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  1. sparroa

    Rattrays Va/pers

    I find these are not really identifiable as Virginia Perique blends, but your mileage may vary. Nevertheless, Marlin Flake and Hal O' The Wynd are both worth buying and cellaring.
  2. sparroa

    Some Thoughts from the Wine World

    Taste is subjective, yes, but there are real differences between wines that (usually) account for the massive disparities in price. What is often derided as cheap wine is often just made simply for mass tastes. They source mechanically harvested grapes from a vast growing region like California...
  3. sparroa

    Burley Flake Advice Needed

    HH Burley Flake is good but it is less sweet than Wessex Burley Slice, for example. It is important to note that WBS is not a sweet blend overall but like black coffee it can have some sweet notes among the darker roastier flavours. One is more likely to pick out the sweeter side with experience...
  4. sparroa

    Burley Flake Advice Needed

    Wessex Burley Slice has a molasses topping. It is bittersweet at times. I think it is the best burley flake out there but I am biased against the stronger blends.
  5. sparroa

    Transaction Gone Bad - Advice Needed

    I would not ask for the tobacco to be sent back. It is unfit for resale and worthless to anyone but the gentleman in Malaysia who can smoke it if he desires. Paying the freight for that open tobacco would be throwing good money after bad. I understand the reasoning behind it but I would never go...
  6. sparroa

    Besides Me, Who Orders Tobacco Based on Cut?

    I buy flakes and coins 90% of the time and rub them out just before smoking. I find them best for storage and they are the most versatile overall as you can always choose to enjoy them in a different way if desired. I dislike ribbon cuts and loose tobacco in general if there is a flake...
  7. sparroa

    Transaction Gone Bad - Advice Needed

    I think this buyer deserves nothing as five months is far too long to wait before complaining to a seller. With that said, considering the dollar value at stake I would cut my losses, refund the money, and never do business with this person again. I would also never ship bulk/unsealed tobacco...
  8. sparroa

    Jim's Sutliff Crumble Kake Reviews.

    I am very excited about the Red Virginia and Virginia Perique blends! Hope I can try them eventually... Thanks for the reviews!
  9. sparroa

    Buying A New Pipe - Online Or In Person

    I would prefer to buy in person but that is not an option for me. SmokingPipes is a great alternative though as they have an excellent selection, accurate dimensions and quality pictures backed up by strong customer service. There is no substitute for handling a pipe and having a concrete...
  10. sparroa

    In Your Personal Opinion, is Inhaling Wrong or Acceptable?

    It's not wise but I'll be the last person to stop you. Increased risk of lung cancer is the big one. I think the fact that almost nobody inhales pipe smoke on purpose is another big reason. It can be done but it is not really the best experience if smoked in that way. Slowly savouring the smoke...
  11. sparroa

    Prince Albert is Being Discontinued

    I think this is just the next phase of a long process. Middleton (aka Altria aka Philip Morris) killed a load of old time pipe blends a few years ago. Kentucky Club, Walnut and Sugar Barrel were just the first to bite the dust. And Prince Albert will not be the last...
  12. sparroa

    No More Artistic Cigar Labels (Canada)

    I have no plans to delve too deeply into the history of branding here but brands evolved for a reason - customers wanted authentic and reliable products that they could trust and instantly recognize because the alternative was often adulterated and dangerous. Our desires to get what we paid for...
  13. sparroa

    No More Artistic Cigar Labels (Canada)

    Nobody has mentioned how much this compromises the authenticity and integrity of the cigar brands in question. Plain packaging laws are a counterfeiter's dream. They also successfully undermine the history/production/tobacco that makes each brand unique and they are reducing cigars from luxury...
  14. sparroa

    Aging Blends: Jars vs Tins

    I used to keep everything in the original tin but my thinking has evolved after making observations over the last 8 years or so. Round STG style tins? They are definitely good for a decade or more under proper storage conditions. Square tins? Jar them within a year or two, although they might...
  15. sparroa

    Shank Brush, Soap, and Water = Deep Cleaning

    Yes, I don't think the moisture from smoke and steam is equivalent to running streams of water through it. Can the briar handle it anyway? Probably, but it might prove compromising in some way. I can't see it do any favours to the cake and inside of the bowl, for example. With that said, I will...
  16. sparroa

    McClelland + Red Squirrels?

    Looks like someone got a haircut on the McClelland shop floor back in 2000 and forgot to sweep up! Brush it off and smoke on, my friend. lol
  17. sparroa

    Shank Brush, Soap, and Water = Deep Cleaning

    I suspect that excessive amounts of water would have a negative impact on the briar over the long haul but I suppose we will just have to follow our instincts as there is probably no proof available to support either side. I'm willing to experiment with inexpensive drugstore pipes because I'm...
  18. sparroa

    Is this Mold on Kendall Plug?

    I would not risk it, myself. Is that a chance you want to take for a plug that is already going to be replaced?
  19. sparroa

    Smoking 1792

    I enjoy the flavour, but I haven't smoked any in years. I recently scored a tin from 2010 that I am hoping to try very soon. I would probably dedicate a small pipe to it if I had a large quantity but for now I will probably just smoke it in a cob or meerschaum.
  20. sparroa

    Shank Brush, Soap, and Water = Deep Cleaning

    I might try running hot water through some Grabows I have to see how I feel about flushing them clean but I will probably never soak any pipes in water or use soap on them - particularly if they are valuable to me. The Grabows in question have stingers and I find them particularly difficult to...
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