Revisiting ‘Royal Yacht’

[American Piper]

It’s been many years since I last tried this mixture; mostly because the prices just kept skyrocketing, and I got fed up with it. Nonetheless, I found myself on a road trip for work w/o tobacco, so I had to make a stop at a shabby little head shop, who just happened to have 1 tin left (from 2022).

Boy, does this take me back. I knew immediately when I broke the seal, I was in for a great smoke.

Those aromas lept out of the tin; like a blast of figs and subtle baking spice.

Upon lighting, the smoke is absolutely fantastic, with a very deep, round flavor that supplies plenty of nutty, sweet tobacco goodness. I get “pops” of white pepper, a very mild oakiness with a characteristically VA tangy undertone. Great flavors. I’ve heard this is topped with a sweet note, but I can’t recall what it is. My own palate detects it as just a mild sweetener, something akin to simple syrup being used in a strong drink. I’ve never detected any distinctive notes such as vanilla/chocolate/anything of that sort whatsoever with this tobacco.

The aroma is quite pleasant, supplying a straight tobacco smokiness reminiscent of some other VA mixtures I used to love smoking. Not sure if it would please others in a room, but my olfactory was happy with it.

Be warned: this one has a fair shot of vitamin ‘N’, as well. Wouldn’t recommend for a brand new pipe smoker. But it’s sure to satisfy a seasoned smoker, if that’s part of your pipe ‘habit’ (as it is mine). I even made a bowl last me through an entire afternoon with a couple relights. Slow-burning, and very easy to smoke. 5 stars for this one. I may have just gotten hooked and reeled back to the Yacht again.

 

[Bbailey324]

Glad you found something good to smoke. Out of town and no tobacco could be a hardship.

I've smoked several tins of Royal Yacht over the years but it has never been a regular in my lineup. Topping seemed to me to be a plum flavor with a hint of ginger.

 

[American Piper]

Glad you found something good to smoke. Out of town and no tobacco could be a hardship.

I've smoked several tins of Royal Yacht over the years but it has never been a regular in my lineup. Topping seemed to me to be a plum flavor with a hint of ginger.

Indeed - it seldom happens, but this was a moment of “winning” on the road. And you may be right on the money with that topping suggestion - the ginger especially. It’s quite faint, but the sweetness definitely piques ahead of the typical “bright” flavors of VA. Baking spice is definitely in there.

 

[Briarcutter]

That was indeed a great find on the road!

 

[biodarwin]

I always enjoy this blend, but it never makes it into my regular lineup. Still I order a tin every year

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It is topped with plum. Most of us on here have come to deduce that this was once a VaPer, but then as Dunhill grew to the point of having these blends produced for a corporate market, they developed a casing that mimics a VaPer with that figgy, plumy fragrance.
Also, over the years as the tobaccos changed flavors slightly from year to year, that that topping sometimes hits right on, making for a good tobacco, and sometimes it just totally sucks.

I.ve had dozens of tins of this over the years, sometimes it rocks. But, I have also thrown away a few tins that just tasted awful.

It is definitely a polarizing blend. You either love it, or you want to just talk about the vomit taste.

 

[Briarcutter]

Some refer to it as "Royal Yuch". I've always really enjoyed the Murray's and older productions. I never thought much of the newer version though.

 

[FLDRD]

I didn't like the one tin I tried (Peterson). If I've more in the cellar they'll likely find a new home.

 

[Sobrbiker]

I didn't like the one tin I tried (Peterson). If I've more in the cellar they'll likely find a new home.

I know a good disposal site you can use, I’ll even pay shipping

 

[FLDRD]

I know a good disposal site you can use, I’ll even pay shipping

Well I haven't checked in a while to see if I actually have more, but I'll try to remember that.

 

[Swiss Army Knife]

I tried this one time when I was starting out and fell squarely in the Royal Yuck camp. It felt like smoking old wet cigarettes. I have the jar that's probably got almost five years of age on it now, I should dig it up and give it another shot.

Great review, thanks for the write-up and some inspiration.

 

[American Piper]

It is topped with plum. Most of us on here have come to deduce that this was once a VaPer, but then as Dunhill grew to the point of having these blends produced for a corporate market, they developed a casing that mimics a VaPer with that figgy, plumy fragrance.
Also, over the years as the tobaccos changed flavors slightly from year to year, that that topping sometimes hits right on, making for a good tobacco, and sometimes it just totally sucks.

I dozens of tins of this over the years, sometimes it rocks. But, I have also thrown away a few tins that just tasted awful.

It is definitely a polarizing blend. You either love it, or you want to just talk about the vomit taste.

Yeah, through the years I’ve heard plenty of both sides of that debate. It certainly does have a cult-like following with some folks. About 25 years back, I remember an old gent who bought probably 5-6 tins from us each month for years. He loved it. Then there was a guy who told me “Royal yacht reminds me of trying to smoke a wallet that’s been in the back of your trousers since WW2”.

So yeah…polarizing is accurate.

 

[K.E. Powell]

I usually enjoy my trips on the yacht, but I find the sailing is smoother when you let it age a year or two. The topping is mellower, and the virginias more robust. It's a good smoke, especially in a medium-sized bowl.

 

[rakovsky]

I tried this one time when I was starting out and fell squarely in the Royal Yuck camp. It felt like smoking old wet cigarettes. I have the jar that's probably got almost five years of age on it now, I should dig it up and give it another shot.

Great review, thanks for the write-up and some inspiration.

I was wondering lately about how a decent number of people don't like Royal Yacht, and I was comparing this to Latakia blends in my head. People have different palattes. For me, it had a dark taste, with a citrus side to it that occasionally came out. It felt like it was mood dependent. Last year I had a verbal disagreementwith someone, smoothed things over, then drove to a parking lot where I smoked Royal Yacht out of my van. It was very soothing and went well with everything. Just being able to wind down the window, smoke a full bent Grabow with Royal Yacht in it, smoke some dark blend without worrying about people complaining about my smoke. Very nice.

Wet cigarette-tasting blend? OK. The "wetness" dried out by the time that I smoked it.

Did you ever try many Latakia-strong blends? I am wondering how often people who don't like Royal Yacht like strong Latakia blends. For me, it's the reverse: I like Royal Yacht, and was fine with the smell of Grousemore and Erinmore Flake. But most English blends have too strong Latakia for my palate.

Nice writing with you, and I look forward to more discussion.

 

[SBC]

After 17 years of pipe smoking, I finally tried RY for the first time the other week. I liked it. It's not the sort of thing I usually smoke, but I'm glad to have it around and will certainly smoke a bowl every now and then to mix things up.

To me it was reminiscient of some berry infused teas.

 

[RL Bucktails]

I was wondering lately about how a decent number of people don't like Royal Yacht, and I was comparing this to Latakia blends in my head. People have different palattes. For me, it had a dark taste, with a citrus side to it that occasionally came out. It felt like it was mood dependent. Last year I had a verbal disagreementwith someone, smoothed things over, then drove to a parking lot where I smoked Royal Yacht out of my van. It was very soothing and went well with everything. Just being able to wind down the window, smoke a full bent Grabow with Royal Yacht in it, smoke some dark blend without worrying about people complaining about my smoke. Very nice.

Wet cigarette-tasting blend? OK. The "wetness" dried out by the time that I smoked it.

Did you ever try many Latakia-strong blends? I am wondering how often people who don't like Royal Yacht like strong Latakia blends. For me, it's the reverse: I like Royal Yacht, and was fine with the smell of Grousemore and Erinmore Flake. But most English blends have too strong Latakia for my palate.

Nice writing with you, and I look forward to more discussion.

Agreed on the Latakia strong blends. Have to be in the mood.

 

[rakovsky]

Agreed on the Latakia strong blends. Have to be in the mood.

I love sampling new blends, including challenging ones like Latakia strong blends. But I don't like Latakia-strong blends, and don't think I can be in the mood for them, just as I can't be in the mood for strong smelling chitterlings. I'm not ready to say that strong straight Latakia smells like chitterlings, because AFAIK Latakia preparation doesn't involve animal products. But they share a livestock sweat smell as part of their flavor profiles for my palatte. I wonder if people who love strong Latakia blends pick up that same horse and cow sweat smell that my palette does.

 

[Briarcutter]

I love sampling new blends, including challenging ones like Latakia strong blends. But I don't like Latakia-strong blends, and don't think I can be in the mood for them, just as I can't be in the mood for strong smelling chitterlings. I'm not ready to say that strong straight Latakia smells like chitterlings, because AFAIK Latakia preparation doesn't involve animal products. But they share a livestock sweat smell as part of their flavor profiles for my palatte. I wonder if people who love strong Latakia blends pick up that same horse and cow sweat smell that my palette does.

Like to here your thoughts on the aroma of straight Perique

 

[rakovsky]

Like to here your thoughts on the aroma of straight Perique

Briar, a friend gave me Perique from Whole Leaf. Here is my summary:
"The tin note was sweet grape with a barnstall note. The smoke was thick and somewhat sweet, like dark prune oil molasses, with moments of the barnstall note. It was like a thicker, less sweet version of Dark Cavendish. The smoke built up in my nose enough that it was like overly warm molasses that it became too much to breathe it out through the nose."

I summarized the dozens of blends that I tried here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/PipeTobacco/comments/1fh3yca
Once I tried about 10 blends, I realized it was worth me making a list.

 

[rakovsky]

Like to here your thoughts on the aroma of straight Perique

To summarize:

The aroma was overall good, like molasses, sweet prune, raisin, but with moments of barnstall, which I don't like much.

Barnstall, Medium Latakia, or strong Latakia are the only tobacco smoke smells that I dislike. If they are weak enough, then it's not stinky and I'm fine with it. Standard Mixture is one of my favorite blends and Peterson does a great job with the quality and flavor of their Latakias. My Mix 965 is another good one whose Latakia I'm fine with. I imagine that Early Morning Pipe would be like that too: a light enough Latakia that it's not an issue. Nightcap is noteworthy because Peterson does such a good job that it has a fresh, high quality smell, yet the Latakia is strong enough that I still don't like it.

Those are not harmful smells, they are just something that is against my palatte, like South Carolina pork "hash" over rice, or British/Polish blood sausage, or Limberger. People's tastes change though. I used to dislike Latakia ghosting, but now I'm fine with it and my palatte counts it toward the complex character of my pipe. In fact, I like my pipe better with a little complex ghosting for that reason.