Mac Baren HH Highland

starcat · Jan 3, 2014

I am giving this one good marks.....

The Kick is good, just when a person need such things..... it has some strength but not over the top, but there nontheless

Its provides True tobacco flavour, whatever that might be, but its there as well

There are subtleties that exist, so its not one dimensional. a real plus......

Its advised
SC

rickpal14 · Jan 3, 2014

...... And unfortunately it has been discontinued by Mac Baren. 8O

peter70 · Jan 4, 2014

It was my understanding, that the HH blends always were meant to be a kind of limited edition, as the tobaccos used are from purchases decades ago, and when they're gone, the blend is gone, too. If a particular HH blends strikes your fancy, you should cellar a life time supply.

rmbittner · Jan 4, 2014

All the online retailers I checked are still showing stock, though, so it's not like it's suddenly disappeared.
Peter70 wrote: "If a particular HH blend strikes your fancy, you should cellar a life time supply."
I'd remove the "HH" qualifier from that sentence and apply its advice to every tobacco blend. There are no guarantees that any blend is still going to be in production down the road.
Bob

rigmedic1 · Jan 4, 2014

Damn. I have a two year old tin of this stuff that needs sampling. Guess I better get on it!

gray4lines · Jan 4, 2014

I will pick one of these up! Just tried the mature Virginia and love it! Will be buying multiple lb bags of it.

saltedplug · Jan 14, 2014

I bought some aged VA #1 at a local pipe show last year. Bit very hard from the start. Sold it for a loss.

swampmouth · Jan 14, 2014

I never heard anything about discontinuing Ole Swampy. I had this years ago in a fancy rectangular box. I don't think it was the same as now. I like it better now. Maybe it'll change again like rollcake. I hope not. I can't imagine an improvement.

tank · Jan 19, 2014

If they have discontinued this, I'm going to be highly irritated. I have been searching for a main stream tobacco for years now and just when I thought I had found it, it gets discontinued...

swampmouth · Jan 20, 2014

The tin odor is heaven enough. Reminds me of the socks I used to dry muskrats with. Maybe that inexpensive single malt from Skye.

ravkesef · Jan 20, 2014

There is no inexpensive single malt from Skye. Talisker advertises that it is the only scotch whiskey produced on the Isle of Skye, and it isn't cheap. It sure is delicious, though.

swampmouth · Jan 21, 2014

There was. It was extremely peaty. I knew a store that had a host of cheap singles. I'm talking $20 for a fifth. Most people wouldn't have liked it. Maybe it was a bad batch. This was also 10-15 years ago. Anyhoo, I could be wrong, Highland brings back alot of good memories regardless. Lots of good swamper times. I won't touch scotch anymore, Highland carries a similar taste and aroma.

starcat · Feb 10, 2014

Hmmm after repeated smoking this one is falling out of favor......

Seems to have a character that attacks the tongue without provocation.

Also the cut is real long and rough.

So not yet have I found a Mac Baren blend that I really can stay with, although I am wanting to revisit HH Acadian Perique.

The one notable thing about their product seems to be a good amount of tobacco for the dollar.

Seems if I am smoking from a stock of say 10 different tins, that one never seems to run down even when hit every day.

rmbittner · Feb 11, 2014

junkyarddawg:
I think you've really nailed it. So many pipe smokers have this stereotypical perception of MacBaren blends and the notorious "MacBaren bite." But the fact is that MacBaren produces some of the best-selling blends in the world -- including the best-selling blend. Is it because all of these smokers are just ignorant? I don't think so. I think many MacBaren blends require an approach that isn't going to come naturally to new pipe smokers. As a result, those smokers end up with tongue bite and unsatisfactory smokes. Once you've gained some experience in the pipe -- meaning you understand what's happening in the bowl and in your mouth to the extent where you can adjust your packing and puffing and perceptions to properly approach a blend on its own terms -- then I think some of these blends really shine.
Bob

starcat · Feb 14, 2014

I did not say anything about " bite."

This effect is something else, and there has been some discussion on the forum by some few other members although it is not well defined.

As thus what is being described is somwhat abstract if not esoteric in nature.

I had a pipe in my mouth 45 years ago.

billypm · Feb 14, 2014

Mac Baren blends bite some quite experienced and skilled smokers. I tend to hold body chemistry accountable, not technique.

petes03 · Feb 14, 2014

Mac Baren tobaccos make up a large portion of my rotation/cellar, I've yet to find a blend by them that I didn't like or love. But they do require some experience to smoke. If you don't sip them, they'll get you, but a Mac B smoked properly is heaven!

As for HH Highland, I actually find it to be a little more forgiving than some of their blends. That being said, I'd say the most forgiving Mac Bs I've tried is HH Vintage Syrian and Mixture Flake.

saltedplug · Feb 18, 2014

The only MB blend I can smoke, as regards bite, is Old Dark Fired.
Also, I had this mistaken notion in mind that once a blend is released, it stays released forever, whatever the sales. But just not true, I guess, given the fate of HH Highland.

metalheadycigarguy · Feb 21, 2014

I really like this blend. Its a very nice smoke. Its gonna suck if they actually discontinue this blend. I've also heard that Mac Baren is discontinuing HH Mature Virginia. That would be a shame too. That's a good Virginia blend.

cosmicfolklore · Feb 21, 2014

+1 billypm, everything I've read and experienced for myself has leaned towards the acidity of a blend and body chemistry as opposed to the temperature, although temperature also increases the effect of acids. This is why many processes in chemistry heats the acids used.
That said, I've enjoyed all of the Mac Barren blends that I've tried, but if I smoked them in a narrow chamber, they bite like a mouth-full of rattlesnakes. But, if I smoke them in a larger diameter bowl, delicious.

Mac Baren HH Highland

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