The Molina Striato Smooth Light Brown (A626) is a full, rounded Bent Apple in Italian-made smooth briar from Molina's Barasso workshop in Lombardy — the largest of the Striato Smooth lineup, dressed in a warm honey-toned stain that highlights the natural briar grain, with a Cumberland-toned acrylic stem and brass shank band.
Molina sits on part of the old Rossi factory grounds in Barasso, the Lombardy district whose name refers to the water-powered mills (mulini) that once drove local industry. Molina inherited not only the premises but also the vintage machinery and traditional production methods used by Rossi — and today uses hand-selected briar from central and southern Italy to produce workhorse pipes with an excellent price-to-quality ratio.
The Striato series is Molina's broad catalog of 12 classic medium-sized shapes crafted from carefully selected extra-grade briar, available in three finishes: bicolor smooth, dark brown smooth, and brown contrast sandblasted. Offered here in the A626 — the largest of the Striato Smooths — a rounded Bent Apple with a gentle bend that brings the bit back toward the jaw, a deep chamber, and a narrow bore that burns unhurried for a long evening sit. The Apple is one of the oldest and most companionable shapes in pipedom; this one is dressed in the Striato's Light Brown smooth stain, polished with carnauba wax to bring out the depth of the natural briar grain. Finished with a Cumberland-toned acrylic saddle stem and brass shank band for warm honey-toned harmony against the amber briar.
Note on shape nomenclature: Molina recently updated their shape chart. The current “A626” was previously classified as “103” — the same model throughout, but older-production pipes may still be stamped with the earlier number.
- Length: 5.85 in.
- Weight: 2.16 oz.
- Bowl Height: 2.04 in.
- Chamber Depth: 1.74 in.
- Chamber Diameter: 0.79 in.
- Outside Diameter: 1.81 in.
- Shape: Bent Apple
- Finish: Smooth Light Brown (carnauba-wax polished)
- Material: Extra-grade Briar
- Stem: Cumberland Acrylic Saddle
- Band: Brass Shank Band
- Filter: None (unfiltered open draw)
Made in Italy.
