Beyond the Burl

After weeks away on a family trip, filled with meaningful time and adventures, Josh finally makes his long-awaited return to Beyond the Burl. The reunion is as lively as ever, with Seb and Josh easing back into their familiar rhythm, catching up on everything from recent pipe and tobacco acquisitions to the stories that unfolded during Josh’s time away.In this week’s Tobacco Talk, the tables turn as Josh challenges Seb with a round of “Two Truths and a Lie.” Ten questions, plenty of surprises, and more than a few laughs reveal just how much pipe-smoking trivia Seb can handle under pressure.But the episode doesn’t stop at banter and games. Seb and Josh take a moment to pause and reflect, giving thanks to the many listeners who reached out during Josh’s absence. Their appreciation is heartfelt, and they share a touching listener submission that underscores the community spirit at the heart of pipe smoking.Of course, Beyond the Burl wouldn’t be complete without a little bit of poetic mischief. ChatGPT delivers a custom poem for the occasion, weaving humor, rhythm, and reflection into the fabric of the episode.For this week’s Deep Dive, Seb and Josh step back to look at the bigger picture: the journey of the podcast so far, the lessons they’ve learned, and their vision for the future. It’s equal parts reflection and excitement, offering a behind-the-scenes look at where Beyond the Burl is headed.And finally, the episode closes with a fitting choice of tobacco: Rattray’s Hal o’ the Wynd. Bold, flavorful, and full of character, this blend sets the stage for both reunion and renewal, echoing the themes of the episode itself.So settle in, light your favorite pipe, and join us for an episode filled with laughter, gratitude, and the promise of what’s still to come.

In this latest episode of Beyond the Burl, we tackle a little bit of everything that makes our conversations what they are. We start by answering some of Josh’s latest machinations, unpacking ideas, and putting our brains to the test. From there, we slip back in time to 19th-century Saint-Claude for our chat-story, wandering the cobbled streets where briar first found its destiny. We then clear the air on a few persistent tobacco misnomers—separating tradition from assumption and language from fact—before settling into the ritual itself. To close the episode, we light up and thoughtfully review Gawith & Hoggarth’s Black Twist Bogie, offering honest impressions on its strength, character, and old-world depth as the smoke carries us out.

In our latest episode, we kick things off by diving into our newest pipe and tobacco acquisitions before settling in for a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation with Jeremy Reeves of Cornell & Diehl, talking craft, blending, and the passion behind small-batch tobacco. Along the way, Jeremy throws us a curveball with a ChatGPT-suggested short story featuring Daryl and Gail from Letterkenny—a moment that’s equal parts unexpected and charming. We wrap things up with a focused review of Small Batch Fires on the Levee, unpacking its character, depth, and why it stands out as a limited release worth lingering over.

We kicked off the first episode of the year by easing back in with a playful name-association game that set the tone for what's ahead, before diving back into our ongoing noir tale with a tense chapter that edges ever closer to its final instalment. From there, the conversation turned reflective and forward-looking as we shared our tobacco goals, pipe dreams, and the small rituals we're hoping to deepen in the year ahead. We rounded things out with a thoughtful review of Ellipsis Flake by G. L. Pease, taking our time with its character, evolution in the bowl, and where it fits into a contemplative rotation-an unhurried start to a year full of smoke, stories, and intention

In this episode, we settle in for a thoughtful and festive smoke as we imagine the ultimate cellar world—a fun exercise where we challenge ourselves to choose just one blend per category if that’s all we could ever cellar. From there, the holiday spirit rolls in with a pipe-smoker’s rendition of a classic Christmas poem, giving a familiar favourite a warm, briar-scented twist. We wrap things up with a full blend review of Plum Pudding, breaking down its flavour profile, smoking characteristics, and why it continues to hold such a revered place in many cellars.