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Fantastic show this year at the NASPC Show in Dublin, OH. It was my first year attending and I set up as an exhibitor selling my cobs and clays. It's always great meeting forum members at the show as well as customers and making some new friends as well. I don't really have any local pipe clubs in my little rural corner of Virginia, so being able to sit around and share conversation and tobacco blends with fellow pipe smokers at these shows is always a real treat. Enjoyed sitting around outside and sharing conversation with Phil Morgan from MM as well as all the CPCC fellows that host the Chicago Show. Even chatted with a few fellow Virginians from the CORPS pipe club out of Richmond.
Even though I am primarily a cob and clay guy, I have to admit that I do enjoy my briars as well and I picked up a couple nice pipes at the show. Ron Smith of Ranz Freehands was set up at the table next to me and he's really a great guy and is making some beautiful briars of various styles and selling them at some phenomenal prices. I had to pick up one of his pipes and broke it in at the show and have to say it is a fantastic smoker! I also picked up a large Rossi LUCCA EX rusticated bent billiard that I've been breaking in since I got back home. It's also a nice smoking pipe! Being a cob guy, I did have to pick up one of MM's new cob cigars as well. Of course, I had to add to my TAD and picked up a few tobacco blends including a couple of my favorites: Sutliff's Edward G. Robinson and Mac BAren's HH Old Dark Fired. Also picked up a very smooth and flavorful red Virginia blend that is phenomenal! Lane Ltd was also set up next to my table but due to the new FDA deeming rules, they couldn't give out any free samples. However, they did give out coupons to purchase Captain Black blends for a $1/pouch from one of their distributors at the show and so I picked up 3 of those pouches as well. Interestingly, they debuted their latest Captain Black blend, "Captain Black Grape". Since they couldn't give out samples I didn't get a chance to try it, but it's smell reminded me of the old Bubble Yum grape bubble gum. I have heard that people who have smoked it and reviewed it online say it's surprisingly a rather pleasant and enjoyable smoke.
Anyway, a great show and my hat's off to the fine NASPC folks who put on this show every year.
Even though I am primarily a cob and clay guy, I have to admit that I do enjoy my briars as well and I picked up a couple nice pipes at the show. Ron Smith of Ranz Freehands was set up at the table next to me and he's really a great guy and is making some beautiful briars of various styles and selling them at some phenomenal prices. I had to pick up one of his pipes and broke it in at the show and have to say it is a fantastic smoker! I also picked up a large Rossi LUCCA EX rusticated bent billiard that I've been breaking in since I got back home. It's also a nice smoking pipe! Being a cob guy, I did have to pick up one of MM's new cob cigars as well. Of course, I had to add to my TAD and picked up a few tobacco blends including a couple of my favorites: Sutliff's Edward G. Robinson and Mac BAren's HH Old Dark Fired. Also picked up a very smooth and flavorful red Virginia blend that is phenomenal! Lane Ltd was also set up next to my table but due to the new FDA deeming rules, they couldn't give out any free samples. However, they did give out coupons to purchase Captain Black blends for a $1/pouch from one of their distributors at the show and so I picked up 3 of those pouches as well. Interestingly, they debuted their latest Captain Black blend, "Captain Black Grape". Since they couldn't give out samples I didn't get a chance to try it, but it's smell reminded me of the old Bubble Yum grape bubble gum. I have heard that people who have smoked it and reviewed it online say it's surprisingly a rather pleasant and enjoyable smoke.
Anyway, a great show and my hat's off to the fine NASPC folks who put on this show every year.
