Castello vs Dunhill @ same price point
- Thread starter jayski
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Actually not much of a battle. Some like Castello and some like Dunhill, but since I own zero Italian pipes.....Dunhill. I've never owned a Castello, but the 10 Dunhills I own have never let me down.
Castello, all day every day; and yes, I own several of each, the Castellos just flat smoke better FOR ME. YMMV
I love my Castellos. I love my Dunhills. I'm hard pressed to choose between them. If you held a gun on me, I'd say I prefer the aesthetics of the Dunhills, but dollar for dollar, I think the Castello uses better briar. You need one of each for your own experimentation. Then you can decide which path to pursue.
Presently I do own both and have smoked both extensively. But Castello gets my vote on this question -- better briar gives a sweeter smoke :
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Yet I do love pipes with more heft in the bowl. Thus I like the way my Cavicchis smoke even more than my Castellos.
:Yet I do love pipes with more heft in the bowl. Thus I like the way my Cavicchis smoke even more than my Castellos.
Castellos purchased on eBay are extraordinarily poor smokers and the vendors who peddle them are all crooks. In fact that is also true of Radices and Ser Jacapos. And don't get me started on the theiving sellers of Il Ceppos and Mastro de Paja's. It is a wonder that any buyer of an Italian pipe on eBay has a tongue left to relate the experience. Of course, you would have to go to the poorhouse to find them.
You might luck into a decent Dunhill on eBay. Even a blind hog can find an acorn now and then. But it will be grossly overpriced. If you frequent eBay, stick to French and Danish pipes. If you must have an Italian pipe, go to a pipe shop, where you know you will only be slightly gouged.
You might luck into a decent Dunhill on eBay. Even a blind hog can find an acorn now and then. But it will be grossly overpriced. If you frequent eBay, stick to French and Danish pipes. If you must have an Italian pipe, go to a pipe shop, where you know you will only be slightly gouged.
They're both good lines of pipes. I like my Castellos, mostly the Dunhills went into the drawer when I started smoking Barlings, though there are several that I still smoke. But why not include Ser Jacopo or Upshall, maybe Charatan or Radice? Then there's Ardor, Kaywoodie, Sasieni, Stanwell, Savinelli, Ashton, Ferdnown, Caminetto, Bauer, GBD, BBB, and LSMFT? And leave us not forget MM cobs which, along with the aforementioned brands, smoke as well as any other pipe.
If I have not made myself clear, the removal of Italian and better British briar from eBay is a job left to a few professionals.Most of you should stick to French and Danish pipes. It is demanding, exhausting work, but someone has to do it. I successfully removed a Castello from circulation this afternoon, and, bloodied but unbowed, am recharging to do battle once more tomorrow. Pure public service.
In my opinion it is based pipe to pipe. I prefer British pipes to the Italians right now, so for me it would be Dunhill of the two. I would actually pick other British makers such as Ferndown, Askwith, Ashton and Ser Jacopo, Mastro de Paja, and Don Carlos for the Italians over Dunhill and Castello.
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