Hello Alan! My name is Dermot, from Dublin Ireland. I am seriously interested in starting to smoke a pipe and would just like to say that I am thoroughly enjoying watching your channel and I am delighted to say that you and your videos have provided me with superb insights for the pipe smoking beginner. I wish to thank you for that and long may they continue.
Another superb video, Allan!!! My Papa had a smoking jacket, actually 2 smoking jackets that Granny made for him. One was an everyday jacket, the other was a red silk jacket that was only worn during the Holiday Season!!! I have his everyday jacket in my closet (a prized treasure). I remember many a Christmas Eve sitting in his lap, smelling his pipe and listening to him read, "A Visit From St. Nicholas"!!!
not a big fan, Accidentally I open a can 3 days ago, and the flavor is really intense, not really pleasant and tobacco really strong. I was smoking outside and still got a little dizzy, something that never happen with a pipe, and even with cigars it is very rare specially when smoking outside. I did a got a brand new corn pipe with the first smoke, and made sure to let it dry just to get a good first impression.
My dad smoked a pipe, quit for many years then became a smoker after I started it. I gravitated to English very early and pretty heavy at that. My dad tried it. We had to order tobacco as this was in the 1980s. He thought my English tasted ‘musty’ Well he lived next door, and we ordered tobacco together to save on shipping cost. He ran out and it took about two weeks to get it shipped. And I let him have a couple ounces of my English. Within a few days he really came to like it. And over the last thirty years of his life I don’t think he ever smoked anything but a English blend
What a perfect way to start my day. Your videos are relaxing to my soul, informative, and inspiring me to remember to slow down and enjoy life. As a brand new pipe smoker, I want to thank you. Please keep it up. I will happily support your business for years to come. I just ordered a Clark’s favorite and will now order some of these blends. Thank you sir. P.s. I have my late father’s corduroy sport jacket, it is now my smoking jacket.
@@thepipecottage3301 I agree with WW. My number one morning English. Same ingredients as NightCap. I also smoke and enjoy NightCap. Poor comparison is Quiet Nights vs. Penzance. Penzance is well above all English blends. Also Penzance has no Perique. Quiet Nights is a refined NightCap with the same ingredients.
As a Maryland-born hillbilly from North Carolina and Virginia stock I have a fondness for southern accents. It takes me about half an hour every time I’m down in NC, SC, Georgia, Alabama, or Florida for my own accent to appear. I’m enjoying your videos, brother; keep them up. I’ll be preordering my own Old Carolina Pipe t-shirt in a week or two! Edit: I should add my favorite English and Balkan blends for the fun of it (in no particular order) - 1.) Esoterica Penzance 2.) Dunhill/Peterson Night Cap 3.) GLP Quiet Nights 4.) Baker Street from The Country Squire 5.) My Private Blend from The Country Squire - it’s a very close match to my beloved Frog Morton On The Bayou that Jon David makes for me. If you’d like to give it a try call Jon David and ask him for four ounces of Rondy’s Private Blend and I’m sure he’ll be happy to set you up. 6.) Hearth & Home Black House 7.) Hearth & Home White Knight 8.) Esoterica And So To Bed 9.) Dunhill/Peterson Early Morning Pipe 10.) Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding Special Reserve. 11.) Sutliff Red Virginia Crumble Kake 12.) Sutliff English Crumble Kake 13.) Esoterica Margate 14.) C&D Chocolate Cavendish (bwahahaha - just seeing if you were paying attention. This is a pretty good chocolatey aromatic tobacco though; you should give it a try. 15.) Frog Morton On The Bayou. I only have about two mason jars and one unopened tin left, and it hurts my heart. This is why Jon David makes me a match for it, which is super close but just off enough to not be a perfect match; I think it’s due to the McCelland tins the way that they did. Happy smoking! And yes, Greg’s Quiet Nights is a *better* Penzance and is a million times easier to come by.
To my taste, Star of the East Flake has always been a dead ringer for Penzance. It contains more Latakia than Penzance however. I can remember buying Penzance in bulk and then trying SOTE Flake and wondering, “why am I spending more on this C&D Flake that tastes like Penzance and I have all this in bulk?” Still have a couple pounds left, but I prefer London Mixture.
Enjoying Early Morning Pipe with my Savinelli Rusticated Trevi 606 drinking a cup of coffee and watching this video. Thank you Sir! I really enjoy and appreciate your videos.
Presbyterian is my first reach these days. It is perfection from the initial light until the final draw. Also Cornel and Diehl Carolina Red Flake is amazing this time of year!
I enjoy your videos but this one got me laughing quite a bit. Enjoyed your confession about your 'smoking jacket' purchase as a student and sharing that meeting with fellow men in the pipe smoking room all wearing smoking jackets, were the 'good old days'. So true! We are merely the grandchildren of that past generation wondering what it was like. Cell phones and the Internet have ruined us all!
@@internet-user22sure, but maybe we could knew it in a much more natural way; in person in a smoking room/ saloon type of vibes. I like more this type of “old days ways” then the new.
I swear I am watching Gone with the Wind when listening to you speak, not a bad thing. You have an interesting format to your presentations, and they are enjoyable, Cheers!
Enjoyed watching while smoking my beloved Peterson 965. Smoked some early morning pipe this morning. I will no doubt finish the day with some nightcap. In my opinion these are they holy trinity of english blends..lol ;)
Just curious, what was your field of study? That is quite an impressive bookshelf there. I always get excited when I see a great assortment of historical books.
Wonderful video. You really do this well. Great work - will subscribe. And your dialect/accent is fantastic, I cannot deny it. And learning more about pipes and tobacco is a bonus.
Good advice for a prospective pipe smoker. Not bought my first pipe yet but doing my research and your advice is invaluable. I'm in England, and it's great to hear that rich Kentucky accent. Saw you recently on Pints with Aquinas. God bless.
I enjoyed your video , nice change of pace . For the past while I have been smoking Father Dempsey from Kramer's it is a English Mixture very nice . Hope all is well !
Usually in the afternoon when I have my first pipe. I listen to your videos and I've commented before that I used to smoke cornsilk when I was just a lad. I now have 6 pipes and one more on the way. I'm sixty six, i'm gonna join the next twenty-five five + years of smoking my pipes. I'm excited about trying out some new blends. As you say in your videos, I'm looking forward to cooler weather, I live in Oklahoma, and it's hot here today. Thank you, Mr. Haroldson, for your timely chats.
Blending tobaccos for pipe smokers is an art that I have come to appreciate deeply. Like making a great artisan whiskey, ale or brandy. A good pipe, a great tobacco, a good book. These things make life great. Thank you for your efforts and excellent reviews. Some of your favorites are mine too. Presbyterian is always on hand here. It is a favorite of mine. I shall try your recommendations with great enthusiasm.. I went camping at a fishing camp with some old friends recently. After a great day in the trout fisheries we sat by a campfire and poured some good whisky. i lit my pipe filled with an aromatic favorite. It was an enchanting evening. I am the only pipe smoker I know of in my area. It seems to be a lost art. Sad to say. It is to be me a spiritual hobby that I will enjoy until the day I leave my rhis life.
Great information!- I’m on a budget - - is there anything that you can recommend from Sutliff or Lane- something that I could try and later purchase in bulk for a good value?-thx
Nightcap was my intro to the English blends. Been hooked ever since. Never came across Penzance, but I have found Esoterica Margate in Brick and Mortar. Fantastic stuff. Bradley of Stuff and Things just did a review of GL Pease Maltese Falcon. Very positive review. I'll be trying that one soon. Last - your assessment of Presbyterian is spot on, I really love that one. Great video.
Same here. Night cap was one of the first pipe tobacs ive ever smoked and loved it. Then fell in love further with standard mixture and also esoterica "and so to bed". These days i smoke cigars far more often but a good english once in a while really hits the spot.
Great video. I've been enjoying Pirate Kake these days, a very heavy English. I find it pairs well with a single malt from Islay like Ard Mor or Lagavulin or Laphroaig.
There is only one tobacco the loss of which I mourn and that is the original Balkan Sobranie. I first smoked this some 50 years ago and can never forget the pleasure it gave me. Dunhill Standard is another way to introduce someone to English blends. Doing a great job!
I enjoy the current Balkan Sobraine though. It’s not quite the same, but it’s still very, very good. It’s just a hassle to get any of; I think that I may have three tins of it but that’s all at the moment.
I find better luck at brick & mortars for finding it. I've picked up a ton or 2 every couple months from a location near me. They always seem to have some in stock..m
Esoterica Tobacciana - Margate is pretty damned close to TBSOSM as I have ever found. TBSOSM was my favourite back in 1972 when I lived in the UK, and started smoking a pipe after deciding to give up cigarettes. Savory's in Oxford was a favourite haunt. back in the 1970s.
Thanks for that nice overview of English blends. I remember well having had a tin of the by then Dunhill 969 which I enjoyed very much, maybe because it was aged already. As I restart with the pipe now and haven't really smoked for about 15 years I'd definetely want to try the Peterson version of it before I crack the tin of the 969 that is still there and well sealed. What I got for my restart is two Rattray's from which one is the Professional Mixture. I got this because it says in the description a pinch of Oriental and a pinch of Latakia. Opening the tin it smells rather "English" but when transformed into smoke it's just like a seasoning with salt and pepper on food. I'd deeply recomand this mixture for any more "natural" smoker who wants to try toward the English mixtures. Helping in that is for sure the black cavendish for smoothening. Give it a try and be surprized.
I’m currently enjoying a bowl of Nightcap in my Savinelli 320. Bengal Slices is another blend that I love, and that I seldom hear others talk about. I’d love to hear your thoughts
I am really enjoying your channel and content, just subscribed too. I don't know how easy it is to get Gawith & Hoggarth products in the States but if you can you should try their Balkan mix, the flavour is excellent and well balanced, it's a great smoke. Kind regards Carl.
Man, do I love Blend No. 5. I also really enjoy the bulk Peter Stokkebye English Oriental Supreme. When I smoke my first bowl, it did not taste as though it had a Pugh Latakia, compared to Blend No. 5. But having put it in a Ball jar, and let it set for a couple of months, it now has a sufficient Latakia content for my liking, and has since become my 2nd favorite English Blend. At some point in the near future, I’ll be ordering myself a ton of My Mixture 965, as well as a tin of Early Morning Pipe, Nightcap, and Quiet Nights; so as to expand my English blend palate.
I'm a great fan of EMP and Presby. A notch up in flavor from those, but still a moderate and superb English, is Father Dempsey's Mixture. Available only at Smokingpipes, at a very reasonable price.
Here in French Canada we call it “un smoking”, also worn in evenings to read etc. I enjoyed your video. Do u have any Canadian shops to suggest where a large selection is available...who can maybe offer small tasting packets?
Not a pipe smoker but love the smell. Just got on nasal Snuff 3months ago and stopped smoking cigarettes and vaping. Might go to vape again cause I put a lot of money into it. But the taxes is ridiculous and then putting everyone name in the database is messed up. Love the channel, just found your channel. Love your voice. I'm from VA and love hearing accent like you talk with. Much love brother
I always enjoy spending a few moments with you. While I am mostly a aromatic piper, I enjoyed our visit while on the veranda with some hot coffee and Sutliff Vanilla Custard. Always a pleasure. 🤠☕
@@thepipecottage3301 I just started smoking a pipe I would love for you to show me the ins and outs thank hope to here back from you. -your Carolina neighbor from NC
Greetings sir. I hope this comment finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your time and insights. I have recently began to work in a brick and mortar shop and I am expanding my experience with pipe smoking. Your videos have been of great help with both your suggestions and over all point of views on the art of enjoying pipe smoking. Thank you.🙏🏽
Love your content have dabbled in pipe smoking for a year just recently started back. I have one briar pipe and several expensive meerchuam pipes. Some fron SRV and IMP they are amazing! I just ordered some of the blends you mentioned. Just wanted to say thak you for everything!
I truly enjoy your videos I recently returned to pipe smoking as during the covid times good pipe tobacco was hard to find will take your recommendations to heart. I today tried Autumn Evening what a nice smoke thanks
Just found your channel and was thinking about English being low around here anyway, so good timing. Enjoyed your presentation and accent, which strangely reminds me of our own East Texan accent in some ways....smoke a pipe all day and night I will enjoy this channel.
Great video! I would include Hearth and Home 's Magnum Opus on that list, together with Seattle Pipe Clubs Plum Pudding and GL Peases Gaslight! Those are my favorites English/Balkans! Cheers from São Paulo/ Brasil
Russ’ Magnum Opus is definitely a must-try. About ten years ago P&C messed up my order and later I found a package on my doorstep that they sent me with eight ounces of Magnum Opus as way of an apology. It was unexpected, not asked for at all because everyone messes up orders now and then, but it was certainly welcomed! It’s a great, great blend. Russ makes a lot of great blends
I would like to recommend Deacon's Downfall. It is one of my favorite all day English blend. It is very similar to presbyterian but richer and more complex on some levels, a great smoke.
Thank you Sir for that. Well wishes and satisfying smokes. I look forward to the Brick and Mortar store. I live in Charlotte and hope it is close enough for day trips.
My father , aWW2 tail gunner vet was very fond of an Irish blend called Erimore . I now at the ripe and retired age of 58 have decided to return to pipe smoking and have ordered a tin of this very same tobacco! I remember a rather smooth and pleasant aroma from it
For years its been Early morning pipe. Just recently I tried Peterson Standard mixture and I have been smoking a lot of it. The richness of it was what really got me returning to it multiple times a day now.
…and when I can't find "Abingdon" , I have spent time experimenting with my own blends, to attempt to re-create something similar to TBSOSM. Lots of experiments and attempts, and a few "near misses" but that is all part and parcel of the pipe, by the way when my doctor asks me if I smoke, I tell her I don't "smoke" a pipe, I "ENJOY" a pipe. Here is what was one of my first attempts at TBSOSM: equal parts (by weight) of Smyrna, Perique, and Latakia (which I call "SPLAT") - enjoy!
Very enjoyable video sir. I'm not a latakia enthusiast for the most part, but I do have plenty in the cupboard, many Syrian latakia blends before they disappeared. I couldn't agree with you more when it comes to Early Morning Pipe and Quiet Nights. Yes, QN does compare very closely to Penzance, but, as you know, much more available and reasonably priced. Another favorite of mine is Sam Gawith's Winter Time Flake. I prefer latakia when it's used more as a condimental tobacco than as a main component. I like HGL from Lane, the Walnut match blend made by I believe Middleton, also Dr. Bradley from Iwan Ries. I prefer the smokey latakia in the background rather than the forefront, but to each his own. I really got a sense of the old time smoking parlour when I toured Biltmore Estate in Ashville, NC. I was in the smoking room that the gentlemen would go and enjoy their pipes and cigars after dinner, quite an experience. Keep up the good work and pipe on!
This is my first visit to your youtube channel. A very pleasant discovery! I am an old and experienced pipe smoker, my current top three English blends are: 1. Peterson's Standard blend, 2. Peterson's Nightcap, and 3. Cornell & Diehl"s The Old Ones Series, Awakened Elder. All are Latakia heavy, and a delight through a good pipe; especially through my recently refurbished gourd calabash. Did it with some trepidation, since even youtube was fairly ambiguous about what actually worked. It came out really well, with the effortless draw I remember from days of old. I look forward to visiting your website.
I am very pleased to find you, as a tobacco retailer and pipe smoker I absolutely agree on Bombay Court, Mike McNiel hit the nail on the head with that one. Gone forever. Great video I will be tuning in on a regular basis and love the Southern Gentleman accent, (although you probably consider us northerners to be the ones with the accents. LOL ) Where is your store located? I am in Poulsbo, Washington just west of Seattle. Keep puffin.
Hello. I’m interested in getting started smoking a pipe, I’m 61 years old and I enjoy listening to you talk about pipes and the different kinds of tobacco you smoke. If you could help me in getting started out on the right foot I would appreciate it very much, Thanks Billy.
New subscriber love the content thus far. I am fairly new to pipe smoking. I've only been going for about a year. Happy holidays to everyone and please keep up the great content.
I am English, and I just bought a tin of 965. It smells almost exactly like one of the actual fine cig tobaccos -- Drum blue -- which people say smells like pipe tobacco. This one smells almost identical, but stronger and better, which was an excellent first impression (for an ex-smoker). Then, I packed it normally straight out of the tin. How it burns! This stuff smokes itself, takes no care whatsoever to keep cool, it's like my pipe has a mind of its own. The taste is also excellent but I'm still getting used to it, so I'll give it a chance to speak for itself. Thanks again for the recommendation, man.
It takes a special type of personality to properly maintain the old tradition of pipe smoking. The perfection is in the fine simplicity of tobacco mixture. Enjoyed to watch and listen the intelligent lecture, English blend it is. Cheers!
I should also mention that some classic American English blends were once made. Barking Dog, Walnut, and Holiday mixture were lighter on the Latakia but introduced many American pipe smokers to this beloved English component, at a time when burley dominated domestic pipe blends.
You are the only other presenter on YT that has extolled the virtues of Bombay Court. I love this blend greatly and for the longest time thought I was the only one who did. It was a sad day when McClelland closed shop.
I really love a great Stokkebye oriental/English blend with a healthy dose of perique added in there. I love anything that tastes like spicey shoe leather. I can't explain it but I do. If anybody has any recommendations of new blends with a similar profile please let me know. My Mixture 965 is a fantastic blend as well.
QUESTION??? What else can I smoke in my pipe? I know there are aromatics, but what are they and are they combined with tobacco? Can say mango, orange, peach, be dried and smoked in a pipe without combining with tobacco? If I want to smoke a pipe but don't want to smoke any tobacco what other options are there? THANKS, PS: I am new, and know nothing about pipe smoking.
Hi Alan, If you have not yet tried Sutliff Private Stock (tin) Blend No. 5, I highly recommend that you do. I have only tried a few different English blends, two of which are bulk blends - one of which I really enjoy (Peter Stokkebye English Oriental Supreme). But the Sutliff Private Stock Blend No. 5, really hits the spot. It was actually recommended to me by Dan Spaniola - owner of Paul’s Pipe Shop, in Flint, MI. I went there to pick up some more Arrowhead, and a tin of My Mixture 965, but they were sold out of My Mixture 965. Dan suggested the Sutliff Private Stock Blend No. 5, as a substitute. Now, never having smoked My Mixture 965, I cannot say whether or not Blend No. 5 has a similar taste. Nor do I know whether or not I enjoy Blend No. 5 so much, because it was the first English blend I had ever smoked. What I do know is, it is one of the most satisfying tobaccos that I have ever smoked. I don’t see many, if any, YTPC content creators mention this particular blend - which I believe is deserving of more attention. Then again, if it gets too much positive attention, I may not be able to find it as easily. I guess I’m the type of person, that when I get great satisfaction out of something, I want others to enjoy that same satisfaction, from that same product.
I’ve come across your channel only very recently after seeing your interview on Pints with Aquinas. If you are so inclined I would enjoy sending you some tobacco from my cellar. Cheers and aloha.
As far as under the radar English and Oriental blends, Scottish Blend and Original Oriental by Robert McConnel, blended in Germany by Kolhasse and Kopp, are both excellent. And of course, Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding is quickly becoming legendary.
My dads family were Scottish irish and my dad had hes grandads smoking jacket silk with a dragon on the back dads uncle was only a short guy and used it as a boxing robe .the smoking culture always was a healthier practice than say cigarettes are today .for example a lot people who played sports had a smoke back then
8:32 the part where you talk abt familiarity really is smt similar to what I do. I have special pipes that actually is used as a reminder or a symbol, usually at times of despair I would smoke a certain pipe to remind me of certain positive ques. Similarly, in times of glory I would smoke another pipe to remind me to remain calm, rational, and humble.
Greg Pease has revived several of the old Drucquer and Son’s mixtures and I have been working my way through them this year. So far “Inns of Court” and “Princes Blend” are my favorites. All of them are very high quality tobaccos that are worth a try for any English lover. Also, Rattray’s “Number 7 Reserve” is a lovely English/Scottish blend that has been my go to all day smoke for several years. Love your videos sir and I will make the trip down from Black Mountain, NC when you open your store. Cheers!
Very helpful! Presbyterian is certainly in my list of favorite English blends, as is Westminster by G.L. Pease-one that I didn’t hear you mention. If it would benefit other YTPC members, I’d love to hear more about your approach to cellaring tobacco-especially those like the McClelland you mentioned that you enjoy slowly over time. I’d love to “sip” more tobaccos and vary my palette, but I’m always worried about drying out larger tins and wasting great product. I’ve tried mason jars, humidors, rehydrating, etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Love ALL of the Peterson blends you mentioned! Based on your recommendation, I have tried Squadron Leader and Quiet Nights. Both are delicious! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise.
Great video. I would suggest Rattrays Accountants Mixture if you like an English blend that favors latakia but without orientals…a smooth and smoky blend…very enjoyable. 😀
I smoke sutliff medium English fairly regularly. I need to try more English blends because I really love it. Other than that I pretty much just smoke straight dark burley or dark fire Kentucky
If you like the Sutliff Medium English, try Sutliff Private Stock Blend No. 5 (tin), and Peter Stokkebye English Oriental Supreme (bulk). I bought a couple ounces of Sutliff Medium English, which is good. But the other two I recommended, just have a more intense Latakia flavor, and that almost incense-like note, which I believe comes from the Latakia.
Thanks for the suggestions! Since my last comment I’ve had the opportunity to try a few different blends and I only recently realized it’s the Latakia that makes an English taste so darn good.
I just discovered your UA-cam channel this morning. I really like the continent how are you come across on your videos. I myself pretty much only smoke English blends. Presbyterian tobacco was popularized by British prime minister Stanley Baldwin. I believe he may have had a hand in how to put the tobacco blend together with his tobacconist. Presbyterian and Night Cap were the first English blend I ever tried recommended by my father. I was 14 years old when I first tried a pipe never looked back I’m 57 years of age.
Dr. Harrelson I have a couple of questions. The first is do you prefer a butane or a flint lighter? The second one is could you send me your list of your aromatic tobacco’s please
As the proud owner of two smoking jackets, one for me and another for if any gentleman has forgotten to bring their own or does not have one, I can confirm they are wonderful. It adds to the ceremony which I think all pipe and cigar smoker enjoy. If my Wife sees me put it on she knows I am off to go and put the world to right (in my head) and I come back a better man.
Hello Alan! My name is Dermot, from Dublin Ireland. I am seriously interested in starting to smoke a pipe and would just like to say that I am thoroughly enjoying watching your channel and I am delighted to say that you and your videos have provided me with superb insights for the pipe smoking beginner. I wish to thank you for that and long may they continue.
I’m just getting into pipe smoking at 25 and your videos are so helpful. Thank you 🙏
Another superb video, Allan!!! My Papa had a smoking jacket, actually 2 smoking jackets that Granny made for him. One was an everyday jacket, the other was a red silk jacket that was only worn during the Holiday Season!!! I have his everyday jacket in my closet (a prized treasure).
I remember many a Christmas Eve sitting in his lap, smelling his pipe and listening to him read, "A Visit From St. Nicholas"!!!
It is a pleasure listening to you talk. Thanks for the video.
Peterson’s Old Dublin is another excellent English blend; rich , slow burning and flavourful.
I agree.
One the my favs.
Nathan, from Brazil South America
not a big fan, Accidentally I open a can 3 days ago, and the flavor is really intense, not really pleasant and tobacco really strong. I was smoking outside and still got a little dizzy, something that never happen with a pipe, and even with cigars it is very rare specially when smoking outside. I did a got a brand new corn pipe with the first smoke, and made sure to let it dry just to get a good first impression.
Do you think Old Dublin may be an Irish tobacco? Just asking……..
@@alanjohnson4637 no
What about 7reserve?
My dad smoked a pipe, quit for many years then became a smoker after I started it. I gravitated to English very early and pretty heavy at that.
My dad tried it. We had to order tobacco as this was in the 1980s.
He thought my English tasted ‘musty’
Well he lived next door, and we ordered tobacco together to save on shipping cost.
He ran out and it took about two weeks to get it shipped. And I let him have a couple ounces of my English. Within a few days he really came to like it. And over the last thirty years of his life I don’t think he ever smoked anything but a English blend
What a perfect way to start my day. Your videos are relaxing to my soul, informative, and inspiring me to remember to slow down and enjoy life. As a brand new pipe smoker, I want to thank you. Please keep it up. I will happily support your business for years to come. I just ordered a Clark’s favorite and will now order some of these blends. Thank you sir.
P.s. I have my late father’s corduroy sport jacket, it is now my smoking jacket.
Couldn't agree with you more Gabriel! You stole my thoughts while watching and listening to Alan.
Chelsea Morning is a good blend too if you enjoy EMP.
@@thepipecottage3301 I agree with WW. My number one morning English. Same ingredients as NightCap. I also smoke and enjoy NightCap. Poor comparison is Quiet Nights vs. Penzance. Penzance is well above all English blends. Also Penzance has no Perique. Quiet Nights is a refined NightCap with the same ingredients.
As a Maryland-born hillbilly from North Carolina and Virginia stock I have a fondness for southern accents. It takes me about half an hour every time I’m down in NC, SC, Georgia, Alabama, or Florida for my own accent to appear.
I’m enjoying your videos, brother; keep them up. I’ll be preordering my own Old Carolina Pipe t-shirt in a week or two!
Edit: I should add my favorite English and Balkan blends for the fun of it (in no particular order) -
1.) Esoterica Penzance
2.) Dunhill/Peterson Night Cap
3.) GLP Quiet Nights
4.) Baker Street from The Country Squire
5.) My Private Blend from The Country Squire - it’s a very close match to my beloved Frog Morton On The Bayou that Jon David makes for me. If you’d like to give it a try call Jon David and ask him for four ounces of Rondy’s Private Blend and I’m sure he’ll be happy to set you up.
6.) Hearth & Home Black House
7.) Hearth & Home White Knight
8.) Esoterica And So To Bed
9.) Dunhill/Peterson Early Morning Pipe
10.) Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding Special Reserve.
11.) Sutliff Red Virginia Crumble Kake
12.) Sutliff English Crumble Kake
13.) Esoterica Margate
14.) C&D Chocolate Cavendish (bwahahaha - just seeing if you were paying attention. This is a pretty good chocolatey aromatic tobacco though; you should give it a try.
15.) Frog Morton On The Bayou. I only have about two mason jars and one unopened tin left, and it hurts my heart. This is why Jon David makes me a match for it, which is super close but just off enough to not be a perfect match; I think it’s due to the McCelland tins the way that they did.
Happy smoking!
And yes, Greg’s Quiet Nights is a *better* Penzance and is a million times easier to come by.
To my taste, Star of the East Flake has always been a dead ringer for Penzance. It contains more Latakia than Penzance however. I can remember buying Penzance in bulk and then trying SOTE Flake and wondering, “why am I spending more on this C&D Flake that tastes like Penzance and I have all this in bulk?” Still have a couple pounds left, but I prefer London Mixture.
Enjoying Early Morning Pipe with my Savinelli Rusticated Trevi 606 drinking a cup of coffee and watching this video. Thank you Sir! I really enjoy and appreciate your videos.
After all the UA-cam pipe content that I've consumed over the years, I'm delighted to have found this channel! Great content!
I love your videos, so well thought out and well presented and always informative with great content . Keep up the great work.
Presbyterian is my first reach these days. It is perfection from the initial light until the final draw. Also Cornel and Diehl Carolina Red Flake is amazing this time of year!
It's a great church as well 🤩
Love this chap especially his accent he comes across as a true gentleman and very informative and like me a love of the past
I enjoy your videos but this one got me laughing quite a bit. Enjoyed your confession about your 'smoking jacket' purchase as a student and sharing that meeting with fellow men in the pipe smoking room all wearing smoking jackets, were the 'good old days'. So true! We are merely the grandchildren of that past generation wondering what it was like. Cell phones and the Internet have ruined us all!
I did enjoyed that part of the video as well because I’m that guy with a grant buying tobacco and a smoking jacket.
@@internet-user22sure, but maybe we could knew it in a much more natural way; in person in a smoking room/ saloon type of vibes.
I like more this type of “old days ways” then the new.
I like the “smoking jacket confession “ and as an English pipe smoker I totally concur with the tradition long past 🧐
Without technology we probably wouldn't even know about all the good blends or even this channel for that matter😂
I swear I am watching Gone with the Wind when listening to you speak, not a bad thing. You have an interesting format to your presentations, and they are enjoyable, Cheers!
Can’t wait to visit that shop when the doors open!!
Enjoyed watching while smoking my beloved Peterson 965. Smoked some early morning pipe this morning. I will no doubt finish the day with some nightcap. In my opinion these are they holy trinity of english blends..lol ;)
Just curious, what was your field of study? That is quite an impressive bookshelf there. I always get excited when I see a great assortment of historical books.
From a previous video, he stated he was a history major.
Wonderful video. You really do this well. Great work - will subscribe. And your dialect/accent is fantastic, I cannot deny it. And learning more about pipes and tobacco is a bonus.
Good advice for a prospective pipe smoker. Not bought my first pipe yet but doing my research and your advice is invaluable. I'm in England, and it's great to hear that rich Kentucky accent. Saw you recently on Pints with Aquinas. God bless.
I bought Early Morning tobacco due to your recommendation and its the perfect morning smoke with coffee
I enjoyed your video , nice change of pace . For the past while I have been smoking Father Dempsey from Kramer's it is a English Mixture very nice . Hope all is well !
Usually in the afternoon when I have my first pipe.
I listen to your videos and
I've commented before that I used to smoke cornsilk when I was just a lad.
I now have 6 pipes and one more on the way.
I'm sixty six, i'm gonna join the next twenty-five five + years of smoking my pipes. I'm excited about trying out some new blends.
As you say in your videos, I'm looking forward to cooler weather, I live in Oklahoma, and it's hot here today.
Thank you, Mr. Haroldson, for your timely chats.
Peterson’s Standard mixture is pretty good too
Blending tobaccos for pipe smokers is an art that I have come to appreciate deeply. Like making a great artisan whiskey, ale or brandy. A good pipe, a great tobacco, a good book. These things make life great. Thank you for your efforts and excellent reviews. Some of your favorites are mine too. Presbyterian is always on hand here. It is a favorite of mine. I shall try your recommendations with great enthusiasm..
I went camping at a fishing camp with some old friends recently. After a great day in the trout fisheries we sat by a campfire and poured some good whisky. i lit my pipe filled with an aromatic favorite. It was an enchanting evening. I am the only pipe smoker I know of in my area. It seems to be a lost art. Sad to say.
It is to be me a spiritual hobby that I will enjoy until the day I leave my rhis life.
Great information!- I’m on a budget - - is there anything that you can recommend from Sutliff or Lane- something that I could try and later purchase in bulk for a good value?-thx
You should start an Old Carolina Pipe Cottage Audio Book Club. Your cadence would make for a great audiobook.
Nightcap was my intro to the English blends. Been hooked ever since. Never came across Penzance, but I have found Esoterica Margate in Brick and Mortar. Fantastic stuff. Bradley of Stuff and Things just did a review of GL Pease Maltese Falcon. Very positive review. I'll be trying that one soon. Last - your assessment of Presbyterian is spot on, I really love that one. Great video.
Same here. Night cap was one of the first pipe tobacs ive ever smoked and loved it. Then fell in love further with standard mixture and also esoterica "and so to bed". These days i smoke cigars far more often but a good english once in a while really hits the spot.
Nightcap was a bit hard hitting for me at first but now I love it. Early morning pipe and nightcap are my favorite
Great video. I've been enjoying Pirate Kake these days, a very heavy English. I find it pairs well with a single malt from Islay like Ard Mor or Lagavulin or Laphroaig.
Ardbeg An Oa and Bowmore are my favorites as well.
Thank you sir it is refreshing to veiw a gentleman with your caliber for knowledge and demeanor
@@thepipecottage3301 your very welcome
There is only one tobacco the loss of which I mourn and that is the original Balkan Sobranie. I first smoked this some 50 years ago and can never forget the pleasure it gave me.
Dunhill Standard is another way to introduce someone to English blends.
Doing a great job!
I enjoy the current Balkan Sobraine though. It’s not quite the same, but it’s still very, very good. It’s just a hassle to get any of; I think that I may have three tins of it but that’s all at the moment.
@@EatTheMarxists You are lucky to have that much even if it is not the original.
Cheers
I find better luck at brick & mortars for finding it. I've picked up a ton or 2 every couple months from a location near me. They always seem to have some in stock..m
@@Stahlgewitter You are a very lucky man Joe!
Esoterica Tobacciana - Margate is pretty damned close to TBSOSM as I have ever found. TBSOSM was my favourite back in 1972 when I lived in the UK, and started smoking a pipe after deciding to give up cigarettes. Savory's in Oxford was a favourite haunt. back in the 1970s.
Thanks for that nice overview of English blends. I remember well having had a tin of the by then Dunhill 969 which I enjoyed very much, maybe because it was aged already. As I restart with the pipe now and haven't really smoked for about 15 years I'd definetely want to try the Peterson version of it before I crack the tin of the 969 that is still there and well sealed. What I got for my restart is two Rattray's from which one is the Professional Mixture. I got this because it says in the description a pinch of Oriental and a pinch of Latakia. Opening the tin it smells rather "English" but when transformed into smoke it's just like a seasoning with salt and pepper on food. I'd deeply recomand this mixture for any more "natural" smoker who wants to try toward the English mixtures. Helping in that is for sure the black cavendish for smoothening. Give it a try and be surprized.
I’m currently enjoying a bowl of Nightcap in my Savinelli 320. Bengal Slices is another blend that I love, and that I seldom hear others talk about. I’d love to hear your thoughts
Pipes and Cigars now carry Balkan Sobranie. Always on back order.
I am really enjoying your channel and content, just subscribed too. I don't know how easy it is to get Gawith & Hoggarth products in the States but if you can you should try their Balkan mix, the flavour is excellent and well balanced, it's a great smoke.
Kind regards
Carl.
Fantastic video. I’ll be visiting your store. Thank you for this very informative presentation. Subscribed!
My current English rotation is Davidoff royalty, Sutliff blend 5, 965, and nightcap. Davidoff royalty is an incredible under the radar blend!
Man, do I love Blend No. 5. I also really enjoy the bulk Peter Stokkebye English Oriental Supreme. When I smoke my first bowl, it did not taste as though it had a Pugh Latakia, compared to Blend No. 5. But having put it in a Ball jar, and let it set for a couple of months, it now has a sufficient Latakia content for my liking, and has since become my 2nd favorite English Blend. At some point in the near future, I’ll be ordering myself a ton of My Mixture 965, as well as a tin of Early Morning Pipe, Nightcap, and Quiet Nights; so as to expand my English blend palate.
I'm a great fan of EMP and Presby. A notch up in flavor from those, but still a moderate and superb English, is Father Dempsey's Mixture. Available only at Smokingpipes, at a very reasonable price.
I agree, I love Father Dempsey’s, have to smoke it daily.
Here in French Canada we call it “un smoking”, also worn in evenings to read etc. I enjoyed your video. Do u have any Canadian shops to suggest where a large selection is available...who can maybe offer small tasting packets?
Not a pipe smoker but love the smell. Just got on nasal Snuff 3months ago and stopped smoking cigarettes and vaping. Might go to vape again cause I put a lot of money into it. But the taxes is ridiculous and then putting everyone name in the database is messed up. Love the channel, just found your channel. Love your voice. I'm from VA and love hearing accent like you talk with. Much love brother
I always enjoy spending a few moments with you. While I am mostly a aromatic piper, I enjoyed our visit while on the veranda with some hot coffee and Sutliff Vanilla Custard. Always a pleasure. 🤠☕
@@thepipecottage3301 I just started smoking a pipe I would love for you to show me the ins and outs thank hope to here back from you.
-your Carolina neighbor from NC
@@thepipecottage3301 that is wisdom right there. Muttenchops via youtube. He's the Yoda of pioesmokers everywhere.
@@thepipecottage3301 thank you I will check him out.
Greetings sir. I hope this comment finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your time and insights. I have recently began to work in a brick and mortar shop and I am expanding my experience with pipe smoking. Your videos have been of great help with both your suggestions and over all point of views on the art of enjoying pipe smoking. Thank you.🙏🏽
As a french, I enjoy so much your accent.
Love your content have dabbled in pipe smoking for a year just recently started back. I have one briar pipe and several expensive meerchuam pipes. Some fron SRV and IMP they are amazing! I just ordered some of the blends you mentioned. Just wanted to say thak you for everything!
I truly enjoy your videos I recently returned to pipe smoking as during the covid times good pipe tobacco was hard to find will take your recommendations to heart. I today tried Autumn Evening what a nice smoke thanks
I am coming back to this to try the ones I have not next time I am ordering. Love so many that you mention.
Just found your channel and was thinking about English being low around here anyway, so good timing. Enjoyed your presentation and accent, which strangely reminds me of our own East Texan accent in some ways....smoke a pipe all day and night I will enjoy this channel.
Great video! I would include Hearth and Home 's Magnum Opus on that list, together with Seattle Pipe Clubs Plum Pudding and GL Peases Gaslight! Those are my favorites English/Balkans! Cheers from São Paulo/ Brasil
Russ’ Magnum Opus is definitely a must-try. About ten years ago P&C messed up my order and later I found a package on my doorstep that they sent me with eight ounces of Magnum Opus as way of an apology. It was unexpected, not asked for at all because everyone messes up orders now and then, but it was certainly welcomed! It’s a great, great blend. Russ makes a lot of great blends
I would like to recommend Deacon's Downfall. It is one of my favorite all day English blend. It is very similar to presbyterian but richer and more complex on some levels, a great smoke.
I was on the other side of the room and thought for sure you said “esoteric piss ants” thank you for the laughs! Great content, sir.
Thank you Sir for that. Well wishes and satisfying smokes. I look forward to the Brick and Mortar store. I live in Charlotte and hope it is close enough for day trips.
@@thepipecottage3301 Yes I am a regular there. Great family the McCranies i have been friends with them for 25 years.
My father , aWW2 tail gunner vet was very fond of an Irish blend called Erimore . I now at the ripe and retired age of 58 have decided to return to pipe smoking and have ordered a tin of this very same tobacco! I remember a rather smooth and pleasant aroma from it
Smelling like fruit cake too☺️
Thats an awesome blend, keep in mind that its a flake
@@rubenuneken6037 Yep , like my father back in the 60-70s I use a extremely sharp chisel to cut it in the tin . It’s dedicated just for that purpose
For years its been Early morning pipe. Just recently I tried Peterson Standard mixture and I have been smoking a lot of it. The richness of it was what really got me returning to it multiple times a day now.
…and when I can't find "Abingdon" , I have spent time experimenting with my own blends, to attempt to re-create something similar to TBSOSM. Lots of experiments and attempts, and a few "near misses" but that is all part and parcel of the pipe, by the way when my doctor asks me if I smoke, I tell her I don't "smoke" a pipe, I "ENJOY" a pipe. Here is what was one of my first attempts at TBSOSM: equal parts (by weight) of Smyrna, Perique, and Latakia (which I call "SPLAT") - enjoy!
Very enjoyable video sir. I'm not a latakia enthusiast for the most part, but I do have plenty in the cupboard, many Syrian latakia blends before they disappeared. I couldn't agree with you more when it comes to Early Morning Pipe and Quiet Nights. Yes, QN does compare very closely to Penzance, but, as you know, much more available and reasonably priced. Another favorite of mine is Sam Gawith's Winter Time Flake. I prefer latakia when it's used more as a condimental tobacco than as a main component. I like HGL from Lane, the Walnut match blend made by I believe Middleton, also Dr. Bradley from Iwan Ries. I prefer the smokey latakia in the background rather than the forefront, but to each his own. I really got a sense of the old time smoking parlour when I toured Biltmore Estate in Ashville, NC. I was in the smoking room that the gentlemen would go and enjoy their pipes and cigars after dinner, quite an experience.
Keep up the good work and pipe on!
YNWA
This is my first visit to your youtube channel. A very pleasant discovery! I am an old and experienced pipe smoker, my current top three English blends are: 1. Peterson's Standard blend, 2. Peterson's Nightcap, and 3. Cornell & Diehl"s The Old Ones Series, Awakened Elder. All are Latakia heavy, and a delight through a good pipe; especially through my recently refurbished gourd calabash. Did it with some trepidation, since even youtube was fairly ambiguous about what actually worked. It came out really well, with the effortless draw I remember from days of old. I look forward to visiting your website.
Just purchased a few tins from your store. Can’t wait to break in my new Savinelli 404 Pocket with them !
I am very pleased to find you, as a tobacco retailer and pipe smoker I absolutely agree on Bombay Court, Mike McNiel hit the nail on the head with that one. Gone forever. Great video I will be tuning in on a regular basis and love the Southern Gentleman accent, (although you probably consider us northerners to be the ones with the accents. LOL ) Where is your store located? I am in Poulsbo, Washington just west of Seattle. Keep puffin.
Sutliff Heavy English smoked my first bowl of if this last weekend. Couldn’t stop thinking of it all day at work that following Monday.
Is the Enunciation/drawll exaggerated for effect ??My Wife from your state doesnt sound like that ?? Just curious is all , enjoyed your chat !
Nice to see Robertson's "Stonewall Jackson" on your shelf. Great book! I love Dunhill Nightcap too, "The Velvet Hammer!"
Glad to see Milan made the list.
What a delightful dip back into the refined days of Tobacciana . Thank you Dr.Harrelson.
Hello. I’m interested in getting started smoking a pipe, I’m 61 years old and I enjoy listening to you talk about pipes and the different kinds of tobacco you smoke. If you could help me in getting started out on the right foot I would appreciate it very much, Thanks Billy.
I'm new to English blends and Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader is actually the first and favourite so far for me!
First off. Congrats on your newborn. God is good. Yes I would love to come and visit you.
New subscriber love the content thus far. I am fairly new to pipe smoking. I've only been going for about a year. Happy holidays to everyone and please keep up the great content.
I am English, and I just bought a tin of 965. It smells almost exactly like one of the actual fine cig tobaccos -- Drum blue -- which people say smells like pipe tobacco. This one smells almost identical, but stronger and better, which was an excellent first impression (for an ex-smoker). Then, I packed it normally straight out of the tin. How it burns! This stuff smokes itself, takes no care whatsoever to keep cool, it's like my pipe has a mind of its own. The taste is also excellent but I'm still getting used to it, so I'll give it a chance to speak for itself. Thanks again for the recommendation, man.
It takes a special type of personality to properly maintain the old tradition of pipe smoking. The perfection is in the fine simplicity of tobacco mixture. Enjoyed to watch and listen the intelligent lecture, English blend it is. Cheers!
I should also mention that some classic American English blends were once made. Barking Dog, Walnut, and Holiday mixture were lighter on the Latakia but introduced many American pipe smokers to this beloved English component, at a time when burley dominated domestic pipe blends.
talking about burley's. Granger pointer is my favorite
You are the only other presenter on YT that has extolled the virtues of Bombay Court. I love this blend greatly and for the longest time thought I was the only one who did. It was a sad day when McClelland closed shop.
Great episode!
Looking forward to an episode on Balkan/Oriental blends!
I really love a great Stokkebye oriental/English blend with a healthy dose of perique added in there. I love anything that tastes like spicey shoe leather. I can't explain it but I do. If anybody has any recommendations of new blends with a similar profile please let me know. My Mixture 965 is a fantastic blend as well.
I do love a bit of Perique in my English blends. Excellent comment.
QUESTION??? What else can I smoke in my pipe? I know there are aromatics, but what are they and are they combined with tobacco? Can say mango, orange, peach, be dried and smoked in a pipe without combining with tobacco? If I want to smoke a pipe but don't want to smoke any tobacco what other options are there? THANKS, PS: I am new, and know nothing about pipe smoking.
I used to wait till fall/winter for Latakia forward blends. Now it’s all year around. I can’t stop.
Hi Alan,
If you have not yet tried Sutliff Private Stock (tin) Blend No. 5, I highly recommend that you do. I have only tried a few different English blends, two of which are bulk blends - one of which I really enjoy (Peter Stokkebye English Oriental Supreme). But the Sutliff Private Stock Blend No. 5, really hits the spot. It was actually recommended to me by Dan Spaniola - owner of Paul’s Pipe Shop, in Flint, MI. I went there to pick up some more Arrowhead, and a tin of My Mixture 965, but they were sold out of My Mixture 965. Dan suggested the Sutliff Private Stock Blend No. 5, as a substitute.
Now, never having smoked My Mixture 965, I cannot say whether or not Blend No. 5 has a similar taste. Nor do I know whether or not I enjoy Blend No. 5 so much, because it was the first English blend I had ever smoked. What I do know is, it is one of the most satisfying tobaccos that I have ever smoked. I don’t see many, if any, YTPC content creators mention this particular blend - which I believe is deserving of more attention. Then again, if it gets too much positive attention, I may not be able to find it as easily. I guess I’m the type of person, that when I get great satisfaction out of something, I want others to enjoy that same satisfaction, from that same product.
I’ve come across your channel only very recently after seeing your interview on Pints with Aquinas. If you are so inclined I would enjoy sending you some tobacco from my cellar. Cheers and aloha.
Also if you are ever in Fayetteville NC I would highly recommend Anstead’s Tobacconists! A fine establishment.
I live in Greenville NC is it worth the drive?
As far as under the radar English and Oriental blends, Scottish Blend and Original Oriental by Robert McConnel, blended in Germany by Kolhasse and Kopp, are both excellent. And of course, Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding is quickly becoming legendary.
My dads family were Scottish irish and my dad had hes grandads smoking jacket silk with a dragon on the back dads uncle was only a short guy and used it as a boxing robe .the smoking culture always was a healthier practice than say cigarettes are today .for example a lot people who played sports had a smoke back then
Many thanks for your recommendstion. I really like EMP and Epiphany.
8:32 the part where you talk abt familiarity really is smt similar to what I do. I have special pipes that actually is used as a reminder or a symbol, usually at times of despair I would smoke a certain pipe to remind me of certain positive ques. Similarly, in times of glory I would smoke another pipe to remind me to remain calm, rational, and humble.
Greg Pease has revived several of the old Drucquer and Son’s mixtures and I have been working my way through them this year. So far “Inns of Court” and “Princes Blend” are my favorites. All of them are very high quality tobaccos that are worth a try for any English lover. Also, Rattray’s “Number 7 Reserve” is a lovely English/Scottish blend that has been my go to all day smoke for several years.
Love your videos sir and I will make the trip down from Black Mountain, NC when you open your store.
Cheers!
What a southern accent, I could listen to it all day.
Very helpful! Presbyterian is certainly in my list of favorite English blends, as is Westminster by G.L. Pease-one that I didn’t hear you mention.
If it would benefit other YTPC members, I’d love to hear more about your approach to cellaring tobacco-especially those like the McClelland you mentioned that you enjoy slowly over time. I’d love to “sip” more tobaccos and vary my palette, but I’m always worried about drying out larger tins and wasting great product. I’ve tried mason jars, humidors, rehydrating, etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Would really enjoy seeing some pics of your brick and mortar. Your style must carry over. Good videos, very enjoyable to watch and listen.
Smoking Jackets - Well said, Brother!!
Love ALL of the Peterson blends you mentioned! Based on your recommendation, I have tried Squadron Leader and Quiet Nights. Both are delicious! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise.
I began piping about a year ago. Maybe 2 months in, I discovered English blends. Aside from the occasional codger blend, they're all I smoke.
Great video. I would suggest Rattrays Accountants Mixture if you like an English blend that favors latakia but without orientals…a smooth and smoky blend…very enjoyable. 😀
I enjoy your videos. I wish you and your business venture much success.
This is Fred. I love your recommendations. I enjoy Early Morning Pipe in the morning as well.
McClelland is legendary. Their tobaccos are like nothing else. It saddens me to no end every time I think they closed down shop.
I smoke sutliff medium English fairly regularly. I need to try more English blends because I really love it. Other than that I pretty much just smoke straight dark burley or dark fire Kentucky
If you like the Sutliff Medium English, try Sutliff Private Stock Blend No. 5 (tin), and Peter Stokkebye English Oriental Supreme (bulk). I bought a couple ounces of Sutliff Medium English, which is good. But the other two I recommended, just have a more intense Latakia flavor, and that almost incense-like note, which I believe comes from the Latakia.
Thanks for the suggestions! Since my last comment I’ve had the opportunity to try a few different blends and I only recently realized it’s the Latakia that makes an English taste so darn good.
I just discovered your UA-cam channel this morning. I really like the continent how are you come across on your videos. I myself pretty much only smoke English blends. Presbyterian tobacco was popularized by British prime minister Stanley Baldwin.
I believe he may have had a hand in how to put the tobacco blend together with his tobacconist. Presbyterian and Night Cap were the first English blend I ever tried recommended by my father.
I was 14 years old when I first tried a pipe never looked back I’m 57 years of age.
Standard mixture is good simple blend.
I'll cast my vote for Squadron Leader, and also Skiff both are great SG classics
great video by the way
Dave
Oh I agree about Quiet Nights! Fantastic blend!
Dr. Harrelson I have a couple of questions. The first is do you prefer a butane or a flint lighter? The second one is could you send me your list of your aromatic tobacco’s please
As the proud owner of two smoking jackets, one for me and another for if any gentleman has forgotten to bring their own or does not have one, I can confirm they are wonderful. It adds to the ceremony which I think all pipe and cigar smoker enjoy. If my Wife sees me put it on she knows I am off to go and put the world to right (in my head) and I come back a better man.