Dr. Grabow Pipes

BWThomas · Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:03 am Post subject: New Blends (for me)

I finally got off my butt and visited my local tobacco shop here in Leesburg. So close to home, but never got a chance to stop in.

Their main thrust is cigars, but they carry a nice selection of pipes and pipe tobaccos, both tinned and bulk. His basket pipes were very impressive, Italian made, all perfect looking well made polished pipes at $30.00 each. He even had a card of cobs for tobacco sampling. No Grabows. There was a sitting area with a large flat screen TV.

I sampled one tobacco while I was there, an all black cavendish, sweet, dry smoke. very enjoyable. I went in to find some aromatics, I found a bunch.

My first selection is a blend they call 'Leesburg", apparently a local favorite. It turns out to be Lane RPL-6, the gourmet version of Captain Black White. This is very good, better than the Captain Black. Drier, smoother, no bite whatsoever, long burning to the bottom of the bowl, yellow ash. More nicotine than the Captain. I bought 8 oz. of this, and I don't think I have enough.

My second purchase was a blend called 'Emporium'. I think he said this is a Mac B blend, but I'm not sure, I will find out for sure, as I plan to report back on these. This is predominantly ribbon cut bright VA with a sprinkling of rough cut black cavendish. Mildly sweet, very creamy thick taste and smoke. Extra helping of vitamin N. This too is going to be a regular for me.

The third is 'Station Master'. WOW, what an interesting blend. I don't know what is in this one. Appearance wise, it is predominanly black ribbon cut tobacco with a sprinkling of ribbon cut brights. The smell is fruity and tangy berries, as is the taste. Makes your mouth water. And it too has a moderate amount of nicotine. Not an all day smoke, but a special treat.

Now, I say a moderate amount of nicotine, what I mean to say is, it has consideralably more than any of the other bulk and OTC blends I have been smoking.

Steve, your posting of the 'Tobacco Touchstones' is going to be a great help to me in selecting tinned tobacco. The Leesburg Cigar & Pipe http://www.leesburgcigars.com/ has a nice selection at reasonable prices that I am anxious to try.

As I find out more about these, I'll report here.

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BWThomas

ozark southpaw · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 2:13 pm Post subject:

Barry,have you found out any more about that "Emporium" and "Station Master"?
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The only thing shorter than my memory is a certain part of my anatomy!

BWThomas · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:13 pm Post subject:

drbridges · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:00 pm Post subject:

I have intended to sample 1Q from Lane, but haven't followed up on it yet. My recollection is the myth surrounding 1Q is it was developed for Eisenhower, hence the name.

ozark southpaw · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:18 pm Post subject:

Thanks Barry. I have tried 1Q,didn't care for it. The PS 31 Optimum I love!! Also like their French Vanilla and Nougat. I have bought the English Luxury a couple of time.I like it-once in a while. Wanna get some black Vanilla and see how it mixes with CH. Also want to try some of their Navy Flake etc.
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The only thing shorter than my memory is a certain part of my anatomy!

BWThomas · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:37 pm Post subject:

steverino · Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:55 pm Post subject:

Barry and some of you other guys that like to mix for the vanilla effect, I've got an idea of something you might like to try, don't know how it might work but suspect it might be good. Have you ever tried Samuel Gawith 1792? It is a Virginia Flake tobacco that I enjoy quite a bit on its own, but it struck me when you were talking about the vanilla that it might be good mixed with the other blends you mentioned. 1792 is flavored with tonquin, which, in case you're not familiar with it, is a vanilla-like flavoring from the tonka bean, similar to but slightly different than vanilla. In fact, I get some chocolate notes from it at times as well as vanilla, but that is probably just me. The tobacco on its own is fairly strong to some people but it's not all that strong to me (nothing like Brown No. 4, for example). So I'm thinking that if you like the vanilla flavor and would like the additional "kick" that 1792 can provide, it might be worth trying. I've got plenty if anyone wants a couple of flakes to try (they're pretty good sized flakes).

BWThomas · Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:30 pm Post subject:

steverino · Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:00 pm Post subject:

Okay Barry, I'll get it out to you asap. This is another big traveling week so not sure when I'll get to the PO, but I'll try diligently.

I'm not sure what the deal is with some of the SG tins. JR Cigars went through a time a couple of months back when their SG inventory was very low. I heard this from other pipe boards as well about other retailers than JR. Inventory seems to be back up now, and at the B&M I go to in Greensboro, they're pretty flush with SG tins, so you should be able to find stuff now.

SG is one of my favorites because they've been in business continuously since 1792 (hence the name of the blend we're talking about) and still make the older blends the same way they always have. I understand that they are still using most of the same machinery they started out with - and that it was about 50 years old when they got it! So when I smoke 1792, I literally could be smoking what my 4th great grandfather may have smoked. And it could be quite likely, as he was from the general area.

BWThomas · Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:11 pm Post subject:

Thanks Steve! Beth and I are going to Pinehurst for the weekend the 7th and 8th of November. I will try to find some B&M shops while I'm there.

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only pipesmoker in Northern VA. Most of the shops here cater to cigar smokers and their pipe tobacco offerings are limited to bulk and a small and limited selection of tinned brands.

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BWThomas