D & R Tobacco Three Sails

Right out of the bag your greeted with the pleasant smell of real fresh vacuum sealed tobacco from the farm. No casing, only the expertise of North Carolina flue curing from Mark Ryan on bright leaf Virginia sweetly covering the taste buds. A full mouth of smoke is expected if you pack the pipe well and inhaled its all british kick in the lungs. The shag is tightly packed in brick formation so break it out in layers and cut to your length. Burns kinda hot if you pull on it alot and like Ryback it looses flavor 2/3 into the bowl from absorbing tar like a small fine shag does. It can be had for less than a buck and a half an ounce so why bother with a full bowl anyway. love this sweet and strong sailors tobacco, in a stick or bowl it pleases

Craig

Update; just recieved several pounds of "bulk" split amongst two bags from pipesandcigars.com. at 1.40 an ounce its not possible to find a good simple tobacco of this quality. This batch was a little dryer and not as fresh as vac sealed bags of 14oz right from D&R. It is still quite fresh and moist and in answer to other reviews forget about machine rolling this fine shag. It will jam. Just smoke a fairly tight bowl and it was classic english flavored and strong. The sweetness is very light and on the beginning of each puff. Mix it with your favorite stuff to make it really burn nice and mix flavors nicely.

I know they are buying this blend as a RYO, but in my personal opinion, this is a waste of resources at this price range. To put it simply, I do not see the point in having this quality leaf wasted this way. On the one hand, most RYO smokers won't be able to tell the difference between this blend and any other RYO of lesser quality that is currently being sold in the market. And as for pipe smokers, I can see how most of them will miss the point because of the shag cut and lack of artificial flavouring. Only and only if you are a seasoned pipe smoker with many years of experience on your back will you be able to see what is on offer here. Because of the thin cut, I recommend using the Frank method to fill your pipe and pack it tight around the bowl. The key to enjoying this blend is to smoke it at a very low pace producing as little smoke as possible. It will consume fast regardless, but you need to keep it cool to be able to fully appreciate it. If you do this, you will get a nice hearthy note with hints of lemon, but not very pronounced, which will give you an indication this blend contains more red than bright leaf. This blend is only for the very few of you with the know-how to profit from it. 4 stars.

Straight forward, no-nonsense, fairly dry, stringy ,shag-cut, golden Virginia tobacco. Lights easy, and stays lit with no effort. It’s smooth and grassy/bready tasting, modestly sweet, and simple - but not dull. It only becomes ashy and picks up a “cigarette” flavor if treated as such - either rolled in paper or puffed aggressively in a pipe. A gentle technique really unlocks the beauty of a simple blend like Three Sails. You can easily a get 30 minute smoke in a small billiard if lightly rehydrated and sipped. At that pace, it’s night and day over what one experiences when rushing. It’s classic tobacco flavor and timeless. Not recommended for a palate bludgeoned by frequent indulgence in heavier blends as Three Sails’ flavor may be seen as bland rather than gentle .For those who enjoy straight Virginia tobacco , give it a chance. It’s cheap but not low quality. It’s not a cigarette unless you intend it to be ( and a good one it is, should that be your preference) and it tastes vastly superior in a pipe sipped slowly. Treat it gently and you might be surprised like I was.

Edit 12/21/20

Upgraded to 4 stars. Simplicity at it’s best. I can’t relate to any claims of this being flavorless, it’s just not a heavy smoke. I’d be happy if this was my only option to cram in the pipe. Packed tight in my smallest chamber (.50 inches diameter), it’s perfection.

Once I figured out how to pack a shag cut I found I absolutely love this tobacco. It is in taste one dimensional, but for me it is a "Goldilocks" (just right) tobacco. I like the taste, the aroma, the nicotine level, the few relights and the 20 to 25 minute duration of the smoke. It has become my daily smoke and in 30 plus years of pipe smoking I have never said that before.

Reviewing as RYO/MYO tobacco. "Eyelash" / very fine shag cut conducive to hand rolling. My bag a little moist for stuffing tubes at first. Staight forward "natural" flavor with a hint of something. If the nice aroma you get when sharping a pencil was a flavor, that is what I think best describes the taste, I think wonderful. Sweetness balances with everything, not noticed. First impression, sprightly on the senses, in a nice way. No aftertaste/mouth feel issues. Does not burn too hot. Excellent tobacco for RYO/MYO in every way. I think best starting point for a beginner, I wish Three Sails was my first purchase. Four stars.

Edited 6/26/12: Sampled another purchase, as nice as the first. Add that this is quick burning smoke, nothing fancy to contemplate, just nice strait forward flavor.

Three Sails is another D&R blend that I am enjoying lately. At first I had some trouble, packing the bowl too tightly. I get a much better smoke with a lightly loaded bowl, teased out and formed into a ball slightly larger than the bowl and air pocketed. Much better. I get all the wonderful Virginia flavors. Lightly sweet, bread tones, a little citrus, hay. Very little moisture at the end. Can sip and not have to relight every minute. Also nice to have a short smoke sometimes, so I can get stuff done. I will smoke bowls of it back to back, which is something I usually do not do with any other blend. It is a simple smoke, but done so well. I am glad I got a pound. I am sure this will age very well. This quality at $25/pound, how can you go wrong?

The finest ryo tobacco out there . Add a little perique or five bros for a change . Very sweet Virginia and will leave that Tobacco candy taste on the inside of the top of your mouth . As a pipe tobacco , no it is not .

Just an excellent, clean and unadulterated Virginia shag cut. As has been noted plenty already, the flavour is a little hay-like, bright and zesty with a slight sweetness. The fine cut actually helps it burn better and a little smoother in the pipe, but I only use it as a small blending component to help slightly brighten heavier blends and help them to burn well. As a RYO tobacco it's one of the best Virginias in the world.

An excellent straight Virginia. It's smooth,mildly sweet,citrusy and slightly tangy with excellent grassy,hay notes. Stays lit without much fuss,stays cool and doesn't bite. A very well behaved shag indeed. Got about only 4 oz. in stock. I don't know if I shall ever be able to buy it again,as the Indian Government has put a restriction over buying tobacco online overseas. 4 stars.