Very educational, especially for a newbie!! Thanks so much for the video Kevin!! Cheers! 🥃🥃🇨🇦

Having returned to my pipe after a many decades absence, at the age of 70, I find myself more interested in variety than cellaring. Hope that doesn't seem pessimistic. So I'd probably go with C&D and their 220+ selection. I could literally spend the rest of my life hopping from 2oz tin to 2oz tin!

A thought proviking question from Janez. And well thought, fascinating answer from you, Kevin. Thank you. Also, those bratwurst look lovely!

Peterson, no question. They have an excellent version of just about every tobacco type out there and they are always rock solid.

This might sound dumb, but I would have to revert to a codger blend like Prince Albert. The variety isn’t there, but I would know every smoke would be a satisfying one. No matter the mood, I’ve never been disappointed by a codger blend. Their consistency is their strength.

My one blend forever would be Chelsea Morning. It’s an English blend by GL Pease. Great retrohale!

Really like that pipe!

Yes!!! I love Mac Baren! My all day every day is Mac Baren 7 Seas Original.

I've got to go with C and D as they are from my "neck of the woods" and have a lot to offer. What am I smoking? I just finished up a bowl of Maltese Falcon, one of my favorites 👍. Have a great evening.... 🥂

LOVE THIS GUY

Cheers brother! Great content. 🙏🏼

Keep up your good work! Enjoyed your video as expected! Thanks you very much! 🙏🏻 Always subscribed 🌷

I had my answer immediately. Great choice.

Just started watching this vid and I love it already.

Amazing pipe brother of the briar. What a beauty! Definitely must check out that video. Great, well-thought-out one brand forever pick.

Very relaxing brother!!

Totally agree. In my childhood I could taste the wonderful smell of MacBaren tobaccos in my parent's tobacco shop. In the sixties and seventies MacBaren has been the No.1 among pipe tobaccos in Germany. When I grew up I worked in the store as well, smoking pipe with the customers. Wonderful times. There is one tobacco which never will disappear from my list. It's MacBaren Mixture Scottish Blend. High quality leaf and a very complex taste.

Difficult choice but I’ll go with C&D.

If I could only smoke one brand? At this point, I’d pick Boswell. I’m really into aromatics at the moment, but they also have some good English and Va/Per

Great subject matter and presentation on this video as usual. Also I love the old-school fleece lined Levi jacket. I haven't had one of those since I was in high school and 1980s lol😅 Thanks again and again. Keep up the great work playing!

Mac Baren, because it is made in Denmark, and i am from Denmark 😂 No, because the HH Line is fantastic. Pure virginia, latakia, bold Kentucky and Old Dark fired. They are all Great.

Lol. When I seen that flake and thought of the title. I knew what your choice was. Great choice. That's who I chose too. Awesome video as usual. Have a good night.

No question. Prince Albert.

I would have to say C and D. Love the selection of aromatics lately hooked on apricots and cream very beautiful. I use the C & D chopped cigar leaf to blend with other CND offerings as well. That pipe you’re smoking is stunning.

Mine would have to be country squire, my favorite being Old Toby.

I totally agree with Mac Baren.. good choice.

Only one brand? Oh man. Seattle pipe club for that plum pudding burbon aged. Or maybe c&d for the variety. Thats a hard choice.

Great question. Makes me consider researching what brands are made where, who the blender is and who the parent company is, because there's a lot of overlap, but it's always changing, too.

Great choice Kevin I could be happy with Mac B . Those brats looked good hope you had fun teasing us with them haha.

I’m starting out. I’m smoking some North Pole in a cob pipe. I’m liking the North Pole. It’s staying with me , I’m a good way long after I smoke it

For me, it would have to either CAO or Mac Barren. They both have so many amazing blends, especially in terms of Aromatics. Great video by the way!

Great video as usual. I am not qualified or experienced enough to choose one brand. Right now I am enjoying the Sutliff brands. Who knows what the spring or summer will bring. Happy piping. 💨💨

I dig those Atlas pipes.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, a good looking pipe, some looking good brats. But I didn't see potatoes in the ashes and coals, baking. You brought to memory an event of us camping at Lake Guntersville, in Alabama. I was twelve and Betty Sue brought a sack of potatoes and taught me how to fix baked potatoes at camp. It was a happy time, and you're doing great with you videos. I really enjoy them. I seldom remark, but I'll sure click like.

Thank you Kevin for your VR. You are in. Mac Baren is a solid selection. Take care, Janez

Mac Barren, indeed a good choice. I think I would have chosen the same but am very glad that we all don’t have to. Keep on happy piping! Today, I smoked some of St. Bruno Flake by the way.

I'd go with Samuel Gawith which would give me my go to Squadron leader and other really good blends. Enjoy your pipes my friend.

I’m from Missouri too! Hi!

That’s a great choice. I’m still trying to determine what my brand would be.

Hello👋 Great Video thx greetings from 🇦🇹

I would go with C&D. They always try different things, and they have so many varieties. Saint Espresso and Star of the East are some of my favorites.

That’s a tough choice... but I would have to say C&D, Bayou Morning & Briar Fox to be specific. Peterson is a very close 2nd for me (Elizabethan, University Flake, & Irish Flake) - Peace, Love, & Pipes ✌🏼❤️Joshua

This is a thought provoking question, and one I feel you answered with great consideration to all your personal likes and experience. With the end of McClelland, I think Mac Baren is a fine choice, and your reasoning is sound based on what I know of you through your videos. For me, the choice would have to be Cornell & Diehl, both for personal reasons and for reasons reached much as you reached yours. In the early years of C&D, I was the manager of a small B&M tobacco shop in a college town. We dealt with Craig Tarler both for his blends and for blending tobaccos for our house offerings. It was always a joy to get to speak with him or Patty on the phone when they could, and the fact I was a fan of their blends that early on lends their brand a personal attachment for me. As someone earlier in this thread also stated, with the massive line of blends C&D now has, I would never run out of choices of quality leaf to smoke. Alongside that, there are the side brands that C&D works with, including GL Pease, Warped, and Captain Earle's. There's no wrong answer for anybody because we all favor what we favor, but like you and everyone else I'm extremely happy I don't have to make this choice!!

Great looking brats, Kevin, and a fine bit of bird song. I didn't have to overthink an answer. I would be delighted to have only blends from The Country Squire to choose from, a broad range of house tobaccos that covers the spectrum. Be well, my friend, and keep it awesome - peace

I love Mac Baren Aromatics. They smell great, have complexity and not overly sweet.

I’m enjoying my 1st outdoor evening smoke of the year here In Saskatchewan. The temp is hovering around the freezing point and the snow is falling gently around me and my covered patio. I am smoking Old Dominion from Watch City Cigars in my Peterson Rusticated Squire. I think if I had to round it down to one blend…it would have to be Escudo.

Ironic your choice if you had to pick one tobacco, and my interest and ordering of most of the HH line before I saw your video. I love them all , they have elevated my smoking pleasure beyond my imagination or the reviews I poured over before ordering . I first and foremost ... all of your great reviews and videos 😁 Thanks and spring is around the corner ... Bernie

What a magnificent opening . Black Gold would be my chose . From Hyland Cigars in Arizona . It is branded as BG

One brand only would be for me in the UK ..Peterson ex Dunhill I believe..But it would be very hard to go without St Bruno .

Mac Baren, for the sheer versatility of blends offered. “Original Choice” Blend in particular.

Kevin I really enjoy your videos and content! Took a bit of a KZfaq sabbatical as my wife and I just bought our first house and moved back in March so im catching up on your videos. Although I've been smoking a pipe for about 5 years, it hasn't been consistent so I still consider myself a newbie especially to all the blends and brands out there today. I enjoy quite a few peterson blends right now, so would probably go with that, although my favorite blend to day is a Peter Stokkebye. Makes for a tricky decision not knowing what I'm missing out on with these other wonderful brands. Hope you have a blessed day

Macbaren HH line for sure. From burley to Latakia beautifully blended.

Yes, I would have to agree with you 100% Kevin! Mac Baren would be my choice too! As I was watching this video, I was thinking in unison with exactly what you were saying! The HH line is almost enough alone for me to make my decision! Great video and topic my friend! You are rocking the YTPC!!! Keep up the great work and I look forward to your next fantastic video!!!👍🙏🙌

Hey Kevin / Hobbiton Piper, it's been a VERY long time - six months I think... nice to see you again, and your flashy new intro card! Those sausages look yummy! That cardinal song is so distinctive, eh? Love it! My mom's favourite bird, actually. I doubt I'll ever catch up with all your videos, but I wanted to watch the newest one, and say hi again. It's great to see everyone gaining subscribers, lol, I've been losing them because I never post anymore (at least that's my theory). My fave tobacco- really the only one I ever need, is Smoker's Pride Black Cavendish. A good old man tobacco. :)

Hey Kevin, I’m in Mississippi right now enjoying some Scottish Blend from the Briary in Birmingham. Good stuff! Tough question but I’d go with C&D

i like a good bowl every now and again so great if you are into smoking these days the quality of good tobacco deserves respect

I'm smoking a 1960's Falcon with G & H Brown Irish Twist. I just got the tobacco yesterday and this is only my second bowl of it. The first bowl kicked my butt !! This is a very strong blend that needs to be respected. I'm half way thru the second bowl and I'm already feeling like someone beat me up ! Now, I have a very strong palette that can take high levels of nicotine, but to me this one is in a league of its own. Don't get me wrong ..... it tastes delicious and I want to continue smoking it, but I will have to put my seatbelt on and notify my next of kin before I light it up. Mac Baren is a good choice and a lot of what you say rings true. I picked C & D for some of the same reasons you pick Mac Baren.

Right off the bat Brats. I'll be down there as soon as possible. Beautiful Cardinal. Smoking Peretti BPC in my Armellini Bent Brandy. Very interesting question. I was leaning towards Cornell and Diehl because I enjoy their Elegant Series, Sunbear, Carolina Red Flake, Exhausted Rooster, G.L.Pease lines, Edisto. Peterson would also be a good choice. But I have to agree MacBaren, simply because of the HH Blends. It looks like my brat turned out perfect. Give me a few hours.

yeah MacBaren is a solid solid choice I agree ...

You put up a heck of a case for MacBaren. I gotta give some love to my man Gl Pease though, Gaslight, Quiet Nights, Maltese Falcon, Westminster, Chelsea Morning. Tough to walk away from those gems. Love the HH line though. Damn good topic.

I agree, Mac Baren would be my choice as well. They do everything well and I too love Capstan!

Yeah harder than you think. I thought G.L.Pease or CAO initially because they make some of my top blends, but gotta agree MacBaren is a solid choice for quality variety, I wasn't aware they made some of those other ones you mentioned. I should try some HH blends next! Thanks

I'm with you on choosing MacBarren. My local "Brick & Mortar " carries exclusively MacBarren the HH series 3 Nuns , Capstan everything MacBarren is represented there. I don't think I personally would ever get bored with the wide selection.

Kevin I’m enjoying some Boswell’s Northwoods with you. This is a great question. I’m a fairly new smoker and haven’t tried more than a dozen tobacco’s. But my choice would be Boswell. It’s very good and readily accessible to me. Now narrowing down to a particular blend would be a challenge. I go back and forth between Countryside and Northwoods…and Boswell’s aromatics are good too…

Mac Baren makes another heavy hitter which was not mentioned and I personally love, St.Bruno. Got to say that Mac Baren was the first brand I thought too. That being said I'm glad we don't have to settle with just one. Take care my friend.

Nice to sit down and have a smoke with you sir! Sm smoking a new Brian doran poker bog oak pipe and a new blend ken byron ventures Jupiter slice. Thats a tuff one have not tried alot of tobacco yet.

Having just started on this endeavor a couple of months ago at 67 I will only scratch the surface and never get to try all the brands & blends out there. Guess I would stay with Sutliff as they have so many match blends of the original codgers. Even a Carter Hall & Prince Albert match which are two of my favorites along with B& G Cavendish. . Having some Sutliff match Flying Dutchman today. Keeping it simple, my life strategy!

If we’re talking about the actual blending house that manufactures the blends, I would go with C&D because it gives me my 2 favorite C&D blends, which are Haunted Bookshop and Star of the East along with a massive library of other C&D blends that quite frankly, I haven’t gotten around to yet.But, it would also give me all of the GL Pease blends, and there are a lot of those that I really enjoy! Sextant, Navigator, Quiet Nights, Gaslight, Sixpence, Chelsea Morning, Penny Farthing, (basically the entire Old London Series) and a number of the original, Fog City, and Heirloom series also. Needless to say, I’m a big fan of Pease blends!

Great minds think alike. I would also choose Mac Barens.

I'd pick Mac Baren as well. I even said that before you got to it.

Hey Kevin, I would have to go with C & D for the sheer amount of choices. If it wasn't for that..definitely Watch City cigar tobacco blends

My brand would be macbaren. Smoking autumn evening at the moment. Very nice.

I'm a couple of months late to this party, but I'd probably pick C&D myself because of their variety, affordability, and because I can get many of my favorites in bulk (Haunted Bookshop, Pegasus, Epiphany, Morley's Best, Star of the East, and Crooner to name a few). And if we follow the logic of brands they make, then I could also get GL Pease and Kramer's, which would give me other favorites like Stratford, Chelsea Morning, Father Dempsey, and Blend for Cary Grant. But Mac Barren would be a good second choice for the reasons you gave! Smoking some Nougat in my Peterson Aran X105 billiard tonight.

I havent had more than maybee 20 blends. But the dunhill/peterson aka STG stuff always seems to work for me. I could smoke Esoterica "and so to bed" forever tho. Impossible to get tho. I was given a small bag of it and it for sure was incredible.

Enjoying a bowl of Mona Lisa Overdrive in a Nording freehand almost as much as your storytelling. I'd go with Samuel Gawith if I could only choose one. Be well!

My one brand would be LJ Peretti out of Boston. I’m partial to burley, and they just do burley right, but they have a wide variety that includes virginias, English and balkans.

For the past couple years it's all John Cottons Kentucky all day. That's what I'm smoking today and always. 😊 I'd pick John Cotton so I could have my Kentucky, it's a part of my routine.

Tonight I'm smoking my favorite English blend, Kramer's Father Dempsey, in a Savinelli Arcobelano 606 KS. To answer the main question though, as a relatively new pipe smoker who's only been smoking for a year, I think I'd have to go with Cornell & Diehl. I already know I could smoke Briar Fox and Autumn Evening every day, and often do, and I really enjoy C&D's uniquely robust and natural blending style. They also make over two hundred different blends so it would take a very, very long time for me to run out of new blends to try with Cornell & Diehl. I'd sure miss my aforementioned Father Dempsey as well as Peterson Elizabethan Mixture, Escudo, and those occasional bowls of Blood Red Moon, but I feel like Cornell & Diehl would probably provide me with the most satisfaction and variety if I could only smoke one brand.

J F Germain and Son period for sure in my opinion. Second choice……Gawith and Hogarth definitely! Interesting thoughts you have! I think MacBaren also owns Sutliff so you could choose from those blends also.

I cannot recommend enough MacBaren Solent Mixture (english blend) especially with a good 5-7 years on it. It is similar to Plumcake, but with a bit more latakia in it. So good... IMO. A good choice for the topic at hand, but yes- thankfully we can still have whatever we can get our paws on.

That's like asking me what variety of wine I would choose if I could only choose one. When I got thru crying, I'd pick Riesling; but I'd really miss Pinot Noir! 😊

Great video it has to be gawith hoggarth for me 👍

Nice pipe today I'm smoking my my mixture 965 if I only had one choice of tobacco it would have to be Peterson

Captain Black Royal would be it. I enjoy cavendish, I only smoke aromatic by choice. So CB Royal would be mine.

Haven't been smoking pipes long enough to give a good answer, but probably Mac Baren. I love HH Bold Kentucky but I'm looking forward to expanding my palate. I've got so many tobaccos here in the cellar to try. Some of those I'm really looking forward to trying are: Three Nuns, ODF, Artisan's Blend, Old Toby, Vanilla Roll Cake and many more. I ordered Oxford Street from Robert McConnell's last night and I'm looking forward to trying that, too. There were no reviews I could find on Oxford Street, have you ever had it? Good question and good to see you, Kevin!

The moment you asked this, I immediately thought of Mac Baren. Not my favorite brand, but has the most blends that I enjoy smoking. Great minds. Edit: for me it was the HH line. I love me some Samuel Gawith, but hard to find tins. Mac Baren’s flakes are imo just as tasty but doesn’t have that Gawith-ness I like from Squadron Leader or Navy Flake for example. But MB is vastly more accessible. And to me maybe just as good.

I’d have to go with MacBaren as well. Solely because of Three Nuns. And while I would miss my favorite Latakia blends, I can see myself being happy with HH Latakia Flake.

I am currently smoking GL Peace Quiet Nights out of a Savenelli 320 Ks

Gawith Hoggarth & Co. I'm English, so their baccy is readily got for me over here. (I'll include Samuel Gawith also, cos now they're one company again) Cheers, pal.

Peterson for me, because I enjoy all types of pipe tobacco & they have them in their lineup, plus my favourites like 965, EMP, Hyde Park & University Flake. MacBaren on the other hand always bites me.

It's almost like you read my mind here.

I am torn between Mac B and SG!!!! You make some good points. Tell you what, you get Mac B and I’ll get Gawith and we can trade every so often!!👊👊👊

It'd have to be Gawith Hoggarth for me. If I can be cheeky maybe I can combine Samuel Gawith and Gawith Hoggarth since they're in business together? The two of them in particular would leave me wanting for nothing in tobacco selection.

It was Mclelland by far, the only ones who don't miss them are all the other brands. MacBaren is the King now, as you have defined in your video.

Easy. L.J. Peretti. They have something for any occasion or yearning.

But those were all different brands, he said to pick a brand. You made it too easy😂😂 just giving you a hard time Kevin! Much love my friend. Enjoy the brats😊👍🏻 happy smokes

Brats look good!!!!!!

Hmm, This question got me thinking...., Not that I disagree with you choosing Mac Baren, but that would mean having to miss out on all of my favorites from the Scandinavian Tobacco Group (also from Denmark). I came to the conclusion that I would choose the STG over Mac Baren because it would give me the most and best of what I really like. Dunhill/Peterson, Erinmore, Boswell, Peter Heinrichs, Peter Stokkabye, W.O. Larsen, Borkum Riff, and many, many more that I haven' t even tried yet. And here comes the kicker.... all produced in the Orlik factory. Can you imagine having to do without Orlik golden Sliced for the rest of your life? Luckily we don't have to make such a decision, and we can enjoy whatever we feel like having at that moment. Plus some of the Mac Baren line tend to give me tougue bite (luckily not the HH line). Just my 2 cents. Thanks for your amazing content, Cheers from Amsterdam!

If I could go by blending house, it's K&K, if I have to narrow it down, it's Robert McConnell. Scottish Flake and Oriental could keep me satisfied, plus the other blends.

Rum flake in a P O Y 2022 Brigham