Morning smokes, as I like them. Mad Fiddler in the McQueen Barrel Rider Miniature, and Black Frigate in the Ropp J05. Both dedicated to the respective fodder, and the match is perfect. Get my best smokes with these two matchups - pipes and tobacco love each other.
Both pipes are a little quirky - in spite of the size of the barrel, the McQ has a tiny capacity - about 1/3 the Ropp, which looks smaller but has a very deep and wide bowl. All that briar on the woodstem keeps the burn well distributed, and gives the short 15 - 18 minute smoke with MF a coolness it doesn't have in other pipes - and in the other McQ miniatures I only get about 12 minutes (they all have the same size bowls) The Ropp is ditto with Black Frigate - I get the best flavour out of this great Navy by using a somewhat loose 2 pack and using slow smoking techniques. I can now draw an easy 35 minutes without any dottle stage and the burn is clean as a whistle. Spending time with each tobacco and pipe has really paid off with the best quality smokes I've had. And I don't really want long smokes this early in the day. Both were perfect.
However, we're not having quality weather. More snow, it's colder than a witches nose, dark at 4:00 and my dog is being a pain in the keester. Time for a nap.
️ on the side.