I know I am a very new member, in addition to being a shiny new n00b to pipe smoking, but I am compelled to post a review of a pipe that has brought me nothing but joy and perfect smokes to the ashes so far...
While definitely a pipe novice, starting in earnest about two weeks ago, I happen to know my way around a good cigar and am a frequent patron of the delights to had in a B&M - affording me a decent familiarity with pipe makers and their relative wares. Typically, I might be found enjoying a Davidoff no.2 while leering at a gorgeous (and pricey) DH pipe, while mussing "I should really start smoking a pipe..."
So, while searching the web for a second "starter" pipe - something cheap enough that I wouldn't obsess about ruining via my ineptitude - I happened to run across a pipe maker I'd never heard of, Ukrainian Souvenir.
At first, I was slightly put off by the name. Really, what else does "souvenir" in the name of the product invoke rather than "kitsch" or "cheap." The fact that I happened to find it on Amazon was not a point in its favor either. Still, the very novelty of the name hooked my attention, and I was soon off to Google to search for mention of this mysterious maker. I was disappointed. Beyond a random mention of these pipes - in this forum actually
- all I could find was the awkwardly translated site of Ukrainian Souvenir itself.
Ukrainian?
Colloquial nuances were obviously lost in the Ukrainian to English translation. I was greeted by a cavalcade of awkward phrasing, including the introduction:
It was an odd read to say the least - the new products section only in Ukrainian - and worst yet, they had almost no information about their pipes beyond:
Well...excellent that...at least I was sure they were wood... (I felt quite stupid later, upon reexamining their product pages on amazon, they are quite good in their product descriptions about explaining the materials used.) And, even though the phrasing was awkward, a definite enthusiasm for their pipes managed to make it across the language barrier in their translated text.
But, I couldn't get beyond how wondrous their pipes looked in the pictures. Even the outlandish offerings had a definite air of artistry about them...so...I found myself drawn in. My non-corncob pipe was a Mr. Brog, so I was already familiar, to a degree, with the qualities of pear wood pipes. And, being so inexpensively priced, I was soon convinced that it was worth the chance to give Ukrainian Souvenir a chance at my patronage.
The pipe I settled on was the Ukrainian Souvenir 'Volcano' (pictured below). Oddly, my initial reaction to the pipe was not positive. I wasn't a fan of the carving (I tend to prefer simple, clean, and straightforward designs - call it a modernist aesthetic) and it looked a bit awkward. Yet, like the brand itself, I felt more drawn to the design as time, and additional views of the product page went on. And, at the price, I couldn't say no.
Ukrainian Souvenir 'Volcano' - Pear-wood, ebonite (vulcanite) stem, 5.5" long, 2 1/4" high, Bowl (1.5" deep/0.75"wide)
The Unboxing...err, Unenveloping?
When my Volcano arrived, I was a bit concerned. The packing monkeys at Amazon (UrKS has fulfillment by Amazon for U.S. customers) shipped my new toy in nothing more than a small padded envelope, which looked much the worse for wear. I feared for my much awaited contents and hurriedly tore open the packaging. To my relief, all seemed to be well, and to my joy, the pipe looked even better in person!
Upon grasping the Volcano for the first time, I was immediately stuck at how nice it felt in my hand - almost ergonomic in grip. I was also pleasantly surprised by the stem, having expected a cheap acrylic, I found a decent ebonite (vulcanite). Finally, I was pleasantly greeted by the weight of the pipe itself, a nice heft which seemed to give it an agreeable balance. I was eager to try it out.
(The pipe fits very comfortably in the hand, it's almost ergonomic)
The next night, I got the chance to start breaking in my Volcano. For the task I chose some newly acquired bulk from my B&M (Georgetown Tobacco Reverie for those interested). I noticed, prior to filling the bowl, that the pipe has a coating. The chamber of the bowl is a bit narrow, but is quite deep and takes a decent amount of tobacco - enough that I would call it a medium length smoker. Using my trusty zippo, I did my charring light, enjoying the first smells of the Reverie and noting the smooth draw through the stem.
(Georgetown Tobacco Reverie)
The First Third
Tamping down the char, I began my true light and was immediately launched into a delight of flavors, vanilla and maple permitting the smoke. This part of the smoke was all about the tobacco, the first flavors bursting in a creamy and velvety vapor. At this stage, the pipe performed well, giving a fantastic draw, cool and fresh. At this point, the pipe was giving me my favorite smoking experience of my young pipe career.
The Second Third
As I entered the 2nd third of the bowl, the Reverie started to become more complex, dealing a smooth a mellow flavor from the Burley, while the Cavendish continued to provide the sweeter notes. But here a surprise (yes...a surprise, first time breaking in pipes - the joy of discovery?), another flavor stated creeping in, something woody, with a dry sort of sweetness that was wholly different from the tobacco - yet melded superbly with it. As it continued, I realized, with a start, that I was tasting the pear wood of the pipe! Now, I am used to wood notes in a smoke, but usually something with a pine or other hardwood type flavor. Fruit wood is a new experience. At this point, I had my only relight - quite an accomplishment for me so far! Neither the tobacco or the pipe seemed to be overly effected, both smooth back out quickly. So far, this smoke was turning to be one of the most enjoyable of my whole smoking career - cigars included.
The Final Third
As I entered the final act of the smoke, the Pipe's bowl remained warm - but not hot - rather comfy in my hand. (I will mention that I've noticed a bit of a hotspot on the backside towards the left - but it isn't bad). And this is where the smoke really started to get interesting. A new flavor emerged from the Reverie, refined and mature (I want to say it was the Virginias really starting to show) and the taste of the pear wood grew stronger and stronger.
It...was...simply..................fantastic.
I actually had trouble smoking too quickly, greedily puffing away on this divine combination of flavors. At this point, I simply sat back in my chair, closed my eyes and listened to the birds while bathed in one of the single best smoking experiences in my life. The only thing that compares is the two hours it took to smoke my first Davidoff Aniversario no.1 (oddly, I think both took place on lawn chairs...). I wish I could tell you how long it took to finish this bowl, but frankly, I lost track.
(My Volcano about three bowls into the shakedown)
The Verdict
So...How do I rate this pear wood pipe from the oddly named Ukrainian Souvenir? Well, it may not be the best pipe ever made, but it is certainly my new favorite. I can't quite seem to put it down and get to work on my new Savinelli briar. At the price UrKS offers these pipes, I would heartily recommend anyone consider giving these a try!
Afterthoughts and Additional Notes
I'm still not sure if UrKS produces their own pipes or use independent craftsmen/producers to fill their stock. Below is a picture of the makers mark, if anyone can help me out with that. Additionally, upon further study of their product pages, it seems most of the UrKS pipes have ebonite stems and are chambered for a seemingly optional filter - I smoked my volcano sans filter (in fact it didn't come with a filter either), and it obviously did great.
(Closeup shot of the Volcano's maker's mark)
While definitely a pipe novice, starting in earnest about two weeks ago, I happen to know my way around a good cigar and am a frequent patron of the delights to had in a B&M - affording me a decent familiarity with pipe makers and their relative wares. Typically, I might be found enjoying a Davidoff no.2 while leering at a gorgeous (and pricey) DH pipe, while mussing "I should really start smoking a pipe..."
So, while searching the web for a second "starter" pipe - something cheap enough that I wouldn't obsess about ruining via my ineptitude - I happened to run across a pipe maker I'd never heard of, Ukrainian Souvenir.
At first, I was slightly put off by the name. Really, what else does "souvenir" in the name of the product invoke rather than "kitsch" or "cheap." The fact that I happened to find it on Amazon was not a point in its favor either. Still, the very novelty of the name hooked my attention, and I was soon off to Google to search for mention of this mysterious maker. I was disappointed. Beyond a random mention of these pipes - in this forum actually
- all I could find was the awkwardly translated site of Ukrainian Souvenir itself. Ukrainian?
Colloquial nuances were obviously lost in the Ukrainian to English translation. I was greeted by a cavalcade of awkward phrasing, including the introduction:
It was an odd read to say the least - the new products section only in Ukrainian - and worst yet, they had almost no information about their pipes beyond:
Well...excellent that...at least I was sure they were wood... (I felt quite stupid later, upon reexamining their product pages on amazon, they are quite good in their product descriptions about explaining the materials used.) And, even though the phrasing was awkward, a definite enthusiasm for their pipes managed to make it across the language barrier in their translated text.
But, I couldn't get beyond how wondrous their pipes looked in the pictures. Even the outlandish offerings had a definite air of artistry about them...so...I found myself drawn in. My non-corncob pipe was a Mr. Brog, so I was already familiar, to a degree, with the qualities of pear wood pipes. And, being so inexpensively priced, I was soon convinced that it was worth the chance to give Ukrainian Souvenir a chance at my patronage.
The pipe I settled on was the Ukrainian Souvenir 'Volcano' (pictured below). Oddly, my initial reaction to the pipe was not positive. I wasn't a fan of the carving (I tend to prefer simple, clean, and straightforward designs - call it a modernist aesthetic) and it looked a bit awkward. Yet, like the brand itself, I felt more drawn to the design as time, and additional views of the product page went on. And, at the price, I couldn't say no.
Ukrainian Souvenir 'Volcano' - Pear-wood, ebonite (vulcanite) stem, 5.5" long, 2 1/4" high, Bowl (1.5" deep/0.75"wide)
The Unboxing...err, Unenveloping?
When my Volcano arrived, I was a bit concerned. The packing monkeys at Amazon (UrKS has fulfillment by Amazon for U.S. customers) shipped my new toy in nothing more than a small padded envelope, which looked much the worse for wear. I feared for my much awaited contents and hurriedly tore open the packaging. To my relief, all seemed to be well, and to my joy, the pipe looked even better in person!
Upon grasping the Volcano for the first time, I was immediately stuck at how nice it felt in my hand - almost ergonomic in grip. I was also pleasantly surprised by the stem, having expected a cheap acrylic, I found a decent ebonite (vulcanite). Finally, I was pleasantly greeted by the weight of the pipe itself, a nice heft which seemed to give it an agreeable balance. I was eager to try it out.
(The pipe fits very comfortably in the hand, it's almost ergonomic)
The next night, I got the chance to start breaking in my Volcano. For the task I chose some newly acquired bulk from my B&M (Georgetown Tobacco Reverie for those interested). I noticed, prior to filling the bowl, that the pipe has a coating. The chamber of the bowl is a bit narrow, but is quite deep and takes a decent amount of tobacco - enough that I would call it a medium length smoker. Using my trusty zippo, I did my charring light, enjoying the first smells of the Reverie and noting the smooth draw through the stem.
(Georgetown Tobacco Reverie)
The First Third
Tamping down the char, I began my true light and was immediately launched into a delight of flavors, vanilla and maple permitting the smoke. This part of the smoke was all about the tobacco, the first flavors bursting in a creamy and velvety vapor. At this stage, the pipe performed well, giving a fantastic draw, cool and fresh. At this point, the pipe was giving me my favorite smoking experience of my young pipe career.
The Second Third
As I entered the 2nd third of the bowl, the Reverie started to become more complex, dealing a smooth a mellow flavor from the Burley, while the Cavendish continued to provide the sweeter notes. But here a surprise (yes...a surprise, first time breaking in pipes - the joy of discovery?), another flavor stated creeping in, something woody, with a dry sort of sweetness that was wholly different from the tobacco - yet melded superbly with it. As it continued, I realized, with a start, that I was tasting the pear wood of the pipe! Now, I am used to wood notes in a smoke, but usually something with a pine or other hardwood type flavor. Fruit wood is a new experience. At this point, I had my only relight - quite an accomplishment for me so far! Neither the tobacco or the pipe seemed to be overly effected, both smooth back out quickly. So far, this smoke was turning to be one of the most enjoyable of my whole smoking career - cigars included.
The Final Third
As I entered the final act of the smoke, the Pipe's bowl remained warm - but not hot - rather comfy in my hand. (I will mention that I've noticed a bit of a hotspot on the backside towards the left - but it isn't bad). And this is where the smoke really started to get interesting. A new flavor emerged from the Reverie, refined and mature (I want to say it was the Virginias really starting to show) and the taste of the pear wood grew stronger and stronger.
It...was...simply..................fantastic.
I actually had trouble smoking too quickly, greedily puffing away on this divine combination of flavors. At this point, I simply sat back in my chair, closed my eyes and listened to the birds while bathed in one of the single best smoking experiences in my life. The only thing that compares is the two hours it took to smoke my first Davidoff Aniversario no.1 (oddly, I think both took place on lawn chairs...). I wish I could tell you how long it took to finish this bowl, but frankly, I lost track.
(My Volcano about three bowls into the shakedown)
The Verdict
So...How do I rate this pear wood pipe from the oddly named Ukrainian Souvenir? Well, it may not be the best pipe ever made, but it is certainly my new favorite. I can't quite seem to put it down and get to work on my new Savinelli briar. At the price UrKS offers these pipes, I would heartily recommend anyone consider giving these a try!
Afterthoughts and Additional Notes
I'm still not sure if UrKS produces their own pipes or use independent craftsmen/producers to fill their stock. Below is a picture of the makers mark, if anyone can help me out with that. Additionally, upon further study of their product pages, it seems most of the UrKS pipes have ebonite stems and are chambered for a seemingly optional filter - I smoked my volcano sans filter (in fact it didn't come with a filter either), and it obviously did great.
(Closeup shot of the Volcano's maker's mark)
