Whisky Partners’ Post

LUU OAK OAK STAVE 💪💪 Splitting oak logs for staves is an essential process in the manufacture of barrels and other wooden containers, as it influences the final quality of the product. The importance of this process lies in several aspects: Preserving the integrity of the wood fibers: Hand splitting the logs, instead of mechanical cutting, follows the natural direction of the wood fibers, which makes the staves more durable and resistant. This prevents cracks and further damage during use of the barrels. Airtightness: Properly split staves have a better airtightness, essential for keeping liquids such as wine or spirits in barrels. Oak wood is valued for its ability to hold liquids without leaking. Flavor and structure: In the case of wine or whiskey casks, the split of the wood allows for even maturation, as the pores of the wood influence oxygenation and flavor transfer. Oak adds complex notes of vanilla, caramel or spices, and a proper split of the wood maintains these qualities. Durability and Longevity: Barrels made from hand-split oak staves have a longer lifespan. Split wood is more resistant to deformation and pressure, being able to retain its shape and functionality even after decades of use. This process, although slower and more expensive than mechanized methods, is essential for obtaining superior quality products.

Take a LOOK at these 👀 A selection of leather stair tread coverings. Who doesn't love a bit of leather underfoot eh?! Okay, hold on a sec ✋ You might be thinking, "Leather treads in my wine cellar? " WHY? 🍾Well, for one - it's comfy on your feet. Leather feels warm and inviting. 🍾High quality leather offers a good grip, even with a little dust or moisture. 🍾Leather is surprisingly tough and easy to clean (think, less scrubbing and more sipping!). Would you consider leather stair treads in your wine cellar? #WineCellarGoals #UpgradeYourWineLife #LeatherLove #WineStorageSolutions

How to Build a Wooden Wine Rack

New product: Savinelli Stellar 315 KS Rusticated Prince Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked, 6mm It is probably fair to say that Savinelli is Italy’s most famous pipe brand. Founded in Milan in 1876 by Achille Savinelli, the brand has continuously offered high quality pipes for nearly 150 years. Though various Savinelli lines have come and gone over the years, the brand has always been notable for putting out classically styled pipes with a distinctly Italian twist. Here’s a pipe that confused me a little: a Savinelli Stellar. Does that name sound familiar to you? What about the finish, does that look familiar to you? It seems too much of a coincidence for this one to look like, and to have a name that sounds like, the cult-favorite Estella pipes Savinelli made decades ago. Given that the Estella was something of a sub-brand for Savinelli – one whose popularity well overshot expectations – I’d wager that the Stellar series was a way of reincorporating the distinct look of the Estella into Savinelli’s main catalog. Funnily enough, though, just like the Estella, Savinelli ended up discontinuing the Stellar. Judging by the extremely small number of them I’ve ever seen, they must not have been produced for long. This is also the first Stellar I’ve ever seen that was unsmoked, so if you’re looking for an Estella with slightly smaller proportions, or a more traditional shape, this one might be for you. As with most modern Savinelli pipes, it’s chambered for 6mm filters, but it’ll smoke just as well without one if you prefer. Details: Length: 6.2″ / 157.4mm Bowl Width: 0.81 / 20.57mm Bowl Depth: 1.15″ / 29.21mm Weight: 1.5oz / 44g 👉🏽👉🏽Pipe Link: https://nuel.ink/a0twsD #pipesmoking #pipes #tobaccopipe #pipesmoker #pipetobacco #tobacco #smokingpipe #briarpipe #briar #smoking #pipemaker #pipecollector #artisanpipes #mbsd

New product: 1960s BBB Rare Grain 507 Smooth Dublin Estate Briar Pipe, English Estates ‘BBB’ originally stood for ‘Blumfeld’s Best Briars’, so named after Louis Blumfeld after he took over the historic Alfred Frankenau Company in 1856. Later, the pipes came to be known as ‘Britain’s Best Briars’. Though the name might have changed, the quality of the pipes did not – they really were fantastic pipes, made in the classic style of the English-French shape chart. Like GBD, Dunhill, and Barling’s, BBB are pipes with a rich history behind them, proudly holding the title of “the oldest trade mark in the [pipe] industry.” Pipe-makers like to extol the virtues of the quality of briar used in their pipes, and modern pipes are replete with claims as to how good the grain is on a particular model. This “Rare Grain,” on the other hand, from English make BBB, is more deserving of such a title. It is indeed not common to find factory-made pipes that have the level of consistency in their grain that this one does (though BBB in its prime was hardly just another factory). Its bowl is surrounded by consistent, vertical, straight grain and flame grain patterns, and even its shank has its own brilliant bird’s-eye gleam. Judging by the brass “BBB” rondelle and the stamping on the pipe’s sides, this would appear to be from BBB’s production prior to 1980, after which the make was absorbed by Cadogan Investments, like many others. The condition is great. There’s only one thing I will point out, that being the handful of scratches on the back rim of the bowl. The pipe comes with its original inner tube.   Details: Length: 5.8″ / 147.3mm Bowl Width: 0.79 / 20.06mm Bowl Depth: 1.6″ / 40.64mm Weight: 1.0oz / 30g 👉🏽👉🏽Pipe Link: https://nuel.ink/sppKxs #pipesmoking #pipes #tobaccopipe #pipesmoker #pipetobacco #tobacco #smokingpipe #briarpipe #briar #smoking #pipemaker #pipecollector #artisanpipes #mbsd

New product: Kurt Balleby Smooth Straight Apple Estate Briar Pipe, Danish Estates Along with figures such as Hans ‘Former’ Nielsen, Anne Julie, and Tom Eltang, Kurt Balleby Hansen is one of the living legends of Danish pipe-making. Balleby celebrated his 40th year in the craft in 2023, having first started as an apprentice to Kai Nielsen and Preben Holm. Owing to a highly selective approach to the briar he uses, and to the over 150 steps involved in making a Balleby pipe, production is limited, and their availability is scarce. As we discussed in a recent MBSD interview with Bear Graves, if there is one word that describes Kurt Balleby’s pipes, it is voluptuous. Graves goes so far as to call them “Rubenesque,” after the portraits of Peter Paul Reubens, and it’s not difficult to see why. This Danish rendition of the traditional apple is so plump and round that its bowl appears to almost spill over its shank, something achieved here by strategically “raising” the latter relative to the former. The result is a singularly organic look and feel and a shape far closer to its namesake fruit than any traditional factory manufacture could produce – or, indeed, most artisan pipe carvers. The grain patterns are spectacular, but that’s par for the course with Balleby. One thing that did surprise me, however, was how light the pipe is. Despite its curvy constitution, it has managed to remain only 40 grams. The condition is great. Some darkening on the innermost beveled lip of the rim, and some minor tooth chatter.   Details: Length: 5.4″ / 137.1mm Bowl Width: 0.77 / 19.55mm Bowl Depth: 1.42″ / 36.06mm Weight: 1.4oz / 40g 👉🏽👉🏽Pipe Link: https://nuel.ink/V9A89m #pipesmoking #pipes #tobaccopipe #pipesmoker #pipetobacco #tobacco #smokingpipe #briarpipe #briar #smoking #pipemaker #pipecollector #artisanpipes #mbsd

New product: WO Larsen Sandblasted Canadian Estate Briar Pipe WO Larsen was a tobacconist in Copenhagen Denmark. In the 1960s, when Danish-style pipes were becoming highly sought after, thanks to revolutionary pipe-makers such as Sixten Ivarsson, a workshop was set up on the Larsen premises to produce enough high-grade Danish pipes to meet demand. This workshop was staffed by the emerging masters of Danish pipe-making, such as Sven and Teddy Knudsen, Hans ‘Former’ Nielsen, Jess Chonowitsch, Poul Ilsted, and Benni Jorgensen. Danish pipe-making is well known for pushing boundaries. For this pipe from Denmark’s famed W.O. Larsen workshop, the main boundary being pushed is – as you might imagine – length. At seven and a half inches from bowl to button, it is one of the longest shapes of its kind that I’ve ever seen. But what is its shape? I’ve classified it as a Canadian for simplicity’s sake, but technically this isn’t quite correct. The bowl, for instance, is wider and has a stronger profile than a traditional Canadian, and is more in keeping with the Danish brandy shape that Larsen was well known for (which itself also had an oval shank). In this instance, that Danish brandy has been rendered to about the length of a Bing billiard, and has somehow also managed to remain not much heavier than the English classic. The condition is excellent. The finish is unblemished, the stem is free from abrasions, and the nomenclature has remained crisp. Judging by that nomenclature, I would estimate that this pipe is from the 1970s, though I can’t be 100% sure, as dating Larsens is notoriously difficult.   Details: Length: 7.5″ / 190.5mm Bowl Width: 0.77 / 19.55mm Bowl Depth: 1.59″ / 40.38mm Weight: 1.4oz / 40g 👉🏽👉🏽Pipe Link: https://nuel.ink/UysHAf #pipesmoking #pipes #tobaccopipe #pipesmoker #pipetobacco #tobacco #smokingpipe #briarpipe #briar #smoking #pipemaker #pipecollector #artisanpipes #mbsd

New product: Vauen 3783 Smooth Volcano Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked, 9mm Vauen stems from Germany’s oldest tobacco pipe manufacturing company, tracing its roots back to the founding partnership of Karl Ellenberger and Carl August Ziener in Nuremberg, 1848. Out of the Ellenberger-Ziener partnership soon came the Vauen make itself, which grew to become Germany’s largest and most enduring pipe brand – a title that it continues to hold to this day.     I almost kept this Vauen for myself. It’s such a distinct shape – somewhere between a volcano, a poker, and a tankard (or, fittingly, a German beer stein) – and it has a little more going for it than the average Vauen. The pipe has some beautiful bird’s-eye and cross-grain patterns underneath its ruby red stain, as well as a silvery trim at the end of its shank. The rim is also beveled, which I’ve always found to be a nice touch. On a last note, one thing I particularly enjoy about the shaping is that, while the pipe is a sitter, its composition ensures that, while it is sitting on a flat surface, the mouthpiece won’t come into contact with that surface. It’s just another thing not to have to worry about when sat around a table outside, for instance. This Vauen is completely unsmoked, with a factory-original bowl coating to help ease in its first smokes. It also comes with its original box and sleeve. As with most Vauen pipes, it is chambered for 9mm filters, such as Vauen’s own or Savinelli’s balsa filters. It should also accommodate some variety of adapter for non-filter use, if the user prefers.   Details: Length: 5.2″ / 132.0mm Bowl Width: 0.79 / 20.06mm Bowl Depth: 1.41″ / 35.81mm Weight: 1.9oz / 56g 👉🏽👉🏽Pipe Link: https://nuel.ink/KQCoLL #pipesmoking #pipes #tobaccopipe #pipesmoker #pipetobacco #tobacco #smokingpipe #briarpipe #briar #smoking #pipemaker #pipecollector #artisanpipes #mbsd

New product: Vauen 3311 Smooth Straight Brandy Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked, 9mm Vauen stems from Germany’s oldest tobacco pipe manufacturing company, tracing its roots back to the founding partnership of Karl Ellenberger and Carl August Ziener in Nuremberg, 1848. Out of the Ellenberger-Ziener partnership soon came the Vauen make itself, which grew to become Germany’s largest and most enduring pipe brand – a title that it continues to hold to this day. This is what I would call a German pipe, and that would not be to disparage it. Certain countries have distinct national styles of pipe design associated with them – think the classical shapes of England and France, the avant-garde stylings of mid-century Denmark, or the post-traditional workshop ethos of Italy – and the German style appears to be stout, muscular pipes that can take a kicking from the hottest aromatic blends while looking good doing it. That’s not to say that German pipes, like this short, chubby brandy from Vauen, can only smoke aromatic mixtures – far from it – but it is to say that they are well engineered smoking machines from a country renowned for its solid industrial design. This Vauen is unsmoked, with an original bowl coating from the factory. It also comes with its original box and sleeve. As a German pipe, it is drilled to accommodate 9mm filters as standard, but as it is a simple, straight pipe, it would likely accommodate a non-filter adapter if the owner wishes. It is entirely up to them.   Details: Length: 5.5″ / 139.7mm Bowl Width: 0.80 / 20.32mm Bowl Depth: 1.67″ / 42.41mm Weight: 2.2oz / 64g 👉🏽👉🏽Pipe Link: https://nuel.ink/gg4U5U #pipesmoking #pipes #tobaccopipe #pipesmoker #pipetobacco #tobacco #smokingpipe #briarpipe #briar #smoking #pipemaker #pipecollector #artisanpipes #mbsd

New product: BBB Facet 11 Smooth Panel Brandy Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked ‘BBB’ originally stood for ‘Blumfeld’s Best Briars’, so named after Louis Blumfeld after he took over the historic Alfred Frankenau Company in 1856. Later, the pipes came to be known as ‘Britain’s Best Briars’. Though the name might have changed, the quality of the pipes did not – they really were fantastic pipes, made in the classic style of the English-French shape chart. Like GBD, Dunhill, and Barling’s, BBB are pipes with a rich history behind them, proudly holding the title of “the oldest trade mark in the [pipe] industry.” I haven’t seen BBB’s ‘Facet’ series for a long time. As far as I’m aware, it’s not a series that has been produced for a very long time. The pipe looks to have been made prior to 1980, in fact, as the nomenclature and brass rondelle inlaid in the stem haven’t been used since Cadogan Investments merged BBB with several other British pipe makes around that year. As the name of the series suggests, these pipes featured faceted shapes, hence why this bent brandy/banker style pipe has a paneled bowl and shank. It’s different, but nonetheless an elegant design, especially with the brass ring banding the end of its shank. This BBB also happens to be completely unsmoked, with an original factory bowl coating to help ease in its first smokes. It also comes with its original box and sleeve.   Details: Length: 5.6″ / 142.2mm Bowl Width: 0.83 / 21.08mm Bowl Depth: 1.75″ / 44.45mm Weight: 1.9oz / 56g 👉🏽👉🏽Pipe Link: https://nuel.ink/tA916e #pipesmoking #pipes #tobaccopipe #pipesmoker #pipetobacco #tobacco #smokingpipe #briarpipe #briar #smoking #pipemaker #pipecollector #artisanpipes #mbsd