While being a slightly aromatic blend, there are high quality tobaccos at work here too. There is a Burley nuttiness and a light Virginia sweetness combined with a smoky fire-cured Kentucky that makes for a well-rounded flavor. If you are 100% strictly against any hint of top flavoring, then stay away. However, if you have more eclectic tastes like I do and like to explore, you may find that you enjoy the Peterson University Flake as much as I do.

We have a new Pipe Smoking Babe this week. Check out raven-haired Tanya in her little black dress as she smokes her pipe in the private room of the dowtown club.

Tanya Smokes Her Pipe - CLICK HERE FOR FULL GALLERY

Sir Walter Raleigh Colonial Billiard Pipe, made by Lane. This pipe measures approximately 5 5/8″ Long x 1 3/4″ High with a bowl diameter of 1 1/4″ and a maximum bowl width of 1 1/4″.

Order this Pipe Now - Click Here!

By: John St. Mark

What’s the right way to taste wine?

Here’s the first thing you should remember: If you’re enjoying it, then whatever you’re doing works. You’re doing it right.

Analytic tasting techniques (like swirling and sniffing) are helpful if your goal is to maximize the amount of objective information you obtain from the wine. Not everyone is interested in that sort of information, but if you like to talk meaningfully about your wine, or to compare it with wines you have tasted on other occasions, it can be very useful. Here are some of the basics:

Don’t let the name fool you. There is no Latakia in this "Scottish Blend", but that is ok with me even though I love Latakia. This is a ready rubbed air cured blend of Burley, Cavendish and Virginia which has a reputation of being one of the most popular pipe tobaccos in the world. Despite that reputation it seems that lately there have been a few pipe smokers who thought that this blend was no longer up to scratch so I thought I would try a tin of it to see what I thought … and I’m glad I did.

This is Part II of our coverage of the Pipe Collecting on eBay Seminar from The Chicago Pipe Show.

Part I is here.

Part II is the question and answer session from Rob Cooper’s presentation. This is a lively discussion about buying and selling collectible pipes on ebay, customer service, and debate about the auction format and sniping services.

The discussion starts out specific to collectible pipes, and then relates to several general things that would apply to anybody buying and selling on ebay. Just as with the part I, I thought it was an interesting and educational discussion even though I do not personally participate in these activities. The way the business works, the challenges involved for both buyers and sellers, and how Rob has been successful with it are an fascinating story. I imagine it will be even more captivating if you are involved in buying and selling online.

Without further adieu, here is the Q & A from the Pipe Collecting on eBay Seminar from the The 2009 Chicagoland Int’l Pipe & Tobacciana Show

Bjarne Nielsen, the owner and the founder of Bjarne Pipes, passed away in February 2008. The company was founded in 1973 and became Denmark’s largest pipe manufacturer of 100% hand made pipes. Bjarne Nielsen’s pipes are recognized as a great value. His goal was to make high quality Danish pipes at a reasonable price. Bjarne pipes are hand made of the highest quality Grecian and Calabrian plateaux briar. Get one of his excellent pipes while you still can.

This is a Viking pipe, made by Bjarne. This pipe measures approximately 5 1/2″ Long x 1 3/4″ High with a bowl diameter of 1 1/2″ and a maximum bowl width of 1 1/2″.

See a Listing of Bjarne Pipes for Sale Here

By Tommy Zarzecki

Back in the late 1960’s Hugh Hefner, the god of all furry creatures great and small, hosted a hip and controversial show known as Playboy After Dark. Only the coolest of the cool were chosen as guests by Hef himself, including actors, musicians, comedians and of course some of the most beautiful and sexiest woman of the day. There was much adult humor and talk of sex - something that was still taboo to speak of on television in ‘68. But Hefner was a perennial groundbreaker and his late-night show personified what it was truly like to live the life of a "Playboy."