Just Opened A 19 Year Old Tin of Mac Baren Symphony. Pictures

scloyd

Lifer

May 23, 2018

5,953

12,087

• Oct 5, 2018

• #1

I bought this tin four months ago on ebay for $15.50. Is it actually 19 years old? ...who knows? It's not dated. There are signs that there is some age to the tin. I've never had Symphony before and I thought...why not? I decided to open today because it has a few rust spots on the bottom and I want to put it in a jar. I have a question after the pictures.

Question - Some of the flakes/chunks are 2" long. What do I do with it to prepare it for my pipe? Do I tear it apart into smaller pieces? Do I roll it (the tobacco) around in the palms of my hands? This is my first Ready Rubbed and I need some guidance. Thanks.

 

bnichols23

Lifer

Mar 13, 2018

4,131

9,554

SC Piedmont

• Oct 5, 2018

• #2

Yup, roll it some more. "Ready rubbed" has [ahem] a broad range of interpretation in some quarters.

 

cosmicfolklore

Lifer

Aug 9, 2013

33,999

75,766

Between the Heart of Alabama and Hot Springs NC

• Oct 5, 2018

• #3

I'm just here for the pictures. Beautiful stuff. Let us know how it tastes. I've never had Symphony.

 

pipesmokingtom

Lifer

May 4, 2015

3,210

16

• Oct 5, 2018

• #4

I THINK the Swisher import label does indicate the date range noted is correct. I have a tin of Va. #1 with a similar import sticker from around the same time.
EDIT: Re: the "ready rubbed," that's a pretty standard level of "rubbing" for Mac Baren ready rubbed. It's not rubbed enough for me. I actually put it on a cutting board and cube cut it the best I can to gravity fill.

 

cigrmaster

Lifer

May 26, 2012

20,249

57,280

66

Sarasota Florida

• Oct 5, 2018

• #5

Nice looking tobacco. I would just stuff my pipe with the big chunks and smoke away.

 

scloyd

Lifer

May 23, 2018

5,953

12,087

• Oct 5, 2018

• #6

I'm smoking a bowl right now as I'm reading the comments. So far so good. I can taste a bit of sweet, a bit spice and occasionally a citrus taste. My tastes aren't that refined to taste anything else. I am enjoying it though.

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate

Nov 12, 2014

43,447

109,367

• Oct 5, 2018

• #7

I've loved that one for a long time now. So much that it's all I smoke in this little guy.

 

pipesmokingtom

Lifer

May 4, 2015

3,210

16

• Oct 5, 2018

• #8

Awww, symphony in a pipe with the treble clef emblem!
That's awful whimsical for a grouch like you, Duane! :nana:

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate

Nov 12, 2014

43,447

109,367

• Oct 5, 2018

• #9

Awww, symphony in a pipe with the treble clef emblem!

That's awful whimsical for a grouch like you, Duane! :nana:

Click to expand...

Sadly that's exactly why I chose the pairing...........get off my lawn! :rofl:

 

scloyd

Lifer

May 23, 2018

5,953

12,087

• Oct 5, 2018

• #10

I've loved that one for a long time now. So much that it's all I smoke in this little guy.

Click to expand...

That's a nice looking pipe. You probably have had some aged Symphony before...but if not and you want to try some of this, PM and I'll send you some.

 

mso489

Lifer

Feb 21, 2013

41,210

60,459

• Oct 5, 2018

• #11

If you can get the big pieces to burn, and apparently many do, I'd start with a bowl of that. If it doesn't work for you, rubbing it out to break up the pieces would be the next step, or a worthy effort for a future bowl. I'd be tempted to run it through a little hand grater I have, to break it into fairly uniform size, or at least uniformly smaller, which seems to get the most time and flavor for me. But many go with the stuff and smoke method, and enjoy it mightily. Whatever makes it burn evenly and steadily and ups the flavor for you. I'd be inclined to keep this in frequent rotation. Long-aged blends can lose flavor, not always, but some do. I've had that experience.

 

scloyd

Lifer

May 23, 2018

5,953

12,087

• Oct 5, 2018

• #12

If you can get the big pieces to burn, and apparently many do, I'd start with a bowl of that.

Click to expand...

many go with the stuff and smoke method,

Click to expand...

That's what I'll do on the next bowl. My first bowl I rubbed it out.
Thanks everyone for the tips.

 

P

pipebuddy

Guest

• Oct 5, 2018

• #13

The tin art makes it correct at 19-20 yo.

I sure like Symphony and all this makes me want to open a tin. :lol:

 

sparroa

Lifer

Dec 8, 2010

1,466

4

• Oct 5, 2018

• #14

I have some empty MacBaren tins of that approximate style, I was wondering the age range. Thanks!

 

saltedplug

Lifer

Aug 20, 2013

5,194

5,101

• Oct 5, 2018

• #15

I've always found Mac Baren tins attractive, and way back and long ago when I shopped at JR, I bought a 100g tin of Symphony and tried to enjoy but didn't. Gave the tin away.

 

pepesdad1

Lifer

Feb 28, 2013

1,023

675

• Oct 5, 2018

• #16

Just finished a bowl of Symphony from 2013. Looks just like your tobacco...had to rub out the semi-flakes better and then it was fit to smoke.