Savinelli Pipes and VA?

[pipesolitude]

I am hoping to find a prince shaped pipe that I can dedicate to pure virginias. I am very tempted to buy a new Savinelli 315. What is your experience of smoking pure virginia in Savinelli pipes?

The reason I am asking is because I recently bought a Savinelli authograph 6 estate pipe (my most high end pipe so far), and I was surprised to discover that it was the worst pipe ever when I smoked virginia in it. And it was not ghosting, it was the pipe itself, the wood. It totally cancelled out everything good with virginia blends turning them into something completely different, and very terrible.

I was dissapointed and perplexed...Then I read somewhere an article by G. L. Pease who mentioned that his general experience of italian pipes is that they smoke better with latakia blends. My mind was very fixed on virginias because that was what I wanted to smoke in this pipe, but then I tried it with english blends, and it smokes wonderful. So now I only smoke english blends in it.

But this is my only experience with Savinelli pipes so far. So yes, no need to tell me that it is impossible to generalize, and that every pipe has its own personality and all that. I am just curious to hear from your experience. Does your Savinelli pipes smoke well with pure virginia blends, or not?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Like most brands, they handle any genre very well.

 

[Chasing Embers]

that every pipe has its own personality and all that.

I have never found that to be true.

 

[Spa32]

I only smoke Savinelli briars. They smoke pure Virginia tobacco beautifully! I've never heard they smoke latakia blends better.

 

[Winnipeger]

Does your Savinelli pipes smoke well with pure virginia blends, or not?

Yes.

 

[captpat]

I smoke VA and VA/PER in Savinelli pipes all the time, wouldn't keep doing it if the experience was not satisfying. IMO if there is a genre sensitivity it's due to the shape/size of the pipe itself, not the brand.

 

[Egg Shen]

I’m struggling with the notion of a certain brand being better or worse for VAs. But your thread reminds me how in the summer I was getting a lot of satisfaction running them through my Savinelli. So I’m about to pack it up with some to enjoy with my coffee. Should be a nice change from the Latakia blends and aromatics I’m smoking lately.

 

[john19]

The brand doesn't matter. The shape/size matters. And in the first bowls you will smoke in a new pipe, the coating can affect the taste (if it has a coating). But it's nothing serious.

Of course, and the quality of the briar is also important. But Savinelli is a well-known good company, and they pay a lot of attention to their quality. Other guys over here will confirm that.

 

[SBC]

I read somewhere an article by G. L. Pease who mentioned that his general experience of italian pipes is that they smoke better with latakia blends

Could you direct me to this, please?
That's a fairly wild claim, and I'm curious to see it.

 

[seanv]

I am hoping to find a prince shaped pipe that I can dedicate to pure virginias. I am very tempted to buy a new Savinelli 315. What is your experience of smoking pure virginia in Savinelli pipes?

The reason I am asking is because I recently bought a Savinelli authograph 6 estate pipe (my most high end pipe so far), and I was surprised to discover that it was the worst pipe ever when I smoked virginia in it. And it was not ghosting, it was the pipe itself, the wood. It totally cancelled out everything good with virginia blends turning them into something completely different, and very terrible.

I was dissapointed and perplexed...Then I read somewhere an article by G. L. Pease who mentioned that his general experience of italian pipes is that they smoke better with latakia blends. My mind was very fixed on virginias because that was what I wanted to smoke in this pipe, but then I tried it with english blends, and it smokes wonderful. So now I only smoke english blends in it.

But this is my only experience with Savinelli pipes so far. So yes, no need to tell me that it is impossible to generalize, and that every pipe has its own personality and all that. I am just curious to hear from your experience. Does your Savinelli pipes smoke well with pure virginia blends, or not?

As stated, I wouldn't write off the whole brand as not good for Virginia. Try some different things in the pipe or force it to enjoy the Virginia's

 

[pipesolitude]

I'm struggling too with the notion that a whole brand would be better with some types of tobacco, or more prone to smoke better with some. But I was interested if someone would be able to relate to my own experience with a Savinelli that simply refused to work well with Va.

And my memory was not fully correct, because in the article Pease muses over his own experience that for some time he was under the impression that "Italian pieces had a predilection toward Latakia", but he immediatly calls this into question, and the whole point of his article is that different pipes can have different personalities (regardless of shape/size), which makes pipes less predictable to how they will smoke with particular blends; the sense morality being that one should not be afraid to experiment. Here is the article by G. L. Pease.

 

[MattRVA]

My Savinelli 704 and 702 smoke Virginias really well but I smoked Virginias exclusively to break them in. Maybe try a narrow bowl diameter and use the same Virginia to break in the pipe for several months. I’ve always thought that the Bing’s Favorite would smoke Virginia really well. I hope you figure out what works for you.

 

[mso489]

I've not noticed any relationship between particular brands of pipes and specific genres of blends. So far, my dozen or so Savinelli's have done well with the various genres I've smoked in them. I have a Savinelli Oscar Lucite 315 KS, which is a discontinued series with bright stain and no filter, somewhat unique in the Savinelli line, although they all smoke well without a filter (or adaptor for that matter). I'm a burley devotee, but I enjoy Virginias, Va/Pers, English, Balkan, and other non-burley blends as well.

For whatever reason(s), you may not like Virginia blends in Savinelli pipes, but I don't think that is a general experience among pipe smokers.

 

[bullet08]

A pipe, regardless of the brand, is a tool to burn tobacco so we can enjoy resulting smoke from. The factory does not produce shape or size specific to the type of blend. Shape and size also has nothing to do with tobacco being smoked. The narrow or wide are talking about the chamber diameter. The idea is, narrow chamber works better with simple blend since it focus the flavor. The wide diameter better with blends having number of different components since wide bore will be able to burn them all at same time giving complex flavor better chance. But even this chamber diameter thing is not fully agreed up on by pipe smokers. Va not smoking well in Italian pipe is a pure fantasy.

 

[SBC]

I'm struggling too with the notion that a whole brand would be better with some types of tobacco, or more prone to smoke better with some. But I was interested if someone would be able to relate to my own experience with a Savinelli that simply refused to work well with Va.

And my memory was not fully correct, because in the article Pease muses over his own experience that for some time he was under the impression that "Italian pieces had a predilection toward Latakia", but he immediatly calls this into question, and the whole point of his article is that different pipes can have different personalities (regardless of shape/size), which makes pipes less predictable to how they will smoke with particular blends; the sense morality being that one should not be afraid to experiment. Here is the article by G. L. Pease.

Thanks for the link.

I have a penchant for distinctions and categories, and my palate is reasonably "tuned in" in other sectors. Although I'm no JimInks (!), I think that I pick up on and appreciate many of the nuances a tobacco has to offer.
So I have always been surprised not to experience what so many other seem to, as regards different pipes being suited to different tobaccos.

Perhaps part of the problem is that I just don't smoke enough to make the connections (I typically have one bowl each evening).

But, more likely, I'm simply not systematic enough in my tobacco use. 20-25 pipes on deck at any given time, plus 20-25 tobaccos on deck at any given time, together with a completely randomized approach to what pipe will go with what tobacco on any given evening, doesn't give my brain sufficient data to make comparisons or associations.

But I'm not really motivated to embark on a more systematic experiment. I'm not dissatisfied with my evening bowls, and I don't wonder whether I'm missing anything. Pipe smoking is about contentment, after all.

 

[anotherbob]

I'd venture a bet that the pipe is fine and smoke different things fine. But it's particular qualities and the way you smoke come together and don't work so great for VA and that pipe. If the draw is different and you smoke it like your other pipes then... it might just not add up to a great time. Or at least that is what my experience would say.

 

[pipesolitude]

My Savinelli 704 and 702 smoke Virginias really well but I smoked Virginias exclusively to break them in. Maybe try a narrow bowl diameter and use the same Virginia to break in the pipe for several months. I’ve always thought that the Bing’s Favorite would smoke Virginia really well. I hope you figure out what works for you.

Thank you for drawing my attention to Bing's Favorite! I actually decided to go for that one instead of the 315. Narrow bowl, and a bit deeper chamber, long stem, just seems perfect. I could not find it in Europe, so now I'm waiting for the pipe to arrive from the US. Looking forward to break it in with Virginia

 

[Sinzalot]

I have thing for the Savinelli 105 shape. Beautiful little pipes and they sing with VA's.
My go to blend is Peterson's Signature Flake, paired with one of my Sav 105's and I know that I'll be in for a treat.
Happy smokes.

 

[Servant King]

Porto Cervo 122 bent pot. Excellent for VAs, with or without a filter (though I prefer with).