| While some may bemoan the passing of the | | | | brought access to the world’s goods to |
| great blends of yesteryear, or the changing | | | | more people than ever before. This has |
| of the hallowed, ancient formulae, I | | | | created a strong interest in ‘the good |
| personally believe that modern pipe smokers | | | | life’, however that is defined, and it |
| are just now entering a renaissance in pipe | | | | is obvious that for quite a number of people, |
| tobacco blending, one that promises great | | | | ‘the good life’ includes a |
| things for all fans of the leaf, whether they | | | | pipeful of fine tobacco. |
| be active or passive participants in that | | | | |
| renaissance. | | | | This interest in ‘the good life’ |
| | | | has driven sales, particularly online, of all |
| I believe that we are likely to enjoy this | | | | luxury goods, watches, jewelry, fragrances, |
| renaissance period for some time to come, and | | | | leather goods, neckwear, sunglasses, pens, |
| in this article, I will lay out, in only the | | | | libations, and tobacco products, to record |
| broadest strokes, why I believe this to be | | | | highs, with projections for even more growth |
| true. In future installments, I will explore | | | | in the months and years to come. |
| each aspect of this perceived renaissance in | | | | |
| turn, hopefully coming to some eventual | | | | Like many of the aforementioned luxury goods, |
| conclusion as to the nature and direction of | | | | pipes and pipe tobacco can be viewed as a |
| pipe smoking, as I see it and the historical | | | | signifier of affluence, discrimination and |
| and social reasons for it coming to be now, | | | | taste to those so tuned to recognize it. |
| and in the form it has. | | | | Knowing one’s own tastes and pursuing |
| | | | them is the very basis of a worldview or |
| For smokers in any part of the world, the | | | | personal philosophy, and pipe tobacco is not, |
| internet has increased awareness of, and | | | | and should not be, excluded from such |
| global commerce has increased the | | | | personal examination. |
| availability of, a plethora of brands and | | | | |
| blends to try that were previously confined | | | | Perhaps this renewed interest in ‘the |
| to their home markets and unavailable to most | | | | good life’ is not a direct result of |
| pipe smokers around the world. In years past, | | | | the global economy, but a side effect |
| even the most ardent pipe smoker, with access | | | | thereof, arising out of the increasing ease |
| to all of the good mail order catalogs, and | | | | of communication and collaboration. |
| an occasional trip abroad would have access | | | | Individuals who were previously isolated from |
| to no more than a hundred or so tobaccos, | | | | others who shared their interest by |
| whereas, at the present time it is quite easy | | | | geography, or simply by being a part of a |
| for a pipe smoker to pick from over two | | | | statistically tiny minority, are now able to |
| thousand tobacco blends, and have them | | | | seek out and commune with others of like |
| delivered to his door with a minimum of fuss | | | | mind. This ability to connect with others and |
| and waiting. The ‘global | | | | seek out those who share ones interest has |
| economy’ has surely benefited the pipe | | | | greatly benefited, perhaps even saved, the |
| smoker, in increased quality, selection, and | | | | pipe smoking hobby. |
| price competition. | | | | |
| | | | Prior to modern, industrial and |
| The competition amongst these brands (and | | | | post-industrial society, pipe smoking, like |
| their producers) for the attentions of pipe | | | | many other pursuits, was a communal |
| smokers has, and will continue to, drive | | | | experience. Communal smoking of a sacred |
| blenders to pick a niche and explore it | | | | tobacco pipe was a universal ritual through |
| fully, within the cornucopia of potential | | | | Native America. This communal aspect of pipe |
| pipe blends. The days of three or four big | | | | smoking was preserved throughout much of |
| blending houses producing all of the tobaccos | | | | modern history, though by the early twentieth |
| in a market are over. That is not to say that | | | | century, it had become, along with |
| the days of those blending houses are | | | | drunkenness, gambling, cards, dancing and |
| numbered, far from it. They will continue | | | | theater-going, a target of the ‘social |
| right along, producing their hallowed, | | | | reformers’, and has been in a somewhat |
| classic blends, and likely, adding new ones | | | | steady decline ever since, with individual |
| in response to their customers’ | | | | pipe smokers becoming fewer and farther |
| increased awareness of other alternatives, | | | | between with every passing year. |
| new or old. Alongside these giant blending | | | | |
| houses, there have arisen a number of | | | | However, in the mid 1970s, along came the |
| boutique blenders, catering to very specific | | | | internet, and later, in the 1990s, the World |
| tastes and predilections amongst smokers. | | | | Wide Web, and the few and far between pipe |
| More than simply filling a niche and making a | | | | smokers discovered that there were people out |
| profit at it, they are educating certain | | | | there that shared their interest in pipes and |
| segments of the pipe smoking public to | | | | tobaccos. This discovery of a once far-flung |
| possibilities in tobacco blending that may | | | | but now instantly accessible community of |
| have not been previously explored. By this | | | | likeminded people galvanized the aficionado |
| exploring and educating, they, in their ways, | | | | of pipe tobacco, and soon a loose community |
| influence the global market for pipe tobacco, | | | | sprung up. The fact that this first loose |
| and the possibilities that they have first | | | | community of aficionados has become many |
| explored will be explored more widely by | | | | distinct communities is proof not only of the |
| larger blenders, and a new breed of boutique | | | | drive for community, but of the dedication |
| blenders will arise to explore yet more | | | | and congeniality of pipe smokers. |
| niches in blending. | | | | |
| | | | This drive for community and communal |
| It is worth noting that while I speak of | | | | experience and shared knowledge, when viewed |
| boutique blending as if it were a very recent | | | | from a broad context, is what is driving the |
| phenomenon, it is not necessarily so, it is | | | | interest in luxury goods in general, and |
| simply that only in the past few years (since | | | | viewed from a narrower context, is the very |
| 1996) that smokers the world over have become | | | | reason for the bright future of pipe tobacco |
| aware of, and exposed to, the boutique | | | | blending. There is undoubtedly a sense of |
| blending efforts of various small producers | | | | ‘belonging’ amongst pipe smokers |
| around the globe. The Lake District blending | | | | around the world if they have access to the |
| houses are a prime example, having been | | | | internet, and that sense of belonging has |
| around since the beginnings of packaged | | | | given rise to a great, worldwide discussion |
| tobacco blends, and continuing to explore | | | | of pipe tobacco, and an enormous trading of |
| their own very distinct niche to this day. | | | | information. |
| | | | |
| There are a myriad of other factors that are | | | | This conversation, this far-flung community, |
| driving this renaissance in tobacco blending, | | | | is the driving force behind this renaissance |
| and a wider resurgence in interest in pipe | | | | in tobacco blending, as I see it, and as long |
| smoking, nay, in all things | | | | as that conversation over good tobaccos |
| ‘luxurious’. | | | | continues, as long as that community endures, |
| | | | tobacco blending will continue to improve, |
| The global economy has created more wealth | | | | innovate and flourish. |
| than any event in history, and simultaneously | | | | |