Royal Yacht

It is a deliciously heavy, dark virginia blend with a mysteriously creamy plumb topping. Strong in the nicotine department, it is known to produce altered states of consciousness in neophytes and masters alike. It is forum member Deathmetal's favorite blend and he has excellent taste in tobacco in my humble opinion. I cannot compare it to anything since it is unlike any other blend I have tried. Certainly avail yourself of a tin and come to your own conclusion before buying larger quantities. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with it. It needs a bit of drying out of the tin. I found it to get a little harsh halfway through the bowl, but, I think I was smoking it too eagerly and she is a stern mistress. Enjoy !!

Royla Yacht ... boy, I never even dared to review this blend, but now since you ask I will give it a try to reveal some aspects about this beauty in my humble subjective opinion. It is only one of two blends in my entire smoking history that I have seen fit to rate 5/5 stars. It is my revelation in terms of Virginia based tobaccos, and yes it is DeathMetal's true love. In my experience people either hate it or love it, many have called it a semi aromatic, others have called it perfection in a tin can and some have labeled it unimpressive. Obviously I am on the side of those that are very fond of it, and here's why: it is a very rich dark virginia flavor, topped by a plum aroma that is a complete mystery. Personally the plum was the major draw in, as it adds a much wanted sweetness on top of an already sweet tobacco. So in a sense you are smoking something that is very aromatic, but not an aromatic blend. The virginias give it a full taste, while the plum flavoring (we have debated on previous posts on the manner in which this plum is added to the blend - and the best conclusion we came up with is that it is a Dunhill very close secret) adds to the taste and the room note in a very pleasant fashion. AS far as strenght - yes it is a strong blend, and I always have my stomach to let me know - which is very sensitive to certain blends. It may also be a nicotine bomb, but that is a subjective evaluation as people have various tolerance to nicotine. I, for example, have a very high tolerance for nicotine as I smoke from an early age, having some 15+ years of cigarette and cigar smoking behind me. jvnshr and mayfair70 pointed out things very nicely - there is hardly anything I can add to their opinion. I am sure Death Metal can make a much better eulogy on the subject though. Meanwhile ... buy a tin and decide for yourself. Last night I went over the top, and I think I smoked about 7 smaller bowls, so I have to go clean my mouth with soap now :lol:

Following up the excellent introductions by mayfair70 and madox07, I will offer my humble opinion on Royal Yacht, which is simultaneously not for everyone but beloved by many. In my experience, nothing distinctive can be universal, so responses will vary.
The 'Yacht consists of "empire Virginias" and possibly some Burley, which are pressed and then rubbed out, then topped with something like plum or brandy that gives a Perique-style flavor without the throat itch that many recall from smoking the fermented leaf. These empire Virginias lose some of their sweetness, making them of the "dark Virginia" variety, and pick up a bit more intensity; the only similar mixture I have found in Rattray Hal O' The Wynd, which does have Perique in it. Royal Yacht seems designed as a "big brother" to Elizabethan Mixture, another Virginia-Perique mix, but the 'Yacht is designed to be simpler on the surface with great nuance to its flavor, which seems to be the product of shifting mists of sweet and tart with an underlying, almost cigar-like broad and warm flavor.
As far as Nicotine, it really depends on your degree of Nicotine tolerance and experience. It is probably a shade stronger than most medium-to-strong, but the scale only makes sense once you have smoked Brown No. 4 and Cotton Boll Twist so you know what the upper end is ("overwhelming" on TR). At this point, Royal Yacht is an all-day smoke for me, either by itself or mixed with Burley Flake #1, so you might say that the body acclimates. But it really is lovely and I hope you get to enjoy some.

"PS: I am an aero[sic] smoker."
Sparrow, I would say that Royal Yacht is an aromatic blend due to the plum topping but a very tobacco forward aromatic. It certainly doesn't fall into the Cherry And Strawberry Plumcake category of aromatics, that's for sure.
I found it to be quite a robust and honest blend that has much tobacco flavour...I just wish they produced a flake version, I would smoke it a lot more if they did.
Regards,
Jay.

With any new-to-you blend, buy one tin, smoke about half of it, then take a break of a week or two before finishing it off. Then you can make a decision on whether to stock-up.

This description sounds a bit like haddo's delight.
How do they compare?

Simply put, it's awesome.
Very light in the aromatic department. It needs to be smoked slowly or it gets harsh.
I simply love it.

Good stuff, Royal Yacht, though you might enjoy it more if you ignore the raves and have your own experience with it. I find it neither particularly high nic nor in any way hallucinatory, just a classic tobacco-forward aromatic with a unique flavoring component that pleases many (and disgusts a few). When I open a tin, I tend to smoke it up, such that I leave it in the tin and don't bother to jar it. It's gone before it needs jarring. It has a way of making you say, yeah, that's what I want.

MSO, and to think that you sat on your first tin for so many years then opened it on the forum for us all to see. That is a forum memory I'm unlikely to forget...well done you sir.
Regards,
Jay.

MSO, and to think that you sat on your first tin for so many years then opened it on the forum for us all to see. That is a forum memory I'm unlikely to forget...well done you Sir :clap:
Regards,
Jay.

I have 5 tins left of it, bought a hazardous materials can to store them. Now I just have to figure out if I want to take chance on aging them or take it to hazohouse to be disposed of properly. It's not crazy high nicotine. If it wasn't for the taste it would probably be good.

I have a stock of unopened tins, so I have much to discover. Yes that first tin of Royal Yacht was quite a revelation.

I tried a couple tins and found it to be "so-so". To each their own...

PS: I am an aero smoker.

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I think it's time you have a smoke at the Adult table :rofl:
seriously, get a tin

uperepik I heard that Royal Yacht doesn't age all that well ... I personally did not try it, just what other people tend to believe. You may try it, but I guess the blend is so good that one can hardly stay away from smoking it. My stash is empty, I have opened my last tin a couple of weeks back. Luckily I have a godson going to Germany next week and I am fixing to stock up again :D

This one's on the chopping block isn't it? With the demise of Dunhill and all?

Could never get a taste for it. More of an Erinmore fan here. Looks to be listed as an aro though.

I smoked my fist bowl yesterday evening, and, well, I don't know. Smells pretty good, passable room note. The nicotine did not kick me too hard, and I am not a fella with a strong nic tolerance. It didn't bite, but I wasn't pushing it hard at all and had numerous relights. The flavor was... harsh. I didn't particularly enjoy the smoke. Had an astringent aftertaste.
FWIW I normally smoke light to heavy English blends, and Scottish style tobacco.
Doc