Howdy from Chicago!

[ELW Green]

Hello fellow pipe enthusiasts. I'm fairly new to pipe smoking, only a couple of months. I have been lurking on your forum and scouring Youtube for piping videos. It was a great surprise to learn that I work just down the street from Iwan Reis tobacconist. Since this revelation, I've bought a few modest pipes and am embarking on the journey of discovering blends and preferences. Having been raised in Kentucky and working on a tobacco farm, I prefer Burley (aka Codger blends, I think they are called) blends. Yet I have tried Peterson's Night Cap for an full flavored English blend, which works best with a Bourbon neat IMO. Today, during lunch I went to the shop and picked up some Capstan Blue (yes, because of Tolkien) for my first Virginia Flake. I also picked up some of Iwan Ries' International Blend for a more mild English blend. I'm all about learning, so any advice would be well received. Cheers, all!

 

[Old Smokey]

Howwwdy from the Hollers of Kentucky!

 

[Pipeoff]

Welcome from W NY. If Iwan Ries was near, I would spend all my lunch money.

 

[PaulRVA]

Welcome from Richmond Virginia

 

[proteus]

 

[tobakenist]

Hi and welcome from Northamptonshire, England.

 

[Bbailey324]

Welcome from Texas. Capstan Blue is a good Va. Smoke it slowly.

 

[MattRVA]

Welcome from Virginia

 

[FurCoat]

Welcome from North Carolina

 

[WVOldFart]

Hello and welcome from West Virginia. I envy you being so close to Iwan Ries. Some of my favorite tobaccos are Iwan Ries Old Colonial, Three Star Green, Three Star Blue, Three Star Banner and Dr. Bradley. You can't go wrong with any of those and you can get them in a pouch so you don't have to spend a lot of money. Enjoy the ride.

 

[warren99]

Welcome from California.

 

[Doctor Chopper]

 

[ELW Green]

Hello and welcome from West Virginia. I envy you being so close to Iwan Ries. Some of my favorite tobaccos are Iwan Ries Old Colonial, Three Star Green, Three Star Blue, Three Star Banner and Dr. Bradley. You can't go wrong with any of those and you can get them in a pouch so you don't have to spend a lot of money. Enjoy the ride.

Thank you for the recommendations. I have been blending 1 part Three Star Blue with 3 parts Koko (their oldest blend). I have also been told by IRC that what ever Koko they have will be it. They have discontinued their oldest blend.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Hello fellow pipe enthusiasts. I'm fairly new to pipe smoking, only a couple of months. I have been lurking on your forum and scouring Youtube for piping videos. It was a great surprise to learn that I work just down the street from Iwan Reis tobacconist. Since this revelation, I've bought a few modest pipes and am embarking on the journey of discovering blends and preferences. Having been raised in Kentucky and working on a tobacco farm, I prefer Burley (aka Codger blends, I think they are called) blends. Yet I have tried Peterson's Night Cap for an full flavored English blend, which works best with a Bourbon neat IMO. Today, during lunch I went to the shop and picked up some Capstan Blue (yes, because of Tolkien) for my first Virginia Flake. I also picked up some of Iwan Ries' International Blend for a more mild English blend. I'm all about learning, so any advice would be well received. Cheers, all!

You are in a good spot at the right time, sir!!!

Chicago Pipe Show

The Chicagoland International Pipe & Tobacciana Show The 2025 Chicago Pipe show will place May 1 – 4, 2025 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Chicago, 9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue, Rosemont, […]

www.chicagopipeshow.com

One of the biggest and best pipe shows out there just next month!

 

[kcghost]

Welcome to the forum from KC!!

 

[AroEnglish]

Welcome! That’s awesome to find that a shop like Iwan Ries as your local tobacconist. Did you smoke prior to pipes?

 

[yanoJL]

Hello and another welcome from California Happy to have you here, friend!

 

[jpmcwjr]

Welcome from a former Chicago resident! I love Iwan Ries!

Please put your location in your Profile, as people are forgetful.
How:
Under your avatar, (top right, left most of three symbols) you choose "Account Details", which brings up "My Account". "My Location" is halfway down. Whatever you're comfortable with- town, city, county, state. province, etc.

Do you live in the City as well? I was born N of the city.

 

[ELW Green]

Welcome! That’s awesome to find that a shop like Iwan Ries as your local tobacconist. Did you smoke prior to pipes?

Almost twenty years ago I smoked cigarettes. Before that grew up chewing and dipping a bit.

 

[ELW Green]

Welcome from a former Chicago resident! I love Iwan Ries!

Please put your location in your Profile, as people are forgetful.
How:
Under your avatar, (top right, left most of three symbols) you choose "Account Details", which brings up "My Account". "My Location" is halfway down. Whatever you're comfortable with- town, city, county, state. province, etc.

Do you live in the City as well? I was born N of the city.

I live in the Edgewater neighborhood of the city.