Warning: fopen(./access.log) [function.fopen]: failed to open stream: Permission denied in /home/alex1/fgpipes.com/access_log.func.php on line 51

Warning: fwrite(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home/alex1/fgpipes.com/access_log.func.php on line 52

Warning: fclose(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home/alex1/fgpipes.com/access_log.func.php on line 53
Pipe tobacco today

Everything you want to know about smoking pipes


Pipe tobacco today

While some may bemoan the passing of thewealth than any event in history, and
great blends of yesteryear, or thesimultaneously brought access to the
changing of the hallowed, ancientworld’s goods to more people than ever
formulae, I personally believe thatbefore. This has created a strong
modern pipe smokers are just nowinterest in ‘the good life’, however
entering a renaissance in pipe tobaccothat is defined, and it is obvious that
blending, one that promises great thingsfor quite a number of people, ‘the
for all fans of the leaf, whether theygood life’ includes a pipeful of fine
be active or passive participants intobacco.
that renaissance.This interest in ‘the good life’ has
I believe that we are likely to enjoydriven sales, particularly online, of
this renaissance period for some time toall luxury goods, watches, jewelry,
come, and in this article, I will layfragrances, leather goods, neckwear,
out, in only the broadest strokes, why Isunglasses, pens, libations, and tobacco
believe this to be true. In futureproducts, to record highs, with
installments, I will explore each aspectprojections for even more growth in the
of this perceived renaissance in turn,months and years to come.
hopefully coming to some eventualLike many of the aforementioned luxury
conclusion as to the nature andgoods, pipes and pipe tobacco can be
direction of pipe smoking, as I see itviewed as a signifier of affluence,
and the historical and social reasonsdiscrimination and taste to those so
for it coming to be now, and in the formtuned to recognize it. Knowing one’s
it has.own tastes and pursuing them is the very
For smokers in any part of the world,basis of a worldview or personal
the internet has increased awareness of,philosophy, and pipe tobacco is not, and
and global commerce has increased theshould not be, excluded from such
availability of, a plethora of brandspersonal examination.
and blends to try that were previouslyPerhaps this renewed interest in ‘the
confined to their home markets andgood life’ is not a direct result of
unavailable to most pipe smokers aroundthe global economy, but a side effect
the world. In years past, even the mostthereof, arising out of the increasing
ardent pipe smoker, with access to allease of communication and collaboration.
of the good mail order catalogs, and anIndividuals who were previously isolated
occasional trip abroad would have accessfrom others who shared their interest by
to no more than a hundred or sogeography, or simply by being a part of
tobaccos, whereas, at the present timea statistically tiny minority, are now
it is quite easy for a pipe smoker toable to seek out and commune with others
pick from over two thousand tobaccoof like mind. This ability to connect
blends, and have them delivered to hiswith others and seek out those who share
door with a minimum of fuss and waiting.ones interest has greatly benefited,
The ‘global economy’ has surelyperhaps even saved, the pipe smoking
benefited the pipe smoker, in increasedhobby.
quality, selection, and pricePrior to modern, industrial and
competition.post-industrial society, pipe smoking,
The competition amongst these brandslike many other pursuits, was a communal
(and their producers) for the attentionsexperience. Communal smoking of a sacred
of pipe smokers has, and will continuetobacco pipe was a universal ritual
to, drive blenders to pick a niche andthrough Native America. This communal
explore it fully, within the cornucopiaaspect of pipe smoking was preserved
of potential pipe blends. The days ofthroughout much of modern history,
three or four big blending housesthough by the early twentieth century,
producing all of the tobaccos in ait had become, along with drunkenness,
market are over. That is not to say thatgambling, cards, dancing and
the days of those blending houses aretheater-going, a target of the ‘social
numbered, far from it. They willreformers’, and has been in a somewhat
continue right along, producing theirsteady decline ever since, with
hallowed, classic blends, and likely,individual pipe smokers becoming fewer
adding new ones in response to theirand farther between with every passing
customers’ increased awareness ofyear.
other alternatives, new or old.However, in the mid 1970s, along came
Alongside these giant blending houses,the internet, and later, in the 1990s,
there have arisen a number of boutiquethe World Wide Web, and the few and far
blenders, catering to very specificbetween pipe smokers discovered that
tastes and predilections amongstthere were people out there that shared
smokers. More than simply filling atheir interest in pipes and tobaccos.
niche and making a profit at it, theyThis discovery of a once far-flung but
are educating certain segments of thenow instantly accessible community of
pipe smoking public to possibilities inlikeminded people galvanized the
tobacco blending that may have not beenaficionado of pipe tobacco, and soon a
previously explored. By this exploringloose community sprung up. The fact that
and educating, they, in their ways,this first loose community of
influence the global market for pipeaficionados has become many distinct
tobacco, and the possibilities that theycommunities is proof not only of the
have first explored will be exploreddrive for community, but of the
more widely by larger blenders, and adedication and congeniality of pipe
new breed of boutique blenders willsmokers.
arise to explore yet more niches inThis drive for community and communal
blending.experience and shared knowledge, when
It is worth noting that while I speak ofviewed from a broad context, is what is
boutique blending as if it were a verydriving the interest in luxury goods in
recent phenomenon, it is not necessarilygeneral, and viewed from a narrower
so, it is simply that only in the pastcontext, is the very reason for the
few years (since 1996) that smokers thebright future of pipe tobacco blending.
world over have become aware of, andThere is undoubtedly a sense of
exposed to, the boutique blending‘belonging’ amongst pipe smokers
efforts of various small producersaround the world if they have access to
around the globe. The Lake Districtthe internet, and that sense of
blending houses are a prime example,belonging has given rise to a great,
having been around since the beginningsworldwide discussion of pipe tobacco,
of packaged tobacco blends, andand an enormous trading of information.
continuing to explore their own veryThis conversation, this far-flung
distinct niche to this day.community, is the driving force behind
There are a myriad of other factors thatthis renaissance in tobacco blending, as
are driving this renaissance in tobaccoI see it, and as long as that
blending, and a wider resurgence inconversation over good tobaccos
interest in pipe smoking, nay, in allcontinues, as long as that community
things ‘luxurious’.endures, tobacco blending will continue
The global economy has created moreto improve, innovate and flourish.



1 A B C D 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104