***What Are You Smoking, July 2022?***

[dunnyboy]

Sun Bear Black Locust in an Altinok meer.

 

[Tom Sawtooth]

Rattray's HOTW in a Dagner Poker and some Iced Water on the side.

 

[petes03]

Having a before dinner smoke. Some GH Scotch Flake in an Ardor Meteora Fantasy (Damiano) Bent Apple with a Monday Night Brewing Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale on the side.

 

[JimInks]

I have about a third of a bowl left of year 2014 Peter Stokkebye Luxury Twist Flake in a smooth straight brown mid-1930s Linkman’s Dr. Grabow Supreme Bruyere 9456A patent 1896800 billiard with a nickel band and a black vulcanite saddle stem. First time smoking this pipe. This blend has certainly benefited from age.

 

[Fralphog]

Some welcomed cloud cover and not as hot today. Sitting down with the Dublin Meer and some SG 2018 Balkan Flake that @hoosierpipeguy graciously included (along with several other extras) in a couple of lots of baccy I purchased. Thanks Mark!

A Glass of sweetened ice tea mixed with Kombucha.

 

[edger]

Derringer in a Peterson Irish Made Army 406 prince with acrylic fishtail stem. Fresh brewed Punjana iced tea with lemon and a spot of Splenda.

 

[mav]

Mac Baren Navy flake in a Chris Askwith. I can't figure out why sometimes this flake tastes delicious and other times it's just meh.

 

[Tar Wheel]

I’m smoking KBV Van Gogh in a Moonshine Poker, and having a hump day pour of Michter’s Toasted Barrel Rye. Going to sit and watch the thunderstorms roll through.

Cheers!

 

[blackpowderpiper]

Carolina Red Flake w/ Perique in a poker. Reading some Shelby Foote.

 

[sardonicus87]

Well, finished up all the kitchen projects early enough to enjoy my afternoon pipe session at my normal time.

Gently rubbed out Savinelli Jupiter, because best things in life start with the letter B (boobs, beer, and BURLEY). I'm only 10 minutes into this bowl and it's already one of my favorite tobaccos. Was the perfect moisture level right out of the tin, didn't need to dry it out at all. Paired with black, medium roast coffee and the scent of rain in the distance.

 

[jaytex1969]

SG Commonwealth Mixture in a Peterson 999.

 

[JimInks]

The thunderstorms rolled out long enough for me to get a second set of walking reps in the very humid outdoors, and I smoked a bowl of year 2015 D&R A.B. Rimboche in an undated slight bend, smooth flame grain Wessex Standard egg with a brown accent on the black vulcanite saddle stem.

 

[telescopes]

This new unsmoked Pipe Maker is ready for its first smoke. Normally I store my NOS away for a future smoke decades from now. This one seemed right for now.

 

[JimInks]

Now smoking Watch City Waltham Broken Cake in a medium bend fumed tan crackled year 2020 Ahmet Govem reverse calabash meerschaum with a military mount silver band and black acrylic stem.

 

[JimInks]

I'm seeing Anthology a lot lately on the internet. but only the picture, it is usually out of stock. how does it compare with other similar tobaccos you had? off the top of you head, anything similar to it?

I have a lot of questions for you as I enjoy your reviews and they help me zero in on certain tobacco notes.
My friend and I are on a quest to find Balkan Sobranie. We have not had any luck, even after 6 months of daily searching. I even traveled 300 miles round trip recently visiting and speaking to many B&M stores and their owners in person and still I have had no luck. What is my best option to find this elusive blend, and are there blends that may fool you...me in thinking I'm smoking B. Sobranie???

I really don't think there's anything that's a close match to Anthology because of the mix of Virginias is fairly unique to VaPers. If you have a chance to get your hands on last years' Cringle Flake, you will find it scratches that particular itch as it has a little bright and orange with the red Va.s, though it has a deeper flavor.

I'm the wrong guy to ask about Balkan Sobraine because the older versions were daily smokes for me, and this current version does not measure up to them in my opinion. You are doing all you can from what I read, unless you are willing to spend $50 on the secondary market.

There is no substitute for it, but I can make a few suggestions, although none of them will make you think you're smoking Sobranie. Balkan Sasieni, Peretti's Royal and Tashkent. If you want a homage to the older version, try P&C's WhiteKnight. The Match version is that blend in bulk. Again, it's different than what you have been smoking, but perhaps you may like it. And if you do, you'll save money by buying it in bulk.

 

[JimInks]

Thanks so much for your thoughts Jim! I haven’t had either old versions of Elizabethan so I was assessing this on its own. I’ve got a couple tins of the modern version but I haven’t cracked them yet. I was kind of put off my the chocolate smell at first, I thought they had accidentally sent me an aromatic! Today was my 3rd or 4th bowl and I finally got the vaper flavor. I’m hoping I can pick up more nuances as I smoke through the few ounces I’ve got. Do you have a pipe that you think brings out the best in this blend?
Best,
John

I have several. My 1982 root briar Dunhill dublin has only seen two blends since my then-girl friend bought it new for me in 1987: Murray's Elizabethan and the Match. I also have a wonderful BBB Canadian that loves that blend. This blend really shines in a dedicated pipe, although I must admit I feel that way about quite of number of pipe/tobacco pairings that I have done over the years. Since it's now working in the pipe you're smoking it in, stay with it. As it seasons the bowl, you'll find your enjoyment will increase.

 

[samuelgawith01]

Gawith and Hogarth Dark Bird's Eye shag in a Savinelli 9mm apple.

 

[dunnyboy]

Second bowl in the Altinok meer. This one GLP Maltese Falcon. Getting back into English blends in the past week, all from GLP—Quiet Nights, Westminster and Maltese Falcon. Only the Westminster disappointed.

 

[cshubhra]

HU Makhuwa purchased February 2020 in an Altinay translucent meerschaum billiard

 

[FurCoat]

Space Odyssey in a Savinelli 606ks