HAPPY INTERNATIONAL PIPE SMOKING DAY!

International Pipe Smoking Day was initially organized in 2008 in the U.K. "to bring together pipe smokers for camaraderie, share a bowl in solidarity, and appreciate the tradition of pipe smoking". It has since become a world-wide celebration.

BORIS KARLOFF CIGARETTE CARD

Boris Karloff was an avid smoker and it's not uncommon to see him in a photograph with a cigarette or a pipe. He was also English through and through, so it's not surprising to see him on a vintage cigarette card.

Boris Karloff in his study 1938.

Back in 1938 he appeared on a card for Ogden Cigarettes. That same year the same card was inserted in a pack of Hignett Bros. and Co. cigarettes. A quick look shows that there are a scant few of these in circulation, with the Ogden card being more available between the two. Prices these days go from the hundreds to the thousands of dollars.

Today, Tatuaje Cigars issue an annual, limited edition cigar commemorating Karloff.

SMOKIN' MONSTERS

An old Hollywood legend has it that Bela Lugosi would walk every day for a cigar to the Hollywood Smoke Shop on Hollywood Boulevard and Wilcox, located next door to the Warner Bros. Hollywood's Theatre. While a probable apocryphal story, it is true that Lugosi was a dedicated. life-long smoker. He can be seen in countless photographs holding a cigarette, cigar or pipe.

The Hollywood Smoke Shop (bottom right)).

Lugosi boasted a large collection of pipes and from what I could discern, his tobacco of choice was Kendal Plug from Samuel Gawith. It is characterized as a medium-strength, straight (i.e. not mixed with other tobaccos such as Burley) Virginia flake and is said to smoke sweet in the bowl.

As for cigars, Bela would of course prefer top-shelf brands when he could afford them. When he could not, he fell back on what he called "El-Stinkos or El Ropos".

Decorative tile set in the entrance to the Hollywood Smoke Shop.

The following article from the Pipesmoking.com website provides a little more information about Lugosi's love of pipes, along with a nicely-written biography.

Bela Lugosi: Horror Movie Icon and Pipe Smoker

By Jeffrey Sitts | November 20, 2020 | Pipesmoking.com

Best remembered for his iconic portrayal of Count Dracula in the 1931 film adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel, Bela Lugosi is widely considered one of the greatest horror movie actors of all time. Lugosi also appeared in several films with legendary English actor Boris Karloff, delivering memorable performances that showcased his acting talents and continue to enthrall audiences decades later. While he was often typecast and his career experienced a decline in his later years, Lugosi's contributions to the horror genre are significant and his work remains highly influential. Lugosi was one of Hollywood's most mysterious actors, often telling stories and giving interviews that blurred the line between fantasy and reality, but even without embellishments he lived a fascinating life.

Bela Lugosi was born Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó on October 20, 1882 in Lugos, formerly located in the Kingdom of Hungary and what is now Lugoj, Romania. Bela was immensely proud of his Hungarian heritage throughout his life, inspiring him to adopt the professional surname Lugosi after his hometown. Lugosi was the youngest of four children and quickly developed a disdain for his father's strictness and formal education, reportedly running away from home at age 12 after his father's death though there are conflicting stories. "I was very unruly as a boy, very out of control," Lugosi remarked in an interview.

Lugosi later said he traveled 300 miles (it was actually 34 miles), primarily on foot, to Resita, a Romanian mining town, to work in the mines. Lugosi recalled the fear he felt working underground, saying, "There, in the dark bowels of the earth, I did sometimes think I might go mad ... there I learned my horror, now, of the darkness ... of the earth's deep darkness rather than the darkness of another world." He went on to work as a riveter building bridges and later as a machinist when he was 18, assembling large, powerful machines. However, he desired to work in theater and tried to land minor roles in performances put on by touring groups that came to town.

Lugosi at an unidentified cigar shop.

Early on, his lack of education proved to be challenging: "They tried to give me little parts in their plays, but I was so uneducated, so stupid, people just laughed at me. But I got a taste of the stage. I got, also, the rancid taste of humiliation. It was then I got, too, the knowledge of the main key to my character that I had the ability to focus my will, my mind, my body, my emotions into one deep and driving channel."

Records researched by Arthur Lennig, a cinema professor and author of Lugosi's biography The Immortal Count, indicate Lugosi's earliest performances occurred during the 1903-1904 season. He acted in small roles and because of his pleasant singing voice he often appeared in operettas, later joining other troupes at the end of the season and performing in several towns and cities, gradually refining his acting skills. Early in his career, he was credited as "Bela Lugossy," a name likely chosen since the y ending connotes nobility, something Lennig believes appealed to the young, hopeful actor. Lennig also mentions, "In 1911, perhaps feeling that the aristocratic name was too pretentious, he modified it and so became Lugosi."

"His former acquaintances found him to be personable, polite, friendly, but a 'loner' and a terrible manager of his finances."

During the summer of 1914, the onset of World War I, Lugosi quickly enlisted in the army even though he could have obtained a deferment due to his position in the theater. He earned the rank of lieutenant in the 43rd Royal Hungarian Infantry, served in the trenches for a year and a half, and was wounded twice in battle, leaving the service to recover in 1916. However, another biography claims he was discharged after successfully convincing army physicians that he was mentally unstable. Lugosi rarely spoke about his time in the war but it's noted in Lennig's biography that one of his most prized possessions was a gold ruble, likely obtained from a Russian soldier. "Bela" was inscribed on one side of the coin and a hole was drilled in it so Lugosi could wear it as a chain.

Years later, Lugosi told a rare war story in an interview though its validity is questionable and it's mentioned in very few sources:

"There was a moment I could never forget. We were protecting a forest from the Russians. All of us were cowering beneath huge trees, each man beneath a tree. A young officer, incautious, went a little way out of cover and a bullet struck his breast. I forgot the Russians were firing from their line with machine guns. Not a selfless man, I had one selfless moment ... I ran to him and gave him first aid. I came back to my tree and found that it had been blown to the heavens in heavy, crushing pieces. I became hysterical. I wept there on the forest floor, like a child ... not from fear, not even from relief ... from gratitude at how God had paid me back for having that good heart."

Following the war, Lugosi returned to acting at Hungary's Royal National Theater, frequently relegated to small parts while older, more experienced actors performed in leading roles. However, Lugosi was determined to succeed and his presence on such a prestigious stage attested to his talents.

An acquaintance who knew Lugosi during this time recalled in 1968:

I saw him as a young, serious actor, who came to his rehearsals punctually, with books under his arm, and tried to develop the possibilities of his roles with dedication. He usually played the roles of a young lover, especially of those who were dominated by extensive passion. He was favored by the audience. In my judgment, he was a very fine actor.

In regard to how Lugosi was offstage, Lennig's biography notes, "His former acquaintances found him to be personable, polite, friendly, but a 'loner' and a terrible manager of his finances." Financial troubles plagued Lugosi throughout his life; he frequently lived beyond his means which caused him to declare bankruptcy years later. Lajos Balint, who later became the National Theater's literary manager, was Lugosi's roommate for several years and observed the actor's peculiar spending habits. Oranges at the time were rather pricey where they lived but that didn't stop Lugosi from squeezing five of them to make a glass of juice. Another amusing story Balint recalled occurred at the outbreak of World War I when he told Lugosi many products would soon be quite expensive, such as shoes. When Lugosi asked Balint why, he explained that soldiers would need leather for their boots. After Balint returned from work one night, he saw several shoeboxes and realized Lugosi frantically purchased multiple pairs of shoes.

In 1917, the film industry was developing in Hungary and studios were hiring stage actors to star in their movies. Lugosi finally started earning leading roles, aided by his acting skills, good looks, young age, and charismatic personality. "Unfortunately, most of the early Hungarian films have been lost through neglect, deterioration, fire, or the bomings of World War II. Of about 500 films, only a dozen or so remain, and Lugosi can only be seen in one of those." (Lennig, pg. 30). Lugosi appeared in several silent Hungarian films billed as Arisztid Olt. It was the film company's attempt to appeal to audiences outside of Hungary, changing actors' names to ones that seemed more pronounceable to European moviegoers.

Between 1918 and 1920, Hungary experienced political unrest following the war and Lugosi developed a stronger interest in politics. He fervently supported the revolution and became one of the leaders of a newly created theater union in late 1918. Perhaps the poverty he experienced as a worker and later as an actor in small roles guided his radical political views, where money would not be the primary goal of the arts and they would be purer and performed with passion instead. Once the communist regime was deposed after four months, supporters were purged, imprisoned, or murdered.

"After the war, I participated in the revolution. Later, I found myself on the wrong side," Lugosi recalled years later. He and his wife Ilona fled to Vienna in 1919, crossing the border while hidden in a cart beneath a large straw mound. Encouraged by her wealthy parents, Ilona left Lugosi and returned to Hungary, while Lugosi traveled to Germany in search of acting work. After appearing in a handful of German films, Lugosi boarded a cargo ship bound for New Orleans, Louisiana in hopes of finding success in the United States. He quickly made his way to Ellis Island in New York City and was lawfully admitted to the country, becoming a naturalized citizen a few years later. Lugosi spoke no English at the time but managed to find plays performed in his native language while slowly learning English from tutors and fellow actors.

"His pipe smoking resulted in a large collection, though if he couldn't fit his thumb into the bowl of a pipe it usually became a gift for someone else."

An American theatrical adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula was written in 1927 and Lugosi was hired to play the titular character based on his acting ability, imposing on-stage presence, and his Hungarian accent that many found intriguing and mysterious. Initially, Lugosi almost turned down the role because of the character's lack of lines. The play ran for nine months on Broadway and was a massive success, with a run on the West Coast creating opportunities for Lugosi to act in "talking pictures" which were becoming popular.

On the set of Dracula in 1931 with Helen Chandler and Tod Browning.

Following the play's success, a film adaptation of Dracula was heavily discussed but several other actors were considered before Universal Pictures selected Lugosi, after he persistently lobbied to play the part he coveted and that he accepted at a low salary. Released in 1931, it was the first sound film adaptation of Dracula and Lugosi's portrayal of the menacing Count is widely considered to be the definitive Dracula. It was a mesmerizing performance with Lugosi's slow, deliberate pacing making the character even more mysterious and compelling.

Dracula was a landmark movie that firmly established horror as a credible film genre and was Universal's highest-grossing production that year. The movie's critical and commercial success also encouraged Universal Pictures to produce several other iconic horror films, including Frankenstein, The Mummy, and The Invisible Man. While Dracula paved the way for other movies, it resulted in Lugosi being typecast as a horror villain since his performance was so brilliantly convincing.

In 1934, Lugosi began working with fellow horror actor Boris Karloff and the pair would appear in eight films together. Despite many thinking they had an intense and bitter rivalry, they maintained a friendly, professional relationship, but rarely socialized off set as their hobbies and interests were vastly different. Karloff was more successful, usually receiving top billing in films before Lugosi, who harbored no jealousy or animosity toward his co-star. Both men respected each other's work and never tried to upstage one another, performing in several excellent films such as The Black Cat, The Raven, Son of Frankenstein, and Black Friday.

Beginning in the 1940s, Lugosi's career began to decline due to a variety of factors. Studio management changed hands and Lugosi was relegated to small parts, with movies capitalizing on his name value despite him not being in a leading role. Lugosi was also diagnosed with severe, chronic sciatica, causing stabbing pains running from his pelvis into his foot that Lugosi likened to a dentist striking a raw nerve. While aspirin is often used to alleviate the pain, Lugosi's stomach ulcers lead doctors to prescribe him opiates. Lugosi became dependent on them, particularly morphine. Despite this, Lugosi was cast as Dracula for a second and final time in 1948's Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, delivering an excellent performance as a suave, classy vampire in a film that parodied horror movie cliches.

The brief success was short lived and Lugosi began acting in movies directed by Ed Wood, an ambitious and eccentric director who made several low-budget films throughout the '50s. Wood had long admired and respected Lugosi, and genuinely wanted to help the struggling actor who was forgotten by Hollywood. Wood's films were poorly made and received negative reviews, but it was clear there was passion behind them and they were authentic attempts to make Lugosi a star once again.

Lugosi had several projects planned but passed away August 16, 1956 from a heart attack in his Los Angeles apartment at age 73. His funeral was small, attended by his family and close friends, and he was buried in one of his Dracula capes, a decision made by his only child and his ex-wife as they believed it's what he would have wanted. Lugosi experienced a well-deserved surge in popularity thanks to Tim Burton's 1994 film Ed Wood and Martin Landau's portrayal of Bela Lugosi. Landau won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and several other major awards, though Lugosi's son criticized the film's portrayal as being inaccurate. However, Landau's masterful performance was a wonderful tribute to Lugosi and brought recognition to an iconic actor who was frequently underappreciated yet supremely talented.

In addition to being a horror movie icon, Bela Lugosi was also an avid pipe and cigar smoker throughout his life. Bela Lugosi Jr. notes on his father's website, "Once he lit a cigar, if he had to interrupt his smoking, he would leave it in some inconspicuous place like a planter box outside the door." While on stage, Lugosi's fourth wife Lillian would puff on a cigar to keep it lit when he performed on stage so that he would be able continue smoking between scenes.

Lugosi after his release from treatment for morphine dependency smoking an "El Stinko".

American actor Lyle Talbot, best known for his work on the sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, mentioned Lugosi's pipe smoking in a 1976 interview:

"Lugosi was a nice man — a very intelligent man. He did have a slight accent though — but a very fine actor. We got into several conversations while shooting this picture (One Body Too Many) because he had just started smoking a pipe. Bela had never smoked one before and was all enthused about getting this pipe. But Lugosi allowed so much "cake" to accumulate in his pipe that he could hardly get any tobacco in it. "Bela," I said, "your pipe will crack if you put too much carbon inside." So he was very grateful to hear this and I cleaned out his pipe. Then, everything was okay between us.

In Gary Don Rhodes' 1997 biography Lugosi: His Life in Films, on Stage, and in the Hearts of Horror Lovers, the author notes:

Bela's great love of Hungarian food and imported sulphur water also remained fixed in the memories of his friends. Along with food, he appreciated fine tobacco. His pipe smoking resulted in a large collection, though if he couldn't fit his thumb into the bowl of a pipe it usually became a gift for someone else. The actor also adored good cigars, though when money became scarce he resorted to a cheap brand he called "El Stinko, El Ropos."

Bela Lugosi's powerful and ominous on-screen presence helped popularize the horror film genre, portraying mysterious characters and delivering enthralling performances. Lugosi's Dracula is legendary and iconic, spawning countless imitations and solidifying his reputation as a horror movie icon. Though he was often typecast as a villainous character and largely forgotten by Hollywood in his later years, Lugosi's work continues to be respected by horror fans and will undoubtedly be admired by future generations.

NOTE: The Warner Bros. Hollywood Theatre (aka Hollywood Pacific Theatre) is located at 6433 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, opened on April 26, 1928 with a seating capacity of 2,700. The large building also included office and retail space and radio station KFWB. It was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1993 and permanently closed in 2000. The Hollywood Smoke Shop opened in 1930 and closed at the same time as the theatre. To learn much more about this historic Hollywood Blvd building, go HERE.

SMOKIN' MONSTERS: MERIAN C. COOPER

Not a monster himself, but Merian C. Cooper created the greatest monster of them all -- King Kong! Coop was a dedicated pipe smoker and it's hard to find a photo of him without his trusty briar.

See more SMOKIN' MONSTERS HERE.

This article from PHOTOPLAY (July 1933) is a profile on the amazing life and times of Merian C. Cooper up until the release of KING KONG. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL PIPE SMOKING DAY!

On this day over the past few years, International Pipe Smoking Day posts have been focused on horror stars from the past (when pipe smoking was prevalent). This year is an appearance by the "Great Beast 666", Aleister Crowley.

Crowley was an avid pipe smoker and it is said that his favorite blend was a combination of perique soaked in rum.

Smoke what thou wilt!

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL PIPE SMOKING DAY!

Hef's favorite pipe tobacco was Mixture 79.

THE KARLOFF THAT CAME AND WENT

THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE CIGAR SMOKERS may know of My Father's Tatuaje brand annual release of their "monster series". Unfortunately, this is the first year that they haven't produced one since 2008, and they may be done with the run.

In the meantime, they released 4,000 boxes of 13 (52,000 cigars) of the "Karloff" cigar. Although officially not one of the monster series, like all the others it came and went and sold out quickly.

Here is a review of the cigar from halfwheel.com.

TATUAJE KARLOFF

By Patrick Lagreid | November 21, 2020 | halfwheel.com

If cigars are ever a category on Jeopardy!, I have to think that there will be an answer that is something to the effect of “Every October from 2008 to 2019, this company sent its Monster Series to an Unlucky 13 retailers.”

To which, one would correctly reply, “What is Tatuaje?”

I bring that up because recently I’ve been catching up on previous episodes of the show, as well as still somewhat mourning the passing of Alex Trebek, the show’s host from 1984 until his death in November 2020. But I also bring it up, because 2020 marked the first year without a Monster Series release since 2008. That wasn’t much of a surprise, as Pete Johnson had long said it would be a series of 13 cigars, and 2019’s release of The Chuck and The Tiff brought the total to that number.

While 2020 wasn’t responsible for the lack of a Monster Series release, it did catch my attention as just another one of those interesting things in a year that has been more than interesting.

But that didn’t mean that Tatuaje didn’t have anything to ship to retailers in October; quite the opposite in fact. The company released the event-only Shrunken Pumpkin and a pair of new sizes and a new look for Cabaiguan, while November would bring three new sizes for the L’Atelier Selection Spéciale.

Amidst that, Tatuaje announced the Karloff, a cigar that should have immediately perked up the ears of fans of an early offshoot of the Monster Series. It’s also a cigar with some history behind it.

Back in 2008, Johnson had plans to create a complementary line to the Monster Series called the Actors Series that would honor those who played the monsters honored by the other line. Since Frankenstein was the first movie monster honored in the Monster Series with The Frank, the first in the Actors Series would be The Boris, a 7 x 49 Churchill named for Boris Karloff, who played Frankenstein’s monster in the 1931 film.

Except, there was a bit of a snag with that release, as the name Boris was already in use for another cigar, specifically, the Boris 11, which is produced for Corona Cigar Co. in Orlando, Fla. As part of resolving that snag, Johnson made an agreement with Jeff Borysiewicz, owner of Corona Cigar Co., that included a stipulation that Johnson would produce a limited edition cigar for the store. That cigar was the Little Boris, a 5 1/2 x 49 robusto released in July 2012 and re-released in November 2018.

The Karloff is a 6 5/8 x 49 grand corona, and less than half an inch shorter than the original Boris. Both the Boris and Karloff use the same tobaccos, at least on paper, meaning an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over a Nicaraguan double binder and filler. However, Johnson said that the Karloff’s is a tweaked blend that is a little fuller than that of the Boris, adding that consumers shouldn’t expect the exact same profile from this new cigar, even though the ring gauges of the Boris, Little Boris and Karloff are all the same.

Johnson released 4,000 dress boxes of the Karloff, each containing 13 cigars, with individual cigars priced at $13, before taxes.

• Cigar Reviewed: Tatuaje Karloff
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.
• Wrapper: Ecuador (Sumatra)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Length: 6 5/8 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 49
• Vitola: Grand Corona
• MSRP: $13 (Box of 13, $169)
• Release Date: October 2020
• Number of Cigars Released: 4,000 Boxes of 13 Cigars (52,000 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

While this isn’t part of the Monster Series, the Tatuaje Karloff feels right at home with the vitolas in that line. The sizable 6 5/8 x 49 vitola is substantial in the hand and certainly on par with the double corona and Churchill vitolas it is close to in size, as well as the all-too-ubiquitous 6 x 50 toro. I can’t say that the color of the wrapper stood out in the daylight, but under the light of my cellphone it has a meaty, reddish-brown hue with a bit of shine to it, a much more vibrant color than I was expecting. That oily sheen transfers to the fingers, which glide over the wrapper thanks to small, sparse veins and no tooth. There’s a bit of give to the cigar, as the outer layers seem to compress just a bit over a more solid core, something that leads me to whisper, oh, Cubanesque. The covered feet are generally done well, maybe a bit puffier than I’ve seen but not distracting. The foot offers aromas of warm root beer, tree bark and cold salami. There’s a bit of black pepper in there as well, though it is far from prominent, let alone dominant. Air moves well on the cold draw, maybe a touch open but well within the acceptable range. There’s a big tingle on the lips from the tobacco, and it feels like I’m getting a bit of sweetness from the tobacco itself. Flavors are subtler but almost a mirror of what I picked up the aroma minus the salami.

As soon as I light the Tatuaje Karloff, I’m greeted by a nostril full of smoke that reminds me of a warm tobacco barn; a mix of earthiness and wood, both with a slightly organic spin and the combination of which gets accented by black pepper. It can be a bit gritty on the palate, which might not be the best opening but it’s not completely off-putting. If Pete Johnson was going for complexity out of the gate, he seems to have achieved it, as the flavor also picks up a subtle finish reminiscent of a lemon-lime soda, not as artificial as 7-Up or Sprite, but something reminiscent of the flavor. After I knock the first inch of ash, the flavor mellows a bit while white pepper highlights the retrohale, but what gets me is the aroma of the resting cigar, as it has a citrus sweetness atop a light campfire aroma that is almost magical. The flavor, meanwhile, softens a bit without giving up all of its pepper but adding a creaminess that is slightly sweet and reminiscent of vanilla pudding or custard. It’s certainly not what I was expecting from this cigar—or any cigar without a Connecticut wrapper on it—but the result is stunning. Flavor is a very smooth medium, body is thick and medium as well, while strength is a tick shy of medium so far. Construction is excellent.

There’s a ramping up of flavor to star the Tatuaje Karloff’s second third, with a flavor that seems to bounce between woodiness, wheat toast and warm mixed nuts. As soon as I think I’ve pegged it, it changes, or at least gets me thinking about something else, which makes for a challenge to document but a pleasure to enjoy. Smoke absolutely pours out of the end of the cigar, and with no breeze tends to hang around before finally dissipating. There are touches of earthiness beginning to re-emerge, which gives the smoke a bit more texture and flavor, yet there also seems to be creaminess coming along right behind to smooth it out. The first half has been a very enjoyable and engaging mix of both flavors and textures, not to mention complexity and balance from the cigar. As the burn line crosses the midway point, the creaminess begins to fall away and the flavor picks up a dry soil flavor, which at first taste isn’t as great as what came earlier but I’m intrigued to see how it progresses. It is a fairly quick transition, as I get a bit of mineralogy and the flavor definitely seems headed on some sort of journey. That evolves into a bit of chalkiness, and while it’s a flavor I’m not a fan of, here it still seems to work somehow. What is most interesting is how steady the progression is and how far it has come in seemingly not a long period of time, though I will note that the more it drags it out, the better the overall result. The final puffs of the second third add just the slightest hint of mint to the flavor and aroma, though with everything else that is going on it is almost smoky and wrapped in a bit of chocolate. Construction remains fantastic, and while smoke production, combustion and the burn line are all great, it does seem like the cigar needs a slightly quicker smoking rate. Flavor is continuing to alternate between medium-plus and medium-full, body is in lockstep, and strength is building up out of medium territory.

As much as I want the second half of the Tatuaje Karloff to simply be an extension of the first half, the tobacco has different ideas as it continues to build on that change that happened at the midway point. There is still more dry earth, not quite dusty in the way Honduran tobacco can be but not as heavy and dense as some Nicaraguan is generally considered to be. Black pepper makes its way around the edges of the flavor and tongue, never really dropping that big bomb hit, which is quite alright by me. The final inches brings about a bit of disjoining of the flavors, as the woody notes break off and start wanting to do their own thing, standing out on the palate and becoming just a touch harsh. If anything, the second half of the Karloff stands as a contrast to the first half, while being close to as enjoyable if a bit less sublime. As much as I want the creaminess that marked so much of the first half to come back, it just doesn’t, but at this point, it’s asking the chef for more of the second course when you’re on course 21 of a 23-course dinner. If anything, the experience is better just going with what the Karloff has to offer, which continues to be impressively complex and balanced. Construction remains fantastic, while flavor finishes medium-full, body medium-plus, and strength on a trajectory for full but falling just short of that mark.

Final Notes

• As you might know, Charlie Minato does the assigning and scheduling of reviews, and while I don’t think this was intentional, I’ve had three cigars in a row with covered feet: this one, the 2012 by Oscar Barber Pole Lancero and the Charter Oak Habano Torpedo.
• If you’re curious about the status of Actors Series, Pete Johnson told halfwheel that he doesn’t have plans to release other cigars in the series at this time, “but you never know,” he said.
• Boris Karloff was a stage name; the actor’s real name is William Henry Pratt.
• Karloff has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for film and one for television.
• He was also given a recognition I would absolutely love: being featured on a U.S. Postal Service stamp. In fact, he was featured twice in a series called “Classic Monster Movie Stamps” that was issued in Sept. 1997, with stamps for Frankenstein’s Monster and the Mummy.
• Regarding the strength of the Tatuaje Karloff, it packs a bit of a punch but each cigar hit me a bit differently. The first one didn’t feel like a strength bomb, and it may not be the sole cause, but it kind of took the wind out of me for a bit after smoking it. The second didn’t impart that effect, and the final cigar, which I smoked much earlier in the day, still had some strength but didn’t really impact me.
• The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time was two hours and 10 minutes on average.
• Site sponsors Atlantic Cigar Co. and Corona Cigar Co. carry the Tatuaje Karloff, though both indicate they are sold out.

OVERALL SCORE: 94

To put it simply, wow. The Tatuaje Karloff caught my attention nearly from the moment I lit the first sample and kept it all the way until the final puff of the third cigar. The first half earns the word sublime, while the second halves are all enjoyable if a very different spin on the tobaccos, which in itself is an impressive feat of blending to get two different yet complementary expressions of flavors. Give this cigar a clean palate, clear head and focused attention and it will reward you handsomely. A brilliant cigar.

PETERSON'S JEKYLL & HYDE PIPES

Back in June I published a post that introduced the Peterson Dracula line of pipes. Now, Peterson has released a line of briars that are inspired by the tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

The smokingpipes.com website carries the full line and I can tell you that they are a great mail order company to do business with.

NOTE: Pipes like these are generally made in limited editions. Sell-through can be pretty fast for the more popular brands and shapes.

From the website:

The sepulcher creaks open revealing a shadowy door frame. Broken moonlight bathes a cracked-stone staircase descending into the abyss below, littered with rodents' remains. An aroma of smoke and antiquity wafts from the looming depths, beckoning you to investigate. Inching forward, you're enveloped by darkness punctured only by the miniscule sphere of light emanating from your outstretched lantern, illuminating each step in front of you but offering no glimpse of what skirts and skitters in the surrounding blackness. 

A wide room opens before you cluttered with tables, test tubes, beakers and burners, candelabras, and an open coffin. At the end of the room, opposite the staircase, a stone altar beckons. Atop its weathered surface lay two pipes — one dressed in ebony with a stem of swirled ink and blood-red, the other marked by smooth and rusticated finishes for contrasting personalities. A single scroll between them reads, "Make your choice."

Dracula's bloodthirst or the manic duality of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? The choice is yours. Peterson's most macabre lines come to life in October, inspired by two of literature's most ominous tales and marked by distinctly dark finishes and color palettes. This year, the Dracula and Jekyll & Hyde series seize additional shapes from Peterson's chart, including the iconic 999, 80s, and 150 designs.

Jekyll & Hide or Dracula? Make your choice, or reap the benefits of both… The scroll didn't say to choose only one… Experience the eerie with 60 new Dracula and Jekyll & Hyde pipes from Peterson on site now.

About Peterson Pipes:

The oldest continuously operating pipe factory in the world, Peterson produces some of the most recognizable and iconic pipes on the market. They've been featured in exhibitions, films, and television shows for the past century; many famous writers, artists, and inventors smoked a Peterson pipe, including Mark Twain, whose love for his System pipe is still perhaps unparalleled to this day. Even those uninvolved in our hobby likely think of a Peterson when asked to imagine a pipe. And all because of the functional design of the marque's most important contribution to the history of pipemaking: the System Pipe.

In 1874, Frederick Kapp opened a tobacco and pipe shop in Dublin; within a year a young Latvian woodworker named Charles Peterson was employed there. During his first years with the Kapps, Peterson made and repaired briar and meerschaum pipes, thinking critically about how to improve their design. In 1890, after 15 years of handling and repairing multitudes of pipes, Charles secured a patent in his own name, titled "A certain new and useful improvement in Tobacco-Pipes," introducing a unique system comprised of a higher draft hole and a moisture reservoir bored into the shank and transition of a briar pipe. Over the next eight years, Charles continued to refine his System, applying for and securing patents for a graduated bore mouthpiece (1891), and a unique button design known today as the P-Lip (1894-1898).

Charles Peterson's patented System isn't just a novelty offered by Peterson; it is the Peterson pipe. Its engineering and overall design are intertwined with the marque's foundation and raison d'être. They're the invisible source behind Peterson's unique Irish aesthetic — its muscular shank and transition, tubular profile, and generous bend. Over the last 120 years, Peterson has evolved and adapted to suit modern tastes, maintaining an expansive regular production shape chart, while also ushering in new series like the celebrated Sherlock Holmes line, as well as special edition releases like the annual St. Patrick's Day and Christmas pipes. Yet Charles Peterson's intention and original design language is preserved in each piece to leave the factory.

And while you're at it, don't forget to order some tobac for your pipe. Cult's Blood Red Moon is a popular seller.

PETERSON'S DRACULA PIPES

Dublin's Peterson Pipes has been crafting smoking pipes for over 150 years. They are noted both for their pipes and for their line of tobaccos. They often commemorate certain events and anniversaries with special edition pipes and tobacco.

Currently offered is a line inspired by Bram Stoker's Dracula that features a blood red stem.

Shop for Peterson pipes HERE.

Peterson's Dracula line offers smooth and sandblasted pipes dressed in ebony finishes, accented with nickel bands and blood-red acrylic stems with ink-black swirls. A worthy homage to Bram Stoker's celebrated novel, the Dracula line renders the iconic dress-pipe motif with spooky airs and remains one of the Irish marque's most striking and colorful series. For years the line has featured a select number of Peterson shapes, but today the selection expands to include the 150 Bulldog and 80s bent Bulldog, with new pipes showcasing the macabre finish on site now.

And why not fill a bowl with and H.P. Lovecraft-inspired tobacco that will take you into the realm of the Dreamlands?