First Smoke in a Briarworks/Moonshine Morta

[marlinspike]

I've never owned a morta pipe, and recently bought a "Devil Anse" Moonshine model from Briarworks. The build quality is very respectable, and I found the draw on this pipe to be pretty near ideal. I wanted to start with the tobacco I tend to enjoy most - Newminster No. 400 - and see how it worked out. The pipe smokes admirably, but it had a faint but persistent odd flavor that lasted the whole bowl. I've read of people saying that notice a "bog" smell/taste with morta, and I couldn't honestly say it seemed swampy to me...but it was somewhat different. Anyone else notice this phenomenon?

 

[Dallas Wynn]

I've never owned a morta pipe, and recently bought a "Devil Anse" Moonshine model from Briarworks. The build quality is very respectable, and I found the draw on this pipe to be pretty near ideal. I wanted to start with the tobacco I tend to enjoy most - Newminster No. 400 - and see how it worked out. The pipe smokes admirably, but it had a faint but persistent odd flavor that lasted the whole bowl. I've read of people saying that notice a "bog" smell/taste with morta, and I couldn't honestly say it seemed swampy to me...but it was somewhat different. Anyone else notice this phenomenon?

Searching around the internets, I find a few stories on morta imparting an odd flavor. From what they say, some won't some will......luck of the draw. How many bowls have you smoked through it now? Where did you purchase the pipe?

 

[marlinspike]

Searching around the internets, I find a few stories on morta imparting an odd flavor. From what they say, some won't some will......luck of the draw. How many bowls have you smoked through it now? Where did you purchase the pipe?

Just one bowl at the moment. I bought it directly from the Briarworks site. It doesn’t appear that the workshop coated the bowl’s interior. I’m pretty impressed with it overall, and would be interested to try another of their models someday.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

I’ve owned but one morta pipe and never noticed any flavor. To me it was almost comparable to meerschaum in how neutral it was.

 

[alaskanpiper]

My Morta pipes have all been quite neutral, FWIW. Mine are all smooth though, don’t know if that matters.

 

[shanez]

I've not noticed any flavors or smells with my mortas except one estate that had a sour to it which a more thorough cleaning and overnight packing with damp coffee grounds fixed.

 

[marlinspike]

I’ve owned but one morta pipe and never noticed any flavor. To me it was almost comparable to meerschaum in how neutral it was.

It certainly didn’t have a boggy taste that I’ve read some people describe. I don’t know that I could even describe it, other than to say it was a taste I’ve never had from a cob, meerschaum, or briar. I don’t intend to give up on it - it smokes admirably well! I just hope this tinge of oddness fades with a few more smokes.

 

[Dallas Wynn]

Just one bowl at the moment. I bought it directly from the Briarworks site. It doesn’t appear that the workshop coated the bowl’s interior. I’m pretty impressed with it overall, and would be interested to try another of their models someday.

You may try to contact the seller and find out a return policy or just ask about the odd taste. I am interested in what you find out.

 

[marlinspike]

You may try to contact the seller and find out a return policy or just ask about the odd taste. I am interested in what you find out.

If a few more smokes don’t ameliorate the issue, I’ll certainly do that.

 

[ovidsmuse]

I know some people here swear there is no reason to build up a cake, maybe because so many pipes come with some type of pre cake or lining these days, but I had noticable flavors from new briar and morta pipes that were "raw" when I first got them. Building up even a thin cake took that away. Recently I slightly over reamed a pipe with too much cake and the flavor came back. I suggest smoking it regularly until a cake builds, if the flavor persists it's not the wood

 

[marlinspike]

I know some people here swear there is no reason to build up a cake, maybe because so many pipes come with some type of pre cake or lining these days, but I had noticable flavors from new briar and morta pipes that were "raw" when I first got them. Building up even a thin cake took that away. Recently I slightly over reamed a pipe with too much cake and the flavor came back. I suggest smoking it regularly until a cake builds, if the flavor persists it's not the wood

I smoked another bowl in it this evening, and the odd taste was still present, but seems to have diminished a bit - so you may be right.

 

[tavol]

I've got several morta pipes. Some have smoked neutral from the first bowl and some have added a flavor, or character, for several bowls. I wouldn't worry about it

 

[Umberto]

damn damn damn...I think I need to order a morta pipe kit and carve one up.

 

[JMcQ]

I've had my eye on a few of the Moonshine pipes. I like the devil anses, cannonball and the pot still. I think that I'd like more of a bend in the pot still though. Good looking pipes though.

 

[marlinspike]

I've had my eye on a few of the Moonshine pipes. I like the devil anses, cannonball and the pot still. I think that I'd like more of a bend in the pot still though. Good looking pipes though.

This is my first pipe from them, and it smokes really well. The draft is nearly ideal, in my opinion. I like the cannonball model, too.

 

[johnnyiii]

I've never owned a morta pipe, and recently bought a "Devil Anse" Moonshine model from Briarworks. The build quality is very respectable, and I found the draw on this pipe to be pretty near ideal. I wanted to start with the tobacco I tend to enjoy most - Newminster No. 400 - and see how it worked out. The pipe smokes admirably, but it had a faint but persistent odd flavor that lasted the whole bowl. I've read of people saying that notice a "bog" smell/taste with morta, and I couldn't honestly say it seemed swampy to me...but it was somewhat different. Anyone else notice this phenomenon?

I litteraly had my third briar pipe smoke that way when I first got it. It was actually quite nasty. I put some a cotton ball then sweet and cure" in it for a little while and let it dry. A newbie then and a bit scared I was messing up. It never acted up again.

Moral of story give it a clean. Cant hurt.

 

[marlinspike]

I litteraly had my third briar pipe smoke that way when I first got it. It was actually quite nasty. I put some a cotton ball then sweet and cure" in it for a little while and let it dry. A newbie then and a bit scared I was messing up. It never acted up again.

Moral of story give it a clean. Cant hurt.

It seems to have settled down, now that it has a respectable bit of carbon cake on the bowl.

 

[mingc]

My one morta, bought new, smokes neutral. I don't taste the pipe at all. For what it's worth, it's a BriarWorks made Vermont Freehand.

 

[eljimmy]

I just purchased a few of the New Morta Cannonballs that just released. Let see if I taste anything. The Cannonball is my favorite pipe for sure.

 

[Devil Anse]

The Briarworks/Moonshine Devil Anse Morta was my first pipe other than cobs. Down the road I purchased a Briarworks/Moonshine devil Anse long Morta. I didn’t taste anything swampy at all In either one. However, I have heard of this on rare occasion.