Peterson’s of Dublin

Undoubtedly one of the most famous pipe & pipe tobacco manufacturers in the world would be the Dublin based Peterson brand. With a vivid history dating back as far as 1865, the company came from humble beginnings and made it to the centre stage of global pipe culture.

Beginnings

Originally founded by the German Kapp brothers (Friedrich & Heinrich), immigrants who had travelled from Nuremberg to Ireland, its doors were opened in Grafton Street. Only a short time later a man would walk through their doors and declare himself a superior craftsman than the Kapp’s, or anyone else for that matter. Certainly a bold statement. The gentleman was a young Latvian immigrant by the name of Charles Peterson.

Much to the surprise of the Kapp brothers, he would back up these words by producing some of the finest pipes they had seen. Shortly after, he was inducted as the third partner in the business. 

The business moved premises and went on to great success throughout the 1900’s. This wasn’t only in the United Kingdom but also across the pond, where the American market had become a major part of their business. The name Charles Peterson is the one attributed to the brand, but the Kapp brothers must be remembered for the crucial parts they played in the birth of this company.

Present Day

Today the company is run by Thomas Palmer. Peterson’s are responsible for producing on average one hundred thousand tobacco pipes a year. They still manage to have a massive share in the American market, around 15% of all pipes sold there are Peterson’s. The pipes are crafted from top quality briar by expert pipe makers. Many shapes of Peterson pipes are classics and easily recognizable to pipe smokers such as the ‘303’, ‘305’ and ‘306’. Each year a special Pipe Of The Year is produced, often with intriguing yet traditional design, along with a coveted Seasonal Festive Pipe Tobacco. 

The Peterson Catalogue

When Dunhill stopped manufacturing their pipe tobaccos recently, Peterson’s stepped in to save the day. Taking on the line of tobaccos and sticking to the same recipes opened a whole new group of grateful pipe smokers up to the Peterson brand. Generations of fans of classics such as Standard Mixture, Early Morning Pipe and the aforementioned De Luxe Navy Rolls were relieved to see these rescued from entering obscurity. 

For the more modern, aromatic focused pipe smoker there is no shortage of veritable treats to try. Be it the sweet and sticky cream caramel sensation that is Killarney, a fine Virginia and Burley dominant mixture accented with Maryland and Virginia Flake. The addition of the flake aids the blend in becoming cool and slow burning. Another intriguing blend is the Founder’s Choice. This comes in an alluring mixture of ribbon and cube cut tobaccos made from Virginia, Burley and Orientals. Topped with a dreamy essence of Vanilla, Rum and sweet Mangoes. The illusive cube cut tobacco is a fine addition, spontaneously adding bursts of fruity flavour to the composition as it is encountered. A truly remarkable aromatic. As we have come to find out, the finer quality often means a more relaxing and palatable smoke.

From their large catalogue of tobaccos the company displays their superior knowledge be it with fine traditional tobaccos or modern-era aromatics. With a century and a half of business behind them, they source only the best tobaccos from around the globe. Employing old techniques to manufacture classic vintage tobaccos, such as the De Luxe Navy Rolls, whereby tobaccos are spun into a tight rope which is then sliced into small medallions or coins as they are sometimes called. The attention to detail when producing these products is second to none and has kept them in the hearts of smokers.

If you have somehow been unfortunate enough to have not yet come into contact with this legendary brand, we strongly recommend you take the time to peruse the Peterson Pipe Tobaccos and Pipes we stock. Also keep your eyes open for the new 2020 Festive Blend, coming soon to The Pipe Shop Ltd.