The Celtic style band is one of those Peterson details that has appeared across quite a few different releases over the years. You can find versions of it on the River Collection, some Pipes of the Year, and also on the lower-grade Celtic line, which, if my memory serves me right, usually came with an ebony finish.

This is the high-grade smooth brown / natural version, and the quality of the briar is immediately obvious. The grain is strong, the stain is warm, and the whole pipe sits well above the regular Celtic line in terms of materials and finish.

I would still stop just short of calling it Supreme-level briar, mainly because of one small sand pit near the rim, but that does not change the fact that this is still a very high-grade pipe and comfortably above what you see on most modern production Petersons.

And on the 999 shape, that Celtic band just works perfectly — it gives the pipe a bit of extra character without taking anything away from the briar itself.

The pipes go through one final check before shipping, so if you notice any inconsistencies in the carnauba finish or smudges they will be taken care of before your pipe is shipped to you.