Castello Natural Vergin GG Rusticated Lovat Estate Briar Pipe, Unsmoked

In the world of pipes, Italy is famous for its workshops—institutions that operate at a smaller scale to factories, but in which expert artisans work tirelessly to create pipes entirely by hand. Founded in 1947 by Carlo Scotti, Castello is one of the oldest and most renowned of these workshops, and Castello pipes are often spoken of as Italy’s answer to England’s famous Dunhill pipes. Known for its equally high-grade smooth, sandblasted, and rusticated finishes, Castello’s legacy is felt not only in the continued success of the make itself, but also in the various, similarly high-end workshops founded by former Castello craftsmen, such as Caminetto, Radice, and Ascorti.

Like Dunhill’s Tanshell and Savinelli’s Punto Oro Corallo, Castello’s Natural Vergin Castello is a rare series of pipes distinguished by their superior briar and a very minimal, natural stain. As a result, over time and as they’re smoked, these pipes develop a warm, brown-sugar patina, almost like meerschaum. The key difference with the Castello version is that it features the same basic rustication as the workshop’s renowned Sea Rock Briar and Old Sea Rock finishes, sans their respective stains. Complementing that very Italian approach to finishing, this one takes the form of another minor Italian tradition—that of the extra long, long shank rendition. In this instance, it’s an especially long Lovat, one which should look even more striking once its patina starts to settle in.

This pipe is completely unsmoked and comes with its original box and sleeve.

Details:

Length: 6.5″ / 165.1mm

Bowl Width: 0.93 / 23.62mm

Bowl Depth: 1.86″ / 47.24mm

Weight: 1.7oz / 50g