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At Paykoc Pipes, we always have our eyes and ears open for new tobacco pipes and pipe tobacco releases, and so far 2023 has not disappointed. Though we're barely halfway through the year we have already seen several new and updated pipe designs as well as a bushel of compelling new tobacco blends from a variety of quality name producers. So let's get right into it...
Most Interesting Tobacco Pipes of 2023 (So Far)
Here are five tobacco pipe releases that caught our eye.
Peterson Terracotta Spigot
The Terracotta finish has always been one of our favorite presentations and in 2023 Peterson brought that much-beloved finish to the Spigot for the first time. The Spigot features lustrous sterling silver hardware, each piece fashioned by hand in Peterson's workshop. The overall appearance of the Terracotta Spigot is deeply satisfying. And as with all Peterson briar pipes, the Spigot is beautifully proportioned, impeccably balanced, and features a vulcanite mouthpiece and fishtail bit.
Savinelli Miele Rustic
People tend to have one of two reactions to Savinelli pipes: they either love them or loathe them. We love them. With their distinctive coloring and rough-hewn appearance they carve out a unique and compelling identity within the world of tobacco pipes. This year, Savinelli takes one of their most popular pipelines - the Miele - and expands it with a rusticated model that looks so right you'll wonder what took them so long to come up with it. Like other pipes in the Miele line, the chamber of the Rustic is infused with honey extract which helps smooth over the edges of the break-in period.
Peterson Short Army
Pocket pipes are becoming quite the thing these days and few pipe manufacturers do pocket pipes justice like Peterson. The new Short Army line is the brainchild of the company's Director of Sales, Glen Whelan. In the way of classic pocket pipes, the Short Army pipeline features short shank/stem combinations. But where it varies from the competition is in the sheer variety of configurations and the gravitas the company can glean from the compact concept. These are limited-time offerings so pick up a Peterson Short Army today before they're sold out.
Peterson St. Patrick's Day 2023 Pipes
It just wouldn't be St. Patrick's Day without a new special edition collection from Peterson. For the 25th year in a row, the renowned pipe makers released a limited edition selection employing classic Peterson designs festooned with three of their best-loved finishes: elegant and smooth, dark rustic, and black sandblast. 1200 of each model were released with each pipe numbered ala fine art prints and each comes with its own custom pipe bag fashioned from Donegal Irish tweed. For their silver anniversary collection, the company has brought back the Irish flag motif originally used on their first St. Patrick's Day collection back in 1998. If there is such a thing as a must-have pipe this is it.
Savinelli Arancia
Savinelli has been busy this year releasing a variety of new tobacco blends and plenty of first-edition tobacco pipes, including this one whose name means "orange" in Italian. Compared with some of Savinelli's more eye-popping designs the Arancia is fairly sedate, almost (dare we say it) traditional in appearance, but with just enough of the company's signature swagger to subvert expectations. Each pipe boasts a unique mouthpiece crafted from custom-created speckled orange acrylic and has a narrow, emerald green band between the stem and stummel that unifies and anchors the color scheme. Beautiful pipes, thoughtfully crafted.
This Year’s Most Interesting Pipe Tobaccos
We'd love to wax philosophical about briar pipes all day but it's time to shift gears to the year's most notable pipe tobacco releases. So without further ado, let's get started.
Missouri Meerschaum - Drawdown
Drawdown by the ever-popular Missouri Meerschaum is part of their MMC Elite Series and combines bright Virginias with Cavendish, St. James Perique, and Latakia. Drawdown is ready-rubbed, which for the uninitiated means it is loosely pressed into a flake before being cut and rubbed out until it is somewhere between a flake and a full, loose ribbon cut. Drawdown is MM's tribute to their founder, Henry Tibbe, who pioneered wind-powered indoor plumbing in Missouri in the late 19th century.
Mirkwood (2023 Edition)
With Mirkwood choice tobacco leaves including Virginias, Burley, Louisiana Perique, and Black Cavendish are blended into a cake, aged to perfection, and then hand-rubbed to produce a hearty, semi-sweet aromatic blend that packs well and burns evenly. Mirkwood is a limited small batch release available only in two oz bags and is meant to evoke both the beauty and peril of the forest from JRR Tolkien's legendarium.
Missouri Meerschaum - Luminaire
Another entry in Missouri Meerschaum's MMC Elite Series Luminaire honors the groundbreaking efforts of Henry Tibbe's son, Anton Tibbe, to bring electric lighting to our hometown of Washington, Missouri back in 1892. Luminaire is a flake-cut blend of Cavendish, St. James Perique, Katerini Orientals, and Red Virginias. If you like your tobacco a bit fruity with a light smokey flavor and pleasing aftertaste, Luminaire should be on your list.
Missouri Meerschaum - Party Line
The third (and final) MMC Elite Series tobacco on our list Party Line is yet another tribute to Anton Tibbe, son of Missouri Meerschaum founder Henry Tibbe. In this instance, Party Line honors Anton's successful efforts to bring the very first telephone line (a party line for the record) to Washington, Missouri in 1883. Party Line tobacco combines Cavendish, Burley, and St. James Perique to produce a nutty, cake-cut blend that burns slow and clean and offers up a nutty, mildly floral, oh-so-slightly sour flavor.
Samuel Gawith Brown Sugar Flake
Brown Sugar Flake is the product of a collaboration between Samuel Gawith and The Danish Pipe Shop. Their purported goal was to produce a more full-bodied version of the classic Orlik Brown Sliced and in our book, they succeeded magnificently. To make Brown Sugar Flake high-quality Virginia tobacco is hot-pressed with sweeter Cavendish and then spiced up a tad by adding Burley and Oriental. Deliciously refreshing.
Seattle Pipe Club Virginia Jazz
The Seattle Pipe Club's Virginia Jazz is intended to evoke the heyday of the Jazz Era. In the roaring 20's, stock markets were booming and America was basking in the sweet smell of victory following the conclusion of The Great War. Jazz music wafted out of speakeasies from New York to New Orleans providing subversive counterprogramming to prohibition. Virginia Jazz combines Red Virginias with Acadian Perique and generous amounts of Cajun to produce a jazzy smoke of exceptional flavor.
Sutliff Phantom Privateer - Barrel Aged No. 6
The final entry on our list of notable pipe tobacco releases for 2023 is Phantom Privateer Barrel Aged No. six from Sutliff. Less-than-compelling tin art aside, Phantom Privateer is a spirited entry into the Barrel Aged Series that combines Stoved Burley with Red Virginias and Perique straight from St. James Parish. Phantom Privateer is then aged for a month in rum barrels that provide the mixture with depth and more than a little spicy gravitas. Once removed from its barrel it is pressed and then cut into crumble cakes that are ideal for gravity filling.
The Bottom Line
So far, 2023 has been a banner year for new pipe and pipe tobacco releases and we can't wait to see what's in store for the fall and holiday seasons. Whether you are a pipe connoisseur looking for handcrafted meerschaum pipes or you're in search of a reliable source for high-quality wholesale tobacco pipes make Paykoc Pipes your one-stop shop.