Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Sail Regular

I am a builder by trade and imagine my excitement when I was contracted to build a home for a person who owns tobacco shops. Well, after visiting the shops, I quickly found out the tobacco shop was kind of like the average one carrying very little pipe tobacco things. Well, the owner claimed to have something special for me and met me one day. What he gave me was mind blowing. Three two pound bags of some sutliff bulks, one five pound bag of Lane MV1000 and a 7 oz tin of Sail Yellow that looked like it was opened to give samples.

Of this, the only thing I really cared for was the Sail Yellow. It is a pretty good aromatic in the Dutch tradition, that being a Virginia heavy blend with a light topping. The twist on this one is the inclusion of some oriental leaf in the mix which gives this a bit more of a citrusy sour type taste as well. I found this to be an enjoyable smoke, but would rather smoke PS Aromatic Dutch Slices or even Skandinavik Full Aroma Cavendish, which I think this one also lightly resembles.

I will give it a heads up for consistency though. The tin I had was old. It had been in a storage shed for several years from what I was told and was put there when they closed a store out a long time ago. It may have sat in that store for a long time as well. I am guessing it to be from the early 90's but have had some speculate that it looked to be the tins they offered in the 80's.

All that said, I was given a sample from 2012 to compare and the leaf looked and tasted identical. So there is something for that, particularly if you really like this blend. I just found it alright. In fact, the same person who sent me the 2012 sample also sent me a sample of the sutliff match and I actually preferred the match to the original.

Upon opening the pouch, I smelled faint bread, and even fainter banana. The tobacco was packed tightly together and I had to crumble it apart with my fingers. Not sure if it is a broken flake or just seemed that way because it was so tightly packed in the pouch. I allowed the tobacco to dry for an hour. Packed a Dr. Grabow Grand Duke. Charring light and tamp. Waited for bowl to cool. Relit the tobacco. Lots of spice in my mouth, but subdued in the retro hale. Similar to a cigar I had in the past that I was told would be similar to graham craker...nope...just black pepper. That was until about halfway down. I started to get a peppry note in my throat and in the retrohale; however, this tobacco really shines towards the bottom of the bowl. The pepper is there, but it is more like a ginger tingle than black pepper and wonderful creaminess sets in. There's almost an extremely faint fruit flavor, but not one in particular stands out. All-in-all a bowl of Sail Regular takes you on a journey that starts off like riding in a covered wagon and ends up turning into a 70s Corvette (if you get it...good. If not, 70s Vettes aren't great rides...but who cares). No bite. Burns to a nice white/grey ash. Little dottle.

Sail Yellow or Regular is a pretty ok smoke. The broken flakes either need to be rubbed out or allowed to dry. Doesn't really do much for me.

Hard to taste the Orientals in this Burley mixture, but it is indeed well balanced with sweet Virginias. This is half-way in quality between Sail Natural and Sail Green, lacking the horrid tongue bite of the former and the mellow and sweet taste of the latter.

Not the best, but not a bad drugstore tobacco at all.

An old patient of mine smoked nothing but Sail Regular. I made house calls to him on a regular basis as he was an invalid. His den always smelled of this wonderful blend. The anise was very noticeable in the room note (and always in the pouch) and added to the "old world" pipey smell. This fellow always gave me a pouch whenever I came to visit him. I thoroughly enjoyed Sail Regular each and every time I smoked it. It had a tendency to smoke hot, but once tamed, was always pleasurable. I haven't smoked it in a while and am told that Orlik is the new producer of this. It is sad to read the many reviews of the newer concoction that are so negative. I will have to revisit this and conclude for myself. As for the original Sail Regular - 3 solid stars for a good, honest, and basic pipe tobacco.

UPDATE 1-8-18: Finally got around to purchasing some of the STG made Sail Regular. In a nutshell, the only similarity to what I've been familiar with over the years is the yellow pouch and cut of the tobacco! Pouch note minus the presence of Anise/licorice and replaced with a fruity smell typical of Danish Virgina fare (think Troost Regular). Unlike the original, this one doesn't bite - at all. No taste of any topping, just a mild Va/Burley taste. Does have an agreeable room note - perhaps a tiny bit on the cigarette side upon re-entering the room. Not a bad smoke, but not one that I would revisit on a regular basis. IF the original Sail Regular was still being produced, it would be a regular for me. In a blind taste test I would say this is a totally different tobacco from the original. 3 stars for the original, but only 2 stars for STG's take on what once was a terrific tobacco. If you want a Dutch cavendish, Amphora Original Blend smokes rings around Sail Regular.

I started pipe smoking when I was 17, and the so-called drug store blends were all that I could afford (beer money being a priority). Happily, theis blend seems to have survived pretty much intact over the years if my memory does not mislead me. Anyway, Sail Regular (Yellow) still comes a little too dry in the pouch, but that's easily remedied. It smokes cool (and dry), having a fairly pleasant (i.e., the wife approves) aroma. A good, no-frills blend that, while a tad pricey, makes for a pleasant, albeit unremarkable, smoke.

You'd think after 30 years of (mostly on) pipesmoking I would've tried this blend, but I didn't until recently. I had a very fresh sample of this and the green pouch.

After 8 bowls I decided I can't smoke this or its green pouched variant without getting bitten. And this from a person who smokes Symphony regularly, though infrequently. And it would seem Symphony is a somewhat similar blend.

I love the anise and honey taste of Sail and also the Burley kick, but I have a feeling a burning accelerent is added. Sail invariably leaves its skid marks all over my palate, no matter how careful I am. I wish someone would tell me how to smoke this stuff because I do enjoy what flavor is there.

I really like the Green Sail and thought that perhaps less topping would let the Virginias and Burley shine through but honestly I like the Green Sail because of the Anise / chocolate flavor and aroma. Yellow was a tad bland and burned hot due to me Freight Train Chugging trying to get more flavor.

Back in the day (1970's), I'd buy a pouch of Sail once in a while. I got a free sample a few weeks ago, and really looked forward to a trip back in time. I smoked it in a vintage Kaywoodie relief grain. I noticed almost no room note and the flavor was non existent. It packed and burned nicely ,with a dry ash and no goop in the bowl, however. Very mild smoke, almost like smoking air.

I'll try it in a cob next. Cobs bring out the best in any tobacco, but I have to say, I'll probably never buy it. It's a nice gesture that the manufacturer offered a full size sample free of charge. For that, they are to be commended.