Jim's Mac Baren Amphora Virginia Review.

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JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,863
554,061
Here's my review of the soon to be released in the USA, Amphora Virginia.
The Virginias provide some earth and citrus, a little wood, toast and dark fruit, a couple spice notes, and a hint of a rough edge, sugar and tea. The taste and mellow sweetness levels are a couple steps closer to mild than they are to medium. The strength is mild. The nic-hit is mild. Won’t bite or get harsh. The tobacco is mostly broken flake, but easy to pack and break apart a little further if you wish. Burns cool and clean at a slightly slow pace with a very consistent, fairly smooth flavor. Leaves very little dampness in the bowl, and requires a few more than an average number of relights due to the cut of the tobacco. Will burn to ash. Has a pleasant, short lived after taste. A rather easy going all day smoke with a very slight smoky, tangy quality. Three and a half stars out of four.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Thanks jiminks. This sounds like a good presentation of Virginia, fairly complex though mild. This will be sold as a pouch tobacco I surmise?

 
Apr 2, 2018
3,113
35,210
Idong,South Korea.
Thanks for the news.I like thier original mixture,and will be looking out for this.The full aroma is not bad either if you want to rotate to an aromatic for a change.Hey,I’ve clawed my way up to junior member!

 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,863
554,061
MSO: it'll be sold in pouches like the other Amphora blends.

 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,863
554,061
Cortez: it has some of the same family notes as Virginia #1, but it's less spicy, a tad less sweeter, and will not bite even if pushed. It was designed to be an all day, pleasant smoking experience.

 

jfred

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 30, 2018
118
6
Thanks for this interesting review.

This was the very first tobacco I smoked in my very first pipe a couple of months back. I'm fortunate to have an excellent B&M nearby here in Copenhagen and this was recommended to me as a good place to start. I've tried several different blends since, but this is still one of my favorites and a very pleasant smoke.

 

hsnzz

Might Stick Around
May 11, 2018
73
364
chicagopipeclub.com
Jim, I got to try this at the Chicago 2018 pipeshow. I absolutely love this stuff. A lovely smoke with plenty of character. Hints of sweetness and notes of chocolate for me. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a smoke as good as this before - at least for my tastes and palette. I’m eagerly waiting for this to hit the market! Thanks for your review!

 

hsnzz

Might Stick Around
May 11, 2018
73
364
chicagopipeclub.com
I just bought a pouch of Amphora Virginia from Iwan Ries in Chicago. They don’t have it’s listed on their website but you can buy it in store. They haven’t listed it on the website due to limited stock. The price is below $8 and unfortunately it has a pretty big ugly warning label. No matter - the tobacco is delicious!
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Happy smokes!

 

londonmake

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 11, 2016
138
11
After reading this thread i had to try some and now have 2 pouches from SP.
MacBaren has created a broken flake that is just lovely and is a pleasure to smoke. It approaches that high level that the older tobacco blenders [G&H, SG) are so good at---the time-honored method of hot pressing to marry the flavors. Slow sipping brings out a delicate subtle range of flavors. It also has a great room note to boot.

Step up to some really fine tobacco.

 
May 3, 2010
6,423
1,461
Las Vegas, NV
I'm most of the way through a pouch of it. Very good VA for the price. Nice grassy/hay notes that are accompanied by the stewed fruit notes. To me the nic hit is on the stronger side of mild. I've noticed the blend tends to burn for a long time at least for me personally. A bowl that a ribbon would normally last 45mins to an hour ends up going about 90mins to two hours. As stated, it's a very good VA blend. Definitely recommend picking up a pouch or two.

 
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