I believe this is our third "Bullfish" here at Quality Briar, and dare I say that this one is my favorite. It is probably because I am a sucker for a natural finish- they color beautifully with handling and smoking; watching the process as they slowly darken over time is simply fascinating. I suppose that is the briar equivalent of the meerschaum experience. The intrigue factor with naturally finished pipes dramatically increases when smooth sections are involved. Now we are talking about briar that is absolutely blemish-free. Case in point is the rim, tail, and bottom of this piece. In addition to being flawless, they display a fairly intoxicating mosaic of birdseye grain. Wowza! The blast is deep and craggy, more reminiscent of the American technique of sandblasting than the delicate and detailed style that is normally associated with European pipe makers. The only thing I don't like about this pipe is that it isn't mine. A spectacular piece.

Eric Vitriol