Smuggling daydreams into reality - A Pipe Journey

That disease sounds both good and bad. Haha

oc_in_fw said:

Beware MTAD- that is Mark Tinsky Acquisition Disorder. I hope to have one for each day of the week by next year.

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I have yet to get a Tinsky, but his pipes are on my "watch" list. There is a specific artisan that I am looking to acquire a pipe from next, but I'm not sure when I'll be in a position to acquire another pipe after my latest acquisitions. Which.... Brings me to today's smoke.

I had mentioned in an earlier post about a Moretti pipe that I had picked up from the 'bay. I was looking at the Moretti pipes prior to buying the Brebbia. Then late one night I couldn't sleep and was on the 'bay and saw this pipe which was in the style that I had liked earlier and also made from morta, which I had been wanting. I put up what I thought was a good bid, but really thought that the pipe was going to go for a bit more than I had bid, so I felt good about bidding and went to sleep. Lo and behold I ended up as the top bidder. My gut sank a bit as I feared repercussions from the wife, but what had been done was done and the pipe was soon on its way to a new and apprehensive owner.

A few pics of the pipe that are similar yet express different attributes of the pipe. It really is a looker and feels great in the hand.



My main concern with this pipe was the size of the bowl. The bowl, or chamber to be specific, was even smaller than the Brebbia. It was surprisingly small when I saw in person. The other portions of the pipe were perfect. The diameter of the Rhodesian shape was just right for my hands, the shaping allowed it to rest pleasantly on my middle finger with the index and thumb resting gently above its equator. The draft hole was precisely aligned with the chamber. The shape of the stem felt good on the lips. The pipe rested easy in a clench and was ergonomically of a higher caliber than the rest of my pipes. It was in a word impeccable. Even the smallish chamber proved adequate for the job, although in my humble opinion would have benefited by being a touch deeper and changing the proportions of the pipe to match if necessary. Really though that is probably being a wee picky, because after all when you purchase an artisan pipe, you are purchasing their vision of the perfect smoking instrument, chamber and all.

So on to the smoke. I debated a bit about what to smoke. I was leaning towards Hal O the Wynd, but changed my mind when I reached for the pipe to load it with some Frog Morton. I packed the pipe lightly, pressing only once and adding a touch more of loose on top for kindling. I was delighted to use my Old Boy for both lighting, tamping, and picking with this pipe as the smaller dimensions of the chamber lent itself to the Old Boy pipe tool very well. The pipe smoked like a champ. I should have packed the bowl a bit tighter, but the smaller chamber had me second guessing a bit. I remedied the issue with some aggressive tamping and things settled in well. I had a few relights, which has become more normal lately ?! This should recede back to only a single relight or perhaps two at most once I have a few more smokes with the new pipes. There was zero gurgle and a pipe cleaner easily passed into the chamber. If I had to guess, then I would say that the slot opening at the mouth is 1.5mm as it felt snug, yet not tight nor restrictive. The pipe, perhaps by its short nature, had a markedly great draw.

Final thoughts. Superbly pleased with the performance of the pipe. Worth the money? That is in the beholder's eyes. For me I am happy to have this one in my stable and am pleased with the purchase, very fast shipping, and email exchanges with Marco Biagini, whom is the purveyor of Moretti pipes. I would easily recommend this pipe to someone that wanted a complete package in a smaller pipe. This would certainly be a pipe that you could smoke in a suit and tie or a t-shirt and not feel out of place.

Very nice write up. I'm looking to add something morta to my collection as soon as it's feasible. I'll have to keep my eye out for that pipe maker. I am a fan of smaller chambered pipes. I have a couple freehands that are just too huge and I never smoke them, sadly, due to the size.

I love love love that texture. I am so jealous.

I like smaller chambers. I get 45-90 minutes out of a small cob, let alone larger chambers in briars.

That's a gorgeous and unique pipe.
Nice buy!

Ok fellas. I'm finally back. I took the opportunity tonight to step outside and have a pipe. I had traded samples of Penzance with @CaptainCaveman some time back. I do apologize for taking what feels like forever to getting around to sampling this one and comparing notes.

Aged Penzance in a MM Cob Gentleman Bent

I quite liked the fresh (presumably) sample of Penzance that I was fortunate enough to receive and reviewed it here. This time was a bit different story, although not a bad one. The tobacco was the right moisture level right out of the jar. The cut seemed a bit finer than the other sample and the moisture level was certainly a bit drier. The "tin" note was similar yet less pronounced. The char light, etc was fine with no real issues. The taste: The Latakia was present, but not that wonderful "blanket" that I had experienced prior. The blanket had been worn down to a mere sheet of latakia with the Va's becoming the dominant flavor in the profile. It was as though the lats and va's swapped places in this go around. The orientals stilled popped in and out through the duration of the smoke to keep things interesting. The overall taste was the same, yet different. I would liken it to a fresh glass of iced tea (Not in flavor, but in the same contrast?). The first sip is bold and refreshing with little to no dilution present (Fresh Penzance), then after some time has passed and you get near the bottom of the glass; the tea has been diluted. The same flavor is present, just not as bold (aged Penzance). Hopefully that analogy makes some sense. That was my experience tonight.

In summary. If you thought Penzance was a bit too Lat forward when fresh and you like, say Squadron Leader, then tuck that Penzance away for a while and it will mellow out into a more balanced palate. If you like it fresh, then I say enjoy the smoke and save the cellar space for something else. Personally I prefer the fresh Penzance to the aged stuff. I felt that the fresh Penzance possessed greater character which had dulled with the addition of time.

Till next time. Sweet smokes my friends!

I really do love that Morta Moretti

That description of Penzance aged vs. fresh is consistent with my observations on the swap...and way more prosaic than I could have written!

captaincaveman said:

That description of Penzance aged vs. fresh is consistent with my observations on the swap...and way more prosaic than I could have written!

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Same here- I seem to like the fresh stuff better.

Senshi said:

I really do love that Morta Moretti

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Thanks Andrew for the kind words. I am loving that pipe the more I look at it and handle it. The craftsmanship is top notch compared to the Savinelli and Brebbia briar pipes that I have and those are no slouches. My only complaint is that I don't smoke often enough to give it the attention it deserves. One day though I will be able to sit on my lanai and smoke freely as I work and all will be perfect in this world

So it has been a week to the day it seems since my last smoke. That smoke was brought to you by the ever elusive Esoterica Penzance. This week we are dipping once again into that fabled brand to sample the Yin to Penzance's Yang ~ Stonehaven (courtesy of Alpster via the Pipe Tobacco Exchange Round 2).

The Review.

Esoterica - Stonehaven

I will be honest and say upfront that I have avoided all tobacco that has "burley" or "kentucky" as a component since thus far I have not enjoyed them quite so much. And so it was with not a small amount of hesitation that I joined in on Round 2 of the Pipe Tobacco exchange knowing that Stonehaven had already been committed to the exchange. I was quite fortunate to not only get a sample of Stonehaven, but also some others from Ronnie via his abounding generosity, all of which will be reviewed in due time.

I chose the Brebbia 623 for the first sampling of Stonehaven figuring that it would be a good middle ground pairing. I rubbed out the flake and packed the bowl earlier in the day and set it aside to dry out a bit in anticipation of tonight's smoke. The drying time was perfect and the moisture level was in that sweet spot for me. The tin note on this stuff was really pleasing; I picked up some smokiness, fig, and subtle nutty. To be honest the smell brought visions of oysters on the half shell simmering over a lakeside campfire. Not sure that they even share any similarity in smell, but that was the vision that it invoked.

On to the important stuff - Flavor! I used the trustworthy Old Boy to apply the flame and was a bit staggered by how much the tobacco rose on the char light. It actually rose enough so that an ember drifted out onto my hand - a veritable eruption of tobacco. So I let the embers die down and gave a firm tamping. Relight showed a bit of rise also, but was kept in check with another gentle tamp. The flavor was roasted almonds and creamy like rich chocolate milk, although not chocolate in flavor. Then the flavor melded into a rich pecan and resided in that rich, creamy, smoky, nutty presence for some time. It was a bit like a diabetic's thanksgiving dessert to be honest; rich and flavorful, yet not overly sweet. My mind drifted a bit and memories of my Dad arose from my childhood. The room note had a strange familiarity that was welcomed. I thought to myself "Not as good as the better latakia's but certainly good for a change of pace and definitely redeeming in nature for ole mr burley." I was stymied for I had expected not to like this and yet here I was quite enjoying it !? This lasted for about 2/3rds of the way through the smoke and then things turned a little south. The flavor became a bit too Burley dominant with those strange and bitter acorn notes popping up here and there; there was also a bit of a cigarette component that started to interplay with the flavor profile (This was probably what brought the memories of my Dad as he was a cigarette smoker in my youth). It was as though a snotty kid had thrown a huge rock into a pristine glass surfaced lake. The serene moment was gone and what was left could not return to what once was. I will say that the room note towards the end was actually better than in the beginning as though the night air was stealing away those rich flavors that I was enjoying. I slowed my cadence and sipped here and there, which helped counteract the acorn note, but the cigarette note remained until the end.

I think that the conical shaped bowl could have played a role in the changing flavor profile, so I have not written this one off yet. I intend to try it in 2 more pipes before I make my verdict. Based upon tonight's performance I would love to have Stonehaven sitting atop some SG FVF so that the flavor profile could lighten as you progressed and end on a refreshing note. That would make this perfect for me.

I have a couple blends I recall thinking I would like to pack something different into the bottom and those on top so the flavor profile doesn't go a bit off on the blend as I go through the bowl. Nice to hear someone else thinking the same thing.

MrSmith said:

So it has been a week to the day it seems since my last smoke. That smoke was brought to you by the ever elusive Esoterica Penzance. This week we are dipping once again into that fabled brand to sample the Yin to Penzance's Yang ~ Stonehaven
...
And so it was with not a small amount of hesitation that I joined in on Round 2 of the Pipe Tobacco exchange knowing that Stonehaven had already been committed to the exchange. I was quite fortunate to not only get a sample of Stonehaven, but also some others from Ronnie via his abounding generosity, all of which will be reviewed in due time.
...
I chose the Brebbia 623 for the first sampling of Stonehaven figuring that it would be a good middle ground pairing. I rubbed out the flake and packed the bowl earlier in the day and set it aside to dry out a bit in anticipation of tonight's smoke. The drying time was perfect and the moisture level was in that sweet spot for me. The tin note on this stuff was really pleasing; I picked up some smokiness, fig, and subtle nutty. To be honest the smell brought visions of oysters on the half shell simmering over a lakeside campfire. Not sure that they even share any similarity in smell, but that was the vision that it invoked.
...
On to the important stuff - Flavor! I used the trustworthy Old Boy to apply the flame and was a bit staggered by how much the tobacco rose on the char light. It actually rose enough so that an ember drifted out onto my hand - a veritable eruption of tobacco.
...
It was as though a snotty kid had thrown a huge rock into a pristine glass surfaced lake. The serene moment was gone and what was left could not return to what once was. I will say that the room note towards the end was actually better than in the beginning as though the night air was stealing away those rich flavors that I was enjoying.

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You have one heck of a way with words. Sometimes I feel like Taggart to your Hedley Lamarr.

captaincaveman said:

You have one heck of a way with words. Sometimes I feel like Taggart to your Hedley Lamarr.

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"Ditto!"

captaincaveman said:

You have one heck of a way with words. Sometimes I feel like Taggart to your Hedley Lamarr.

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Are you a Methodist?

Thanks everyone once again for the kind words concerning my ramblings. I do make good use of a Thesaurus; it will increase your vocabulary sevenfold! Concerning Hedley's $20 dollar mouth; save the money for the whore as you'll get more pleasure (J/K)

@oc_in_fw As far as being a Methodist? I suppose my ways are Methodical, but I reckon I'd be considered a Pentecostal.

Revisited the Stonehaven again. This time in a MM Cobb Gentleman bent. I really have enjoyed this pipe shape and offering from MM as I now own 4 or 5 of them. I think that I may smoke just a tad fast in them based upon my smoke tonight. I also noticed how open the draw is on them compared to the typical briar pipe. The Stonehaven smoked very well in the pipe, which came as no surprise. The quality of the smoke itself (density, etc) was very nice also, which again, I expected. The flavor however was subdued and in many ways monotonous. The Burley was less remarkable and did not develop in the same manor. It was simply present and the Virginia came into play a bit more. There was still a minute increase in the acorn note towards the end as well as the presence of a cigarette note. Altogether I finished the pipe and was pleased with the smoke. It left me satisfied and content, yet strangely missing the experience that I previously had, even though this smoke was enjoyable for the full duration.

Overall it has perhaps opened the palate to accept a Burley into my cellar for a change of pace. I still don't think that I'll intentionally seek out any Burley, unless I find Stonehaven in stock when making an order.

I had a bowl in my MM Diplomat for my drive home from work yesterday and noticed the exact same thing on the draw. Large difference in how open it is vs my other pipes. I found myself wanting to over tamp it due to that.

That's a supporting reason why I like filters in MM pipes, after my main reason of disliking bits of tobacco/ash in my mouth.

MrSmith said:

@oc_in_fw As far as being a Methodist? I suppose my ways are Methodical, but I reckon I'd be considered a Pentecostal.

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I used to be Methodist, so this scene always made me laugh

I've been racking my brain trying to remember from where in Blazing Saddles the Methodist thing came, but as soon as I saw the title on the Youtube clip I remembered.

Of course I could always just watch again. And again. And again after that.

Belated Post.

Smoked another sample of Stonehaven last night. This time in the Savinelli Mielle 611 KS (a bent dublin). In my mind this pipe was "the one" for this tobacco, but alas it did not prove to be so. The flavor was similar to the experience with the MM Cob. To the Savinelli's defense, it was only a half bowl since the chamber is quite large and I wanted to save a bit of the Stonehaven for my final experiment where I layer it over some SG FVF. One thing that I will note is that I've either become accustom to the Burley notes, or perhaps grown more tolerant as I have enjoyed this tobacco a bit more with each smoke. I still got a few acorn notes on the relights, but that was essentially the extent of the "bitter acorn" note that I had associated with Burley. The flavor was just a creamy slightly nutty and perhaps a touch earthy like boiled peanuts tend to be. Overall I am giving this tobacco the thumbs up. Definitely a game changer for me in the Burley arena. I will be keeping my eyes open for a chance too score some for the "cellar".

On another note. It seems that the Brebbia is a winner on two accounts for flavor development. This would be for SG FVF which transformed in the Brebbia 623 and subsequently the Stonehaven that kicked off these past few reviews. Perhaps it's the medium'ish sized conical chamber?