Dan Tobacco Hamborger Veermaster

This is great stuff. Because of the tin, some people think this blend is called "Beermaster", which I think is amusingly appropiate because this is an excellent companion to a pint of lager.

The predominant aroma is a delicious, mild Virginia. This tobacco also has a slightly sharp edge to the aftertaste, it reminds me of the cigarettes I used to smoke before. At first I didnt like it, but now I've grown used to it and even enjoy it.

Flake purists might be distressed by the fact that this looks a bit messy in the tin, and it's a bit hard to extract a single intact flake. I don't mind, however. Usually I simply fold a couple of flakes, stick them in a Vauen Classic and rub some tobacco out on top for igniting. Once this gets going, it burns smoothly and evenly and doesn't need any relights. It leaves a clean and dry grey-white ash, and won't bite even an impatient, greedy smoker such as myself.

An excellent tobacco, try it!

This is a wonderful looking classic Virginia flake. It comes in beautiful golden brown flakes and has a wonderful tin aroma. It just smells delicious, and it is. It burns quite well either rubbed out or when packed 'sausage style' and, perhaps most importantly, it doesn't bite, even when smoked too fast. It smokes cool from first light to ash. Like most Virginias, Veermaster has a very naturally sweet flavor which intensifies as it creeps towards the end of the bowl, yet it doesn't become overwhelming at all. It's not a terribly complex tobacco, but that's OK because it is delicious through and through. Very sweet & very pleasant, this tobacco would be a wonderful introduction to the world of Virginias for any neophyte. I definitely recommend the Beermaster.

This is a really beautiful flake. Opening a fresh tin you notice striations varying from a medium brown thru some lighter shades like a dark cream. Opening an aged tin, as I have just done, all the colors appear to be a few shades darker. The tin aroma is light and airy without any hint of the pequency which portends the dreaded "Devourer of Tongues". The strips are fairly pliable, making for an easy "pack". I tend to roll some up and gently load my pipe then rub up a bit for the top as an aid to getting a good light. After a few minutes of gentle puffing, it settles down to an extremely soft, creamy, smoke. It tastes sweet as a good virginia should but not in the way of any artificial flavors or toppings. No uncomfortable heat, no bite. True, it is a bit one dimentional but who cares as long as that dimention resides well into "The Zone"! I think it is a good start for those who want to get into Virginia Flakes without worryin' about suckin' on a blowtorch. As far as the "Wife Rating" (room note), my wife has never complained. Course I ain't seen her in 30 years. But while I sometimes miss the steady companionship, I am in the envyable position of smokeing my pipe to please myself. And I like it!!! In conclusion, don't be put off by my "smoke this on occasion" rating. I like my tobaccos aged and I've only got 4 six year old tins left, so I'm tryin' to make it stretch. Rating - 85 out of 100!

This blend is just too easy, and I can't think of a better recommendation for the first time VA flake smoker. Pack and burn are a complete no-brainer. Poor technique can cause any VA to nip at the tongue, but you would practically have to try to make this one bite. It looks dark and fairly imposing in the tin, but it's as smooth and carefree a flake as I can think of, marred only by an occasional hashness towards the end. The taste is a model of pure Virginia tocacco, if not particularly complex, sort of along the lines of an Old Gowrie- straight, simple, and proper. Nothing huge or ornery here. It is only modestly sweet, and completely devoid of the excessive tang that accompanies so many other flakes.

Some may find this boring, and I can't rightly argue the point. Still, whenever I revisit this blend I am reminded of how satisfying a smooth, natural smoke can be.

Until Hamborger Veermaster, I have never enjoyed any tobacco with a sailing ship on the label. But having been fortified by the reliable delights of this smoke, I am ready to tackle more ship-, airplane-, and even dog-tobaccos.

More seriously, I agree with the esteemed Eulenberg and the other reviewers concerning the excellence of this offering. It is fast becoming a go-to smoke for me and is particularly good in the summer heat.

Thanks to Joshua Rosenblatt for his recommendation.

This is a thick cut flake composed of medium brown color with some black strips and a very little bit of bright yellow birdseye. I keep it on the moist side in the tin. I break off what I need and let it dry out before smoking it. The tin aroma is definitely pressed Virginia with its typical citrus overtones. This is similar to Orlick Golden Sliced. The latter being a thinner, longer, and more yellow flake with a brighter and stronger citrus aroma. On any given day, I may prefer one over the other

This can be smoked rolled or rubbed out. I prefer to rub it out. It can be rubbed out to a coarse cut all the way down to a cigarette cut. Smoking flavor is a medium Virgina with a mild but sweet lemon flavor with just a bit of peppery moments. If careful, easy puffing will avoid tongue bite. Even if rushed, the bite is minimal as compared to other Virginias. There is nothing extra ordinary during the smoke, but a good straight forward tobacco. Nicotine content is medium. There is no zing when blown out through the nose. Taste is consistent throughout the bowl gaining a bit of strength near the end. If kept on the dry side, it burns clean to the bottom of the bowl, with no dottle, to a whitish gray ash. Room aroma is cigarette like. It is part of my regular tobacco rotation. I would turn to it more often if there was a bit of Perique in it. Still, I plan to always have some on hand.

As a predominantly English-Oriental smoker, this website has inspired me to explore the world of high quality VA blends which is why I decided to pick this one up off the shelf and give it a try. The aroma in the tin is that of a pretty sweet aromatic and it's amazing that this blend has no casings and all the sweetness is derived from the high quality VAs. It was easy to light and stay lit and burned completely cool. No tongue bite whatsoever. The end of the smoke in my oversized Savinelli Deluxe left absolutely no dottle or moisture which further lends credence to the thought that there are no casings here to speak of. This was a great smoke. I was pretty surprised at the mild buzz I received after a large bowlful. Perhaps the nicotine content is on the high side. The room note was terrific. This is a great change of pace smoke for me, and I'll be sure to always have some Veermaster on hand.

This is a winner from the sweet aroma that greets you when opening the tin thru the last puff. One of the naturally sweeter straight VAs that I enjoy and can smoke all day smoke without loosing interest or scorching my tongue. Smooth, cool and consistent taste without any hint of bite. Give it a try.

I have been smoking Hamborger Veermaster for many years. I have enjoyed it so much that it is well stocked on the shelves of my cellar. I love the tin art of the clipper ship, but I should probably say something about the what's inside the tin. The tobacco is a medium brown in color, cut into flakes that break up easily into smaller pieces for packing into the pipe. I am not sure what to say about the aroma, but there is an almost licorice sent to it. The moisture level is just a tad more than I like as I prefer my tobacco dry. At this amount of moisture most smokers would probably say it is just right. It lights easily and stays lit pretty well. The first draw has a nice mild flavor. It is sweet, but not overly sweet. The taste is what I consider to be a true Virginia. No extra fruity topping, but the taste of tobacco. The flavor gets better as you go so that by mid bowl the taste is very nice. It finishes with still a nice sweetness without any bitterness. This blend is in the light Virginia category such as Orlik Golden Sliced. HV is just a bit smoother, a little more refined than the Orlik that I consider a fine blend.