This tobacco keeps burning easily and should be puffed real slow. It is very very pleasant, I could smoke it all day. Cocoa flavoured, more than chocolate, the virginias blend amazingly, the kentucky here, gives it a kick as well. Room note is tolerable. Why not 4 stars? Well, even when smoked gently and slowly, it smokes a tad bit fast. No tongue bite however. Recommended.

Type: Natural aromatic ; Contents: Burley, Kentucky and Orientals (is what I detected) ; Flavoring: Classic holland flavoring but very light in taste (almond, anise and dired fruits) ; Cut: Extremly thin shag ; Humidity: I never saw a tobacco dry as this one ; Lighting: Once lighted is pratically ended ; Pipe recommended: The producers recommend "de fumer cet excellent tabac dans une pipe à fourneau assez grand", I, on the other side, recommend a thin bowl with a little more pressure than usual.

Let me point out that, during thirty’n’more years of pipe smoking, I met Schippers Tabak Speciaal say three times. I was induced this new attempt (the last one, I guess) after my recent tour into the Semois territory.

In my strictly personal opinion, a comparison is still possible between STS and Florina just because they share the tonquin thing. This seems the only common feature, even STS seems having a kind of mint-like faint aroma which I have not detected in Florina. On the other hand, getting deeper into the comparison:

- Florina (a Semois) is basically a mono-weed, Kentucky: STS is a complex blend of several tobaccos, not limited to VaBKy but including Java, Paraguay and possibly Maryland; this explains the opinion of the fellow reviewer Steden about a “Continental cigarish aroma” (I know what he means), which is partially mitigated by the tonquin/mint flavouring

- Florina (“coupe-pipe”) is a fine-ribbon, STS is a traditional Baai shag, OK… just a small difference; nevertheless they both come dry into unsealed bags; I’m informed that they both don’t benefit from re-hydration, to be strictly avoided.

To me Florina wins 3:0 being really smoother and well-behaved, and having a more generous body.

STS and the traditional Dutch blends have their respected estimators, and surely have their own well deserved dignity, being well above some chemical concoctions coming from the Baltic we Italian pipsters are steadily supplied with. My issue is all about body-chemistry. The suggested slow drawing & large bore (a straight pot by Charatan being something of a group 5, which I usually keep safe from strange experiments) have not delivered any truly satisfactory smoke.

Sorry.

It is amazing the difference forty years can make. Upon opening the pouch, I was quite excited because the aroma was exactly as I had remembered. Unfortunately, the flavor was not. I remember absolutely loving this tobacco and now I don't know how that could have been.

The tobacco didn't exactly put me off but it didn't attract me either. Steden's cigar reference was spot on. At the time I was smoking Schippers with some regularity, I primarily smoked Old Georgetown, a local English blend heavy on the latakia so my taste buds may have a bit suppressed. I remember not liking Troost at the time and now it is one of my favorites.

In any case, I'm revising my rating and will get my tonquin fix from SG's 1792 going forward.

And, I thank Steden again for assisting me in finalizing this obsessive memory.

10/19/09 Update - Steden - thanks for your clarification - I agree with your point regarding cigars.

STS is not sold anywhere in Iceland. My son is going back to Europe at the end of the month to shoot a documentary on a rock band so he's sure to find it somewhere. I'm becoming obsessed. Since my original post, Troost has become my regular smoke but it just doesn't have that STS flavor. I'll let you know when I succeed in acquiring a pouch.

Original Post - I smoked this a lot in the '60's and '70's - probably pounds of it. I loved it and even got a delft blue Schippers tobacco jar with the coupons in the pouch.

I still crave it but it can't be had in the US and $40 a pouch from Holland is just too much. My son is going to Iceland in a couple of weeks on business so I hope he can find it there. "Schippers" means fisherman and that's what they do in Iceland so maybe I'll get lucky.

I hope the first posting just mis-characterized the flavor because it wasn't a description of Schippers. I think the flavoring in the tobacco is tonquin. whatever it is, it wasn't cigar - it was wonderful.

I liken my renewal with Schipper's to that of a meeting with a long lost friend. Everything I remember about this fine tobacco was in evidence; from the packaging, to the appearance of a very fine cut tobacco, its pouch aroma, and most importantly, with its smoke. After several bowls, I would say that this is the Schipper's I remember. Due to its fine cut, it appeared as dry in the pouch as I remember, but it was not without the proper smoking moisture. It packed and took to the match with ease. I am sure there is some Maryland in this mixture since it took so readily to lighting. A very fine smoke in the Dutch Baai tradition! Surprisingly, although it burns rather quickly, it did not smoke hot. I experienced none of the original discomfort on my tongue as I had experienced with it during my early pipe smoking years. As expected with any blend containing Kentucky, it was very full tasting with a good dose of nicotine and quite sweet tasting throughout. It produced a good amount of smoke and I was rewarded with that beautiful, old-world pipey aroma that I find so appealing with a good Dutch blend. I get the most enjoyment when smoked in a large chambered bowl. I will savor this pouch and stretch it as far as I can since the price is very prohibitive as it is no longer available in the USA. The best I found was a 5 pouch deal from the Netherlands for $42 and a whopping $52 shipping fee! That shipping fee stands even with the order of one pouch for any tobacco that can be purchased singly. Orlik has done a very nice job keeping true to what I remember of the original Van Rossem blend. I mentioned that with Troost, the Orlik concoction was different. After smoking the last of my original Troost (I had some stashed that was over 20 years old), I conclude the main difference with the new version of Troost was the lack of that initial soapy taste upon lighting; and I don't miss that at all!

Even though there are many tobaccos available here in the USA, and with so many imported from abroad, I fear that with the world-wide anti-smoking policies gaining momentum everywhere, our pipe smoking future looks bleak. Anyone who happens to come by Schipper's will not be disappointed.

Again, thank you Stefano.

ORIGINAL REVIEW: This tobacco hasn't been available in the U.S. for over 20 years! I used to purchase it from a shop in Washington D.C. called Earthworks. A great place that had a huge selection of pipe tobaccos, all detailed in a lovely print catalog. Unfortunately, this shop has been out of business since the mid 90's I believe, but I still have many of their print catalogs. I remember when the shop owner told me that Schippers was no longer obtainable in the U.S., so I bought out his remaining stock - 20 or so pouches and a 200 gram tin. I am looking at the tin as I write this and the tobacco was produced by the Van Rossem Co., which was the original blender. Now it is produced by Orlick. Perhaps that is why after having read the only other review of this brand before mine, I feel that the blend I remember best is not the one described in the previous review. Same thing happened with Troost Special Cavendish, another favorite of mine. Troost is very good and one of my top 5 favorites, but it is no where near as good as when it was produced by Van Rossem. I get a kick out of the pouch boasting "the original Van Rossem recipe." That's like saying I'll use the same ingredients that my grandmother used for her meatballs and sauce and mine will taste exactly the same. Well, that never happened for me. No one could ever rival my grandmother's cooking! I believe the same holds true for pipe tobacco.

What I remember of Schippers Tabak was a delicious tobacco taste of Virginia, Burley, and Kentucky. A beautiful, full tobacco taste without any noticeable top dressing, all done in the traditional Dutch Cavendish style, and with that wonderful, "pipey" room note. One had to sip at this since it tended to burn quite hot, but the extra care was well worth it in my opinion. I do miss it. The new version of Troost Special Cavendish comes close, but alas, no cigar. An internet search has shown Schippers (original packaging depicted) available from Amsterdam-cigars.com. I may purchase some (in spite of it being blended by Orlick) for nostalgia's sake and see how it goes. My rating of 3 stars is for the original Van Rossem Schippers. I'll let you know how I fare if I connect with Amsterdam.

Original rereview: This is a Dutch tobacco product in Denmark, the instructions are written on the pouch in French (!!!!). After this European tour, you can open a NOT vacuum pouch! The tobacco is fairly dry and the smell is very natural, pretty cigar. The cut is similar to some roll tobacco for cigarettes, as well as color. The instructions on the pouch advised to use a large pipe. The taste and flavor are consistent to the aroma: very natural and certainly cigars (it's easily found a certain vein of taste "Continental"), smoke it very slowly, it produces much smoke with more body that nicotine. You can try to rehydrate, but it seems a little reluctant: the taste and the flavor becomes flat. For the implicit difficulty of managing it is not recommended for beginners, for the same reason could be an intriguing challenge for smokers with a lot of experience, for all others (like me) smoke it may be a curious event.