Smoked a Ropp cherrywood in my youth, preferring Dutch aromatics. Got into historical reenactment, smoked clays mostly, to look the part. Became a cigatette smoker to the exclusion of all else. Gave up tobacco, took up e-cigs but - getting back into re-enactment a little while ago, was mortified when another costumed colleague saw me taking a furtive toke on one and took me to task. So I bought a pipe and a sample pack of Virginia/Perique blends... and another pipe... and another... and have since settled on Peterson's Irish Cask and McConnell's Scottish Cake, which I enjoy smoking in one of four briars, four meerschaums and a mysterious instrument I believe to be a pearwood. And I'm here because I'm impressed by the knowledge and wisdom one can benefit from here.