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Mac Baren: Blessing And Bane

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markus

markus

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 18, 2014
770
489
Bloomfield, IN
I have found that I love St. Bruno and I am grateful to have it's availability here in the US. Unfortunately it is being imported by Mac Baren and I loathe paying their prices for it (Damn you Mac Baren for your price gouging) $16.15 for 1.75 oz. pouch of the ready rubbed. I realize that they are actually importing it from the UK, so the price is going to be a little more, but I'm a tight wad and trying to keep TAD under control and I think that it's just a bit excessive.

Question: Can anyone recommend a less pricey alternative? Maybe even something offered in bulk?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

 

markus

markus

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 18, 2014
770
489
Bloomfield, IN
Vacation to the UK. St Bruno is $8 a pouch at Heathrow.
Click to expand...
Ha! I wish I could. I do have a buddy that goes to the UK occasionally for work and he has already agreed to bring me home some Condor and Mick McQuaid Plug. I would hate to abuse his generosity by asking him to add St Bruno to his list.

 
leacha

leacha

Part of the Furniture Now
Jun 19, 2013
939
8
Colorado
While I can not answer your question, I applaud your request seeking out alternatives.
We in the US have been paying lower prices, at least compared to our brothers across the pond and over the boarder, on tobacco for years. The writing is on the wall that sooner or later it will end. Which confounds me on why MB conducted the price hike. Once taxes and other fees get added, MB will need to lower prices to stay competitive or just disappear from this market.

 
markus

markus

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 18, 2014
770
489
Bloomfield, IN
I completely agree, I continually hear or read about other people looking for MB alternative tobacco blends. There are so many good blends that are more affordable, now more than ever, there is no reason to pay extra. As much as I enjoy St. Bruno, I'm not above trying other blends of the same genre, to find an alternative tobacco that I may actually like better than St. Bruno. Who knows, I may find my new grail blend. The point is, I wouldn't even be looking if it wasn't for MB's higher prices.

 
L

lawmax3

Can't Leave
Jan 18, 2013
405
12
Have not ordered any Macbaren tobaccos since the price hike and won't be.

Have not tried St Bruno as a result. Too many great tobaccos that are reasonably priced.

Macbaren, I don't like being price gouged.

 
L

lawmax3

Can't Leave
Jan 18, 2013
405
12
Have not ordered any Macbaren tobaccos since the price hike and won't be.

Have not tried St Bruno as a result. Too many great tobaccos that are reasonably priced.

Macbaren, I don't like being price gouged.

 
beezer

beezer

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 12, 2013
618
743
Prior to the MacBaren price increase last year I thought their 1.75 and 3.5 oz tins offered the best value out there. Then when you factored in the numerous sales that came around each year it was a real steal in my opinion. As a result I have more MacBaren blends in my cellar than anything else almost. I'm about to polish off a 3.5 oz tin of Burley London Blend and one of HH Latakia Flake. I really enjoyed both.
Now since the MacBaren price explosion, I have admittedly not even been tempted to pull the trigger on any of their blends. I just feel there are now other blends out there that offer a better value.
If I were in the hunt for some MacBaren blends I would definitely go the 16 oz bag/box route, as that provides a much much better deal than buying singles of tins, etc.
YMMV.

 
markus

markus

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 18, 2014
770
489
Bloomfield, IN
I just ordered 2 oz. of ODF, a tin of War Horse, 2 tins of SG Cabbies Mixture and 2 oz. of Newminster #403 Round Slices. The last two were just because I like 3 Nuns so well (another overpriced Mac Baren blend). Who knows, maybe I will enjoy one of these just as much as St. Bruno and 3 Nuns.

 
newbroom

newbroom

Lifer
Jul 11, 2014
6,133
6,846
Florida
I've enjoyed the Newminster 403 for awhile and it does have some punch and a little bit of a crisp edge that would benefit from the addition of a dash of blending perique.

 
markus

markus

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 18, 2014
770
489
Bloomfield, IN
Newbroom, glad to hear you like it, I had read mixed reviews on it.

I may try a sprinkle of perique, it does sound tasty.

 
hawky454

hawky454

Lifer
Feb 11, 2016
5,338
10,221
Austin, TX
Your love of 3 Nuns makes me want to open my tin of it. Up until now, all I've heard is bad reviews of the stuff. I love St Bruno too, so you've got my attention. What is it about 3 Nuns that makes it so enjoyable to you? Does it have a topping?

 
coda

coda

Lurker
Jan 25, 2015
29
0
I am in the same boat. St. Bruno and Three Nuns are my two favorite blends. If I could, I would smoke them 100% of the time. However, their prices make that impossible. I have looked for alternatives, and have yet to find one that is close enough. I have tried the Newminster blend, and found it decent, but not quite there. C&D's Three Friars is another that is a little close, but still misses the mark. I am currently in the process of blending Three Friars with some DFK leaf, to see if I can get closer to Three Nuns. As for St. Bruno...I just have to bite the bullet, and smoke it sparingly...

 
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