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Enjoyed eight slices of cinnamon raisin French toast with a sliced peach on the side for lunch. I'm back on the diet as of now. Anyway, I'm a third of the way through this bowl of year 2016 Peterson 3Ps in a medium bent smooth walnut year 1987 medium bend Peterson 80S Bulldog Silver Spigot with a tapered black vulcanite p-lip stem. Ice water and bergs is my drink. I'm comparing this version to the current one to update my review on the changes this blend has gone through.
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A third of the way through this bowl of year 2022 Peterson 3Ps in a 1986 three quarter bend Bacchus face CAO meer with a tapered dark tortoise shell colored acrylic stem. Still working on a update to my review of this blend, which has been changed.
CAO-Bacchus.jpg
 
Good Evening my friends.
I'm well late on parade today, sorry about that. But I've had a very busy day today.
But anyway, today I'm plugging some Garwith coffee and caramel into this Parker Jockey cub Zulu.
Interesting thing about Parker pipes, that most of you will know I'm sure, however some of you may not.
So I've copied some txt, from my goto shops website, and will post it here.
I think your find it interesting reading.

Parker Pipes Dunhill seconds? Wrong! Think more Dunhill failings! Dunhill pipes are highly regarded as being the epitome of the pipe smoking world. There is no better pipe than a Dunhill. The Mediterranean's finest Briar is reserved for Dunhill and no expense is spared in scouring the markets to source the best briar. Briar is a natural product and it is only when the root is carved or finished after a long period of seasoning that the grain pattern is revealed. If the grain pattern doesn't live up to the very strict standards to warrant the Dunhill stamp it simply doesn't get stamped.
So what do they do with this very high quality briar that could make an exceptional pipe but doesn't quite warrant the Dunhill stamp? They sell it for very expensive kindling right? Erm no! In 1922 Dunhill opened a parent brand where Dunhills craftsmen finish the pipes to a near Dunhill standard and mark it as a Parker instead. So if you want an exceptional smoking pipe that is cosmetic perfection you buy a Dunhill. If you want an exceptional smoke and can live with near perfect aesthetics with a substantially reduced price tag you buy a Parker!
Thanks to Black Swan for the above
Have a great day my friends.
 

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A quarter of the way through this bowl of first release Watch City Rouxgaroux in a smooth medium bend 2021 Peterson POTY Natural 4AB No. 6/500 military mount with a silver cap and a tapered black vulcanite AB stem.
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Thank you. It's a fav. I have all seven 4ABs.
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Half way through this bowl of Watch City Original Crumb Cut in a 1950s-60s straight smooth brown Bertram 07 octagonal paneled billiard with a square shank and a tapered black vulcanite stem.
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Damn, I love that Bertram shape! Not sure anyone makes a shape exactly like this one!! What a great shop; it deserved a better ending! FTRPLT
 
Damn, I love that Bertram shape! Not sure anyone makes a shape exactly like this one!! What a great shop; it deserved a better ending! FTRPLT
That pipe is a fav of mine. Great shaping, great smoker.

Did a second set of walks, and am close to finishing this bowl of year 2015 D&R A.B. Rimboche in an undated slight bend, smooth flame grain Wessex Standard egg with a brown accent on the black vulcanite saddle stem.
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Relaxing after a wonderful salad, barramundi and green beans dinner with a small scoop of double chocolate ice cream for dessert. I'm a quarter of the way through this bowl of year 2012 St. James Flake in a straight 1968 Dunhill Tanshell octagonal paneled EK F/T billiard with a square shank and tapered black vulcanite stem. Haven't smoked SJF or this pipe that I dedicated to it in quite some time. But, I decided to have a Dunhill evening, and this is a good place to start, especially since I have nine pounds of 2012 SJF.
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A third of the way through this bowl of year 2022 Peterson 3Ps in a 1986 three quarter bend Bacchus face CAO meer with a tapered dark tortoise shell colored acrylic stem. Still working on a update to my review of this blend, which has been changed.
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Hey Jim, I follow a lot of your reviews and it seems like many tobacco blends are not holding their own and actually getting worse. Is quality tobacco not being grown anymore or is it an importation/regulation problem? I noticed Watch City has to keep changing their blends because of tobacco supply. Any information or foresight would be greatly appreciated.
 
Hey Jim, I follow a lot of your reviews and it seems like many tobacco blends are not holding their own and actually getting worse. Is quality tobacco not being grown anymore or is it an importation/regulation problem? I noticed Watch City has to keep changing their blends because of tobacco supply. Any information or foresight would be greatly appreciated.
Watch City discontinued several blends a few years back because the base tobaccos were McClelland's. Ernie's not going to sell a blend unless he can keep it consistent. The only blend he's discontinued since then was Watch City Slices because Sutliff just couldn't keep it consistent. More blenders should have Ernie's integrity.

In my opinion, there are only two reasons K&K and STG are changing blends. One would be to lower costs, e.g., HU Director's Cut where they lessened the perique content and upped the dark fired Kentucky because DFK is one tenth the price of perique. Same thing happened to Savinelli Doblone d'Oro.

The other reason, which is just as likely as the first one, is that sourcing red Virginias may have become more difficult. In every review that I have revised recently, with the exception of Heinrich's Dark Strong, red Virginia has been replaced by either orange or bright. Are sources for the red Va. dimishing, or are the companies trying to save money by using other Virginias? I can't answer that for a fact because I'm not in the "know". I just know what the changes are.

Now smoking year 2014 Dan Tobacco Hamborger Veermaster in a smooth straight brown 1950 Dunhill 48 bulldog group 4 root briar with a black vulcanite fish tail saddle stem. Gold Star Hawaiian Kona Extra Fancy, neat,is my drink.
Dunhill_1950_root-bulldog48.jpg
 
Watch City discontinued several blends a few years back because the base tobaccos were McClelland's. Ernie's not going to sell a blend unless he can keep it consistent. The only blend he's discontinued since then was Watch City Slices because Sutliff just couldn't keep it consistent. More blenders should have Ernie's integrity.

In my opinion, there are only two reasons K&K and STG are changing blends. One would be to lower costs, e.g., HU Director's Cut where they lessened the perique content and upped the dark fired Kentucky because DFK is one tenth the price of perique. Same thing happened to Savinelli Doblone d'Oro.

The other reason, which is just as likely as the first one, is that sourcing red Virginias may have become more difficult. In every review that I have revised recently, with the exception of Heinrich's Dark Strong, red Virginia has been replaced by either orange or bright. Are sources for the red Va. dimishing, or are the companies trying to save money by using other Virginias? I can't answer that for a fact because I'm not in the "know". I just know what the changes are.

Now smoking year 2014 Dan Tobacco Hamborger Veermaster in a smooth straight brown 1950 Dunhill 48 bulldog group 4 root briar with a black vulcanite fish tail saddle stem. Gold Star Hawaiian Kona Extra Fancy, neat,is my drink.
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Jim,
Thanks for the quick and detailed reply. I agree that Ernie Q. has the integrity/talent others seem to lack. Thanks!
 
It's a gorgeous day here in Ye Olde England. And I'm going to light up a Parker Jockey club bent Billiard with Petersons Sunset Breeze. And continue watching the Cricket. A cup of Yorkshire Tea is my drink of choice.
And I wish all of you as greater day as the one I'm having.
 

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