Castello OA Virgin Bent Dublin GL

[peckinpahhombre]

I have been trying to build a decent oration of larger pipes in recent weeks, as I find that I do much prefer a larger chamber for English and oriental blends. This Castello came to my attention recently so I grabbed it.
The smokingpipes copy was interesting as well:
There was something that really stood out to me about this pipe, I mean, aside from it being simply gigantic. Checking our archives, the cause became quickly apparent: this is only the third virgin-finished Castello "GL" to ever come our way. No surprise there, really; one of the things about virgin-finished pipes is that to pull off a really nice one, the briar has be about as free of flaws as an organic material can be — sans any stain, even the smallest natural blemish will stand out. The bigger the pipe, the greater the surface area where such flaws can show. Therefore: virgin-finished Castello GLs are indeed rare for a good reason.
Now, this pipe is no clencher. The pertinent data is below.
Length: 7.75 in./196.85 mm.

Weight: 4.50 oz./127.57 g.

Bowl Height: 3.03 in./76.96 mm.

Chamber Depth: 2.52 in./64.01 mm.

Chamber Diameter: 1.01 in./25.65 mm.

Outside Diameter: 2.23 in./56.64 mm.

 

[pitchfork]

Well, that one will stand out in any rotation. Very nice. Enjoy your 3-hour smokes. :mrgreen:
And I assume you'll wear white gloves when you smoke it?

 

[elpfeife]

That is one big boy for anyone's oration. Quite a looker.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

And I assume you'll wear white gloves when you smoke it?

Of course. I always wear white gloves when I smoke any pipe - as all pipe smokers do.

That is one big boy for anyone's oration

Indeed. And I am certainly known for my oration, often delivered in a Churchillian manner while pontificating in my pipe chair.

 

[tbradsim1]

MY OH MY! :clap:

 

[daveinlax]

Wow! That's an incredible piece that is worthy of a white glove. Seriously I might wear one but I never touch any natural pipe when they're hot, they will get grubby no matter how clean your hands are and it just won't come out. That blast is beautiful and will color nicely even though it's stunning as it is. 8O

 

[daveinlax]

Sorry

 

[sallow]

Do you think you will get used to holding something of that size?

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Do you think you will get used to holding something of that size?

Wow, there are a million jokes one could insert there, lol.
i actually have an Ardor that is bigger and love the thing. It is a chair pipe though.

 

[wyfbane]

Some of us have years of practice holding large things like that...
:rofl:

 

[fishingandpipes]

Said elsewhere but that is a beauty of a pipe! What a great Castello

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Wow! Very nice, Peck. Enjoy

 

[landon]

With the size of that chamber you could probably fit a whole tin in there . Nice pipe.

 

[ssjones]

That is the most memorable blasted Castello I've ever seen.

 

[antbauers]

That's a jaw dropper (pun intended).
Gorgeous!

 

[puffy]

That's one heavy pipe.

 

[fishingandpipes]

Is that by chance a strawberrywood? The blast and birdseye looks odd (awesome, but just odd) for briar...
I only just learned that Castello has apparently made some strawberrywood pipes which is why I ask.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Is that by chance a strawberrywood?

Nope. It's the usual top drawer aged briar that Castello is so famous for.

 

[allan]

Ya know Peck, it is hard to resist the most obvious comments that come to mind...
So, I will let them pass.
Almost 5 ounces means that you will need a miniature car jack to support it while you type or do anything.
I have come to agree that the so called English blends really do better in larger bowls, so this one ought to do.
Good luck with it.

 

[misterlowercase]

Yowza!

That blast is beyond incredible.
A real jawdropper.
The growth rings are supertight and compressed,

and there's a lot of them,

like 50+ it looks like,

I couldn't successfully count them all!
And since the plateau was cut flat, there could have been even more.
Do all those growth rings indicate that the root was in the ground for 50+ years?

I think it does?
Simply amazing.
Whoever shaped it and whoever blasted it did a *perfect* job,

a top shelf example of the magic Castello can weave!
It's a beautiful massive magnum!

:clap: