I scored my first Olivewood pipe recently, a Dirk Claessen Lotus Line Liverpool with a beautiful and tasteful green cumberland brindle ebonite stem. Dirk was nothing less than fantastic to deal with and the shipping took 6 business days from Spain to my doorstep in VA, not too shabby. Pipe arrived with a sock in perfect condition and was packed super safely with bubllewrap and air pillows. I really like Dirk's work and attention to detail with drilling, stemwork and excellent execution on his more classic shapes. Definitely a pipe maker to watch. I think his Lotus Line pipes are one of the best values dollar for dollar that is available right now. They are completely hand made, both stem and bowl and offer a blue collar price for a white collar pipe. Check out his website if you are interested: http://claessenpipes.com/lotus-line.html
The pipe smokes wonderfully, the draw is excellent and open and the bowl is the perfect thickness to allow it to remain cool throughout each bowl smoked through it. I really dig the taste that the olivewood provides and think that it is remarkably different and unique as opposed to briar and other materials out there. It will most certainly not be my last olivewood or my last Claessen purchase. Dirk told me via email correspondence that he made an olivewood for himself and smokes the hell out of it, as he feels the same about its smoking qualities. He was quite sure i would like it and he was right on the money.
I also received my first TAD relapse shipment from SPC last week as well, restocking on some old favorites and trying out a few new blends. Most notably, C&D's Oak Alley was one of my favorites in the order and that blend is on point. It smokes ridiculously well paired with the olivewood Claessen pipe and i am thinking of maybe smoking it nearly exclusively in that pipe. Give it a try if you have not already, it's a mighty tasty blend and another classic from C&D, who in my opinion never fail to
Here's some pics:
The pipe smokes wonderfully, the draw is excellent and open and the bowl is the perfect thickness to allow it to remain cool throughout each bowl smoked through it. I really dig the taste that the olivewood provides and think that it is remarkably different and unique as opposed to briar and other materials out there. It will most certainly not be my last olivewood or my last Claessen purchase. Dirk told me via email correspondence that he made an olivewood for himself and smokes the hell out of it, as he feels the same about its smoking qualities. He was quite sure i would like it and he was right on the money.
I also received my first TAD relapse shipment from SPC last week as well, restocking on some old favorites and trying out a few new blends. Most notably, C&D's Oak Alley was one of my favorites in the order and that blend is on point. It smokes ridiculously well paired with the olivewood Claessen pipe and i am thinking of maybe smoking it nearly exclusively in that pipe. Give it a try if you have not already, it's a mighty tasty blend and another classic from C&D, who in my opinion never fail to
Here's some pics:
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