When Alfred Dunhill released his patented "Shell Briar", he forever changed the pipe smoking world at large. Dunhill has often been credited with being the first to offer sandblasted pipes (arguably the most popular finish today), and the Cumberland finish further displayed Dunhill's innovative spirit. Well received after its release in 1979, and by all accounts a success, the Cumberland's brindled vulcanite stem became so synonymous with the line that today we all refer to it simply as "cumberland".
The warm colour palette and subtly playful patterns of the cumberland stem show how the marque has evolved since the introduction of the dark and more imposing Shell Briar. In a lot of ways this finish exemplifies the spirit of Dunhill: Refined yet innovative and ever so elegant.