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AJ

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Some time back I purchased a Partially Rusticated Neerup Paneled Billiard with a deep chamber. I wanted another pipe to smoke ribbon cut Va.'s and Burley blends. I like a deep chamber for these blends and this pipe sports a chamber that's almost two inches deep. When the pipe arrived I was all excited and could hardly wait to load it with one of my favorite McClellend blends. I chose Mature Va. # 25 and sat back to begin the breaking in process. To begin with I was a little disappointed. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with the pipe's engineering but the taste was a little mediocre. I thought this is probably because the pipe hasn't been broken in yet. I set the pipe aside and in a couple of days I decided to give it another shot so I loaded it with McCranie's Red Ribbon that was packaged back in 2010. No way would I get a mediocre tasting smoke this time. WRONG! I began to worry that there was something wrong either with my taste or this pipe was a piece of crap. However I continued with different Va. blends until it started getting a bit of cake built up in the chamber but for some reason this didn't help and my disappoint with this pipe was about to reach a climax. My chosen blends were just fine in my other pipes but this pipe just didn't deliver what I wanted. It was time for a command decision, try another type of tobacco or get rid of this piece of crap. After cleaning the pipe I grabbed a tin of Dunhill's Durbar and again loaded the pipe. I sat back in my recliner prepared to sling the pipe across the room and let out a string of obscenities. But wait. What's this? WOW! This is good. I mean this is really good. I sat there smiling and enjoying a fine rich smoke. How can this be? A few days later I loaded the pipe with some Frog Morton and again another stellar smoke. What's going on here? Two days later I convinced myself that the pipe was telling me something when I loaded it with some C&D's Star of the East and found my self the recipient of a nice sweet cedar infused smoke that satisfied my cravings unlike any other blend through this pipe had achieved. This pipe loves Latakia and shows it by delivering everything one would expect from their favorite Lat. blend and more.

I bought this pipe to smoke VA. and Burley blends through but the pipe had it's own ideas. The pipe know best of what it likes and we have to listen if we want a decent smoke. I have now four pipes that are dedicated to blends with Latakia. Two are made by Design Berlin, one is a Savinelli, and now the fourth one is this Neerup. The funny thing is they all have something in common, they are all paneled pipes. What's that got to do with it?  Probably nothing but I don't believe in coincidences and none of these four pipes will deliver a decent smoke if the tobacco is anything other than a blend containing Latakia. Comments? :)

AJ

 
I think some designs work better with certain blends as well. Funny to think of creating a pipe based on the blend's best presentation, but it happens to me more than you would think. Maybe one reason why my bowls tend to run a bit smaller than most. By my preferences, I would rather not get a coal going too long, as it seems most blends will get ashy tasting, or too much moisture collects, or the taste will just plain go south on me.

I don't see how the paneled sides would make a difference, but hey, what do I know?
 
Perhaps not your initial goal AJ, but still a great, and at the time unforeseen, outcome.

Cracking looking pipe Sir.

Regards,

Stick.
 
Yessir, the smoker proposes the tobacco he wants the pipe to like, but the briar disposes.  I follow the rule of thumb that says, tall and thin for Virginny, squarish for English. But not always.
 
That is one beautiful pipe! And yes, many a time we want a pipe to like a tobacco of OUR choice. But they are finicky and demanding, especially the more expensive ones :lol:
 
It is funny how that works, and I am not the best predictor of it for sure. I have always liked OJK, but it has been a consistent "very good" and not a knock my socks off "great." I tried it in different pipes with about the same experience. Like I said - consistent.

Then I tried it in a cob with a bowl rebored to 7/8 in. Whoohoo! It was outrageously good and repeatable. The only problem was with bowl size. A MT with a 7/8 in bowl holds a lot of tobacco, and OJK is a nicotine slap in the face for me. I just finished a bowl that was half filled with Haunted Bookshoop and then topped off with OJK. I have smoked at least one bowl a day of this layered combo in this pipe for a couple of weeks now. I am glad I finally stumbled on what works for me with OJK.
 
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