Recent Articles | Smokingpipes Daily Reader

Mystery Tobacco Review: May 2023

May 31, 2023 by Alan Britt

5 Comments

Welcome back to the Mystery Tobacco Review! We're pleased to introduce Mr. Davis Hooker of our Customer Service Department, who has accepted the distinguished and powerful position of Inquisitor for this month's review. Davis is known for his practical and down-to-Earth approach to projects, so he may have chosen ... Read More

Briar Curing: From Sawmill To Smoke

May 26, 2023 by Chuck Stanion

23 Comments

We've all experienced the "break-in" period, loading bowl after bowl into a new pipe while it shows no gratitude whatsoever and delivers acrid, hot, astringent smoke to our bewildered palates. Its online photos had accurately depicted the wonderful shape and finish, but the flavors it's delivering do not match the pipe's ... Read More

Mystery Cigar Review: May 2023

May 25, 2023 by Shane Ireland

Welcome back, everyone, to the Mystery Cigar Review.For this month's episode, we were honored to host Mr. Nicholas Melillo, founder and owner of Foundation Cigar Company, as our special guest Inquisitor, selecting one mystery cigar for Alan, Truett, Tyler, and me to review in a blind taste test. Tune in as we smoke ... Read More

Smooth Sailing: Exploring Cornell & Diehl's Melville at Sea Series

May 24, 2023 by Gabriel Bass

Every generation has its literary titans who create works that speak deeply to their respective age in the language of the day. Within that milieu are voices whose words resonate through the ages, while the rest, though talented, are eventually relegated to obscurity outside academic circles. Even among the few who retain ... Read More

The Pipe Stem: The Most Important Component of Any Pipe

May 19, 2023 by Chuck Stanion

9 Comments

Around 30 years ago, the sharing of information between pipe makers changed. The thinking, in North America, at least, was that the craft had to be learned by performing it solo. Pimos's Guide to PipeCrafting at Home was the only resource for new pipe makers. It's a great book and thousands of people have ... Read More

How to Pack and Light Ribbon Cut Tobacco: The Gravity Method

May 18, 2023 by Truett Smith

6 Comments

Ribbon-cut tobacco is among the most ubiquitous tobacco cuts on the market, and it's also one of the easiest to prepare. Aside from optional drying time, it requires no preparation beforehand, meaning ribbon-cut tobacco may be loaded directly from the tin, pouch, or whatever container houses the tobacco. Today I'll be ... Read More

New Netherland, William Kieft, and the Smoker's Rebellion

May 17, 2023 by Davin Hylton

2 Comments

Following their succession from Spanish rule in 1579, seven Dutch provinces formed the United Provinces of the Netherlands and became the first fully independent Dutch state. What followed was the Dutch Republic's "Golden Age," a time when, according to the New York State Library's What Was New Netherland? ... Read More

The Retrohale: A Technique for Advanced Flavor Appreciation

May 12, 2023 by Chuck Stanion

12 Comments

Retrohaling is the practice of expelling tobacco smoke through one's nose without having inhaled it. For those of us who haven't practiced the technique, the obvious question is, "Why?" What's the advantage when we can obviously taste our tobaccos already? ... Read More

Celebrating the Lunar New Year: Dunhill Zodiac Pipes

May 11, 2023 by Zachary Podl

2 Comments

For thousands of years, people have constructed monuments to honor the stars. Stonehenge, Macchu Piccu, and Chichen Itza not only exhibit humankind's obsession with the stars, but also some of humankind's grandest achievements. In modern times, we continue to celebrate these solar phenomena, but without having ... Read More

Black Label Trading Company: Memento Mori Review

May 10, 2023 by John McElheny

1 Comment

James Brown founded Black Label Trading Company in 2013, the brand's debut marked by a decidedly different approach to both blending and branding and acquiring a legion of devoted followers enamored with their high-quality smokes and contemporary approach to design. Much of Black Label's lasting appeal stems ... Read More

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