What Is So Great About Castellos

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kola

Lifer
Apr 1, 2014
1,484
2,339
Colorado Rockies, Cripple Creek region
This is no longer true. I was having beers with Mimmo in an airport a few years ago, and Castello had told him to pound sand not long before.


What ? HUH ?? You serious? I just saw this post now, after writing the above comments. If true, I wonder when Castello will use up their Mimmo supply. If they haven't already. And poor Mimmo, I hope he got all the sand out.
 

sasquatch

Lifer
Jul 16, 2012
1,683
2,862
I had the good fortune to buy some high grade Mimmo briar with about 10 years on it (most of it was purchased in 08 and sat, I bought it in 2018). Compared to fresh wood, it was much harder, and a uniform golden brown all the way through, where new it is white with a sort of pinky/copper hue to it. Cutting it, the smell is sweet and a little yeasty, Rainer Barbi spoke of good briar smelling like baking bread and this is not far off. I don't know what's happening to briar as it sits, it sort of petrifies/oxydizes. If you look at most pipes where you can see the briar raw, in an uncoated chamber, you'll see very white briar. Radice, Don Carlos, etc. You look in a Castello, it's brown, always, never white. Truly ready.

It's not about price or mystique for me, I'm not here to brag about my Castello collection. I have a few now. Sea Rocks mostly, the cheapest. I've bought lots of 300 dollar pipes and found them adequate or not on their own merits. The last really expensive pipe I bought I hate, I hate how it tastes, it's a real disappointment for me. Not a Castello. I will say my last Castello is drilled a touch high in the bowl, I'm a little disappointed, but the pipe smokes dry and tastes fantastic, so ... okay.

No one is saying no other pipes are ever good (hell as a pipe maker myself I'm not doing my brand any favors coming here and shilling for Castello). No one is saying only Castello are magic. Most of 'em seem to smoke great, for those of us who think that's a thing. That's a real accomplishment in the pipe making world, being known not so much for radical shaping or some patented finish, or making bits 15% thinner than anyone else. Just being the tool of choice for a lot of guys who care.... that's a big deal. It's very, very difficult to set your brand apart as a pipe maker. To do so "only" by making really reliable pipes is almost brave.
 

sasquatch

Lifer
Jul 16, 2012
1,683
2,862
What ? HUH ?? You serious? I just saw this post now, after writing the above comments. If true, I wonder when Castello will use up their Mimmo supply. If they haven't already. And poor Mimmo, I hope he got all the sand out.
Oh Mimmo's fine, demand is higher than ever.
 
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tfdickson

Lifer
May 15, 2014
2,115
40,895
East End of Long Island
I never set out to collect Castellos, but in the 17 years since I bought my first one I just kept finding pieces that I had to have and their smoking properties are such that I‘ve sold very few. The current count is 19, ranging from Sea Rocks to Fiammatas, and I have more Castellos in my collection than any other maker. Between Ebay and all the online retailers I must look at well over 1000 Castellos a year and 999 don’t grab me, so I‘m not saying every Castello ever made is the perfect pipe. But the ones that do grab me have been excellent smokers across the board. For me, only Jesse Jones pipes have a better bought vs still own percentage. Here are my Castellos:

FD58A16F-6C8C-4946-884B-DFC9B92997B1.jpeg0F1EBE75-9A00-4BAB-8B97-A580BE53E538.jpeg

99B915F0-5EAE-4A6F-90F6-F62D4EAEFD60.jpeg
 

kola

Lifer
Apr 1, 2014
1,484
2,339
Colorado Rockies, Cripple Creek region
Well, sometimes you can teach an old dog new tricks. Some of you guys definitely changed my mind on Castellos. I really like this one as I only like the smaller pipes (~ 50 grams) and they need to be bent smooth apple shapes. I'm a clencher-guy The price is not bad at all - yes It's a estate). The only thing I'm not sure on is the acrylic stem as i really like the subtle softness of vulcanite.

 
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kola

Lifer
Apr 1, 2014
1,484
2,339
Colorado Rockies, Cripple Creek region
I was just gonna say 285 is too much for an estate but I paid more for my Barling so I'll just shut up. LOL


very similar but new at 500 USD

 

tfdickson

Lifer
May 15, 2014
2,115
40,895
East End of Long Island
Well, sometimes you can teach an old dog new tricks. Some of you guys definitely changed my mind on Castellos. I really like this one as I only like the smaller pipes (~ 50 grams) and they need to be bent smooth apple shapes. The price is not bad at all - yes It's a estate). The only thing I'm not sure on is the acrylic stem as i really like the subtle softness of vulcanite.


That‘s a beautiful shape. One thing you’ll find with estate Castellos (most of mine where bought as estates) is that the newer ones marked “Kino” in a circle tend to have more a prominent button compared to the older ones marked “Carlo Scotti” in a circle. The change in nomenclature happened in 2007 and that seems to be when the change in button style happened as well. Personally I find the older button style to be more comfortable but that is just my preference.
 

sasquatch

Lifer
Jul 16, 2012
1,683
2,862
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kola

Lifer
Apr 1, 2014
1,484
2,339
Colorado Rockies, Cripple Creek region
Also, Kola, if you look at tabacheria corti, one of the sponsors here, the new prices are literally at least 100 bucks less than stateside. I was all in, taxes, everything, pipe brought to my door by courier, for 300 bucks on this one: Pipe Castello - 'Sea Rock Briar' KKKK Shape 97 - Tabaccheria Corti Lecco - Online Shop - https://tabaccheriacorti.com/gb/pipes/3572-pipe-castello-sea-rock-briar-kkkk-shape-97.html


whoa, good to know. That's a sweet pipe and weighs in at 50 grams. Thanks
 
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OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
5,757
30,563
71
Sydney, Australia
OK, so I've had my first smoke (MacBaren's HH Pure Virginnia Flake) in my 1st Castello (a 4K Trade Mark 1/4 bent squat bulldog). It is everything everyone on the forums said it would be. Only regret I didn't get one earlier. Now waiting eagerly on delivery of a NOS Carlo Scotti Searock shape 93 (from the 80s). To think I could have gotten a new Castello instead of the 3 Petersons (nice enough, but NOT the same smoking experience) bought in the past few months ! Well, you live and learn, and it definitely pays to listen to opinions of the wiser members on this forum
 
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philairfoil

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 24, 2017
154
164
I bit...I blame it all on you enablers...I've actually been sort of looking for a estate Castello...But I've good boy so... Direct from aforementioned Corti fellas for 211 yoo-ros, to my door in three days.
I think it smokes great, the craftmanship is excellent...I'm not a big fan of acrylic stems, and am having a thought about treating the outside with beeswax ( I just shudder at untreated wood... comes from having a wood boat)

All said, I'm happycastello-sea-rock-briar-kkkk (2).jpgcastello-sea-rock-briar-kkkk (1).jpg
 
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workman

Lifer
Jan 5, 2018
2,793
4,219
The Faroe Islands
@workman

Have you read ‘The Myth of Brand and Maker in Pipesmoking’ by Dr. Fred Hanna?


SPC Article on Dr. Hanna.


Yes, and now one more time. I'm sure he's right about the psychological mechanisms behind our percieved experiences.
He also has a theory on briar and soil, which may or may not be true, I dunno.
 
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