Paul Olsen Brown Capstan

Paul Olsen - Brown Capstan (My Own Blend).

I was a little confused about the cut prior to opening, one website says Flake, yet another says Broken Flake. On opening the tin it all became clear though: quite a well broken flake. Actually it looks about the same as the Mac Baren Capstan Gold Ready Rubbed, only a touch darker and a bit coarser. The tins note doesn't imply much of a flavour, to my nose it's a straight-up Virginia smell. As I've said in many of my Paul Olsen M.O.B. reviews, the moisture's just right, so over to the smoking attributes:

The flakes have been rubbed to a good consistency to be smoked immediately: thick enough to give quite a cool smoke, yet not that thin they could be called Ribbons. It lights easily, and gives a good burn throughout. The taste of the smoke's good, albeit some folks may find it a little boring: I get no added flavours (like the tin-note), the only taste I get is a perfectly simple Virginia one: again, similar to Mac Baren Capstan Gold Ready Rubbed. Seeing as for this review I'm using Mac B's Capstan Gold R.R. for comparison, I'll point out how that one seems to have a little more of a sharp citrus taste to the smoke; comparatively speaking, this is more 'laid back'. This doesn't give me any tongue bite, again, this makes it seem 'laid back'!

The room-note's very simple: Virginia, and the nicotine's less than medium.

This is a good quality Virginia: I think it would suit many smokers as a go-to blend.

Even though it could be deemed a bit boring, I'll still highly recommend it:

Four stars.