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Dunhill: Difference between revisions
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The Dead Root idea was conceived at the end of the 1920's and then realized in the early 1930 years. The Dead-Root brought a stronger grain feature to the the already well established "Bruyère" (from 1932 on it received the same finish). The D.R. models are perfect. Made with the best Briar available and that is – compulsorily – "Straight Grain". They are rare models of considerable value, which vary according to the graduation of the grain, and can fetch 4k USD on the Estate market. Over the years, Dunhill has established a classification system based on the aesthetic aspect of this product, using alphabet letters and a variable number of stars. | The Dead Root idea was conceived at the end of the 1920's and then realized in the early 1930 years. The Dead-Root brought a stronger grain feature to the the already well established "Bruyère" (from 1932 on it received the same finish). The D.R. models are perfect. Made with the best Briar available and that is – compulsorily – "Straight Grain". They are rare models of considerable value, which vary according to the graduation of the grain, and can fetch 4k USD on the Estate market. Over the years, Dunhill has established a classification system based on the aesthetic aspect of this product, using alphabet letters and a variable number of stars. | ||
The criticism emphasizes that it is only a question of marketing. However, it is | The criticism emphasizes that it is only a question of marketing. However, it is interesting to know the minutiae of this model and to understand what earns a Dunhill the "Dead-Root" designation. | ||
The Dead-Root designation is tied to the type of Briar, which was reportedly "naturally cured" for hundreds of years while it was "dead." They speculated that the maturation process would begin shortly after the death of the tree, where the briar would sit undisturbed for decades--that only this way is it possible to obtain the exceptional grain that is required by the series. However, experts oppose this idea by arguing that as soon as the tree dies it immediately begins to decompose, and therefore would be completely unusable in a short period of time. Furthermore, grain is developed in the briar as the tree grows through the seasons. It is certainly not developing additional grain character when it is "dead", although it is likely changing in other ways as it cures. | |||
So, while it is clear there are some doubts as to what makes "Deed-Root" briar exceptional, there is little doubt about it being extremely special in both beauty and smoking characteristics. The mystery and uncertainty makes these exceptional pieces even more interesting to enthusiastic collectors of the series. | |||
In his poster, Dunhill advertised the product with the following: | In his poster, Dunhill advertised the product with the following: | ||
"Cured by nature for hundreds of years, which results in a dry and dense wood, providing a unique flavor to tobacco." | "Cured by nature for hundreds of years, which results in a dry and dense wood, providing a unique flavor to tobacco." | ||
The "D.R." is stamped on the left side of the shank. Up to 1948, they were classed with stars that indicated the quality of the grain. In mid-1949, they began to be sorted with letters from the alphabet (ascending) from "A" to "J". According to some sources, in the decade of the 1970's, the star was dissociated from the classification and began to indicate the size, but soon this classification was discontinued. There are cases in which the "A" was printed and, shortly after, was reconsidered and printed a "B" to improve the classification, getting both printed on the shank (A 2 B). They say that the qualification of the grain depends on the mood of the person doing the evaluation, because there are cases in which a classification "a" has more personality than a classification "D", for example. The easiest classifications to find are between "A" and "E" | The "D.R." is stamped on the left side of the shank. Up to 1948, they were classed with stars that indicated the quality of the grain. In mid-1949, they began to be sorted with letters from the alphabet (ascending) from "A" to "J". According to some sources, in the decade of the 1970's, the star was dissociated from the classification and began to indicate the size, but soon this classification was discontinued. There are cases in which the "A" was printed and, shortly after, was reconsidered and printed a "B" to improve the classification, getting both printed on the shank (A 2 B). They say that the qualification of the grain depends on the mood of the person doing the evaluation, because there are cases in which a classification "a" has more personality than a classification "D", for example. The easiest classifications to find are between "A" and "E", with from "F" to "J" becoming much more difficult to find. | ||
In 2000, a new D.R. series was launched with stronger grains, called "Flames", and they follow the same criteria, but classified with "flames" instead of stars. Photos for easier understanding: | In 2000, a new D.R. series was launched with stronger grains, called "Flames", and they follow the same criteria, but classified with "flames" instead of stars. Photos for easier understanding: | ||