Stanwell Royal Briar 88

[OzPiper]

To be honest, I challenge anyone to tell the difference in smoking quality between an actual Tom Eltang, Ann Julie or Jess Chonowitsch and a Stanwell designed by those 3 in a blindfold test.

Better quality stems and buttons on the handmades for sure.

Being blindfolded you won't be able to see the blast or grain and let that influence you.

That's why an objective test of a wine is tasting it blind.

 

[goldenmole]

I have two Stanwell 88 pipes. Really like the shape and size. Both bought new (and in the last few years) and therefore not made in DK. No quality issues, but I am not the most obessed checker of drilling perfection etc. Note that there are a lot of 9mm filter Stanwells, just to be aware if that is not your thing...

 

[OzPiper]

I have two Stanwell 88 pipes. Really like the shape and size. Both bought new (and in the last few years) and therefore not made in DK. No quality issues, but I am not the most obessed checker of drilling perfection etc. Note that there are a lot of 9mm filter Stanwells, just to be aware if that is not your thing...

I wonder if the 9mm filters ones are because they are now made in Italy.

 

[Alejo R.]

I wonder if the 9mm filters ones are because they are now made in Italy.

No, it's because of German laws. Germany always was a very important market to Stanwell and there 9mm filter are mandatory by law.

 

[goldenmole]

No, it's because of German laws. Germany always was a very important market to Stanwell and there 9mm filter are mandatory by law.

No law for 9mm filter in Germany, but a preference for it by many pipe smokers. Both DK and IT have a preference for non filtered pipes, so the German export market is indeed likely to "blame"...