Smokers Haven tobacco blends are again available.

For those of us who love Smokers Haven blends, it has been a long, dry patch without them. I ran out of all my blends years and years ago. Finally, three of the beloved blends are again available from Smokers Haven: Exotique, 10th Anniversary Blend, and In-Between.

I could not help but open the Exotique immediately. I love it. Love it. It is an English-Balkan blend that falls within the 759 style category – rich, layered with complexity, and full-flavored.

If you love looking at tobacco right after the tip is opened as I do, opening Exotique is a real treat. This tobacco is simply gorgeous. It’s fine, even cut is immediately apparent. The moisture content is perfect. It burns evenly. It burns slowly for a shag cut.

Click to read more ...

The Fruits of Friendship

Share

Friday morning, I was sitting at breakfast with three Philadelphia friends of mine - Bruce Blum, George, Amrom, and Steve Granoff - at the Chicago Show. Bruce reached into his pipe bag, took out a pipe, handed it to me and said, “Tell me what you think about this pipe.”

I immediately saw that it was a nicely shaped black zulu, but upon a closer look I realized that it had been made by Mike Butera. Anyone who knows Bruce knows that he is a very funny man, so I tried to make a smart remark:

“This pipe has gone missing from my collection!” I exclaimed.

To which Bruce retorted without missing a beat, “Well, then it’s good that I’m giving it back to you then.”

“What?!” I sputtered. “What did you say?”

Click to read more ...