Gatlin-Burlier, Gatlinburg, TN

[gmwolford]

The Gatlin-Burlier
Last week my wife son and grandson were on vacation in the Gatlinburg Tennessee area. Before we left out we found this tobacconist online and added it to our To Do list. The Gatlin-Burlier is located inside the Mountain Mall on level 4, just off the elevator on your right.
I was rushed and did not get to spend a whole lot of time in this great little store but did stop in twice while in that area. I had a nice selection of house blend bulks as well as some tins. There was a good selection of house pipes, MM cobs (my son got a McArthur), and even a basket of unfinished but completed pipes for sale. They also had quite a good selection of meers, both new and estate.
The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable but not pushy. The first visit there was one man there I believe he was an employee; second visit that same gentleman was there as well as hey man I think may have been the owner. If you had a pipe with you you were free to select any of their bulks and fill your bowl for free which you could smoke there or take with you and smoke later. I got a sample bowl to take with me on both visits. Compared to my limited experience with B&Ms and online retailers I found their prices to be a tad on the high side (average price per ounce was about $6. However they did sell a bulk starter pack that was very reasonable which I purchased. I have not yet had the chance to try any of these blends though.
If you are in the area, I would certainly suggest that you stop it up for a visit at the Gatlin-Burlier. And make sure to bring along a pipe with a big bowl!

 

[puffy]

I've been there a couple of times.I enjoyed both visits.

 

[photoman13]

Their blends are good. I won't buy a pipe there though. Way too much. Very friendly.

 

[gmwolford]

I thought they were high, too. But that's part of mall rent I suppose. The unfinished pipes were only $25, which I thought wasn't too bad. I almost bought one but had run through my "allowance" already! :roll:

 

[photoman13]

And being in a tourist trap. That actually isn't too bad for a pipe but I didn't think they were that high quality. I held one and it was very heavy and the stain didn't look very good. Their other pipes are high. The ones not made by lorenzetti(gatlinburlier house pipes).

 

[doctorthoss]

I've been going there for 20 years (they are only an hour from my house) so I'm quite familiar with their whole line. Personally, I think their house pipes are the best bargains I've ever come across. I've got 10 or so, and most of them are great smokers that outperform my Savs, Stanwells, Dunhills, etc. They don't look as sharp, but insofar as functionality goes they're awesome. Especially considering they cost me between $20 and $40 apiece! Some of their briars from other manufacturers are a bit pricey, but what do you expect from a business that does 90 percent of its traffic from tourists?
Their tobaccos range from really good to really bad, IMO. Most of their selections are aromatics with 3-4 English blends. A couple of their aros are really high quality and two or three of the English blends are excellent (depending on whether they have a seasonal latakia blend out in a given year). One of them, Smokies Some-Ease, is the most turkish-forward mixture I've ever tasted, and Galinburley is a top-notch American English in the same style as Bald Headed Teacher, Morley's Best, Epiphany, etc.
Which blends did you pick out in your sampler?

 

[photoman13]

Last time I was there we bought a sampler pack. I'm very excited to try them.

 

[jbbaldwin]

I was on a high-school band trip to Gatlinburg years ago and all the boys went into that store to buy chewing tobacco.
The guys behind the counter sold me a hickory-smoked twist without warning me about its potency; back in the hotel, I bit off about an ounce to prove my mettle. It put me on my can in less than a minute.
I'll bet those shop men had a good laugh selling that stuff to greenhorns.
It probably would have been pretty good in a pipe. Wish I'd tried that instead.
I've been back since then - it's a nice little shop in a tourist-trap of a town.

 

[Perique]

I'm a big fan of their Mountain Mall Mix.

 

[doctorthoss]

Agreed -- Mountain Mall Mix is one of their better ones, as is Cades Cove Cavendish if you like sweet aromatics. It's easily the equal of any of Boswell's products.

 

[gmwolford]

Photoman, the pipes I was referring to we're not stained/finished at all: naturals. They were pretty nice IMO but I was in a big rush and didn't get to look at them or anything real close.

 

[photoman13]

Greg, I didn't mean they were bad pipes what so ever. I just mean for the price you can get a lot better. You will pay a premium for anything you buy in Gatlinburg. Just the way it is. It is a great shop you just won't see me spending to much in there.

 

[gmwolford]

Doctorthoss, I got the #1 aro blend sampler, can't recall what's in it and haven't opened it yet. I know it didn't contain Chimney Smoke but I sampled it and liked it. I thought their house pipes looked nice and were reasonable; they ranged from $40-$60 the day I was there. But I didn't have time to look closely at them. My local B&M house pipes are $30 and they are a good smoke, good deal so I'd probably not opted for one. If I'd bought any pipe it would've been one of the $25 natural/unfinished ones.

 

[gmwolford]

I see what you meant Photoman. That whole are is like that, tourist trap I mean. There were many items I saw and liked but wouldn't touch because of the cost. An example is their antique stores: they were near double, mostly, on anything I can get here close to home. Needless to say I didn't come home with much…

 

[gmwolford]

On, I also sampled that Gatlin Burlier burly mix and liked it a lot. I wish I'd gotten some of that one except I thought it was a bit pricey, again.

 

[photoman13]

They sell all their blends online if you regret not buying any.

 

[gmwolford]

That's good to know. I may have to order some of that burley and Chimney Smoke. But first I want to go through my sampler and see what else may peek my interest!

 

[doctorthoss]

Greg,

Were the unfinished pipes up on the wall behind the counter? I haven't seen any of those in there in years. I might have to pick one up!

 

[photoman13]

Yeah I didn't see the unfinished ones when I was in there. They must be new or I am blind.

 

[gmwolford]

No, they weren't on the wall. They were in a wicker (I think) basket on a shelf to the left of the counter. I do believe one of the guys said they were new.