I am a delicate flower. I like my tobacco to be beyond aromatic. I want it to smell of vanilla, and Smurfs riding on unicorns through clouds of cotton candy.
For years I have been intrigued by Captain Black tobaccos. Having acquired a few Captain Black pipes, I decided to go sailing with Captain Black. My friends, the seas were rough.
Our first voyage was with Captain Black Original. It smelled all of what I would hope for with a smoke with hints of vanilla, but it smoked like burnt incense. It had mild tongue bite with an acrid aftertaste. It also came with a mild case of throat burn.
Our second voyage was on the Captain Black Gold sea. Again, the aroma before smoke was of rich tobacco, and it smoked akin to a high end cigarette. The tongue bite was present, but at least there was no throat burn. The acrid aftertaste was the same as the original, but I had to sail on. If you have a friend who is trying to stop smoking cigarettes, this may be a good half step.
The third voyage was with Captain Black Royal. Same rich tobacco aroma as its predecessors, along with the same tongue bite. Like being stuck on a Royal Caribbean Cruise, Captain Black Royal had me wishing I was smoking a smaller bowl.
The last voyage was with Captain Black Copper. Of all the series, this was by far the best. Mild tongue bite, no throat burn, and a mild aromatic note. Copper lacked the aromatic punch that this delicate flower looks for in his aromatics.
In closing, I would suggest booking a cruise on some other aromatic as Captain Black is definitely lost at sea.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of a delicate flower and do not express the views of The Chicago Pipe Collectors Club.