Sutliff's Carl McAllister Retires Today.

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JimInks

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Carl McAllister, who started working at the Sutliff Tobacco Company in 1977, and became the chief blender and head of Research and Development in 2000, is retiring today. I don’t have an exact count of how many blends Carl created, and knowing Carl, he never counted them either. But I’m figuring the number is easily over two hundred. Carl’s creations include Molto Dulce and the entire Sutliff Private Stock line, a great many bulk blends like Voodoo Queen, Count Pulaski, Sambuca, etc., over forty Match blend recreations (one of the most difficult tasks a blender can undertake), not to mention tweaking many existing blends, and creating many for numerous brick and mortars.

Though Carl is known for creating many aromatics, he is also known for creating many popular English blends like Blend #5, and Luxury Balkan Blend 957, among others. His friend Russ Ouellette calls him “The King of the Aros” with respect and affection. I’m writing this post because I have gotten to know Carl pretty well over the last couple years, and consider him a friend. Carl’s very laid back and humble, never having been one to hoot his own horn, so I thought I would do it for him on his last day of work. He’s changed the way many people smoke by creating a multitude of blends in every known genre of pipe smoking, and I thought he deserved recognition for his body of work and diligent commitment to his craft, not just on this day, but for the permanent record of the gentle art of our pipe smoking hobby.

Good luck to you, Carl. Thanks for your hard work and dedication to the pipe smoking world. We’ll see you down the road sometime, my friend.
 
Well written as usual Jim and once again you've given us some of the "backstory" about a facet of this amazing world of pipe tobacco and smoking. You are fortunate to have met him and we are fortunate that you've shared this with us !! Thank you !! :)
 
I didn't realize that Carl was ready to retire. I have spoken with Carl many times at the shows and he is a wonderful man with a very laid back attitude and always ready to answer any questions with a smile. I wish Carl a long and healthy life in retirement which is well deserved and hopefully he will still be at some of the future pipe shows so we can enjoy his presence and knowledge of blending. :cheers:
 
Thanks for the post Jim. I don't know Carl but I do know he's the wizard behind all of my favorite Sutliff blends. Best wishes to Carl on his retirement.

 
docwatson":1nvjm065 said:
I didn't realize that Carl was ready to retire. I have spoken with Carl many times at the shows and he is a wonderful man with a very laid back attitude and always ready to answer any questions with a smile. I wish Carl a long and healthy life in retirement which is well deserved and hopefully he will still be at some of the future pipe shows so we can enjoy his presence and knowledge of blending. :cheers:
I didn't know either. I was very surprised. I talked to him about it, and he said his health is good, but he wanted to enjoy retirement while that is still the case. I can't blame him for that, because you never know what the future holds in that regard. But Sutliff may still ask him to do a special project or two, and I really hope that does happen. A man with Carl's expertise needs to be around. At least he's got plenty of tobacco to smoke!
 
I'm talking to Carl McAllister on the phone, and he tells me that he greatly appreciates all the kind words said about him on the forums when he retired.
 
This may astound you. After talking to Carl the other day, and doing some math, I'm now figuring he has created or recreated more than 400 blends, possibly more than 500, counting what Sutliff sells, and what he made under Sutliff's aegis for B&Ms that don't get attention as being made by Sutliff because they are labeled as "store blends" as if they were home blended by that B&M. Some of those blends are sold only in one shop. Carl never kept count, but I'm thinking nobody's created as many blends as he has.
 
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