A Long Absence and a Trip to Stonehenge

I am not certain that I can claim any good excuse for not posting to this blog recently. I have been enjoying some great new tobaccos recently, and have been thinking what I would write about them. I have also been enjoying some great pipe related fellowship and appreciating the people with whom I can appreciate a good pipe together. My current dream is to find a person that I can share a pipe and a game of cribbage, dominoes and/or backgammon. But I will have to be patient.

I recently spent an evening with a Bible Study/pipe circle that I enjoyed for many years. This group of fellows could not be beat for great conversation and like-minded enjoyment of tobacco and of the Word. Being there and chatting as if no time had passed at all made me think in no small part as to what heaven will be like. This too, however, is a matter for another time. What is on my mind at the moment is: Stonehenge.

I have three major tobacco reviews I am waiting to post, but all in good time, this is the first and foremost. My most avid reader went down to Edwards and boldly picked a blend for me to try (in a large quantity, no less!). The choice: Stonehenge! (Cue the dancing midget and 12" tall replica of Stonehenge descending from the ceiling). This is a great blend. It has that familiar hint of my favorite of all flavors: vanilla! But is mostly a really great lighter blend of tobacco. It doesn't have the same burley flavors that Black Watch has, however it is about the same level (or a bit less) of vanilla. Having tried some really nasty goopey aromatics, I appreciate Edward's natural aromatics a great deal! Just a taste of topping over the more abiding sense of great tobacco. One must be careful as the bowl continues as there is a bit of bite for the careless or "fast smoker", however, if you respect the blend it gets nice and intense about half way through the bowl. I would say it almost becomes pensive, brooding, and serious.

I suppose the parallel to THE Stonehenge (but only in my mind) would be the fact that upon seeing it for the first time everyone is awestruck, amazed and tickled at the curiosity of it...then we begin to wonder about the original purpose for which it was build? Oh, I'm sure we have figured it out, we're just so smart now, aren't we? But if you know, please don't tell me. I am having more fun wondering. Perhaps it was the first bird house that man started and got bored of halfway through construction. Perhaps it was giants playing with their parents dominoes. I could certainly imagine that in the absence of cards this would be the closest these men could come to making card houses. I like the idea of people with enough extra time that they would want to figure out how to put some rocks up on their ends and set others on top of it. I can just see them getting the villages together to dig up the rocks move them all to the top of the hill and saying to themselves, "I hope this whole calendar idea works, but if it doesn't, everyone else will have a heck of a time figuring out what we were doing." It certainly beats the massive wasting of time on the internet!

Additionally, if you would like to get some of this tobacco, you will have to go to the Edwards in Denver, Colorado. For some reason that is fully beyond my comprehension each individual store orders the same bulks AND THEN ARBITRARILY RENAMES THEM! This means that you can't go into your local Edwards and say "give me a pound of Stonehenge" because they will look at you like you have the wrong sort of substance in your pipe! What is yet more uncanny about this process is that they are afraid to tell you any information at all about what the tobaccos make up the blend or give you any sort of code by which you could locate the tobaccos at another Edward's store! It's the funniest, most self defeating thing I've seen in a while! But if you can find the one in Denver, Stonehenge is worth a try!

Wizened Old Pipe Smoker

The Lord is so good. When we moved our location I didn't know how long it would take to find a pipe smoker or two to enjoy some of the Lord's wonderful provision of tobacco with. The thought was even more daunting when I realized that the only real tobacconist around these parts wants to charge money in order to enjoy sitting around and shooting the breeze in the pipe/cigar store. Hope dwindled, I smoked alone.

Then I was introduced to a couple of college students who also enjoyed the Pipe. They are great guys and smoke mostly aromatics. It has been such a joy to expose them to some new tobaccos and watch them suck on their pipes like it was a speed smoking event. In turn, they give me a hard time for the fact that they will smoke three or four bowls to my one. Hey, I like to enjoy the taste...is that such a crime ;) ?

I am thankful for my new pipe smoking buddies, there is a reality that pipe smoking is better when shared. I never find myself wishing that I had not given away a bowl or two of tobacco, even a whole bag, when the fellowship and conversation is good. Coffee seems to have this power, perhaps a cigar, Bible study clearly promotes it, but there is something to be said for the simple reality that there seem to be too few things that encourage community, conversation, laughter, and the like. Most activities that I see today (television, movies, internet, reading, etc.) seem to draw people deeper into isolation. Why are there things that are better said over a pipe?

An Australian friend once alluded to the pipe as a "prop" for conversation. I like the theatrical feel of that, but I feel like there is a reality that is far more genuine. It gives us something to do when the conversation has a gap, something to default to, "my this does taste nice...". It does seem odd that we need a less important reason (pipe smoking) to get together and do something infinitely more important (sharing stories, struggles, life, etc.). But there it is. It saddens me that those less important things seem to fall out of vogue for even less important things (ipods, internets, computers, televisions, movies, etc.) that don't have the added benefit of directing us toward something better.

Thus, I am all the more thankful for my cadre of gentlemen who enjoy being a part of the brotherhood of the briar!

Thanks, Ma!

My son has the best "thanks" in the world (in my humble opinion). He looks up and beams at me and fires off a quick "den-kyoo" (with the accent on the "den"). As he is one year old this is adorable. My mother, and possible the only one who reads this blog, gave me some fun money and this is one of the things I bought (I also bought another Greek New Testament, as my old one is getting ragged). This is the first Mac Baren tobacco I have ever had. It was reviewed well, and I still am not sure what makes something a "navy flake" but I believe it means that it is pressed with molasses, honey or some other natural sweetener. Whatever the case, it's good!

The flakes themselves are dryer than some others that I have had (perhaps it's the tin that I got), however they pack and smoke wonderfully. A fold, a fold and I'm off to singing with the Village People ("in the Navy..." but smoking this tobacco doesn't seem to get me a tan at all!). I often wonder about the amazing power of the naming of tobacco. Given the fact that our government restricts tobacco advertisement so heavily (a policy I respectfully disagree with) a great deal of the selling power is wrapped up in the name.

Pipe smokers are a romantic sort (or at least I am) and are really being sold an experience, rather than just some dried leaves that come from different parts of the world. I often find myself rolling the name over in my mind as I enjoy a bowl of tobacco. Even one that I have had quite often. When I smoke Frog Morton I drift hazily back and forth between a smoke in the swamp with the dignified character on the front, and the Middle Earth Shire village for which tobacco was named. And yes, "The Frog" does a wonderful version of "the rainbow connection."

Smoking Rattray's Black Mallory (usually from my clay pipes) I find myself being gently carried into a proper English pub to enjoy the Virginia and Latakia that permeates the air. The sweet vanillas of Edward's Black Watch, take me back to many nights of friendship and Bible studies with by brothers in Denver. The wonderful flavors of C&D's Bayou AM and Bayou PM send me thinking of a peaceful repose on a Louisiana Dock after a full dinner of pine needle pie and sweetened gator stew. And I do tend to enjoy them at their recommended times.

Would I come up with any of the associations if I was given an unlabled baggie of tobacco? Certainly not. But I can be honest: sell me a dream, a vision, a fantasy. Sell me a picture that I can see with my tongue, a smell that will take me somewhere and show me something new...I'm buying. Vulnerable to advertising: yes. But I'm still buying!

Navy Flake is delicous, sweet and fun. Long, slow, cool burning and sweet. Such a nice delicate sweetness that it demands to be breathed out the nose as often as it can be. Pleasant and to the point. It isn't something that I would want to smoke inattentively, there would be too much to miss, and I think the Nicotine level would catch me by surprise if I wasn't careful. Great for a long night's smoke, one flake takes me more than an hour and a half to get through, if I smoke continuously. 3.5 oz of that is going to go quite some ways. I'm excited! (music fade out... "in the Navy...")

Cigar Tobacco?

On the recommendation of another pipe smoker I decided to try Billy Budd by Cornell and Deihl. This is described by C&D's as: "A heavy Latakia blend with rough-cut burly,bright Virginia flake and a good amount of rough-cut cigar leaf. Created for our late friend Sailorman Jack." I enjoyed this blend great deal. At first, the idea of a cigar leaf in a pipe tobacco blend didn't really appeal to me. I'm not really enamored with cigars in any way, however, this was so highly recommended that I had to give it a shot.

I love the latakia, I love the cool feeling that this provides in the tongue. This tobacco smokes cool and is enjoyably. It is a truly unique tobacco. I don't imagine that this would ever become one of my mainstay tobaccos, but I do enjoy it every time I smoke it. The cigar leaf does come through in force, and even seems to eclipse the pipe tobacco in it, but there is a sense of a continued conversation throughout the bowl. It's different, and fun, not too exciting to be an every day smoke.

I don't imagine that I will be a serious cigar smoker any time soon, but this is a nice experience. I will surely order this tobacco again!

Crooner

Is it normal to be willing to try a new tobacco because of a beloved association? I have previously written about how I love the tobacco Blackwatch more for it's historical association, so I guess I'm just susceptible to a good title. Many tobaccos thrive on a title alone, just like coffee, tea, etc. (for example "Chock Full 'O Nuts" - Worst coffee ever!) Crooner, by Cornell and Deihl, however, is more than just a pretty face. What really attracted me to this blend is not just the fact that they associated it with the iconic pipe smoker, but the fact that it was a copy blend of the blend that Bing actually smoked. Is it close, would Bing like it? I don't know.

I don't know about the nuts and bolts, but the basics of the thing are Cubed burley and deer tongue. At first I didn't understand exactly how one would smoke cubed burley, but it came with time. The first few bowls didn't "wow" me as they were following stronger English tobaccos. However, since then I have given it first shot at my unburned palate and have found it to be a really nice, light easy burning blend. It is nutty and sweet and almost has a hint of vanilla. Very nice.

I am not licensed to speak about the disparity between the private and public life of Mr. Bing Crosby. This tobacco, however, seems to fit perfectly with his public personae. It is easy going and enjoyable. Wonderfully, smooth and it helps to hum "Sam's Song" or "Blue Skies" while burning through the wonderful duration of it. What a gas!

Celebrate with Me

Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!' Luke 15:8-9

This passage of the Bible is near and dear to my heart. It records the Father's joy at finding us! How wonderful is that? Pretty great news. The joy of my most current "find" isn't even closely comparable to what the verse is talking about but there is a slight similarity which made me want to bring it up! Any chance to think about the great news of God's love for us expressed through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ on the Cross for our sins.

Now, to the find! I recently moved from one town to another. I was a bit sad to leave my comfortable old Tobacco Shop (mentioned in previous posts) and the fellowship that was shared there, but the move was certainly of the Lord, and it would be insane to reject a great opportunity for the love of a smoke shop. So move we did, and since up here I have dedicated only a small amount of time to trying to find comparable digs around my new town. Alas, the hunt has not been successful! However, one great thing did come of the excursion.

I was at a shop that claimed to be a "pipe and tobacco" shop but really was only a cigar shop with a small corner dedicated to pipes and pipe tobacco. This was a bit disappointing but Jim and Armondo made up for the lack of pipe wares with pleasant conversation. During our chat they let me know that Pipe tobacco just didn't move quick enough there, but I could browse through the tins and bulks that they did have. And what to my wandering eye did appear?

Dunhill London Mixture!

For those who may not know (as I did not until somewhat recently) Dunhill was the best selling brand of tinned pipe tobacco across the US. Then one day it mysteriously disappeared (many good explanations on the internet...I just don't know). All of this happened before I decided to make my personal foray into the world of boutique tobaccos. So I can only read reviews and hear people bemoaning the loss of their own favorite Dunhill tobacco. So which I saw it I had to purchase it. I am usually very careful and intentional about trying new blends as they are not cheap and if you don't like them you have a not cheap can of 2 oz. of apathy. But this had to be done.

Having smoked two bowls now I am unable to say if I enjoy it for the fact that I didn't think I would ever get to try a Dunhill tobacco, or for the quality of the tobacco itself. It is a wonderful mild smoke. The Virginias are sweeter and nicer than Virginia blends I have tried. The orientals impart a nice spiciness that make the whole smoke very entertaining and enjoyable. Still it is nice to find something that was supposed to be lost forever, sitting in the corner of that smoke shop for years - completely undervalued. No one seemed to have a clue how rare it was to find it. Just a little pleasure that I could never have deserved!

First Pipe in a While

For the first time in quite some time I got to get outside and have a full bowl. It was a great and wonderful, peaceful and sweet. It was quite cold out and life has been busy, but at long last it was just warm enough to sit out and enjoy the nice taste of some Special Balkan from Edwards. The spicy and rich taste of Latakia and Orientals tantalizes and calls to me. There is a sweetness that comes in and out as the bowl continues.

I enjoyed this bowl in my new pipe, which is still smoking very nicely. I finally broke with an experiment that I have been at for the past three months. For the previous months I had dedicated each pipe to a particular blend. There is a thought that if a pipe is dedicated to a specific blend the smoker will be able to taste new the deeper complexities of the tobacco and thereby enjoy the tobacco more. Results: I'm just not there yet. It was nice, and for a while I wondered if I was tasting more of the subtleties. Then I decided to finish the test by tasting the same familiar tobaccos across the pipes that were dedicated to other blends (even crossing the lines between natural, English and [gasp] aromatics). I decided that there is not much to report for me personally and therefore I'll not bother about it for a while. More to think on...perhaps I will try again later and see.