A friend from a pipe-themed Discord server generously gifted me a box of Kapitanskiy with a sealed 50 gram tinfoil packet. He got it on a well known auction website from a seller in Estonia. I was excited to get it and liked it a lot.
Kapitanskiy means "Captain's," or literally "Captainish" in Russian. The brand lasted from at least he 1950's - 1990's. The back cover says:
The 1957 Soviet "Catalog of Tobacco Products" gave the following recipe for its aromatic "sauces" (toppings) and "fragrances" (casings):
When it says that some brands used rum essence instead of vanilla-coumarin, I take it to be referring to Captain's, because Captain's had rum flavor, whereas Golden Fleece used vanilla-coumarin.
Captain's tin note reminded me of light geranium and rose, with a few slight alcohol moments.
Based on general information on Soviet pipe tobacco and reviewers' impressions of Kapitanskiy, I think that it likely uses a mix of Oriental leaf and a VA-based Oriental hybrid.
The article "Tobacco of the USSR" in the Ukrainian journal "Ogorod" (meaning "Garden") listed four standard types of tobacco grown for premium pipe blends:
On a Russian "Tobacco Club" forum, a pipe smoker named Mikhail told me that a common idea online was that Soviet blends generally combined VA and Oriental leaf. He supposed that its Oriental leaf came from Bulgaria, since Bulgaria imported Oriental leaf to the USSR. Later, I showed him the information about the 4 standard Soviet leaf varieties. He responded by pointing out that the "Type II: American" hybrid in the list was based on VA leaf.
@JimInks ' review is reprinted with his permission:
Tom Kuhn from "Pipes, Tobacco, and Whiskey" gave me his review below:
One question for readers is whether you tried these kinds of pipe blends from the former USSR?
I am interested in your thoughts. Thank you for reading!
Kapitanskiy means "Captain's," or literally "Captainish" in Russian. The brand lasted from at least he 1950's - 1990's. The back cover says:
The Interstate code ends in 74, so the box was made in the decade from 1974-1983.
The 1957 Soviet "Catalog of Tobacco Products" gave the following recipe for its aromatic "sauces" (toppings) and "fragrances" (casings):
To make an aqueous solution of the sauce, depending on the brand of pipe tobacco (in kilograms per 1 ton of tobacco), these are used: natural honey from 100 up to 150 [kg per ton], prunes or dried fruits (for making a decoction/extraction), from 50 up to 70, and table salt (as a preservative) 10 [kg].
To make an alcohol solution of fragrance (in kg per 1 ton of tobacco), these are used: coumarin from 0.1 to 1.2 [kg per ton of tobacco], vanillin 0.1, geranium oil from 0.02 to 0.1, nutmeg-sage oil from 0.1 to 0.5, bergamot oil from 0.03 to 0.17, clove oil from 0.02 to 0.125, nutmeg seed extract 1; in addition, Peruvian balsam 0.06 [kg per ton] is used as an aromatic strengthener; 1 kg of glycerin is used as a moisture regulator. In some brands of smoking tobacco, instead of vanillin and coumarin, 2.9 kg of rum essence was used.
...
Golden Fleece brand's tobacco had a honey-vanilla hint of its smoke aroma, Captain's brand's had a rum flavor, Pipe of Peace's brand's had a fruity flavor; The strength of these brands of tobacco is average.
To make an alcohol solution of fragrance (in kg per 1 ton of tobacco), these are used: coumarin from 0.1 to 1.2 [kg per ton of tobacco], vanillin 0.1, geranium oil from 0.02 to 0.1, nutmeg-sage oil from 0.1 to 0.5, bergamot oil from 0.03 to 0.17, clove oil from 0.02 to 0.125, nutmeg seed extract 1; in addition, Peruvian balsam 0.06 [kg per ton] is used as an aromatic strengthener; 1 kg of glycerin is used as a moisture regulator. In some brands of smoking tobacco, instead of vanillin and coumarin, 2.9 kg of rum essence was used.
...
Golden Fleece brand's tobacco had a honey-vanilla hint of its smoke aroma, Captain's brand's had a rum flavor, Pipe of Peace's brand's had a fruity flavor; The strength of these brands of tobacco is average.
Captain's tin note reminded me of light geranium and rose, with a few slight alcohol moments.
Based on general information on Soviet pipe tobacco and reviewers' impressions of Kapitanskiy, I think that it likely uses a mix of Oriental leaf and a VA-based Oriental hybrid.
The article "Tobacco of the USSR" in the Ukrainian journal "Ogorod" (meaning "Garden") listed four standard types of tobacco grown for premium pipe blends:
- Type I. Dyubek and Ostrokonets.
- Type II. "American", grown in Crimea and Moldavia.
- Type III. Samsun
- Type IV. Trebizond
On a Russian "Tobacco Club" forum, a pipe smoker named Mikhail told me that a common idea online was that Soviet blends generally combined VA and Oriental leaf. He supposed that its Oriental leaf came from Bulgaria, since Bulgaria imported Oriental leaf to the USSR. Later, I showed him the information about the 4 standard Soviet leaf varieties. He responded by pointing out that the "Type II: American" hybrid in the list was based on VA leaf.
Its tin notes are light rose perfume like Standard Mixture by Petersen has, a light wood note that reminds me of 1970's Soviet hotel rooms, and normal tobacco. It came super dry like basil flakes in a grocery spice jar.
It has big billowing puffs of light smoke, and burned great, requiring few relights. The leaf was high quality. It burned very warmly in my nose on the retrohale and lungs, probably because of the dryness, but the smoke was not rough/harsh. It made my chamber burn very warmly. The smoke smell is basically tobacco like a VA or burley, but it seems to have a slight sour side like Camels or Katerini. This could be due to having Oriental leaf or a borderline sour note from 40 to 50 years of dry aging. The smoke had a small rose perfume smell like the tin note at times. The smoke probably had tiny spice notes because the 1957 Soviet catalog named spices for pipe tobacco preparation. The smoke had a light wood smell like VAs can. The tin note comes through the smoke and probably into the aftertaste a little. The smoke also has moments of light alcohol, which seems likely to be from the rum. As is common with good VAs, the aftertaste was only lightly ashy. In total, I got 15 minutes with one bowl. It must have burnt so fast due to dryness.
I rehydrated Kapitansky and it burned evenly like a blend fresh out of a tin would, and had a woodsy flavor. Rehydration moved the blend's normal smell more to the last 1/4 of the bowl.
I liked Captain's flavor because I liked its Oriental leaf. It didn't have Latakia, whose strength in some blends makes them divisive.
To compare it to other varieties: In its dry form, it had a lightness and flavor that reminded me of Samsun and Katerini, as well as D & R's "Bulgarian" blend. After I rehydrated Captain's, it became more medium-bodied and woodsy like a standard VA.
It has big billowing puffs of light smoke, and burned great, requiring few relights. The leaf was high quality. It burned very warmly in my nose on the retrohale and lungs, probably because of the dryness, but the smoke was not rough/harsh. It made my chamber burn very warmly. The smoke smell is basically tobacco like a VA or burley, but it seems to have a slight sour side like Camels or Katerini. This could be due to having Oriental leaf or a borderline sour note from 40 to 50 years of dry aging. The smoke had a small rose perfume smell like the tin note at times. The smoke probably had tiny spice notes because the 1957 Soviet catalog named spices for pipe tobacco preparation. The smoke had a light wood smell like VAs can. The tin note comes through the smoke and probably into the aftertaste a little. The smoke also has moments of light alcohol, which seems likely to be from the rum. As is common with good VAs, the aftertaste was only lightly ashy. In total, I got 15 minutes with one bowl. It must have burnt so fast due to dryness.
I rehydrated Kapitansky and it burned evenly like a blend fresh out of a tin would, and had a woodsy flavor. Rehydration moved the blend's normal smell more to the last 1/4 of the bowl.
I liked Captain's flavor because I liked its Oriental leaf. It didn't have Latakia, whose strength in some blends makes them divisive.
To compare it to other varieties: In its dry form, it had a lightness and flavor that reminded me of Samsun and Katerini, as well as D & R's "Bulgarian" blend. After I rehydrated Captain's, it became more medium-bodied and woodsy like a standard VA.
@JimInks ' review is reprinted with his permission:
The sample I have is dry from a freshly opened pack so my experience would differ from a fresh production of this blend. I have no idea what kind of fragrant Oriental(s?) may have been used, but it’s very floral, spicy, earthy, woody, herbal, sour, and vegetative, and moderately smoky with a little incense as the lead component. The gold Virginia provides a fair amount of tart, acidic citrus, floralness, vegetative grass, bread, spice, sugar, mild sour lemon and a little wood and earth. It plays an important support role even though age has mellowed it. The toppings have fairly faded, but I do get a very small sense of spiced rum, honey, fruit, and a hint of nuts that would not come from the varietals. The strength, nic-hit, and taste levels are a couple of steps past the medium mark. Doesn’t bite. Has a light harsh note and a moderately savory roughness partly due to the age of the tobacco. Burns cool, clean, and a tad fast with a very consistent amount of various spices, floralness, fruit, sourness, and woodiness that extends to the pleasantly long lasting after taste. The strength of the after taste was high enough that I could taste it while smoking my next bowl of a different mixture. The room note is tolerable to pungent. Barely leaves any dampness in the bowl, and requires few relights. Not an all day smoke, although a fresh batch with uncompromised flavorings might have made it more so. In any event, I give it four stars out of four.
©Jim Amash 2025.
©Jim Amash 2025.
Tom Kuhn from "Pipes, Tobacco, and Whiskey" gave me his review below:
I am sitting in my smoke room enjoying an old movie about Russian submarines and smoking the dry version of “Kapitanskiy” you sent.
To me this is definitely a Va/oriental mix due to the many flavor characteristics common in Virginias. Here are a few notes I took:
Nose: Geranium is present, has a light hay, sweet (almost like honey), slight wood, bread, very light lemon, and an ever-so light earthy funk to it (a good thing).
Taste: Geranium soapiness comes first along with a hay-like flavor. Light in the forefront is hay, bread, wood and some spice (pepper). Then some light lemon and sweetness. About halfway through the bowl as the spice backs off I get se toast and a slight nuttiness. This is a light smoke and definitely could be an all-day smoke. Smokes hot due to its dryness. I never really got a rum essence. Could be to the age.
Room Note: Typical Va room note with a very light hot of the geranium. Also some Smokey wood.
Nicotine level: light
... This is a treat!
("Pipes, Tobacco, and Whiskey:'s channel is here: Pipes, Tobacco & Whiskey - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN5ZZ1Aj30i3tgCKva9bH3A)
To me this is definitely a Va/oriental mix due to the many flavor characteristics common in Virginias. Here are a few notes I took:
Nose: Geranium is present, has a light hay, sweet (almost like honey), slight wood, bread, very light lemon, and an ever-so light earthy funk to it (a good thing).
Taste: Geranium soapiness comes first along with a hay-like flavor. Light in the forefront is hay, bread, wood and some spice (pepper). Then some light lemon and sweetness. About halfway through the bowl as the spice backs off I get se toast and a slight nuttiness. This is a light smoke and definitely could be an all-day smoke. Smokes hot due to its dryness. I never really got a rum essence. Could be to the age.
Room Note: Typical Va room note with a very light hot of the geranium. Also some Smokey wood.
Nicotine level: light
... This is a treat!
("Pipes, Tobacco, and Whiskey:'s channel is here: Pipes, Tobacco & Whiskey - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN5ZZ1Aj30i3tgCKva9bH3A)
One question for readers is whether you tried these kinds of pipe blends from the former USSR?
I am interested in your thoughts. Thank you for reading!
