Blends Similar to Capstan Blue?

[vink]

So after 7 years of casual pipe smoking, I really got the hang of it this summer and smoked mainly my pipes instead of cigars. I really fell for some aged Capstan blue and Dunhill deluxe navy rolls. Now that I know I like Capstan as a pure Va blend, I’m now looking for similar as good blends to add to the cellar. Just to give you guys an idea, I’m also a big fan of Solani Silver flake, stonehaven, Hu louisiana broken, odf...

I’m trying to pin point what kind of Virginias are in there but have no idea. Brown, red, both I have no idea! What I like about the blend is the sweetness and the kind of deep fruit flavors, plus there is some kind of saltiness in there too.

So far I’ve tried best brown flake, but did not like it yet as it’s a pain in the ass to smoke even after 24 hours of drying time and tasted like wood to me. I also tried Dunhill flake, which seems good but not really similar. I like klondike gold, but I already have plenty. I also have to try some FVF again. I just started to smoke some aged blackwood flake that seems promising and have some christmas cheers tins waiting to be open.

So if anyone can point me toward what kind of virginias I should look for and/or if you have any blends to recommend please let me know!

Thanks!

 

[BROBS]

So after 7 years of casual pipe smoking, I really got the hang of it this summer and smoked mainly my pipes instead of cigars. I really fell for some aged Capstan blue and Dunhill deluxe navy rolls. Now that I know I like Capstan as a pure Va blend, I’m now looking for similar as good blends to add to the cellar. Just to give you guys an idea, I’m also a big fan of Solani Silver flake, stonehaven, Hu louisiana broken, odf...

I’m trying to pin point what kind of Virginias are in there but have no idea. Brown, red, both I have no idea! What I like about the blend is the sweetness and the kind of deep fruit flavors, plus there is some kind of saltiness in there too.

So far I’ve tried best brown flake, but did not like it yet as it’s a pain in the ass to smoke even after 24 hours of drying time and tasted like wood to me. I also tried Dunhill flake, which seems good but not really similar. I like klondike gold, but I already have plenty. I also have to try some FVF again. I just started to smoke some aged blackwood flake that seems promising and have some christmas cheers tins waiting to be open.

So if anyone can point me toward what kind of virginias I should look for and/or if you have any blends to recommend please let me know!

Thanks!

FVF is the closest I've had I believe.. maybe Black Flake from McConnell or Dunhill Dark Flake.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Ashley's No 44 is closest for me. Alyesbury Classic Flake and Union Square once they get some age. F&T Special Brown Flake with age. I actually like all the blends mentioned more than the Capstan Blue.

 

[BROBS]

Ashley's No 44 is closest for me. Alyesbury Classic Flake and Union Square once they get some age. F&T Special Brown Flake with age. I actually like all the blends mentioned more than the Capstan Blue.

IMO F&T Special Brown Flake has zero similarity to Capstan. It's more similar to Best Brown or Wessex Brown.
Capstan is not a brown flake it's a black flake like FVF or ........ Black Flake.

 

[BROBS]

Ashley's No 44 is closest for me. Alyesbury Classic Flake and Union Square once they get some age. F&T Special Brown Flake with age. I actually like all the blends mentioned more than the Capstan Blue.

I AM WORRIED ABOUT YOUR TASTEBUDS

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

IMO F&T Special Brown Flake has zero similarity to Capstan. It's more similar to Best Brown or Wessex Brown.
Capstan is not a brown flake it's a black flake like FVF or ........ Black Flake.

It doesn't when it is fresh but develops a lot more spiciness with age.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I AM WORRIED ABOUT YOUR TASTEBUDS

You'd be well served to worry most about your own my friend.

 

[BROBS]

You'd be well served to worry most about your own my friend.

THEY CALL ME A SUPERTASTER THAT'S HOW I KNOW C&D IS SHYTE

I FOUND THIS TOP SECRET PIC OF C&D VA:

 

[BrokenRecord]

Ashley's No 44 is closest for me. Alyesbury Classic Flake and Union Square once they get some age. F&T Special Brown Flake with age.

I agree on F&T Special Brown Flake being quite similar to Capstan Blue.

 

[BROBS]

I agree on F&T Special Brown Flake being quite similar to Capstan Blue.

 

[coming to_falling too]

Makes me want to crack one of my tins

 

[tfdickson]

HH Pure Virginia should be on your list. Bonus that it comes in 1lb slabs. Capstan does too but you have to order those from Germany.

 

[logs]

Not sure why you rejected Dunhill Flake. It's easily Capstan's closest neighbor. If you look at tobacco reviews the two are compared against each other all the time. The next closest is probably
Astley's 109

 

[tradition]

You might want to try Amphora Virginia.

 

[BrokenRecord]

Not sure why you rejected Dunhill Flake. It's easily Capstan's closest neighbor. If you look at tobacco reviews the two are compared against each other all the time. The next closest is probably
Astley's 109

Dunhill/Peterson Flake has more body and leans more towards the citrus side of Virginia leaf. I think it tastes closer to Capstan Yellow.

 

[logs]

Dunhill/Peterson Flake has more body and leans more towards the citrus side of Virginia leaf. I think it tastes closer to Capstan Yellow.

That could be true, I haven't tried Capstan Yellow.

There are a lot of medium flakes out there and they're all slightly different. Half the fun is trying them all and comparing differences. Astley's, Wessex, F&T, Sam Gawith, Mac Baren, Newminster, and Stokebye all make medium VA flakes that are worth trying. None are an exact match but that's not really the point. Capstan is readily available so you don't really want an exact match.

 

[Briar Baron]

As someone else mentioned, usually folks look for a similar blend if the main one is unavailable, since Capstan is easy to get I would just buy up and cellar deep. I also say this because I have found nothing in the same ballpark but that may be just me. I went in hard for both Blue and Yellow, no regrets!

 

[workman]

Capstan Blue and FVF are my favorite virginias. They aren't exactly similar, but kinda do the same for me.
I agree that Dunhill Flake is the closest to Capstan Blue in flavor and texture, but there are also differences and I prefer Capstan. It has a dry, almost vanilla or tonquin-like sweetness and much less citrus than the others.
In that regard, FVF comes closer than any of the others.

 

[marconi]

I have some aged union square which has some similarities to Capstan.I have to get my Capstan from Spain as its not sold in the UK.So I buy lots, of tins when I'm there.

 

[vink]

As someone else mentioned, usually folks look for a similar blend if the main one is unavailable, since Capstan is easy to get I would just buy up and cellar deep. I also say this because I have found nothing in the same ballpark but that may be just me. I went in hard for both Blue and Yellow, no regrets!

Yeah maybe I did not express myself correctly. I’m not looking for a replacement and I will be deep cellaring Capstan. I‘m more interested to pin point what kind of Va are in there to find other blends that I will like as much!