I’m working through a tin of Mac B Virgina Flake I jarred up 6 or 7 years ago, and it’s been a good reminder to me how first impressions of a blend are sometimes way off (and/or damn aging makes a huge difference!)
My first impressions of the tin when fresh was that it was very mild, kinda boring, but not bad. After ten or so bowls in the last month after opening the jar I am pleasantly surprised. While still a mild flake, there’s a persistent spicy bite to it that is really pleasant. There’s the typical MacB amorphous sweet casing that tastes like honey to me in this blend. The best way I can describe is like Darjeeling tea with a touch of honey. But like an actual spoonful of honey (or good olive oil for that matter) there’s a nice peppery bite at the back of the throat and in the retrohale that keeps this mild flake interesting. No bite at all, and the bright Virginia zestiness that was there when fresh is almost completely smoothed out. This will never be in the regular rotation for me, but I did buy a few tins to put away and find again several years from now.
My first impressions of the tin when fresh was that it was very mild, kinda boring, but not bad. After ten or so bowls in the last month after opening the jar I am pleasantly surprised. While still a mild flake, there’s a persistent spicy bite to it that is really pleasant. There’s the typical MacB amorphous sweet casing that tastes like honey to me in this blend. The best way I can describe is like Darjeeling tea with a touch of honey. But like an actual spoonful of honey (or good olive oil for that matter) there’s a nice peppery bite at the back of the throat and in the retrohale that keeps this mild flake interesting. No bite at all, and the bright Virginia zestiness that was there when fresh is almost completely smoothed out. This will never be in the regular rotation for me, but I did buy a few tins to put away and find again several years from now.
