What are You Smoking? August 2024

 Hey, I'm a gray bearded old fart, and I've never even tried it .

You’re quite right I’m getting older. I just joined an online dating site for people my age. It’s called Carbon Dating.

Had a bite to eat, finished prepping dinner stuff. Haunted Bookshop in the Monday cob.

76 and sunshine here with low humidity. Riverboat Gambler burning in the Monday cob.

Today is the 50th anniversary of Tom Eltang's first day working as an apprentice for Anne Julie and becoming a professional pipemaker. 🎉🎉🎉

In honor of the auspicious day, some Made by Rattray’s Black Virginia in my Eltang bamboo Apple.

Friar's Bayou in the barrel-shaped meerschaum.

After-dinner smoke time. Haunted Bookshop in the Monday cob.

Smoking IRC Dr. Bradley mixture in a slight bent Leonessa Briosa rusticated apple. A very tasty mild English mixture aromatic. It’s got burley, Virginia, Turkish, Latakia, & perique. The Latakia and perique are there and serve more as seasoning. The topping is some variation of Sutliff plum and possibly something else sweetener-esque. Bought a $6 pouch from Iwan Ries at NASPC. It seems for me, it starts out pacing along with or besting most mild-medium English blends for the price. The topping is jusy very lightly noticeable at first, but unfortunately by half-bowl point, it’s seeming to get overbearing and cloying. It’s morphed into something like I’m smoking an incense stick, Nag Champa or something. I will have to try it in a couple other English pipes and give it more tasting. I still say overall it’s pretty tasty but wasn’t what I expected. If you already like something like Sutliff Edward G. Robinson blend, this is like that blend with higher quality looking and smoking tobacco, and a tiny fraction of that plum sauce and something else. Much more latakia and English quality here and a unique style of English that can satisfy those looking for a mild English with a little extra sweetness.

Did Nate King give you that tin or a few bowls worth? 

I wish he had given me the tin!  I had a bowl Saturday night on the patio.  Nate told me to feel free to take some more for later.  I was not about to say no and put about 3 bowls worth in a baggie.  I was after dark when Nate handed me the tin.  When I opened it and shined my light inside, it was sparkly like the Milky Way on a deep dark night sky. 😎

2016 Smoker's Haven Our Best Blend in my Tonni Nielsen bamboo blasted Billiard.

Barking Road in a self-made Canadian on the front porch. Watching the sunset.

my mother was up late last night with my aunt and cousin and they saw the northern lights last night 🤯 Michigan really is a beautiful state. Enjoy that sunset Pete

I have not, but I will check it out. I'll have to make a trip down there sometime, and maybe meet up with Zach for a good conversation and smoke.