Monthly Archives: November 2003

The following is an interview of me for a German pipe-smokers publication called Pfiefenbox  Few pipesters can totally withstand the lure of a new blend. But in tasting, as in all else, there’s dabbling and doing. Jon Tillman manages tobaccoreviews.com, the world’s most comprehensive database of information and opinions on pipe blends. In this interview, he says that he’ll smoke at least one tin of a new variety before attempting a review. A tin of each. Most casual tasters try blends in pipes they’ve used for numerous other brands, though often within a definite ‘family’ of tobaccos such as Virginias, Latakia mixtures etc. Obviously, a really serious reviewer needs to avoid crossover completely and must aim for more neutrality. What’s the best smoking gadget to use? A cob, perhaps, or a clay? JT: Well, there are a lot of different approaches to reviewing tobaccos, as it pertains to the equipment used. The majority of… Read more