East India Trading Company's Royal Challenge will treat you to a cool-smoking experience with the flavor and aroma of spiced rum. This blend of fine American tobaccos - including a black Cavendish that is first fire-cured and then steamed - has been aged with a combination of rum with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.
It's my first time trying pipe tobacco and each one of these samples has been fantastic very pleased with the complex and decadent Aromas.
5 out of 5
Very good smoke
Jun 04, 2023
Very good smoke
5 out of 5
Rum is good!
Jan 21, 2023
Delicious, sweet and easy burning. Tastes as good as it smells.
4 out of 5
it is ok
Apr 22, 2022
it is ok
5 out of 5
Great all day smoke!
Apr 10, 2022
Have been smoking all three from East India Trading for some time now. I like them all for different reasons. However, I have settled into Royal Challenge as my favorite. It's an all day smoke. It has just enough sweetness without over doing it. I like the blend of tobacco's that make this a very smooth, never hot and never bite flavorful smoke. Room note is pleasant as well. I get many compliments from people while enjoying a pipe full. When I want Just sweet, I choose Officer's Club. When I'm in the mood for a touch of fabulous Perique, then I definitely reach for the Cellar Reserve.
4 out of 5
Really, really wet, but good.
Mar 26, 2022
I'm taking the challenge now. The room note is pleasant and the smoke is smooth. I didn't give it 5 stars, because it was so wet. (See picture) You will have to let this one sit a while. But I did enjoy.
5 out of 5
An absolute favorite, and top
Nov 30, 2021
An absolute favorite, and top three for me. Has a wonderful aroma with hints of coconut, vanilla, rum and some other wonderful spice. Gives a nice thick smoke when it takes a nice cherry. Shipped out very well. A definite in my Cellar and rotation.
5 out of 5
Challenge Accepted
Jul 07, 2021
“Royal Challenge” is a personal favorite, equally matched with “Officer’s Club”; my keeping a tin of each on hand eliminates any frustration of having one and later craving but not having the other. Its warm rum aroma with hints of comforting cinnamon, combined with a sweet, yet balanced flavor makes it a constant staple in my aro rotation. Add to these highlighted attributes a pleasantly pleasing room note and desire is achieved. Do dry it down a bit first, as it does come quite moist.
4 out of 5
Sweet and mellow. Room note
Jun 26, 2021
Sweet and mellow. Room note it pleasant. It is similar to Green River vanilla. I like this blend. I'm smoking some now with my morning tea.
5 out of 5
Awesome Aromatic
May 18, 2021
Very smooth smoke. Very similar to Officer's Cut. Reminds me of the smell of chocolate when you open it. Women of the house go a little crazy when I light up. They love the smell.
5 out of 5
👍
May 13, 2021
👍
5 out of 5
Smoking History
May 02, 2021
EIT has a good aroma, and a nice, but bold taste, with no harshness, and doesn't bite. Pairs nicely with a single malt scotch. It's like smoking history.
4 out of 5
Great taste and aroma! Easy
Apr 25, 2021
Great taste and aroma! Easy to use and store in cans.
5 out of 5
Great stuff. been smoking it
Mar 03, 2021
Great stuff. been smoking it for 6 years now
4 out of 5
👍
Sep 18, 2020
👍
5 out of 5
HUSBAND'S FAVORITE
Jun 27, 2020
I got my husband 3 tins of this tobacco for Father's Day, it's his East India Trading Company are his favorite tobacco's!
5 out of 5
Smooth and flavorful
Jun 09, 2020
A real smooth and spicy flavorful draw. Wasn’t too hot or wet at all. Now my favorite.
5 out of 5
Delicious stuff
Jan 11, 2020
Royal Challenge was warm, not-too-sweet, with a hint of spice and a delicious flavor. Stayed lit easily, and perfectly complemented my morning cup of coffee. Will buy again - actually have bought again, and impatiently waiting for the post office to do its job!
4 out of 5
Royal Challenge
Nov 15, 2019
Cool easy smoke.
Slightly wet.
No tongue bite.
Could smoke it all day long.
Pleasant mild flavor.
4 out of 5
Smooth
Nov 12, 2019
Great room notes (my wife commented very favorably) and no bite; now that I am a senior citizen this is virtually a must. Royal provides both. That doesn’t imply it is bland, which is definitely not the case. Royal is delightfully full and tasty. I plan to slip it into my tobacco “rotation” in coming months.
5 out of 5
One of my favorites.
Oct 20, 2019
Everything about it is just right. Taste, aroma, smokes not too wet, not too hot.
4 out of 5
Very pleasant
Sep 29, 2019
Very pleasant smoke. Just wish it came in quantities other than a tin.
5 out of 5
Royal Challenge
Mar 07, 2019
I just opened one of my tins after letting them sit for over a few months. Fabulous Aroma. Smooth and clean smoke. I didn't have any tongue bite. Fantastic blend sweet aroma.
5 out of 5
excelant smoke
Jan 01, 2019
excelant smoke
5 out of 5
Wonderful tobacco
Dec 26, 2018
I have tryed 2 different tins from E.I.T.C. Officer's club and royal challenge. I have enjoyed them both and will keep them in stock now. They are moist when you first open the tin but still smoke well. I really like the taste and aromas of both and so does my wife. She will even let me have a pipe of either in our home.
4 out of 5
Relaxing Smoke
Oct 04, 2018
Very nice and relaxing smoke. Nothing too intense here. I love the hints of nutmeg and spice. A good bit of rum flavoring. This is sure to send you to the Caribbean. Very enjoyable.
5 out of 5
Old Fashioned Quality
Aug 27, 2018
Surprising tin note, wonderful and mild aromatic with hint of rum.
5 out of 5
East India Trading Company Royal Challenge.
Jun 25, 2018
Very nice blend, great taste, and nice room note, my personal choice is the Officers Club blend, but Royal Challenge is a close second.
5 out of 5
Delicious
Jun 07, 2018
Delicious
4 out of 5
Challenge accepted!
May 31, 2018
I first decided to try Royal Challenge after having Sutliff's Sunset Rum in my top three for over a decade. The blend profile and flavor profile seemed similar enough, but would it satisfy? Yes. Yes, it did. This may seem a bit moist fresh from the tin, but many aromatic blends do. It simply needed a little drying time so I left the tin open for a day or so. After which I was treated to a delicious smoke. It's a nice ribbon cut and loads effortlessly. Easily lit, it didn't require many re-lights. As I recall, I enjoyed smoking this from a small apple or prince pipe. The flavor is pleasant with hints of sweet rum, not a lot, but well balanced and still allowing the natural tobacco taste to come through. The Burley here is mild (probably White Burley) but the Virginia really shines, giving this blend a super sweet natural taste that partners well with the rum. Normally I'm not a fan of smoking through dottle, but this blend easily smoked to the bottom without any issue. I never got so much as a hint of cinnamon, but the nutmeg nuttiness came through in glimpses that added a little something. Over all, the natural VA, the rum, and the Black Cavendish make this a very sweet blend. Fans of liquor aromatics or possibly even Navy Flake fans looking for something lighter would find joy here, just give it time and it'll do you fine.
5 out of 5
Definitely a keeper!
Apr 25, 2018
Just opened my first tin of this tobacco, and I absolutely love it! Most definitely will be buying more of this, and looking forward to trying the other two tobaccos they offer!
5 out of 5
I LIKE IT
Jan 30, 2018
After a 50 year hiatus, I resumed my pipe smoking a year ago.
I don’t have the kind of pallet that easily distinguishes the subtle nuances of flavor in tobacco. But what I do experience here is something mildly sweet with other pleasant mellow interesting tastes in the background. I have sampled many different tobaccos over the past year and this one is a keeper.
And, my wife likes the aroma. A happy wife is a happy life.
5 out of 5
A perfect aro.
Jan 28, 2018
This is a perfect aromatic. It looks like the only reason people leave poor reviews is when its in comparison to the other East India's (which I have not had); however, when viewed as an aromatic up against aro's in general, this is a perfect smoke. It tastes sweet, smells sweet, and has no bite.
5 out of 5
Easy, cool smoker
Dec 09, 2017
Light, easy, cool smoker that burns well
5 out of 5
Great Taste
Oct 15, 2017
One of my favorites so far. Very distinct taste of spiced rum, and the room note is similarly pleasant. No bite.
5 out of 5
Excellent
Sep 25, 2017
Packs well, burns even, great taste with no bite. I've tried all 3 East Indian Trading Co. Pipe tobacco and on my 2nd order. I've tried many different packaged brands and custom mixes, and EITC is my favorite so far.
5 out of 5
great products
Sep 22, 2017
great products
5 out of 5
New fan of rum
Jul 15, 2017
Good and refreshing aromatic. I love the rum note with fruity undertones. Burns evenly for a full smoke.
5 out of 5
Royal Challenge
May 20, 2017
Another fine offering form East India Trading Co. This is easily the mildest of the EIT pipe tobaccos. No bite, good flavor, smokes well (even right out of a fresh tin). Don't be put off by the moisture in the tin when you first open it. All the EIT tins seem to be this way. This still packs well and smokes cool. This is a good relaxing smoke. For me, the flavor lends itself to a fall evening, when the air is starting to get a crisp chill. Excellent choice for a fireside smoke.
3 out of 5
I give it a 3.2
Feb 24, 2017
It's alright. When you first light it up it's good. Nice flavor not much bite, but you have to keep relighting it. I like being able to exhale the smoke it makes me feel like I got a good puff but this tobacco doesn't do that. Very little smoke. Good flavor but I'll prefer half and half over the royal challenge. 3.2 as far as a rating.
5 out of 5
DJ
Feb 22, 2017
Normally don't smoke aromatics but when I do this blend is the best! I was very impressed and plan on buying more tins for those times when aromatics are what you want.
3 out of 5
Weakest of the three blends
Jan 08, 2017
Of the three aromatic blends from East India this to me is the weakest in flavor. It is a good smoke but if your looking for a lot of flavor go to Officers Club.
4 out of 5
Seasons Greetings
Nov 12, 2016
I really like this blend, the light hint of cinnamon spice taste reminds me of the Holidays we are now approaching. The Holidays are my favorite time of year. This blend has plenty of flavor and smokes nice and cool as well. I will definitely be a return customer.
5 out of 5
Iloved it,went thru that stuff
Sep 02, 2016
Iloved it,went thru that stuff in no time.Have more on order.
4 out of 5
good smoke
Aug 30, 2016
Great smoke no bite,medium strength, outstanding flavor.
Not cloying, no goop.
5 out of 5
Great Sale
Aug 29, 2016
Love East India Trading tobaccos, good to have them on sale.
4 out of 5
Cool smoke.
Jul 16, 2016
Cool. Nice room note.
5 out of 5
Better than expected, solid 4.5
Jul 07, 2016
Got a tin by accident. It seemed wet and I wasn't expecting much. It's actually pretty good. Sort of a spicy rum flavor that's very conducive to slow smoking. Holds it flavor to the bottom of the bowl, very smooth and stays lit...even when smoked from a freshly opened tin. Room note seemed rather 'old timey'. Might get more of this..
4 out of 5
This tobacco is great!
Jun 15, 2016
Tobacco has a nice overall flavor that is smooth which I find really nice with that first cup of coffee in the morning.
5 out of 5
A good smoke in he evening.
Mar 07, 2016
I gave this tobacco five stars because it really tastes great. It has rated my buying more. It has a more spiciness than Officers Club and I rate it as a great after dinner smoke.
5 out of 5
Yummy!
Jan 13, 2016
Bold and Spicy Rum Flavor. Great taste to add to the collection.
1 out of 5
Royal Challenge missed the challenge.
Jan 13, 2016
Royal Challenge; some questions comes to mind. How do you classify a tobacco that is still slightly wet after sitting for 45 minutes on a plate? How do I classify the taste, note and aftertaste of this tobacco? Okay, it did dry out after the first couple of minutes smoking it. I did not like the taste. It reminded me of the fruitcake that my great aunt used to try to serve on Christmas day, over stoked with rum. I took around an hour to smoke the pipe; what I ended up with was a stale aftertaste, slightly metallic. The impression I got from the base was that the Virginias had been mistreated. It took a piece of dark chocolate to clear my palate. To do a further test of the tobacco, I am going to cellar it for a while (maybe 6 months).
5 out of 5
Damn Good Stuff
Dec 17, 2015
Excellent pipe tobaccos it packs well and really has good tobacco flavor, not too hot, little to No bite. You can taste the rum. I started smoking a pipe in 1964 and I can make out Run and Whiskey flavors, but when it comes to flavors like Caramel, Nutmeg or Cinnamon can’t pick them out, but it does have a nice little sweetness to. My wife says it has a strong smell and that I have to smoke it in the office or outside. I have smoked all of the East India Trading Company Blends and find them to be very good. A lot of people like Officers Club, but for me it’s a little too sweet “keep it on hand for when my brother comes to visit.” All said and done, Royal Challenge is more to my taste. Get you some East India Trading Company Blends and enjoy!!!
3 out of 5
Royal Challenge First Try:
Jul 03, 2015
I tend to smoke a little hot and this tobacco was no exception. As a result, it had a bit of bite. The flavor was OK, but not remarkable. However, it was good enough that I will give it a couple more tries before I give up on it.
Customer Testimonials
Not an aromatic smoker, but received this in the monthly sample box.
Tin note is quite nice, aroma of spices, vanilla and caramel. (Note: for whatever reason, all aromatics on my palate have hints of vanilla and caramel - I'm sure it's the Cavendish.)
Cut is quite lovely. Takes a light well and resists over-heating. It does, like pretty much every topped tobacco I have ever smoked, get a tad moist during the smoke, but very manageable and not problematic. It's fairly moist in the tin, not overly so and it does smoke dryer than I expected it to. Smokes to a nice fine ash with only a small dottle left. Some real tobacco flavor does manage to come through with this blend. Hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla(ish) and creamy. Little to no discernable bite, which is unusual for me - aromatics tend to bite the dickens out of me.
Not a bad smoke at all. As I said, I don't do aromatics. I wouldn't order this, but I will finish the tin, and I'm going to try the other two EIT blend. Nicely done aromatic for certain. I think this blend would probably be most enjoyable during the cooler months.
TS of Tulsa, OK
I tried this blend because I favor the Navy style with hints of rum though aromatics aren't my go-to smoke.
I like this blend a lot. It smokes exactly as described. The cinnamon is interesting and pleasant.
The only problem is it's 95 degrees out and I can't get "Jingle Bell Rock" out of my head. I have been looking for a Christmas Holiday type blend and I believe I've found it. This will get a good workout come fall when I'm in front of the fireplace and a glass of Ardmore is on my side table.
MB of Watkinsville, GA
This tobacco is a good mix of flavor and aroma, without being too overwhelming on the palate. The rum gives the tobacco an extra bit of sweetness, and the spices are enough to make it interesting without blasting your tongue. The room note smells a bit like eggnog, and everyone who have smelled it have liked it. This will quickly become a favorite in my rotation of aromatics. I can't wait to try the rest of the EITC line.
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