This week’s article is focused on the Corn Cob Pipe – specifically, pipes manufactured by Missouri Meerschaum of Washington, Missouri.
A quick look at their website will enlighten even the most casual of pipe smokers, and the company’s history is long and storied. It’s probably safe to say that almost every beginner to this hobby has at least considered buying a cob or two to supplement their pipe rotation…and it’s also probably safe to say that many of those same people decided against buying a cob due to negative feedback from Internet forums or other smokers. I hope to dispel many of the myths surrounding these inexpensive and delightful little smoking pipes.
First off, if you are going to buy a corn cob pipe, purchase only the ones made by Missouri Meerschaum. The maker’s mark is clearly stamped on the bowl’s base (or, in the better hardwood-plugged models, screened on). The Chinese knockoffs seen in discount tobacco stores are garbage. Steer clear of them.
Many detractors will say the pipe makes everything taste like corn. Here are the real facts: The first couple of bowls smoked in a cob pipe may impart a corny note, but after that it’s pure Tobacco Nirvana. The natural material actually offers a somewhat neutral platform in which to enjoy your tobacco. A briar pipe will almost certainly influence your perception of any given tobacco (usually in a good way), but a cob delivers a more honest rendition of a blend’s true taste.
Many smokers who take great pride in the aesthetic beauty of their highly collectible briar and Meerschaum pipes may harbor ill feelings toward a pipe made of a corn cob that typically costs less than $10. If that’s how you feel, O.K. Different strokes for different folks.
If you are looking to add a piece or two to your beginner pipe rotation, or like to smoke while working or recreating, a cob will fit the bill much more handily than a $30-$50 factory-made briar. For starters, if you break or lose your cob it won’t hurt nearly as much.
I personally enjoy smoking sweet Virginia tobacco or a Virginia/Perique blend in my cobs; the subtleties of those often mild tobaccos comes through in spades. Using the cob as a “tasting” pipe is another good reason to always have one around, as some stronger aromatic or English blends can impart a lasting flavor note into even a well-broken-in briar pipe. That flavor crossover is called “ghosting,” and those demons are often tough to exorcise so why not try that new tobacco in a cob and do so with no worries? There is next to zero “ghosting” in a dense cob, and even the most pervasive tobacco ghost will smoke right out with your next reload.
There’s a reason that Missouri Meerschaum has been around since the 1840’s. Their pipes smoke well, and – with a little basic care – will hold up to many, many years of smoking pleasure.
Here at ASW we are currently flush with some recently-arrived cobs, so come on in and check them out.
Missouri Meerschaum Corn Cobs earn a 5 pipe rating this week and, oh yeah…Puff On!
