5 Rare Pipe Tobaccos Worth Smoking

Well, Native Americans had pipe-smoking traditions before the arrival of Europeans in America. The 1964 Surgeon General’s report referenced earlier resulted in a boom in pipe smoking as the tobacco pipe report claimed that pipe smokers actually lived longer than other smokers. Smoking pipe tobacco is not only harmful to the health of the user, but it is also a serious health risk to anyone exposed to its smoke. Secondhand smoke is classified as a known human carcinogen because it contains many of the harmful chemicals that are in the smoke directly inhaled by smokers. This bizarre little smoking instrument is designed to fit in the pocket of a vest, as the name implies. The bowl of the pipe is rather unique in that the chamber is actually oval shaped, and not round.

A Rhodesian is essentially a Bulldog, except where the Bulldog’s shank is diamond shaped, the Rhodesian’s is round, and in very rare cases, oval shaped. Much like its parent pipe, the Rhodesian is very difficult if not impossible to create without the use of a lathe, due to the precise rings that are turned into the bowl. The round shank of the Rhodesian tends to impart a chubbier look to the piece overall, a homebody counterpart to the out-and-about Bulldog. Often difficult to distinguish from the Author, Brandy and sometimes even the Tomato, the Apple pipe is traditionally a slightly shorter and softer version of the beloved Billiard. The more generous curvature is most noticeable at the top going toward the rim, and around the middle of the bowl, the walls of which are more convex than a Billiard’s.

The most direct route is to look at pipe tobacco consignment shops like 4noggins and Boswell’s Pipes. Due to either the discontinuing of lines or small batch production that can never saturate the market, certain blends are in perpetual demand. But as a general rule, compared to rare cigars or whiskies where a single serving may cost $100 or more, even the most rare pipe blends, if they can be found, will not cost much more than $3 a bowl. So a rare, ambrosial pipe experience can be had for the same price as a pour of well whisky or a yardgar.

Butane lighters made specifically for pipes emit flame sideways or at an angle to make it easier to direct flame into the bowl. Torch-style lighters should never be used Filling cut tobacco to light a pipe because their flames are too hot and can char the rim of the pipe bowl. Matches should be allowed to burn for several seconds to allow the sulfur from the tip to burn away and the match to produce a full flame. A naphtha fueled lighter should also be allowed to burn a few seconds to get rid of stray naphtha vapors that could give a foul taste to the smoke.

Do this until all the tobacco is in the pipe, tight enough so that when you tip it upside down, no tobacco falls out. It’s likely you’ll need to use the small nail to poke a hole down the center to let some air in. Test the draw on the pipe at this point; it should be reminiscent of sucking soda through a straw. This is the method that I prefer, and have had the most success with. We do not ship cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, or roll your own tobacco. Let’s cut right to the chase here; you can fit a lot of tobacco in this one.