**PRE ORDER** Captain Black Original Pipe Tobacco (50g Tin)

ALL ORDERS WILL BE HELD UNTIL DELIVERY OF THE CAPTAIN BLACK

• Cut: Ready Rubbed
• Blend: Virginia, Burley & Black Cavendish
• Strength: Mild
• Aromatic: Sweet vanilla-style aromatic
• Packaging: 50g tin

Captain Black Original Pipe Tobacco – 50g Tin

Well, here's a name I never thought I'd see back on the shelves. Captain Black Original has returned to the UK, having disappeared from the British market many years ago. For those who remember the familiar white packaging and its unmistakable aromatic character, it's rather like bumping into an old acquaintance you assumed had emigrated permanently.

Captain Black became one of America's most recognisable pipe tobacco brands during the latter half of the twentieth century. Its Original mixture established a reputation for a sweet, mellow character and an aroma that was often remembered just as fondly by the people sitting nearby.

The blend combines Virginia and Burley tobaccos with Black Cavendish, producing a mild aromatic mixture with a creamy, vanilla-style sweetness. The Virginia contributes a little natural tobacco sweetness, while the Burley and Cavendish help give the mixture its familiar, rounded character.

It's a ribbon-cut tobacco, making it straightforward to prepare and pack. As with most aromatics, a gentle smoking pace is advisable. Take your time, allow the tobacco to settle between draws, and you'll generally get a better impression of what the blender intended.

What makes Captain Black particularly interesting is the nostalgia surrounding it. During its years away from the British market, the name never entirely disappeared from conversation. Every so often, somebody would ask whether it was still available, usually followed by a recollection of the distinctive aroma or a particular pipe smoker who favoured it.

There aren't many tobaccos that manage to remain part of the conversation after they've vanished from the shelves. Captain Black evidently made an impression.

Its return also brings back a familiar style of American aromatic blending. While traditional British mixtures often favour Virginia, Oriental tobaccos or Latakia, Captain Black belongs to the sweeter American school, where Cavendish processing and carefully selected flavourings play an important role.

Captain Black Original is now available again in the UK in a 50g tin, offering a welcome opportunity to revisit a familiar blend or discover it for the first time.

I've always enjoyed seeing an old tobacco name return. There's something reassuring about finding that a blend people remember fondly hasn't been consigned entirely to the history books.

Mind you, after being away from Britain for so long, the Captain may need reminding that we drive on the left.