I couldn't wait to try it, even though it puts me at my 3-bowl-per-week maximum: I just received a vintage Chacom that I picked up on a lark and my sample of 'Sweet Briar' from Sterlings. DAMN! :puffpipe: I think I just got really lucky, because the pipe smokes incredibly sweet right out of the gate, as does the tobacco--I may have to dedicate them to each other, in fact. Even the colors are just perfect for each other!
My completely amateur review:
In the bag: small light flakes of a honey-lemon aroma, not too rich, not too complex; if you have a leather sofa next to a wooden table that you just cleaned with Murphy's oil soap and a spritz of Pledge, then bottle that smell, this is it.
Charring light: took to the flame nicely, not a voluminous cloud but a healthy
start; taste is a lot milder than the smell and entirely pleasant.
Throughout: Stayed lit with great ease especially considering my beginner abilities. Burns slow and steady, flavor gaining some weight from mid-bowl to bottom. Ash is loose and light; must be careful not to over-tamp (that's my bad).
Room Note: I actually smoked this outside, and received 6 separate, unsolicited comments on how sweet and nice it smelled. Imagine that on a sidewalk!
Overall: The taste, coupled with the remarkable service (as noted extensively on this forum) from Sterling has garnered another customer. I'm filling in my order sheet for a pound of this and a sample of a few others.
The Chacom: I reckon it's a Canadian with a tiny forward sweep, oval shank and a peculiar tapered saddle bit (acrylic by the feel of it). Smokes SUPERBLY--in fact it far exceeds my technical skill. This bowl was one of those epiphany moments that made me realize what smoking a pipe is all about. I had purchased this for resale (I got it at a steal) but it's not leaving my rotation now.
