Black. It's similar to the discontinued blend Captain Black Round. I'd recommend it for those who prefer their tobacco to taste like Virginia and Burly without the sweet toppings.
This new blend has more in common with their discontinued premium tinned product "Black Sea" (which was their only Latikia tobacco) then anything associated with the Captain Black product line. Still all and all, a fine smoke. I'm partial to the sweet flavored aromatics - but this was a nice smoke - no tongue bite - and a pleasant room note.
@Montecristo mine was $50-60 brand new, I cant recall exactly and am too sorry to look it up. I know the standard Nording Compass (colored metal wrap on the bowl) are like $50 depending on the source. I liked the exposed briar bowl much better aesthetically but I think they are about the same price. it is way lighter than expected and the bowl is quite small. Given I rarely get 1+ hours to smoke a bowl I think that'll be a good thing for me. Packing it may be a little bit of a learning experience and i'm anxious to see if it is a good bowl for virginias given i've heard anecdotally that tall slender bowls are better for them.
I bought the pipe @Montecristo appears to have bought. (I think it was intended as a wacky tobacky* pipe, but it smokes OK with tobacco) This is weird: Amazon $7.99 vs. Walmart $60.30Same pipe! Thank goodness I found the Amazon offer.
*wacky to·backy -tə-ˈba-kē slang. : marijuana. If the War on Drugs gave us nothing else, it at least provided some enduringly quotable anti-drug ads. An entire generation fondly recalls the TV spot where a dad confronts his son over some wacky tobacky, asking, "Who taught you how to do this stuff?" Son: "You did, Dad. I learned it from you!"
Ah, yes. Institutional memory. I always thought the Nordings were sorta cool, but I could never pull the trigger just to satisfy my sense of "cool looking." When I saw the pipe on Amazon, I hoped it was maybe a reasonable knock-off of similar Nordingsm and for under ten bucks a steal. (I'm still horrified at the thought that someone might buy the pipe at Walmart for that price.) The Amazon pipe is sturdy and smokes as about as well as an average cob. The bit is plastic, the stem is metal, and the bowl is "wood." Considering how much a cob goes for today, not a rip off, but not a reasonable knock-off. Just a cheap, and smaller bowl, copy. So it goes.....
@motie2 I do like the nordings, I just haven't been able to get myself to spring one. For a similar price, I think I would be more inclined to grab one of Rattrays Ahoy pipes. Thicker stem but similar appearance.
Today I received a tin of C&D “Evergreen”, and a tin of Mac Barren’s “Royal Twist Deluxe Roll Cake 2023”, along with a Pete Iora 53. The package was sitting on my porch since about 6:00PM. I just looked for my mail at about 2:00AM….Whew, luckily no porch pirates were lurking about.
4oz of dark holler the country squire limited release aromatic with perique and a tin of the 50th anniversary blend which is a VaPer. Excited to try them both and that’ll be the last order from them for awhile. Want to branch out to other manufacturers.
Well, it's not a tobacco purchase, but it is pipe related. Recieved in the mail today, a pipe cleaning kit: EA Carey pipe cleaner Stem polish/cleaner Polishing cloth 2 shank brushes Tool 100 BJ Long pipe cleaners Total cost, tax and all, $21.62 Never used their stem polish/cleaner, so I'm anxious to give it a try...
@KA9FFJ Let us know how it works. I have tried several types, and none have impressed, in fact, one was “toilet bowl cleaner” disgusting 🤢. I actually poured all three bottles in the toilet.
@RockyMountainBriar 🤢 This is an EA Carey product, which doesn't necessarily mean anything. Do you happen to recall the product name of your throw-away? Hope it wasn't a Carey product...😬
Today’s loot, a pipe, all the way from SPC.EU in Ireland, and no, it is not a Peterson😉. It is an estate, Foundation by Musico Special (2015). It is the pipe that started my P.A.D. of Musico pipes. I really liked this pipe when I saw a picture posted by @motie2 in “What are you drinking while smoking your pipe today” on page 34. Does it look familiar?🙂. This is that pipe, it was owned by Adam O’Neill of SmokingPipes.com. I emailed SPC.EU after I purchased it, and he confirmed it was his. I must be living right, it took a few years, but it made it to me🙂
Comments
Cool old tin👍🏻
So, samples are meant to be sampled, and I am going to smoke the two Lat blends, albeit with some reservation and most definitely in a small cob. My guess is, someone else may be “gifted” the Lat blends (If you can call it a gift😬) in near future. Spread the evil….I mean love…right🙂
Many thanks to the generous TPL Brother of the Briar.
It's called "Pass it On".
Impressive aro. My second order.
Mine, below, was $9.00 on Amazon. How much was yours? Yours has a thicker bowl.
I can’t tell from your pipe picture, but it looks like the bowl could be wood “other than briar”? Is it rosewood?
Yes, perhaps. I can’t tell.
@Whoispra
I bought the pipe @Montecristo appears to have bought.
(I think it was intended as a wacky tobacky* pipe, but it smokes OK with tobacco)
This is weird: Amazon $7.99 vs. Walmart $60.30 Same pipe!
Thank goodness I found the Amazon offer.
Ah, yes. Institutional memory. I always thought the Nordings were sorta cool, but I could never pull the trigger just to satisfy my sense of "cool looking." When I saw the pipe on Amazon, I hoped it was maybe a reasonable knock-off of similar Nordingsm and for under ten bucks a steal. (I'm still horrified at the thought that someone might buy the pipe at Walmart for that price.) The Amazon pipe is sturdy and smokes as about as well as an average cob. The bit is plastic, the stem is metal, and the bowl is "wood." Considering how much a cob goes for today, not a rip off, but not a reasonable knock-off. Just a cheap, and smaller bowl, copy. So it goes.....
Every well stocked cellar should have these. Just don't mention anything about my opinion to me Bride.
Recieved in the mail today, a pipe cleaning kit:
EA Carey pipe cleaner
Stem polish/cleaner
Polishing cloth
2 shank brushes
Tool
100 BJ Long pipe cleaners
Total cost, tax and all, $21.62
Never used their stem polish/cleaner, so I'm anxious to give it a try...
Let us know how it works. I have tried several types, and none have impressed, in fact, one was “toilet bowl cleaner” disgusting 🤢. I actually poured all three bottles in the toilet.
This is an EA Carey product, which doesn't necessarily mean anything.
Do you happen to recall the product name of your throw-away? Hope it wasn't a Carey product...😬
Yes, it is/was Decatur Pipe Shield Briar-Fresh Airway Cleaner.
It actually smelled like diluted toilet bowl cleaner, it really did.
The directions specifically say,
Allow to dry at least a half hour before smoking.
Not for internal use.
Do not use on wood.
I’m pretty sure briar is wood…….