thewingedsloth
Junior Member
working on it
Posts: 243 
First Name: maybelater
Favorite Pipe: Todays pipe......
Favorite Tobacco: Semois mixes.
Location:
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Post by thewingedsloth on Aug 16, 2021 19:23:34 GMT -5
I just bought a vauen Enzian #4!
My preffered shape is the billiard. I like the straight stems and how they are easy to shake excess water out or turn upside down in rain and still smoke. And they are classy. A proper straight billiard jutting out in a proud display has no equal.
Bents can be hard to clean, hard to dump water during a smoke.. my last bent was decades ago and all I recall is the gurgle. in hindsight I should have kept it and a couple of other pipes as they were expensive and from Tinderbox so I probably gave away a real nice group of pipes.
Anyhoo,
Now that I possess enough billiard, lovat, canadian shapes my thoughts wandered to another bent.
My first action was to check the store at rebornpipes. Mr Laug does a fantastic job bringing old pipes back into service so a trip through his offerings was required. He does have some very nice bents but none screamed "buy me!" so I kept looking and thinking about what I really want.
So smokingpipes estate section has a 1500$ used rolando negroita cavalier (at the time of this posting) which I almost pluncked down the money for. Amazing shape, Art masking as a pipe is all I can say. Fluid bend, wonderful briar, actual working cavalier! but 1500$ is too much for me. I already get nervous when using my castellos as I just lit a bowl in one of my highest calibre pipes and that worry would be magnified in such a piece as that rolando. It needs a clean shelf in an avid collectors vault instead of being mishandled by me!
What to do? as the only example of a bent pipe in my stable it needs to do several things. first is smoke well, second is be unique or have some details that fascinate the eye. House pipes, cavaliers, churchwardens, etc... all have a role for the Enthusiast but only the cavalier offers utility with the drain cap allowing water removal so as I load pipes everyday in all weather conditions a pipe must be useful and easy to manage during a bowl.
Honestly, there are not a lot of pipes that fit those requirments.
In comes the vauen Enzian....again....
while not a true cavalier in that there is no drain valve, the rest of the pipe fits well. unusual shaping, vauen toughness, generous bowl for a long session on the porch.
I assume the resevior is large enough to hold a bowls worth of water production without gurgling. The three sections separate for cleaning removing my primary complaint about bents..
So good style in a pipe designed for use that will "stand out" in my small but well considered collection.
So as I expectantly wait for a package delivery I would enjoy for anyone with an Enzian or having experience with the pipe to share any thoughts on the matter!
Once it arrives I will post again with all the details. Until then I hope there are a few of you Enzian owner out there!
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Post by Legend Lover on Aug 17, 2021 10:00:01 GMT -5
Interesting looking pipe (after a wee Google search). I'm not sure it would float my boat, but health to enjoy it!
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Post by Ronv69 on Aug 17, 2021 11:28:27 GMT -5
I have a few old Bavarian pipes that are similar, but I haven't dared to smoke one yet. At least this one is approachable.
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Post by fadingdaylight on Aug 17, 2021 15:22:05 GMT -5
I also had to run a search on this, but it looks like it will be fun to smoke.
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Rattlesnake Daddy
Full Member
Posts: 630
Favorite Pipe: Always changing
Favorite Tobacco: G&H Dark Birds Eye, Bayou Night.
Location:
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Post by Rattlesnake Daddy on Aug 18, 2021 7:14:24 GMT -5
I will be looking forward to your review. I’ve always loved the Bavarian style pipes, and have had one of the Enzian in my cart a few times. The price has caused me to pause each time, as I have only seen pics, but never had one in the hand. I also haven’t seen any real reviews on them.
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Post by pepesdad1 on Aug 18, 2021 10:27:35 GMT -5
Looks like a wild, but elegant Cavalier.
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Post by Ronv69 on Aug 18, 2021 10:43:38 GMT -5
I thought I would post a picture for the less adventurous among us.  |
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thewingedsloth
Junior Member
working on it
Posts: 243
First Name: maybelater
Favorite Pipe: Todays pipe......
Favorite Tobacco: Semois mixes.
Location:
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Post by thewingedsloth on Aug 18, 2021 11:28:24 GMT -5
Great start to the thread!
thanks to ron for giving a pic to look at!!.
I am hoping we can give this pipe a fair reveiw as not much beyond the sales literature is in print.
The pipe is expected by friday so add a day for a few bowls to be run through. if all goes well I hope to be typing up a post saturday night/sunday morning.
It is an unusual pipe and in briar it should smoke well as I have read a lot about the classic tyrolean/jaeger pipes being hard to use with the porcelain bowls. It is no clencher at 95gr but my use is for when I am sitting and wanting a looong session thinking temple bar (glp) for the break in bowls.
anyhoo, Thanks to all who have posted!
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Post by sperrytops on Aug 19, 2021 12:00:42 GMT -5
looks more like a musical instrument than a pipe. Enjoy!
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thewingedsloth
Junior Member
working on it
Posts: 243
First Name: maybelater
Favorite Pipe: Todays pipe......
Favorite Tobacco: Semois mixes.
Location:
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Post by thewingedsloth on Aug 21, 2021 10:36:20 GMT -5
Update,........1
With high expectations I opened the shipping box, discarded the cushioning material and beheld a very elegant box printed with the word Enzian and an outline of the pipe in gold.
French fit foam cradled the pipe.
I give high marks to smokingpipes.com for quick, well protected shipping.
The pipe is exactly the pipe listed and has a secret. A white spot on the stem.
As it is discontinued I suspect the rules were relaxed allowing a german market only pipe to be sold abroad. whichever is the fact, I am the proud owner of a white spot Enzian!.
I will start with the negatives....
This is not made the same as a regular tenon pipe.
I assumed wrongly that the filters went into the the long stem. actually there are three places where filters can be inserted.
At the top near the mouthpiece, at the bottom of the long stem, and finally at the bottom of the bowl.
My old vauen 1683 classic volcano is a filter pipe that I quickly learned worked as an impromptu reverse calabash when the filter was removed.
the Enzian has three chambers which act as a giant reverse calabash. The long stem and multiple chambers give the coolest, most flavorful smoke I have ever had.
I am surprized all tobacco reviewers do not have one of these pipes.
My first bowl was glp temple bar....ever taste maple syrup and sweet tarts in that blend? i did. but only after using the Enzian. Tuskeegee airmen had a wonderful spice changing it from an english blend to more oriental.
The cool, flavorful smoke comes out in great billowing clouds but only after three draws, one to start the coals one to fill the chambers and the the last gives that rich thick chewy smoke I adore.
It is a bit hard to decide how to use it. I wanted a pipe I could relax with and the Enzian does not quite fit all the requirements but does fufill some.
The bowl tilt while smoking is off, if you look at other cavalier/tyrolean pipes they tilt enough in the bowl that it is level when the pipe is brought to the lips. The Enzian is over tilted backwards. the rest is fine, the length of the stem is enough to rest the arm, the round mouthpiece is easy to draw from.
I do take exception to the plastic tenons and I wonder if that is why the pipe did not catch on with collectors. My old volcano has the same tenon and has proven to be a durable joint but will it survive 100 years?.
This is my first thoughts but it seems to me the Enzian is designed to smoke well but only for a time. Had all the connections been briar I wonder if this pipe would have been a standard in every collectors vault?.
I have a few more bowls I would like to run before giving my final opinion but I know a few of my fellow pipe enthusiast want to read the first immpressions so I am posting a bit early.
So far, It is a bit of a handful, hard to set down, gives a flavorful smoke well beyond any pipe I have used. It does have some issues I think anyone could have seen and avoided. Had Vauen done a poll or product study they might have made a pipe every enthusiast had to own. As it is so far, I find it a fantastic smoking pipe that is just not of the quality that serious collectors require.
That said, if I were a professional tobacco reveiwer I would use this pipe exclusively.
I will put a few more bowls through it and do my final review in a more concise format.
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Post by sperrytops on Aug 21, 2021 10:49:49 GMT -5
Great review, sloth. You give us some fine detail about the pipe. I hope it continues to smoke well.
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Post by fadingdaylight on Aug 21, 2021 13:51:25 GMT -5
Glad you're enjoying it! Nice write up, you've got me wanting to try one now. Just what my wallet needed, lol.
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chasingembers
Senior Member
Posts: 1,909
First Name: Duane
Favorite Pipe: My Growing J. Everett Collection, Fifteen Day Bruce Weaver Set, Meerschaums, Oguz Simsek Skulls
Favorite Tobacco: Black Frigate,Solani Silver Flake, Yenidje Highlander, Angler's Dream, Watch City Slices, Salty Dogs, Mephisto, Ennerdale Flake, Rich Dark Honeydew, 1792 Flake
Location:
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Post by chasingembers on Aug 21, 2021 14:19:55 GMT -5
Our buddy Cramptholomew recently turned one of those out.  |
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Post by pepesdad1 on Aug 21, 2021 14:32:43 GMT -5
Yeah, that is the work of a master...Jason knocked out of the park with that carving.
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Post by trailboss on Aug 21, 2021 15:27:54 GMT -5
Nice review!
I have a few Tyrolean, Bavarian, Austrian lap pipes that I smoke from time to time. Some of them have the flexible stems with braided fabric coverings that can degrade with time that results in a compromised tight fit necessary for a good smoke. The all wood construction seems to be better over the long haul.
When they smoke well, they are a pleasure to smoke, and require some time to set aside for a long session.
With the modern construction, I think that a pipe maker can deliver a product that heretofore was not available with modern products to assemble. Most of the briar blocks I have seen make me wonder if you could get a piece of briar big enough to make a briar shank and stem, but I may be wrong. Most of me mine have meerschaum bowls, but I have a few briars that have different material for the stems.
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Post by fadingdaylight on Aug 21, 2021 16:09:24 GMT -5
Our buddy Cramptholomew recently turned one of those out. That pipe looks like it should belong to Death himself. Wow. |
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Rattlesnake Daddy
Full Member
Posts: 630
Favorite Pipe: Always changing
Favorite Tobacco: G&H Dark Birds Eye, Bayou Night.
Location:
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Post by Rattlesnake Daddy on Aug 21, 2021 19:09:46 GMT -5
Our buddy Cramptholomew recently turned one of those out.
I saw that one when it was first posted. An absolutely gorgeous pipe.
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chasingembers
Senior Member
Posts: 1,909
First Name: Duane
Favorite Pipe: My Growing J. Everett Collection, Fifteen Day Bruce Weaver Set, Meerschaums, Oguz Simsek Skulls
Favorite Tobacco: Black Frigate,Solani Silver Flake, Yenidje Highlander, Angler's Dream, Watch City Slices, Salty Dogs, Mephisto, Ennerdale Flake, Rich Dark Honeydew, 1792 Flake
Location:
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Post by chasingembers on Aug 22, 2021 14:04:26 GMT -5
Our buddy Cramptholomew recently turned one of those out. That pipe looks like it should belong to Death himself. Wow. It was commissioned as a pipe for Krampus.👍 |
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thewingedsloth
Junior Member
working on it
Posts: 243
First Name: maybelater
Favorite Pipe: Todays pipe......
Favorite Tobacco: Semois mixes.
Location:
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Post by thewingedsloth on Aug 24, 2021 23:12:46 GMT -5
Wow! I am so impressed with the replies and the amazing pipe pics!
I am currently running the last test bowl through the Enzian and will do my final write up soon.
Let's just say it is a pipe I did not know I needed but am glad I found.
So glad to see all the posts!
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Post by Legend Lover on Aug 25, 2021 8:18:52 GMT -5
Nice review, and kudos to Jason for that awesome pipe!
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thewingedsloth
Junior Member
working on it
Posts: 243
First Name: maybelater
Favorite Pipe: Todays pipe......
Favorite Tobacco: Semois mixes.
Location:
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Post by thewingedsloth on Aug 26, 2021 12:06:49 GMT -5
Final Thoughts....August 26th.
To be fair I ran examples of various blends that included Virginias, Burley, Orientals, Perique.
No aromatics.
The name should have been "Verstarker". Every blend was lifted in ways I did not expect.
I contend this pipe will change the way you look at your favorite blends. I ran out of my Virginia Flake before this pipe arrived but I am buying some blending tobaccos just to test them with the pipe. I am quite curious to what I will find.
The bowl is only about average size. Similar to my old vauen 1683 classic volcano but I suspect the very thick walls are there to allow high heat to be managed. The three filter chamber in different places mean the tenons are plastic. Again, very similar to my old vauen volcano. I am unsure how long this material will hold up but I really push my old vauen and use it a lot as a "work" pipe and the plastic tenon is still fine.
Repairing the pipe may be hard to do but I will defer to anyone with more information on these styles of connectors.
The magic appears to be a product of the long smoke path with three filter chambers which I leave empty. I tried the filters a while back in the old volcano but they are not that useful and add cost. So by my estimation the Enzian is nearing a calabash's worth of chamber volume.
This open space gives a smoke so cool and dry it should tried by every Enthusiast. I doubt there are many pipes with similar details. very long house pipes or churchwardens still lack the extra chambers.
The pipe is a smoking tool, not an investment grade briar. It may not bring good money in the used markets but it offers something those other pipes can not.
The quality of every bowl I tested exceeded my expectations. Each blend was expanded in flavor to the point where I found flavors I had no clue were in them.
These are my favorite blends I know well and load in all my pipes so finding such an unusual amount of flavor from the Enzian is a stand out moment.
Water management is fair, it is hot with high humidity in my area (st Louis) which made the testing run longer as I only ran a bowl in the morning. While it will finish a bowl without dumping water it is close to full in these conditions. I expect much better water handling in better weather.
For those wanting to try something different I would suggest finding an Enzian. Thankfully there is some new old stock held by various shops but once they are gone we will lose an unusual pipe that has charmed this Enthusiast.
Maybe we will find a bold pipe maker who will take on the challenge of creating an even better pipe than the Enzian. I do have a list of things I would fix and a suggestion for a name..
Verstarker!
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thewingedsloth
Junior Member
working on it
Posts: 243
First Name: maybelater
Favorite Pipe: Todays pipe......
Favorite Tobacco: Semois mixes.
Location:
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Post by thewingedsloth on Aug 26, 2021 12:11:18 GMT -5
Verstarker is german for Amplifier...forgot to put that in the post
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Post by Ronv69 on Aug 26, 2021 19:14:42 GMT -5
Verstarker is german for Amplifier...forgot to put that in the post I was just going to say Gesundheit! 😁🤠 |
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thewingedsloth
Junior Member
working on it
Posts: 243
First Name: maybelater
Favorite Pipe: Todays pipe......
Favorite Tobacco: Semois mixes.
Location:
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Post by thewingedsloth on Aug 28, 2021 15:37:12 GMT -5
Verstarker is german for Amplifier...forgot to put that in the post I was just going to say Gesundheit! 😁🤠 I only know german from movies and the internet!. I had to look up "amplifier". but my opinion about the Enzian is as a blend amplifier. now does it go to 11?.. not sure, and I would love to read about other members experiences to keep things real. but thanks for thought! |
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Post by Ronv69 on Aug 28, 2021 17:42:28 GMT -5
I have a gourd calabash that sounds like it does pretty much what you describe. It doesn't take filters though.
I also have an Austrian double filter briar that is a great smoker.
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thewingedsloth
Junior Member
working on it
Posts: 243
First Name: maybelater
Favorite Pipe: Todays pipe......
Favorite Tobacco: Semois mixes.
Location:
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Post by thewingedsloth on Aug 29, 2021 23:10:40 GMT -5
Update August 29th.
It has been slow testing with the weather limiting the total number of bowls I can run in the pipe.
With that in mind I finally opened my tin of Kajun Kake.
The sweet bready start to the spicy end made the blend very good for this pipe. The smoothing effect tamed the spice and lifted the virginia.
I will save the blend reveiws for the other threads and just confirm the enhanced flavor effect works on Kajun Kake.
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Post by Legend Lover on Aug 30, 2021 5:48:40 GMT -5
Update August 29th. It has been slow testing with the weather limiting the total number of bowls I can run in the pipe. With that in mind I finally opened my tin of Kajun Kake. The sweet bready start to the spicy end made the blend very good for this pipe. The smoothing effect tamed the spice and lifted the virginia. I will save the blend reveiws for the other threads and just confirm the enhanced flavor effect works on Kajun Kake. Will you try aromatics in it to see if it makes a difference to them? |
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