Mac Baren Navy Flake... Opinions

[phil67]

Yesterday evening while paging through the through the P&C catalog I ran across this MB blend and it’s one that, for some reason or another, I had never noticed before. I looked it up on Tobacco Reviews to get somewhat of a handle on it, albeit I don’t always place that much weight on those reviews. The odd thing is that I don’t recall seeing it mentioned here on the forum, or least not all that much as compared to other blends, but I may have simply passed it by. It looks interesting but I’d like some opinions from those that have it before I pull the trigger on it with my next tobacco order.

 

[derfargin]

Navy Flake was one of my first forays into MacB blends, that along with VA #1, and both bit the $#!7 out of me when I smoked them, especially the latter. However, it turns out that it was operator error, and after more bowls under my belt, I found this one to be tasty one. It's not in my regular rotation of things, but when I do pull a flake out now and again and I'm always glad I do.

 

[griffonwing]

How does Mac Baren Navy Flake compare to Mac Baren 7 Seas Royal? I adore the 7 Royal, and it's in constant rotation. But I have never tried the Navy Flake.

 

[maxpeters]

I have tried it several times, but don't really like it. It has a kind of a molasses aftertaste. I think most all of Mac Baren's blends that I have tried have the same aftertaste

 

[indianafrank]

Phil, I bought Navy Flake by mistake. Stupid me, DUH! I didn't realize it was a flake when I bought it. I didn't wanna a flake because I didn't wanna fool around with the folding and messing with it to pack a pipe. The first time I tried it, I did the fold and insert deal. I couldn't keep the damn thing lit. Honestly, I was so mad I took the tin into my garage. I wanted to beat it with a hammer. More out of frustration of me being so stupid as not realizing Navy Flake, WAS A FLAKE tobacco.
However, after reading on this forum about the rubbing out method, I figured before I took hammer to tin, I'd give the rubbing method a try. WOW, glad I did. That stuff burns great, stays lit, and taste real good.
Now I won't be destroying that tin out of frustration, and I will buy more Navy Flake.

 

[papipeguy]

I happen to like Navy Flake a lot. As with most of the Mac Baren line it needs to be slowly sipped to avoid bite but it is a rewarding smoke if you go slow.

 

[cobguy]

Hey Phil, I think it's a really nice smoke ... smoking a bowl right now in fact!
While sweeter than many of my other VaBur's, it's no Aro.
The tin note is the usual prune / stewed fruit smell you would expect.
There is a semi-sweet topping but it's not strong at all.
Definitely take up Sam for the free one!

 

[wyfbane]

So, when I dove headfirst into pipe smoking 2 years ago, I prowled ebay for aged tobacco to plus up my non-cellar like Thulsa Doom from Conan the Barbarian looking for steel.
During this time I happened accross 5 tins of Mac B Navy Flake with 5 years of aging on them. I snapped them up.
Mac B doesn't mess around. They use GOOD tobacco. That said, GOOD Virginias don't really come into their own until about the 5 year mark. Thus, What arrived on my door from the postman was 5 tins of honey coated YUM.
Still gets a bit bitey, but it is magical happy nom nom nom nomness. So for you all who tried it and didn't love it, Cellar it and you won't be sorry.
If this doens't sway you, PLEASE PM me and Send it my way. I will gladly take it off your hands.
So goooood.
Oh, and Did I mention I love Mac B Navy Flake? :rofl:

 

[mso489]

Mc B's blends haven't snared me. I was given a tin of their Danish Golden that was tasty enough to finish, but

when I tried the Navy Mixture loose tobacco, I couldn't make it work. I mixed it, aged it, and tried it in smaller

pipes, but it bit and was harsh. I could manage it, but I was getting full strength flavor out of other tobaccos

without the bite. I headed out with Lane's, Sutliff, McClelland, C&D, Dunhill, Nat Sherman, and other blenders

and have never been tempted back.

 

[wyfbane]

MSO, I understand. The Mac B stuff definately is distictive and therefore i am sure not for everyone.
I love it though and I also scored some 1979 vintage Scottish mixture during that purge that was pretty amazing as well.

 

[lawmax3]

phil, I think you will enjoy Macb. Navy Flake.

The light honey topping is nice without being too much.

If you like Virginias you will probably like NF.

 

[mrenglish]

Its the only one of their regular line up that does not bite me. Nice flavor but definitely on the mild side. I've had some success blending Perique with it to ramp up the flavor and add some spice.

 

[phil67]

Thanks for the input. Sounds like a decent tobacco but I think I'll skip it and just kick in for an extra tin of Gaslight.

______________________________
indiana wrote:

However, after reading on this forum about the rubbing out method, I figured before I took hammer to tin, I'd give the rubbing method a try.

I gave up on stuff 'n fold a long time ago and now only rub out flakes, or at times cube cut them. Much to frustrating, and more often than not I end up with wasted tobacco that never burns on the walls of the bowl, but that's just my experience with them.
_______________________
@samcoffeeman,
Thanks for the very kind and generous offer. That is what makes this site and it's members so great. :wink:

 

[stephenw]

Navy Flake used to be my go to tobacco. In fact if I found a tin of it at the tobacconist I would jump all over it. It is a good clean tasting tobacco, and when it is well aged, it is a great tobacco. I know that Mark Tinsky used to smoke loads of Navy Flake (I just don't know if he still does.)

 

[warren]

One of my top 10 blends. I always have a tin kicking around the house.

 

[newbroom]

Thanks to cobguy, who sent me three different flakes to try and compare, I can add my 2 cents on McB's Navy Flake.

I loved the only bowl I've tried. I loved how it tasted, how it burned and how it smelled. I dried it on a jar lid for about a half hour or so...one of the best flakes I've tried.

I've been having some trouble with the ODF. I may have to let it dry more? Or, maybe I haven't found the right pipe for it, but, although it does have remarkable flavor, I wasn't able to smoke a full bowl due to moisture. I may have been responsible for that...drooling into my pipe stem as my taste buds came to attention.

The other? Erinmore. I really enjoyed that flake too!. I then dug out some of my PS LNF for a comparison, and found it dependable, but maybe less complex and rather more bland that the three mentioned.

Turns out that I rather enjoy a light sweet topped VaBur flake. McB's NF is like PA on steroids, but, in a good way.

 

[andystewart]

+1 stephenw and warren; Mac Baren Navy Flake is one of my favourite blends. I always have some with me. It's very tasty, easy to handle and burns consistently well. The tin note is to die for and the room note raises positive comment. However - my tastes have moved increasingly away from latakia and towards virginia, so YMMV.
Andy

 

[escioe]

I know that Mark Tinsky used to smoke loads of Navy Flake (I just don't know if he still does.)

He does. My buddy got hooked on Navy Flake from doing some work with Mark a few years ago, and then he tried to get me hooked on it over the summer. I've got a jar of it, apparently a couple of years old before I opened it. It's fine, but to me the topping is too much. I didn't have any problem with bite though.

 

[okiescout]

Good stuff! Generally smoke arros. I like all the Navy flake I have tried. Cellared quite a bit. :D

 

[phil67]

OK... ya got me convinced. I love a sweet tasting Va/Bur on occasion and this just might fill the bill. Nothing ventured... nothing gained and I'll include it on my next order. Again, thanks for the informative input. :wink: