Old Joe Krantz

Old Joe Krantz is a burley mixture blender Bob Runowski created in memory of the grandfather who introduced him to the pipe. Per Cornell & Diehl's description, dark burley and cube-cut burley are combined with red Virginia ribbon and perique; it contains no Latakia or Oriental leaf. Turkish-language sources describe it as coming in a coarse, chunky cut, with an intense raw-tobacco aroma released upon opening the pouch.

Throughout the smoke, perique's spice takes the lead; the body is full and heavy. Because nicotine content runs high, smoking it quickly has been reported to cause lightheadedness, so a slow pace is required. When it arrives on the moist side, a brief drying-out period helps keep it lit. It suits smokers accustomed to strong, nicotine-rich burley mixtures, but is a demanding tobacco for beginners.