Sail - Sail Green pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
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joseph	07/20/2008	Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
As others have stated before: one of the best supermarket blends. It is like an sweet and spicy meal (spice is delivered by the Orientals, and maybe the Latakia - if it is really in there, I can't detect it). By the way, I think the Orlik version is better than the original Niemeyer tobacco.
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Big bad Jon	07/11/2008	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
The tin of Sail that I tried was 15+ years old, so I am not sure if the recipe has been changed since then or not. The tobacco packs well and smells like a drugstore tobacco with a very small amount of Latakia. There is not much in regards to oriental tang but it does impart a coolness to the blend. I did not notice any tongue bite or other "cheap tobacco" tricks. The blend is not going to be confused with a high quality English blend, but overall is not bad, even if it is a bit one dimensional.
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Auroraboy	07/10/2008	Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant
I had never seen this anywhere except online,and had always wanted to give it a try. Saw a picture of Walter Cronkite with a pouch. Lo and behold, I found one fluke pouch at the local cig shop. I picked it right up, though it seemed to have been there awhile. On opening, it was a darkish uniform brown, with a stringy shag cut to it. Fairly moist, but not wet or gooey. The aroma was nice, sort of licorice and chocolate. It packed nicely and lit right up. I had to watch it or get a little tongue-bit, but it tasted and smelled wonderful, and only took a few relights. I smoked mine almost exclusively in a well broken-in cob, often in the morning, and it was fine for that time of day. If you're able to find this readily wherever you are, don't hesitate.
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pop-pop's pipe	06/26/2008	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
This is an update post. I just smoked a couple of pouches of Troost Special and I really enjoyed it. With that in mind, I decided to venture for my favorite Dutch blend, Amphora Red. Turns out the one place you can obtain this stuff if you live in the States only takes PayPal. Since I re-introduced my pallette to Dutch blends I figured I'd give Sail Green another shot, beings I haven't had it in about 12 yrs. To my suprise it is still the best out of the Sail blends. Lightly aromatic, cool, smooth, satisfying, good tasting,and a pleasant room note. The Latakia peeks through here and there and is not present in the aroma, so don't go expecting a Penzance like aroma! The flavoring seems to be anise and cocoa. So I ordered a five pack! It's not Amphora Red but it's close to the green. It's better than Flying Dutchman or Sail Natural which I find too bland. The price is right too! I can't afford $40.00 a month for Sam Gawith Kendal Blends, which im tired of anyway. Troost Special and Sail Green hit the spot! Troost slices would be a real treat, but I think im going to be out of luck searching for that as well. I'll be sticking with Sail Green and Troost Special for a long time. Another Update!!! I just got an older batch of Sail Green from the British-American INC. era, and it's a lttle different than the new Orlik version. The Orlik version is actually better! The tobacco is moister, sweeter, richer, and has a better aroma. The B&A version is a bit drier, not much, just a tad, and the flavor is a bit less intense as well as the aroma. For once a company gets bought out by another and actually improves the product! Im Shocked!
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The_Phantom_Piper	12/18/2007	Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant
I've not had Sail Green in a very long time (15+ years), and it's nice to see that this blend did not change. This is one of the better aromatics, and the Virginia tobacco is of good quality for a bargain blend. After re-aquainting myself with Sail Green, I will definately keep a pouch around.
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akaiser77	10/01/2007	Mild	Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant
With the exception of Haunted Bookshop, this is the only non-latakia blend I smoke regularly. (OK, the label says there are a few latakia leaves in here, but I can't discern them.) This is the best Dutch cavendish blend I know of and the only thing remotely approaching an "aromatic" that ever fills my pipe. It's not hot or bitey, smells delicious in the pouch, and packs easily. It has a rather intense scent when burning; sweet, yes, but never cloying. I get hints of nutmeg and vanilla, even of deer tongue, though this blend does not have any of that herb (though I understand Sail Green does contain coumarin, which might explain the similarities). This is drug store tobacco of unusual quality and consistency, rich but mild, satisfying in a way that I rarely find with non-English blends.
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churchwarden398	09/27/2007	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
Back in the 80s, the esteemed journalist Walter Cronkite was interviewed by TV Guide (probably about his retirement). He was pictured with a pipe in his mouth and there was a pouch of Sail Green on his desk. Of course. I had to try it. So I went to the nearby grocery store and puchased a pouch. There was a slight aroma upon opening. Nothing terrible, mind you, maybe it was the anise another reviewer mentioned. It was a pretty decent smoke as far as drug store tobaccos are concerned. My impression was it was a bit flat. However, that may have been because I had been smoking a series of drugstore tobaccos with flavorings; not something on the more natural side. Admittedly, it had been six months or so since latakia had brushed my palate. If you are a beginner wanting to ease your way into trying Balkans/Englishes or if you are visiting friends/relatives and it is looking to get stormy outside and your tobacco supply is nearing its end, by all means go out and buy a pouch of this blend.
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Chris Patey	09/20/2007	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant
Regrettably, I have to downgrade this to two stars. While I still feel that it is a three star in the category-it really pales in compairson to the more natural tobaccos I have been smoking. Origial Review: Sail is the finest tobacco that you will ever buy at a gas station or convenience store. It exhibits many qualities of very fine quality tobaccos while having the availability of much letter tobaccos (i.e. Captain Black or Borkum Riff). Though it isn't a standout in any category, with its slow burning broken flakes, a topping that doesn't interfere with the tobacco and a great smell-Sail seems to do everything more than adequately. It isn't wet or goopy, nor does it bite. It stays lit, doesn't burn hot so its good to smoke indoors or out. It isn't overpowering with nicotine, which is a plus in my books. I taste mostly Virginia tobacco with some Orientals. I cannot detect Latakia or Burley, their presence must be either very small and/or masked by the casing, which smells of anise but does not impart more than a mild flavour on the tobacco. If you are ever in the market for tobacco and it happens that there is no good tobacconist around, you can always count on Sail to provide a good, cool, reliable smoke!
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Nick O'Teen	07/12/2007	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
I'm partial to Dutch tobaccos. While Sail Green is no Troost Slices, Green and its sibling, Sail Yellow, are IMHO the finest drugstore blends available in the U.S. Flavorful, aromatic and well behaved, you'll not do much better than this one when buying in a drugstore setting. * * *
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Sasquatch	05/21/2007	Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
As noted by others, this is not an "aromatic" in the standard American sense. Sure, there's some kind of casing, but it isn't heaped on - it's a dab of something extra, and quite pleasant. I wouldn't call this a super smooth blend - there's some peppery undertones here, and smoked fast, this blend could bite. I would attribute this possibly to the burley or Va rather than the orientals. The oriental content of this blend keeps it from being totally mundane... just a slight dark hint all the way through. I suspect further Latakia would be a nice addition. (Think of this as a VERY light English). Mid bowl, this stuff is at it's best, with the anise just peeking through the Va/Burley sweetness and the oriental depths. Not bad considering you can pick it up absolutely anywhere. A pleasant and reliable "emergency" tobacco.
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Wolfpaw	01/28/2007	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant
Sail Green is, like others here have said, one of the better mass-market ("drugstore") tobaccos available. The casing, which seems to be anise/licorice and honey, isn't overpowering, and the natural tobacco flavors are allowed to come through. The pouch aroma reflects the honey-licorice flavoring. I've never found Sail Green to be overly moist or "goopy" like some cased aromatics; its moisture level is usually close to ideal. It packs easily, and there are no problems firing it up or keeping it lit. The basic flavor is that of a decent mild Virginia, slightly sweet and quite smooth. The Orientals add a subdued smoky, spicy flavor which stays well in the background. The Latakia is barely present, but I suspect I'd miss it if it weren't there. About mid-bowl, the anise flavoring becomes more noticeable, and it does seem to linger in the pipe for a while after a smoke; an inexpensive pipe, like a corncob, is ideal for Sail Green. Room note is quite pleasant and may even earn a few compliments. Sail Green is a good choice to take along on a road trip or just about anywhere when venturing away from home, if it happens to be one of the rare places where smoking is still tolerated. It's reasonably priced, but can be more difficult to find than other mass-market tobaccos like Capt. Black and Borkum Riff.
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BigSwede	01/02/2007	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I smoked a lot of Sail, mostly the yellow, way back in college. I recently left on a driving trip and picked up a pouch of Sail green. I have to agree with others who have commented that it's one of the nicest "off the shelf" tobaccos around. I loaded up a bowl, lit up and was rewarded with a nice medium bodied/minimally cased smoke. I thought once or twice I may have found the latakia but it's not anywhere near the forefront. Not the usual aromatic. A lot of the tobacco taste comes through augmented by what seems to be a hint of licorice. Nice slow burner for those times when you want your pipe to last. At the end a very dry pipe and little dottle.
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Philo Beddoe	01/01/2007	Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant
This is a pleasant, quite lightly cased tobacco. I never found the latakia or the orientals others have mentioned, but it was rather tasty for a pouch blend. It reminded me of Kentucky Club, but with an added casing of light vanilla and a fresh, almost grassy flavor similar to fresh cut clover. Sail Green is a easy going blend for those times when you need a plain simple smoke.
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Pipepundit	09/23/2006	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
Of the many Dutch and Danish delights that I enjoy (Troost Slices are the supreme exemplars) Sail Green is not amongst the least. I cannot see, smell or taste the latakia in this blend, but the room note has some of the sweet and sour redolence of Oriental leaf. Whatever the constituents, they are very well put together for a delightful smoke. Smoking this after a long gap I found the tobaccbe a little more moist in the tin than I remember from the pouches, but the cut, taste and flavour were the same. A light weight treat which pleases others as well.
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Loboatomy	05/15/2006	Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable
My father smokes this as an every day smoke. I latch onto it for a couple of days here and there and quite enjoy it from time to time. Nice and satisfying, it's just strong enough to be a good outdoor smoke and I find that it definately is something I reach towards during the early spring and late fall when the weather gets a little nippy or windy and I pine for the bracing effect of a bowl of strong tobacco going along with the taste of strong coffee. The "aromatic" moniker should be taken lightly, as this is NOT an "american" aromatic, nor is it a cavendish in the sense of the goop that comes out of a jar somewhere. The flavoring has a touch of liquorice in it, as well as the barest lurkings of some mild latakia which swirl together to make this a very enjoyable smoke. I like this better than the yellow Sail. All in all, the cut is typically skandinavian and I find that this smokes well out of one of my tall straight billiard chimneys. Slightly better than Stokkebyes Skandinavik, but not as interesting as Troost, this is one of the better of the pouch imports available today.
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fatherDougal	04/25/2006	Mild	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I always associate Sail Green with an old man sitting alone in a cabin, waiting for trapping season, surrounded by empty tins. Recently I got a hold of an older pouch of Green. I revived its contents with the help of a thin slice of a tart apple, waited a few days, and then smoked a few bowls. The pouch scent suggests licorice, but in a very subtle way. The smoke is plain and simple, and it even gets a bit more bitter toward the second half of the bowl (which should please even diehard 965 fans). It may not sound it, but I really ejoyed this gentle old standard and look forward to it as a standby. Maybe that's what happened to that old man too.
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caddad	03/25/2006	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Found this one at a gas station in my small town one summer. Turned out this was the favorite blend of the only other pipe smoker that I know of in my town. They kept in on hand for him so I thought I would give it a try. Really found it quite enjoyable. They say it has Latakia in it and I must say I never could single it out, however the blend is very tasty. It has really good tobacco flavor and some sort of a topping that I could never really identify. I probably smoked three packages of it before I needed a change and now they don?t carry it anymore. Seems my other pipe smoking friend in town kicked the habit (due to his wife?s complaining!) Would certainly like to try the yellow if I ever run across it.
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grimpeur	02/14/2006	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
An old blend that seems to have held up very well over the years (heavens, I still remember the TV ad for it!), and as fate would have it, my every day smoke at the moment. In my circumstances an every day blend must be tasty, but not overpowering, easy on the tongue, easy to smoke, and, certainly not least, easy on the wallet. In my area Sail is the cheapest thing going, by quite a bit. And I quite like it, so I smoke it! There is a lot of tobacco action going on, Virginias, burleys, some Java (thanks to the former Dutch colonies), and a smidge of Latakia that plays hide-and-seek with one's taste buds. Plus a casing of liquorice, vanillin, and rum. Just a mouthful of flavour that is forever subtly changing, staving off tastebud boredom. So I don't feel hard-done by that this is what I smoke the most of during the week. By the by, it's not that my tastebuds have become educated; www.bat-ingredients.com will reveal all!
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Danno	08/04/2003	Mild	Medium	Mild	Very Pleasant
Everyone has a certain tobacco that they judge a touch less harshly than all the rest, be it due to a pleasant experience, memory , et al. Green Sail occupies that place for me. It looks odd in company of my old, strong tobaccos, rather like the pizza delivery boy in the biker bar. Its flavour is mild, smoke is gentle and aroma is unique. I like a bowl of it now and then, when my palate has had Latakia overload, or rubbing out isn't so appealing. I suppose the reasons I have kept it around over the years are twofold: its plainess is unobtrusive and when the thought police kick in my door this is most likely the one tabak they'll overlook...
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Bigdadz	12/26/2002	Mild	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant to Tolerable
I have had pretty bad experiences with drugstore brands. I once bought a pouch of Backwoods; a soggy heavily cased tobacco that will ruin any pipe, quite an unpleasant experience. I tried Amphora original and it tasted and smelled like cigarettes with a nasty bite. So I abandoned this variety and moved on to enjoy the higher quality brands, particularly english and balkan blends. Recently however, my curiosity lead me to purchase a pouch of Sail Aromatic (Green Pouch)And to my surprise, this stuff was quite good. It had a perfect moisture level and burned nicely. When I oppened the pouch, the first aroma that hit me was of anise. As it cleared, the scent seemed to be mostly of chocolate and raisins, Glosette Raisinettes Candy? The taste resembled the aroma with a little musky nuttiness. The room note is pleasant and not overwhelming. Oh and did I mention that it's inexpensive? I think I will turn to this when I'm in the mood for something a little sweet, or if my favorites are running low. Update 26/12/02: Well, after 20 bowl fulls or so, my opinion of this tobacco has changed. I find it to be very bland and boring, kinda like smoking paper. I can also sense a chemical like bitter taste that tends to linger after a smoke session, possibly from the humectants. No more OTC tobacco for me.
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