Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader; A Tobacco Review for You!

It’s a crisp January morning. I’m standing in my office, staring into my closet which has long since become my tobacco sellar (along with part of my basement, much to my partner Amanda’s chagrin).

I’m in the mood for something classical and satisfying. I decide on a jar of Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader from 2010. This should do the trick!

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Esoterica Penzance Up Close and Personal

Hello, pipers. I just picked up a new macro lens so I thought I would start exploring close-up photography of our favorite blends. Today we are looking at Esoterica Penzance.

A Blend from a Friend 01: Mountain Mystic (A Blend Match for McClelland Balkan Beauty)

Necessity is the mother of invention. So it came to be that when McClelland sadly closed its doors, I began a search for a blend-match to their unusual smoking mixture called Balkan Beauty. Mountain Mystic was born.

Brebbia Latakia Flake no 9 Review

I woke up this morning with a craving for a bit of that Syrian leaf. As far as blends that are currently produced, there aren’t many who still have Syrian Latakia in them. The vanishing crop has caused the numbers to dwindle to a trickle, unfortunately.

Luckily Brebbia still has some in the warehouse, and I happily snagged some tins of their Brebbia Latakia Flake no 9.

Samuel Gawith Commonwealth; A Latakia Bomb Enigma!

I’ve been on a Balkan kick lately and I was in the mood for something with extra Latakia in it today, so it may surprise you that I reached for a Samuel Gawith blend. While they make amazing tobacco, I wouldn’t say SG is known for their Lat Bombs, they seem to be more known for their Virginia Blends but there is one in their catalog that I hardly ever hear anything about. Commonwealth Mixture.

Sleepy Hollow; How My Autumn Begins Every Year!

It’s hard to convey the excitement I feel when I see that Fall has officially begun. I realize it before most people. My reminder comes in the form of sweet sweet smoke because my Autumn starts when Straus is selling Sleepy Hollow again.

It reminds me of when I was little and I saw the first Halloween-flavored McDonald’s adds on TV. They’d be advertising their candy collecting pales with a spookie jingle and I would know summer would soon be over. These reminders normally come before the weather turns, like a little wink and nudge that summer will soon be over and it will be time for Apple Cider and hoodies and technicolor leaves on the trees.

Straus putting out their fall aromatic does that for me now, carrying on a wonderful tradition in my life. So let’s talk about it, and why you might want to try it, even if you aren’t an aromatic smoker.

The Beauty of Penzance; Everything You Need To Know About the Elusive Leaf

Penzance. What can you say about a tobacco so magical and elusive that it has entire fansites about it? It has the fanbase of a fictional anime or some kind of bizarre film. There are people who spend hours a day putting their names on lists and making documents and spreadsheets and getting credit card information ready just so they can get a single bag of the mighty Penzance. What is this all about?

Treasure Hunting (How to Get Your Hands On Elusive Tobaccos Such as Esoterica Penzance, Balkan Sobranie, and Germain’s Brown Flake!)

Esoterica Penzance, Balkan Sobranie, Samuel Gawith and Germain’s Brown Flake are but a few of the mystical tobaccos which eluded me for years, always lurking just out of reach. I would hear people praise them in forums or at my local smoking parlor and get angry because I wanted to be a part of the discussion.

Samuel Gawith Skiff Mixture (A Longform Pipe Tobacco Review For You!)

There’s a spot near my house where a small creek tiptoes under an old bridge which is haphazardly shuffled about by greenery and has begun coming apart over time.

I’ve been visiting it for a while now. I love to sit under the bridge and smoke with the tadpoles and crawdaddies as I read a good book. I usually pack some coffee and a blanket to keep myself warm because this time of year the ground gets cold and hard, and the water starts to freeze around the edges of the banks, but the middle still runs free.

Mr Brog A02 Pipe Lighter (An Accessory Review for You!)

Back in November Mr. Brog got wind of my Blog and sent some of his items my way for review. One of those products in the package was a metal, all-in-one pipe lighter with a tamper and pick that hid in the bottom. After four months of use, I wanted to talk about my experience with the lighter and whether I would recommend it for the $24.99 sale price.

Talking to Myself (Words of Encouragment to a New Pipe Smoker)

Time travel doesn’t exist… YET! But if it did, and I could give myself a little advice about all the things I’ve learned as a pipe smoker over the last 20 years, it would go a little something like this:

War Horse Bar (A Longform Pipe Tobacco Review For You!)

Winter is waning, although the cold is still making its way in through the cracks. I’ve reached the point where I am ready for warmth again. It’s a frigid morning, and I gaze at the frosted tips of the Kentucky bluegrass out my window flickering in the morning sunrise, scattered by strong, cold winds.

I reach for my Mr. Brog #89, considering what I should smoke. I recently had War Horse Ready Cut and enjoyed it, so I think I will try the War Horse Bar this time. Let’s light up!

Tabac Manil’s Pure Semois La Brumeuse (A Longform Pipe Tobacco Review For You!)

The winter chill is radiating from the closed window as I stand in my office in my robe looking out at the blanket of satin white. I just woke up, and I’m waiting for the coffee to finish percolating as I watch the wind blow around the fine powder. I reach for my Mr. Brog #89, considering what I should smoke. I want something that will wake me up and push away these chills that are radiating to my bone. I think back to my recent experience with Tabac Manil’s Le Petit Robin and what a great experience that was. I decide to try another one of Mr. Manil’s offerings: Pure Semois La Brumeuse.

Stanwell Vanilla Pipe Tobacco (A Longform Review For You!)

It’s 1 p.m. on a Monday afternoon, and I find myself craving some sweets. I’m watching my weight, so a cupcake is out of the question. I reach for my Savinelli 645, considering what I should smoke. It’s cold outside, so I want something that will impart some warmth but also satisfy this sweet tooth. I decide to crack a tin of Stanwell Vanilla.

Tabac Manil’s Le Petit Robin (A Longform Tobacco Review For You!)

It’s 6 in the morning on a Tuesday, and I just woke up an hour ago. I reach for my Mr. Brog #89, considering what I should smoke. It’s cold outside, so I want something that will wake me up and warm my body. Something classy, with an old school vibe. I decide on an unopened brick of Tabac Manil’s Le Petit Robin.

Straus Tobacconist (A Stroll Through The Best Little Tobacco Shop in the World)

 

I was 16 years old the first time I ever stepped foot into a tobacco shop. Taking place over 20 years ago, this was before all the draconian laws were made to tax and ban smoking out of existence. I’m 37 now. I’ve been going to the same shop all this time. Others have come and gone, but one store has stood the test of the ages.

Straus Tobacconist.

The Longview Ritual (A Story Review of Cornell & Diehl’s Sha’are Orah – Gates of Light Hebraica Series Pipe Tobacco)

You step toward the gates of light, thirsting, searching for some kind of unwarranted truth. What will you find?

Beyond the first gate, there is a pipe, prefilled with some unknown mystery.

Matches or Lighters? (How About Lighting Your Pipe With Hemp Wick?)

Matches or lighters? It’s a battle that has been raging for many many years. Some say matches are unreliable in windy situations and stink. Others say lighters burn too hot, can damage your pipe and can leave a sticky butane residue in your bowl and on the rim, imparting a taste to the tobacco.

Well, I’m here to tell you about a third option. Hemp Wick Lighting.

Looking Back (A Story Review of Cornell and Diehl’s Mountain Camp Pipe Tobacco)

When I was a young boy, over 30 years ago, it was common for us to spend some time in the summer and fall months camping at a mountain-base site near Mammoth Cave known as Jellystone Park. Today, many years later, I grab my pipe and sit down to go through some old pictures of my camping experiences while I smoke a bowl of Cornell & Diehl Mountain Camp.

Make Your Own Recycled Tobacco Mats with Pour Spout (An Easy Craft that Will Save You Time and Money!)

Canning jars. We all use them. Heck, I buy them by the box. The next time you buy a box of Jars DON’T RIP IT OPEN. Take a moment to read this and follow the steps. You’ll have a handy tobacco mat that you can use when filling your jars to handle the spills that happen during the canning process.

Wessex Gold Virginia Flake ( A Pipe Tobacco Review For You!)

It’s 5 in the morning on a Wednesday, and I just woke up. I reach for my pipe, wondering already what I am going to smoke. I want something that will wake me up and warm my core. Something citrusy, with a springtime feel, is looming in my future. I reach for an aged can of Wessex Gold Virginia Flake.

Zen and the Art of Prepping Your Own Pipe Tobacco

Spending some quality time with your tobacco can be a meditative experience. If you buy the right kind of smoke and have a good knife in your hand, you can reach an excellent level of enjoyment directly through tobacco preparation.

Watch City Deluxe Crumb Cut ( A Pipe Tobacco Review For You!)

I turn the corner of the street, not missing a beat. I’ve been commissioned to take photos of working people in Cincinnati for a puff piece a local Newspaper is running. I’m on the job per usual; the camera’s in a heavy bag on my back, and my smoking pouch is at my side. My pipe is empty but wedged in my teeth because I’m afraid I’ll break it if I keep it in my bag as I chug along.

Mr. Brog Leather Combo Pouch (A Pipe Tobacco Gear Review For You!)

The Mr. Brog Leather Combo Pipe Pouch is a fantastic way to hit the road with a couple of pipes and some of your favorite smoke. It holds one medium-sized pipe or two small pipes and a half an ounce of tobacco comfortably.

Best of all, it’s only $24 bucks, following Mr. Brog’s rule of keeping quality smoking gear down to a sensible price. I went ahead and hunted the best deal, just click here and don’t say old Jay never did anything nice for you!

Smoking On the Clock (Pipe Smoking on the Job and Other Stories)

It was a cold Autumn day in 2014, and I was working with a fresh model named Rose. She came to me to help her build her portfolio, which is one of the many services I provide as a photographer.

Our shoot location came to mind immediately when she showed me the outfits she wanted to shoot in. I often pick outside locations for portfolio building shoots. This style of shooting adds character, is more comfortable for a new model, and of course, affords me the opportunity to smoke on the job.