Swedish Match Caravelle

Caravelle is thinly cut shag. Might be ok for rolling cigarettes, but damn if I ever let it near my pipes again. There's a small hint of rum in the pouch aroma, but I didn't taste any. It's all Burley, but way too weak to be even decent.

All in all, this is lousy. Too finely cut for pipes, and definitely nothing to spend 8€ for.

Yet another brand that I vaguely remember from my earlier pipe smoking days, but apparently did not smoke enough back in the day to recall anything about (probably for a reason). Another victim of the EU tobacco policies, it's now called "White" instead of being advertised as "flavoured with rum" and just like Borkum Riff, maybe the rum is somewhere in there, but I certainly couldn't find it. In fact, the whole smoking experience in general is totally mediocre at best; the only thing that I can say about the taste is that it has a vaguely dusty side-note that I did not enjoy.

Never again, if there's an alternative. Poor swedes, having to make do with this and Hamilton as their main brands 🙁

Bought this in a small drugstore in Sweden since it was the only option. My pouch was very dry, probably from sitting in the shop for years. I had to rehydrate it. Much off the rum topping may have evaporated since it was so dry (unlikely, but possible) Nice thin cut, almost a shag, similar to Greve Hamiltons. No twigs in my pouch. Nothing tells me the leaf itself is off poor quality. Smells naturally and pleasantly off VA and Burley tobacco, but the smell is barely there. Neither is the taste, this is probably the most flat pipe tobacco I've ever tasted. You get some pleasant burley nuttiness. VA pops up from time to time. So does the rum topping, but it never takes over. Nice change off pace to get the creamier rum-sweetness as a contrast to the citrusy VA. If it had the same taste but 5x more I'd probably like this blend quite a bit. Mild in nicotine but it is there, it works for that purpose. It's easy to pack, easy to light and easy to keep lit.

This is not some sort off chemical goop OTC horror show that you would assume when looking at the price and packaging. It's not even bad. Just absurdly bland and boring.

If you have to choose between this and Borkum Riff, pick this. If your options are some Mac Baren blend(s), Hamiltons and Borkum Riff (common OTC tobaccos here in sweden) only pick this if you know that you dislike the particular Mac Baren blend(s) and/or want something milder than Hamiltons.

I can't really recommend it under any other circumstances although it is a decent smoke and I am enjoying it. There are just SO many other options out there that pull off mild VA/Burs while still having some flavour.

I got slightly more flavour when I smoked it in the only cob I have with me. Makes sense since cobs seem to "filter" less than Briars and meers, I typically get more and harsher flavour as well as more moisture in cobs (others report the opposite when it comes to briar vs meer vs cob YMMV). Could also be ghosting from English blends I've smoked in that cob.

This is the cheapest pipe tobacco one can buy in sweden these days (not that it is cheap though).

Some rum is added to this blend, giving the tobacco some round sweetness, not in any way to sweet, just gently comforting.

upon smoking, the smoke is cool, packs easy, lights easy. An all day smoke.

I usually smoke this when working at my desk. This blend allows you to have your mind on other things, but still enjoy a good smoke. Works very well in a lady pipe or other pipes that have a small bowl.

Nothing extraordninary, but a good quality tobacco; therefore the three stars

****EDIT*****

I just had a bowlfull of Samuel Gawith - Full virginia Flake. In the light of that tobacco related orgasm, I cannot keep this at 3 stars. It is not bad, butt hell, it is not as sweet and good as FVF...

Rummy hints, with a room note similar to Greve Gilbert Hamiltons blandning, a very unexceptional smoke, lunch break or garden work smoke, straight forward and high "smokeability"

This tobacco is the one that started it all for me, many moons ago, together with an ugly-looking "Real Briar" basket pipe. I have vague memories of not exactly enjoying it back then. However, I recently gave it another chance, now with more experience than when I first tried it out.

The pouch claims that it is flavoured with rum on the pouch. It might be, but that would be fairly hard to notice even when opening the pouch. That is actually not bad; too many flavoured tobaccoes, especially those that are more geared to those who smoke pipe only for the nicotine, usually rely all too much on drenching the leaf to disguise a lower quality product.

Apparently, there is virginia and burley in there. It is a bit hard to sort out from looks alone, as the cut is the usual one for Swedish OTC brands: thin, long strands.

The flavour is fine; the tobacco tastes slightly sweet and spicey and a bit dry. It is not exactly a remarkable experience. It is definitely not some fancy hand-blended mixture, this is very much an all-day tobacco, probably at it's best while your mind is occupied with work or chores. As seems to be usual with Swedish supermarket blends, it may burn a bit too hot and fast.

Probably not something I would return to, but since it seems to be a fairly forgiving blend, it is somewhat recommended. Just keep in mind to not puff too much...

I'm judging this blend as an OTC blend because that's what it is. It is NOT a gooper. It will not leave a blob in your pipe. I puffed like a teain and still no bite. Nice mildly sweet rum flavor from start to finish. One dimensional and uncomplicated. A great working mans blend for carrying throughout the day when you don't want or need to be bringing along your top/expensive blends. It's easy to light. Shag cut and all that means, you already know. I'm giving this 4 stars as an OTC blend and because I don't believe it has received the proper interpretation of what it's supposed to be. An all day working otc tobacco that does it's job perfectly with good mild flavor of rum and decent tobacco.