Recent content by illiteratti

Out and about today looking to spend some money on tobacco, alas all the shops were out of my favorites. So on a whim, I decided to try an aromatic for the first time in over a year. I saw a new to me Mac Baren 7 Seas Royal Blend, and it just spoke to me. The instant I got into the car, I...

On a whim, picked up a tin of Savinelli's English Mixture, pretty much just because I like to buy at least something when I spend time in a B&M tobacconist shop. Opened the tin, and absolutely not what I had expected. I was concerned because I had never heard of an English blend with burley...

My top 5 in no order whatsoever: SG Squadron Leader GLP Chelsea Morning (a new favorite and I predict to be of Dunhill legendary status ) Esoterica Margate Penzance Sav English Mixture (one for some reason I cannot tear myself away from)

First pipe of the day... Balkan Sasieni in my Sav 1986 Collection bent bulldog. Good tobacco in a pipe I absolutely love! Nothing can go wrong today!

Another tobacco that I picked up recently, trying new things until my Samuel Gawith becomes available, and this one is worth mentioning. I got this tobacco mainly because it was supposed to be full of latakia flavor, and G. L. Pease is often noted as being a great blender of English tobacco. I...

One of the greatest things that I did for myself was switching to a strait razor. Yeah, there was a learning curve, and no, I had no one to teach me. But you learn, and if you enjoy it, you really enjoy it. I would also recommend a site called classicshaving.com. they have everything you need...

Maybe there might be something amiss with the tin I got? I smelled it again and it smells remarkably like A1 and some sort of liquor, but the A1 really comes through when I smell it. Now if you were to tell me yours smells anything like an English or maybe even somewhat smoky, then I would know...

Another tobacco I purchased looking for suitable smokes while my favorite Sam Gawith blends are non existant. I had read reviews that led me to believe that this is an English blend, so I bought it. I opened the tin, smelled it and was disappointed as it smells nothing like a typical English...

Well, back to trying other tobaccos now since its damn near impossible to get a tin of Samuel Gawith anything, I came across a tin of Old Ironsides by DAN Tobacco. I had read that it was pretty heavy in latakia, so I went for it. It comes as a flake, my tin had just the right amount of...

As much as I hate to admit it, I do the fold fluff and stuff method out of sheer laziness. Yeah, I do seem to get a better burn rubbing the stuff out, but when I'm out and about, its so much easier and faster to fold a flake than to pack even the ribbon cut. I'm such a sloth!

I just went and inspected all my pipes, and being that they are all pretty new, they all have pretty consistent bowl diameter all the way to the bottom, so I personally have no experience with packing a flake in a tapered bowl, but I am very interested to see what the others have to say about...

I really think the biggest thing with flakes is not to over pack the bowl, both folded or rubbed. Along with that is not to over tamp. Someone, I forgot who, once gave me that advice and I never got the chance to thank him for it. Basically what I do is to take a flake or maybe even one and a...

Today I came across a tin of Red Rapparee that I had paid a lot of money for and smoked about 4 bowls full and had intended to throw away about six months ago. It was truly an abomination to me at the time I tried it. I have since stayed completely away from any tobacco that stated it contained...

The Art of Shaving sandalwood shaving cream smells absolutely sublime, and it works great too. I used to buy it from Nordstrom or May Co. But I believe they have to order it for you now. I've been using a straight razor for the last 10 years or so and the one shave soap that I love the best is...

New pipe smoker here from California... love the site, so just had to become a member! Hope to learn lots from you guys!