Thanks, Ashdigger

Nirvana. The best smoking pipe I own is also the one I have held onto the longest, a Castello 75 Sea Rock bought in the mid 80's that started life as a GG but is now, thanks to an unfortunate accident and the remarkable skill of Jim Cooke, a G. I figured that what I have to smoke tonight deserves the best. Ashdigger recently unearthed,from England, a cutter top can of Rattray's Black Mallory. Cutter tops disappeared in the early 1960's, AFAIK. It is conceivably​ older than that by a few decades. The tin itself appeared from the pictures he posted here to be completely pristine, and the sample he sent is in perfect shape, no need to rehydrate in any way (typical of cutter tops that have maintained their integrity). I am 20 minutes into this bowl, and it is everything I expected. I have not smoked tobacco from a cutter top in more than 15 years, and never expected to have this experience again. The sugar crystals on the leaf give the first hint that there will be a discernible underlying sweetness that is not in any way cloying. The Latakia is definitely there in what to me is more than the background, but not dominant. More than a condimental amount, though, and a rebuke to those who say Latakia does not age well. This is every bit the equal of a cutter top can of John Cotton's Number 2 that I unearthed that bore a tax stamp firmly dating it to 1951. Until tonight, that was the finest Scottish Mixture I had ever smoked. If the Good Lord comes for me tonight, I am ready. In about 45 minutes.
Ashdigger could not have shared this find with anyone who appreciates it more than I do. Thanks.

Finished my bowl, exquisite balance, creamy texture on the tongue never faded or became harsh.

Al, in the early 90's I was running late for a flight and Delta made me check my carry on, which included my pipe bag. When I got home there was a hairline fracture about the length of the mortise. I showed it to Barry Levin at a show, and he suggested I send it to Jim. He cut off the shank just behind the mortise and made a new mortise. As far as I can tell, he did not in any way touch the stem or the tennon. The fit is perfect. A smidgen of the nomenclature (the Carlo Scotti in an oval) is partially missing. It is still stamped GG, but it is just about equal in length to my G75's. If you know 75's, you would spot that the tapering of the shank looks a little queer, which makes what he did to the pipe even more unbelievable. The pipe was one of my favorite smokers then, and has remained so. Pictures would not really give you any more insight into the repair.
He also repaired a sudden burnout on a GG 75 Castello Epoca right at the draft hole, which suddenly expanded to three or four times normal when I suddenly tasted cinders one night. That was maybe a year later. The pipe would have gotten a GGG stamp today. Two highly regarded repairmen who at that time were as highly regarded as GeorgeD is now told me it was hopeless. I sent it to Jim. He fixed it, would never tell me how he did it, but no one who ever looked at that pipe -- and every major Docs collector in the country saw it at shows -- would believe me when I told them the story of the pipe. One of them bought it when I decided to get out around 2001, but for many years it was another faithful smoker.
I do not know what Jim's policies are about repairs. Back then he was notoriously slow, but my work was done in just a few weeks. Being able to use Barry Levin's name helped, no doubt. As did USPS money orders in a generous amount up front.
Speaking of generosity, Ashdigger, totally gratis and unknown to me except from his public posts on this forum (the first PM I ever got from him was an offer to share this fabulous find) provided me with an unforgettable evenings pleasure.

Deathmetal, character witnesses usually come into play post conviction.