I got this little gem at the Ye Olde Pipe Shoppe in Phoenix on a recent visit. Rick the owner and operator was there and we had a fantastic conversation about all the pipes he has in is display cases. Which include a couple of Heeshen Cobras that I thought were fantastic and he was offering them at 40% off his stated price. His collection of Castellos is also impressive and we talked at length about the company and his ability to get Castello pipes. But when it came down to his extensive selection this piece of briar was the one that just kept me coming back. It felt good in my hand, it's weight is perfect and the color and grain could not be beat for the rock bottom price he was asking. Now I won't tell you what I paid but rest assured it was less than a Stanwell or a Peterson. The Jirsas that I had gotten before this one have been fantastic smokers and well made pipes. I think you still have to be cautious of the brand as some pipes drilling can be off. This one seems to be a good one. The fit and finish are really well done. The only thing I don't like is there is a carbon coating in the bowl. I haven't smoked it but will shortly so I can give you a bit of the smoking characteristics. The appearance of this pipe is great and like my other Jirsa pipes I hope this one smokes just as fantastic!
