Lane Limited Captain Black Royal

This is the first blend I had when starting up this great hobby. The aroma in the can and while smoking are both very pleasing. Not nearly as clean a smoking experience as I have had with other blends. I agree with some other reviews that this is one of Lane's better offerings.

The only problem with this tobacco is the casing.

The pouch aroma is great, you want to eat the bakkie, that's how good it smells!

I started smoking pipes with the Captain black, when I didn't know better.

High moisture content, long, narrow cut bakkie.

Hard to keep lit, but creates major damages to a pipe because the cake never becomes dry, so it becomes harder and harder to smoke, overheats, then starts juicing up...It's impossible to go through a full pipeful.

i rebuy it just for the pouch aroma, but I wouldn't smoke it. I respect my pipes too much. Unless I decide to buy myself a corn cob, but I doubt it.

A light vanilla aromatic, mild with no bite. By the standards of some aromatics not unduly wet or goopy. For this lover of vanilla blends this was a disappointment for the reason that it simply lacked enough vanilla flavor. At first charring light the flavor is quite pleasant but it rapidly fades down the bowl and this smoker was lucky to detect any flavor before bowl was even half consumed. Not a blend I would seek out but would do in a pinch, certainly my favorite (least objectionable) of the various Captain Black blends

Captain Black Royal is a bit hard to find in my area in the pouch. I seem to detect a bit of raisin note in this one, but maybe my can is an off batch. I find myself liking the White a bit better!

Just like White, this one has a great room note, and is an all-day smoker.

One of Lane Limited's better offerings. Strength is not overpowering, but offers that full-bodied attribute many of us continue to seek. Flavoring is rich and somewhat fruity, bot not overpowering. Room note is "heavenly", as described by others, pipe smokers and abstainers alike. Taste is just a tad lighter than what I feel would be optimum, but still exceptionally yummy. This blend "pushes the right buttons" to please this pipe smoker. With the addition of a bit more black cav, and the adding of just a wee bit of more flavoring (whiskey or rum) and aging, this blend could be the ultimate!

IMPORTANT: There are two totally different tobaccos under the same name and package. The US Captain Black Royal (measured in ocz) and the EU one (measured in gramms). Well, I will be reviewing the US one, since compared to the european one, it is way better. If I would mark the US one 3/4 EU one gets 1/4. The reason is simple. The tobacco itself is different, produced and collecte in different countries, and the ending result drastically changes, and probably that is the reason many people give bad reviews to this tobacco.

In the case of the US one things started, when I was still 17 years old (I am 25 now) and I first tried pipe smoking, with this tobacco. Comparing to everything else I smoked until then (mostly aromatic cigars), it was way better. So, it has some sentimental value for me. Let's analyse:

Strength: It is not Latakia. It is mild, but due to it's heavy aroma, some people may find it irritates the palate, as this is a side effect of any aromatic smoke. Is is somewhat stronger than White one which has virginia in it, and somewhat milder than the Gold one.

Flavouring: Captain Black Royal (Blue), Gold and White have exactly the same flavouring, but the ending result differs due to different kinds of tobacco. The flavouring is stronger than many other aromatics I've smoked. The problem one may find is that, it needs a steady pace when you smoke, because if you puff a little bit faster than you should, you may get a tongue bite. Also, this tobacco is not recommended as a standard one-and-only aromatic one can smoke, because if one smokes it too regularelly, the flavouring tends to "dissapear". It needs breaks with other tobaccos, and that is one of the reasons it don't get a perfect score. The flavouring reminds me of a mixture between vanilla and chocolate.

Room Note: For many years now, I smoke this tobacco. But I smoke many others as well. This is one of the few I haven't got a single complaint about it's room aroma. People encourage me to smoke, because they like it. The good thing about this tobacco is that it is somewhat "neutral". There is one bad thing though, about it. When I smoke this in my room, after a day, if I do not open the windows wide open, it leaves an odd "smokey" trace that maybe irritating sometimes. I do believe this has to do with the fact that this tobacco is very popular and cheap, so it is not as "fresh" as it should be in terms of tobacco quality, so the chemical additives they use to flavour it, alter as time passes.

Taste: The best part of this smoking experience, is that it gives me the impression I want to eat a chocolate, although I don't like chocolate. So, it is really pleasant. Now matter how many tobaccos I have tried, I can't imagine not smoking Captain Black Royal. It's taste is so common, yet so original, none other could produce something similar. It's originality is based in it's simplicity.

In general this tobacco is recomended to every aromatic pipe tobacco smoker, but ONLY to people being able to find the US one, since the european one is NOT recommended at all. I hope this clarifies the contradicting reviews. I can support this for fact, since I did a little research on this matter. If I would rate the european one it would get:

Strength: Medium Flavouring: None Detected Room Note: Unnoticable Taste: Flat Recommendation: Not Recommanded

I live in Greece and for me is not that easy to find the US one, but I only smoke that one.

I ended up obtaining a pouch of this Captain via my brother in law. Upon opening the pouch I saw a mostly brown tobacco with a few bits of black cav & some lighter strands thrown in. The pouch aroma is very strong and quite nice. The tobacco within was moist..not wet..but moist..perhaps overly so. Uh-oh I thought..

Packing: Suprisingly this tobacco packed rather well using a standard 3-step. Doesn't clump up too bad..not too sticky..which amazes me given the seemingly high moisture content.

Lighting: Upon putting flame to the tobacco I get another suprise. It takes to flame right away with nary a sizzle. Simple tamp & relight and my cruise with the captain was underway.

Smoking: As I progress down the bowl I find the captain burning fairly well..no relights..wow I said to myself. The flavor is VERY pronounced coco-vanilla and yup..this is a dessert smoke for sure. Whoops..I'm actually enjoying this much maligned blend.

Finish: Hey..whats going on? Why do I find myself constantly relighting? Is it because the bowl is finished? Well, almost. Upon inspection I find the last 1/4 is a wet pile of dottle. Typical of aromatics I guess..

As the days go by I find myself reaching for this more & more...GULP! Is it possible? Sorry gang but I like this one 🙂 Wife compliments this one every time I light up & it burns nice with zero bite. Certainly a quality aromatic..Oh, did I mention you can smell the pouch from 10 paces away? Almost a tobacco potpourri..

And hey..every once in a while I can actually taste tobacco underneath the overwhelming sauce this is soaked in..I think!? Good treat smoke...3 of 4

I like this tobacco every now and then, but it's just to cased and wet at times. It can be overwhelmingly sweet even for an aromatic smoker like myself. Of course I do indulge in it with delight ocasionally, but after one bowl I don't find the need to smoke it again for many weeks after. It's for those days when you have a sweet tooth. it's almost like having cookies and milk. at those time it works, otherwise it can be tiresome. Still the best Captain black if you ask me though. and the room aroma is usually complimented by the people around you. Enjoy, just dont overuse.

This is the first tobacco that I ever smoked. I picked up a pouch with a Dr. Grabow at my local CVS and loved it. It smells amazing, and everyone around me loves it. It is very flavored and clearly aromatic. It may be too sweet for some, but it's good for a break from English blends once in awhile. Overall, a classic and memorable smoke.