of course, this is not quite the tobacco it used to be in the days when it was made by will's, and neither is it as good as when it was made by imperial. some 20 years ago it used to be almost full strength, fig-smelling, dark brown, sour-nutty-sweet. now it's mild-medium, citrusy, medium brown, with no sourness and some nutty sweetness. but still, it is a decent enough virginia tobacco (with a touch of burley), considering that it's made in denmark by orlik.

Not a complicated tobacco, but an honest, high quality, medium Virginia flake. It is a bit damp in the tin but smokes sweet with little residue even in that condition.

What turns me off is the topping. To me, the tin smell is not very appetizing. While burning, the smoke carries a very distinctive falvour which reminds me of orange peel. Slightly sweet, slightly bitter. The taste will stay in the bowl for some time. If you like it, go for it. I didn't get the hang of it.

These are my impressions on the blue tin, or the Original Navy Cut. I kind of expected a Gawith or John Sinclair type of flake, with that soapy and rather sweet Virginia aroma English tobaccos sometimes have. This expectation augmented when I read a very small print on the side of the tin stating: ?made in Denmark under license of Imperial Tobacco Limited, England?. I was wrong. The tin aroma was closer to Orlik's Golden Sliced or Stokkebye's De Luxe Navy Cut. The texture of the flake inside was also rather similar: light and dark brown intermingled in neatly pressed, pliable rectangles. The more I smelled the contents the more it reminded me not of molasses or dried raisins, but of freshly mowed hay, with an agreeable grassy note, quite inviting and fresh. Packing in the flakes was a very simple process. They are easily rubbed up, but they can also be packed in as they are. It looked promising! I lit the pipe, and yes, a wonderful, natural Virginia flavour ensued, ever so smooth, buttery and mild, with a toasty undertone, which I very much appreciate.

As I progressed through the bowl, I was happily surprised by both, the smoothness and at the same time the consistency of flavour of this blend. It is a very mild Virginia, but somehow it also very tasty and rich, in that Danish sort of way. I thought to my self, either Capstan used to taste like Orlik or this is just another excellent mild Danish type of flake under an English name. Then it hit me: this is very similar not to Orlik, but to Fribourg & Treyer's Virginias (be it Cut Virginia Plug or Cut Blended Plug).

In any case, this is a very gratifying, reliable mild smoke, excellent as a change of pace after a couple of weeks of smoking alternatively Dunhill's Standard Mixture Medium (a tobacco which, by the way, I have come to appreciate much more in recent times) and some of Mac Baren's aromatic mixtures. As a final note, I can only say that this a very nice Virginia, well pressed, with a very refined taste and excellent burning characteristics. It may not be that original, but it certainly is a good choice when looking for a subdued smoke, that does not seem to bother anyone and that packs enough flavour to make it memorable (03/05).

Dark, pungent and fruity (dried fruit) with hints of well.. Just plain old, good quality matured VA. It is way better than Yellow Capstan and much more complex. The nicotine-level is satisfying and it does not burn at all.

I have not tried it aged yet, but it is very nice fresh. A little drying should be necessary; It is a little too wet, straight out of the tin.

I like to smoke it in the evening, together with a nice cup of hot strong coffee..

One of the Patriarchs of VA-flakes

********* Update, June 14 - 2004*******************

Blue Capstan is growing on me. The past 10 days I have been puffing it all day long. It will never burn and can easily be smoked on mornings as well as evenings.. Gets better and better!

Jakob Kiilerich, Denmark

Basking in the sunshine of a bygone afternoon.........

Capstan Medium had a pleasant enough smell in the tin, but certainly nothing unusual. My nostrils detected a slight essence of hay and fermented fruit. The strips were moist but not overly so. I did rub out fully for an easy pack job in one of my smaller Mark Tinskey Billiards.

The flavor was bold, my Virginia Bite-O-Meter barely registered, and the pipe kept the weed at a wonderfully even burn throughout each smoke.

Is this one of those rare "I've gotta celler some tins" type blend? Not to me. But, I was certainly pleased to meet Capstan Medium's acquaintance!

It has not been distributed in the USA these last few years, but the suggested renewed availability of the AMPHORA blends lets one hope that it will soon again make the delights of American flake fanciers. Now that unrubbed tobacco seems to be in vogue, everyone should make the acquaintance of this old desert island favourite.

Aroma: The aroma is well matured Virginia, with a small quantity of Burley, and a trace of top dressing. Overall, the bouquet reminds me of Fribourg & Treyer?s Cut Va. Plug.

Packing: Owing to the fine cut, it packs well in any bowl. Rolling the flakes into cylinders is very easy..

Lighting: The quickest lighting flake I can recall. A one match light is possible.

Initial flavor: The initial flavor is sweet medium strength Vrginia, quite beguiling and gentle.

Mid-bowl: The tobacco burns cooler than expected unless puffed too quickly. There is a full range of medium to high notes that keep you interested, but don?t stress the tongue or palate.

Finish: Even at the finish, there is no harshness. The ash is medium gray and quite fine.

Summary: This is to me, an excellent all day tobacco that can be smoked either casually or contemplatively. It is rewarding either way.