I’ll be the first to admit when I’ve made a mistake. My very first pipe was a mid-range Savinelli and… let’s just say it wasn’t the best experience. Maybe because of that, I’ve always been pretty biased against Italian pipes.

Even though I’m still a big fan of English pipes and Petersons, I recently picked up a few high-grade Italian collections and I’ve been absolutely stunned by what Italian carvers can do — and the materials they use. I actually had to stop myself from keeping more than three for my own collection.

With that out of the way, just look at this beautiful Amica by Croci — so elegant and refined.