House of Calabash

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loneredtree

Part of the Furniture Now
May 27, 2011
569
181
Sierra Foothills
I just got back from a road trip to Oregon to visit family. We spent 7 days on the Columbia River up stream of Portland then headed back to California via I 5. South of Portland in Oregon City is the home of the House of Calabash. While my better half was at a quilt shop in West Linn, I went over to check out the shop owned by Steven Books.
John Cotton 1&2 Medium was my favorite tobacco back in the 60s. Steven had blended a reproduction of that tobac for the 2012 Throw Down at the Chicago Pipe Show (CPS). He came in 2nd and I wanted to try/buy some hoping that it would come close to what I remember. He calls it Avalon and I will try to review it at another time( I have not smoked it yet-waiting for the right time I guess).
The shop has their blends along with a few pipes displayed on the counters. It is small as B&Ms go but I found it pleasant. ( We stepped outside to smoke the sample).
I spent 1 ½ hours talking to him about his blends, pipes and tobacco and trying a pipe full of a Virginia blend “7 of 9”. There was not a hint of PG that I have found in some tinned tobacs. A positive in my book. I left with some Avalon, two other blends, and some samples he had from the CPS.
The web site for House of Calabash, http://houseofcalabash.com , does not have all of the blends they have listed as yet. Anyone going North or South on I 5 through Oregon should take the time to stop in Oregon City and check it out. Happy puffing!

 

fred

Lifer
Mar 21, 2010
1,509
4
Seven of Nine is an enjoyable Virginia/Perique with a mild Turkish

component. Avalon is an exact clone of No. 1 & No. 2 medium. Ancient

Imperial
is indeed an extraordinary blend.

 

ocpsdan

Can't Leave
May 7, 2012
411
3
Michigan
I recall reading a really excellent article about Steve Books and his shop a little while ago. Can't remember where it was. Help anyone?

 

fred

Lifer
Mar 21, 2010
1,509
4
[/quote]It should be the smoke of the Century for that price...and you've had it?
I've been smoking it for about a year and enjoy it immensely. It works out to about

$8/bowl and provides me with more pleasure than any cigar at that price point.., or at

double that price point for that matter. It didn't occur to me that I needed to defend my personal choices before doing so....
I recall reading a really excellent article about Steve Books and his shop a little while ago. Can't remember where it was. Help anyone?
http://houseofcalabash.com/contact-us
 

coldfront

Lurker
Mar 7, 2011
11
9
I met Steve at the Chicago show. He is quite a guy.After smokin a pipe for 40 years he got me finnaly packin a pipe properly.Made a big difference. Some high end pipes I could not get smoking well now are. jim

 
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