Beyond the Burl

In this episode, we went fully live on Discord, opening the floor to audience participation from start to finish and letting the conversation unfold in real time. We reflected on the top two tobaccos we tried in 2025, with no restrictions on release date or hype, just the two blends that were genuinely new to us and left the biggest impression. Things took a turn for the cockamamy with a Madlib-style misadventure, before rolling straight into an open Q&A where listeners steered the ship, asking everything from our dream pipe, to our long-term hopes and direction for the podcast. We wrap up the episode by smoking and reviewing Silver Jubilee by G.L. Pease, breaking down our thoughts as the bowl progressed and concluding the episode with equal parts reflection, laughter, and shared smoke.

Seb is back in the briar circle this week, and the episode kicks off with the lads catching up on recent pipe and tobacco acquisitions before sliding into a playful round of 20 Questions: Tobacco Edition—equal parts insight and mischief. Things take a mythic turn with a ChatGPT-spun tale of Excalipipe, blending legend and leaf, before the conversation settles into a thoughtful deep dive aimed at building a practical framework for identifying the truly quintessential beginner-friendly pipe tobacco. To cap it all off, the episode closes with a focused blend review of Maltese Falcon by G.L. Pease, unpacking its character, balance, and place in the wider pipe-smoking journey. Cozy, curious, and comfortably nerdy—just how we like it.

With Seb still away on vacation, Josh is joined this week by Mike of Timber & Smoke for a relaxed, fireside-style conversation that feels both reflective and good-natured. They open the episode by taking stock of both their tobacco cellars and pipe collections—what’s aging beautifully, what’s in heavy rotation, what’s been neglected, and where they ultimately hope to take their collections as their tastes continue to evolve. From there, the discussion drifts into a chat-story tangent about Seb somehow getting gloriously lost in Morocco, a tale that’s equal parts confusion and charm. The episode then settles into a more contemplative groove, exploring how pipe smoking naturally pairs with pen and paper: the unhurried rhythm of writing by hand, the way ideas seem to unfold more honestly with a pipe lit, and why that traditional medium still matters. The conversation closes with a review of some beautifully aged Westminster from G. L. Pease, unpacking how time has softened, deepened, and harmonized the blend into something truly special—an episode steeped in smoke, stories, and slow thinking.

With Sebastien away on vacation, Josh is joined by Johnny of Palmyra Products for a wide-ranging and reflective episode that blends conversation, storytelling, and smoke. They dig into the blends that taught them patience and humility, revisit a tobacco they once disliked before coming to understand, and reflect on a blend that fundamentally changed how they approach pipe smoking. The episode also brings the noir story to its final installment, closing that chapter in proper fashion, before shifting into a thoughtful discussion on the evolution of pipe aesthetics and the rise of artisanal pipes. All the while, they smoke and review the legendary Balkan Sobranie, letting the blend anchor the conversation from start to finish.

In our latest episode, we kick things off by diving into our newest pipe and tobacco acquisitions before settling in for a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation with Jeremy Reeves of Cornell & Diehl, talking craft, blending, and the passion behind small-batch tobacco. Along the way, Jeremy throws us a curveball with a ChatGPT-suggested short story featuring Daryl and Gail from Letterkenny—a moment that’s equal parts unexpected and charming. We wrap things up with a focused review of Small Batch Fires on the Levee, unpacking its character, depth, and why it stands out as a limited release worth lingering over.