Butz Choquin Ventose Grise 9mm Briar Pipe 1789

• Overall Length: 130mm
• Overall Height: 55mm
• Bowl Height: 42mm
• Bowl Diameter: 42mm
• Bore: 18mm
• Filter: 9mm
• Weight: 43g

Butz-Choquin Ventose Grise 1789 Briar Pipe Butz-Choquin have been shaping briar in Saint-Claude since 1858, long enough to know when to play it safe — and when to have a bit of fun. The Ventose Grise 1789 does the latter. Named, perhaps cheekily, after the year the French got rather serious about “liberté”, this one’s all about freedom of design. The briar bowl has been given a marbled grey polish that catches the light like stone, and the bent acrylic stem carries the same smoky tones for a tidy match. It’s a modern twist on a classic bent billiard — traditional bones dressed in a smart suit. The 9mm filter keeps the smoke cool, and the whole thing feels solid and well-balanced in the hand. It’s a pipe that shows Saint-Claude can do contemporary without losing its manners. Cool to look at, comfortable to smoke — a proper bit of French flair with both feet on the ground.