Peter Stokkebye Natural (No.1)

At first I thought this was just a so-so blend, and had no real intentions of re-ordering it. I tried it with different pipes in the afternoon and evening, and it just didn't do anything for me.

Then I tried it in a corncob with a cup of plain black coffee early one Saturday morning. Bingo! This is now my morning ritual: Corncob full of Stokkebye and a mug of black coffee. (A basic MM Legend on weekdays during my short commute to work, and a bigger Great Dane Egg on the weekend). It has a wonderfully simple light Virginia flavor to it, with just a hint of Burley, and a sweet note that I can only describe as baker's sugar. The room note is quite nice, and makes me think of a freshly baked glazed breakfast pastry.

I smoke at least three pipes during a weekday and at least five pipes on Saturday and Sunday, and I always like to start off light and end up with an English/Balkan or a VaPer for my final pipe of the day. Stokkebye Natural is my favorite morning pipe, and it primes me for the fuller blends thast I prefer as the day progresses. I pack it light, sip it, and have never had any tongue bite.

Is it a complicate blend? No, but I don't want complicated in the moning. I just want a pleasant pipe and cup of coffee (or so) to get me going, and Stokkebye Natural excells at this. This is not a belnd that you can puff on like a chimeny and expect to send you rocketting into the stratosphere - it's a quiet and gentle morning stroll, and I highly recommend it to anybody who prefers peace and quiet in the morning.