Customer Reviews (21 Total)
America's Smoothest
August 14, 2018
Product: Velvet Velvet 12oz
Edit 11/27/22: This review applies only to the older production of Velvet before the American plant was closed and production shipped to several overseas locations and before it was reduced in size from 12oz to 7oz. I refuse to purchase the new Vel... Read More
vet out of principle, so take the rest of my review of my previous favorite blend with a grain of salt. I don't know if the new stuff measures up, and I'm not interested in finding out.
Original Review: After 20 years, and after having gone through every proverbial phase of pipe smoking- from aromatics to English, to fine aged Virginias... I came back around to old-fashioned, lightly topped burleys. Of the many great OTCs, Velvet is my favorite. Lane Limited (and STG) have brought the blend back to its original formula. A simple loose (rough cut) brown burley topped with a very light note of licorice and maple sugar. But the taste and smell is all its own- sometimes described as something like old crayola crayons or the aroma of Play-Dough... it has a delightfully old-timey room note and an aroma that the pipe smoker himself can enjoy as much as the smooth burley flavor. It never bites, smokes cool, and is the very definition of consistent from bowl to bowl and tub to tub. I go through a 12oz can every month and those aged virginias and complex englishes sit idly in my cellar while I keep cracking open tubs of Velvet. I can't say how much I love this stuff. It rings every bell for me and I find that I deeply enjoy it more and more with every bowl. I guess some of the best things in life don't need to be complicated... or expensive... or hard to find. Read Less
Campfire marshmallows
November 18, 2019
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
I am a middle of the road smoker, favouring light to medium English blends and modest aromatics. This is one of the latter.
It is definitely not pretentious, but it is not really like Captain Black -- a blue collar blend that will work for you in m... Read More
ost conditions and in most pipes. I would classify this more in the style of Edward G. Robinson's blend: it has to be treated gently. It seems to like narrow-medium bowls and a looser pack (I use the codger-fill method). It can burn hot if "puffed" and the heat turns the flavour stale.
But let me tell you, if packed right and sipped, this blend will bring back all the flavours and smells of a campfire marshmallow roast. The play-doh smell in the pouch is, I think, due to the pouch more than the tobacco, which smells like brown sugar.
The tobacco burns evenly and with few relights required if packed properly. The flavour remains consistent throughout the bowl as well.
This is not the best aromatic I have had, but it is sure to become a fast favourite of mine now that I have learned how it likes to be treated. I recommend it to all aromatic smokers and even to English smokers who are looking for a change of pace.
Cheers! Read Less
Codger Favorite
April 25, 2019
Product: Velvet Velvet 12oz
Another good codger blend. Sweet smelling of the tin. Nothing but compliments from everybody around the smoke.
Its a hit or miss...
June 26, 2018
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
And its definitely a hit for me! This is a great daily smoke. Its been around for quite some time and you either like it or you don't. For the price, its worth a try.
All time favorite
November 16, 2018
Product: Velvet Velvet 12oz
As much as I love TK6, Bob's Chocolate Flake, and my remaining stash of Friends, Velvet remains my all time favorite blend. It's as smooth as the name suggests, flavorful, unpretentious, and has a terrific room note. I have more Velvet in my cellar t... Read More
han anything else and will continue stocking up in case, god forbid, they stop selling it! Read Less
Smoking jackets not required.
April 23, 2021
Product: Velvet Velvet 12oz
When I started smoking Velvet pipe tobacco, I had explored every type of blend except Burley. On rare occasions when I had tried Burley blends, it had been too harsh, too cigarette-ish, or just plain tasted ...well, unpleasant. It wasn't the Burley o... Read More
f course, it was that my palate was not accustomed to strong Burley. My trauma was caused by starting with the wrong blends. Example: C&D's Haunted Bookshop gets much praise and rightfully so, but it is better suited for experienced smokers than a Burley novice. Velvet is a much safer place to start. It's a soft, gentle sort of smoke, comfortable even. It doesn't take much effort, it's basically a good blend for any season, in any pipe, and at any time of day. The flavors fall somewhere between cocoa and oatmeal for me and I find it to be extremely consistent. The rough cut lends itself to an easy gravity fill making loading a bowl practically fool-proof. It readily takes to flame and doesn't require many relights in my experience. The white billowing smoke produces a pleasant enough room note for mixed company. What makes Velvet so nice is its smooth nature. It won't bite and is never harsh. It's so relaxing, the worst it could do is lull you off to sleep. Your mileage may very, but unless your tastes already run to stouter Burley blends, there's plenty here to be happy with. There's good reason this venerable blend is a classic! It's affordable, it's usually available, and oh, so tasty. With a name like Velvet, visions of high society smoking parlors may come to mind, but I assure you smoking jackets are not required. Enjoy. Read Less
Appreciate It's Longevity
April 09, 2021
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
This is not a bad OTC. It's just not as good as Half and Half in my opinion. The two are very similar in cut and taste, but Velvet is missing the extra anise flavor I love. It also has more of a bite. It's very mild, so I always mix in a little F... Read More
ive Brothers to kick the vitamin N up a notch. Definitely worth a try! Read Less
Play-doh?!
April 08, 2019
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
This is a very low quality tobacco, infused with the essence of play-doh. Tobacco should probably not be infantalizing, but this one seems to be marketed for toddlers. The play-doh notes dissipate halfway through the bowl and you are left with stale... Read More
Prince Albert. Carter Hall is a slightly better OTC than both Velvet or Prince Albert, IMO. But, if you want a quality Burley for a decent price, then perhaps buy some cube-cut Burley from Peter Stokkebye, unless play-doh and stale tobacco floats your boat. Read Less
Mostly Flavor Lacking And Boring, But There Are A Few Nuances To Be Appreciated - If this is the
July 15, 2018
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
[Tin/bag - Wow, overpowering whiskey/bourbon. After several whiffs, I can start to catch a little dark sugar and some sweetness. Soft to the touch, cube cut that does give a sense of Velvet with its fluffiness.]
Mild Burley with slight fruit no... Read More
te here and there and a little sweetness in the aftertaste, almost a vanilla. Very slight tingle on the tongue and once or twice in nose (nothing like a Perique nip). Mostly flavor lacking and boring. A little bit of cigarette in there faintly at the end of retro. Also a little bitterness at the end of exhale, and maybe a little nuttiness from the Burley, but it also seems to have chemicalized twist to it, again very faint. It did get a little better towards end of bowl, but maybe that is me tuning in better to the very slight flavors. Reminiscent of picking up some dried leaves and smoking them, though I have never done that, and there is a little sweetness in there.
I do not like Lane Limited Ready Rubbed much (think cigarette on that), and I rank this one behind it. This sure didn't start the day off with great pleasure. It will be my last pouch I am pretty sure, and it will sit in the mason jar until I die most likely, since I do not throw out tobacco at this point. I will try to appreciate it more in a year or so, I don't expect aging helps any, but I will try it one more time.
Burns fairly cool, even with heavy puffing. Not a moisture builder either, but I didn't finish down to the bottom of the bowl. I pitched it at the last 8th of bowl. ◄2.2/10✠GenerousSkulls► Read Less
Fantastic... Among the Best
January 09, 2023
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
As a newer smoker I am absolutely floored by all aspects of this tobacco. Pouch note, room note, flavor, and easy burn. Absolutely moving into my rotation. What a value!
i love that tobacco
June 22, 2022
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
it smells like play-doh, it tastes funny, it is very smooth, it is extremely satisfying, it is great.
Good value and quality
March 16, 2021
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
Overall I enjoyed smoking this tobacco. I did receive a few complaints roomnote wise however which kind of surprised me. I would probably choose a different tobacco in this range next time but I wouldn’t shy away from this in a pinch.
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
burns hot..
Daily leader
April 18, 2020
Product: Velvet Velvet 12oz
Great daily smoke, I all have to say.
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
A touch damp and remarkably strongly scented. I'll probably get another pouch, but just because that'll be how long it takes to wrap my head around this blend. Mine came a bit damp, but you can always dry aromatics a bit, other way around doesn't usu... Read More
ally work too well. I'll post an update once I work through my next pouch. Read Less
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
I love Prince Albert. I thought that meant I would like Velvet as well.... but... it's not for me. I get bit every bowl and the flavor isn't worth the work.
I don’t get it
May 02, 2020
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
Taste like burley and propyleneglycol. Haunted bookshop has a similar flavor profile sans the glycol and is by far it’s superior. If you’re looking specifically for a Codger blend go for Sir Walter Raleigh.
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
Not for me gives me major tongue bite and the taste to me gas some interesting notes but not enough for me to have again
Time machine?
June 25, 2019
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
I tried giving this 4 stars but for some reason it got stuck on 3.5.
I don't know a single person that's ever been a pipe smoker. No saintly grandfather, no beatnik uncle. I have zero formative memories of pipes or smells. But smoking velvet makes... Read More
me pine for a time that never existed for me. It's pretty great. Smells great, tastes pretty good. Doesn't burn my tongue even though I puff pretty hard. I'm just waiting for a 12 oz tub to be restocked. Read Less
Another General Store offering
June 26, 2018
Product: Velvet Velvet 1.5oz
Granted, I haven't smoked this stuff since it was sold in 1.5 oz. tins decades ago , but I doubt they've changed their recipe since then. On a par with Prince Albert, which isn't saying much.
The miracle is that it's lasted this long. Much bette... Read More
r value is, say, Amphora's Virginia for about the same price. Read Less
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