Accidentally Bought the Wrong Blend

[TheWhale13]

I was supposed to buy Mac Baren HH Pure Virginia but managed to buy Mac Baren Virginia Flake instead. According to some forums and tobacco reviews it's pretty bad. So just gonna cellar it to see how it gets.

Do you know what to expect from this blend?

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I was supposed to buy Mac Baren HH Pure Virginia but managed to buy Mac Baren Virginia Flake instead. According to some forums and tobacco reviews it's pretty bad. So just gonna cellar it to see how it gets.

Do you know what to expect from this blend?

I think the Virginia Flake is quite good. Sweeter than HH Pure Virginia to me. Rather simple and somewhat more blend but pleasant.

 

[ofafeather]

I think the Virginia Flake is quite good. Sweeter than HH Pure Virginia to me. Rather simple and somewhat more blend but pleasant.

Same. It is very surprising in a good way. Not overly complex but smokes well and has great flavor with just a hint of topping. Definitely a keeper for me.

 

[jaytex1969]

I took a tin in trade with several years of age on it. If you are a patient man, you will find it "good to the last drop", as they say.

 

[lukasstrifeson]

I wouldn't put too much into those reviews, not only does everyone's taste differ, the same blend often 'changes' over time too, both in terms of batch to batch variance and how they age over time.

(You wouldn't go read reviews of a steak from a farm in 2013 written by some vegetarian, so why would you care about what some dude who really only smoke Va/Pers think about the 2013 GLP Quiet Nights?)

The HH series is definitely a cut above, but Mac Baren doesn't exactly make any "bad" blends.

The Virginia Flake (what you bought) is just a that: a simple virginia flake - probably on the fresher side so less nuanced but again depending on your taste could be great now or in 5 years time it'll probably have a little more character and in 10-years time you'll start to reap the rewards of sugary long-aged virginias.

 

[TheWhale13]

I wouldn't put too much into those reviews, not only does everyone's taste differ, the same blend often 'changes' over time too, both in terms of batch to batch variance and how they age over time.

(You wouldn't go read reviews of a steak from a farm in 2013 written by some vegetarian, so why would you care about what some dude who really only smoke Va/Pers think about the 2013 GLP Quiet Nights?)

The HH series is definitely a cut above, but Mac Baren doesn't exactly make any "bad" blends.

The Virginia Flake (what you bought) is just a that: a simple virginia flake - probably on the fresher side so less nuanced but again depending on your taste could be great now or in 5 years time it'll probably have a little more character and in 10-years time you'll start to reap the rewards of sugary long-aged virginias.

I was thinking about aging it like 1-2 years

I don't think I'll have the patience for it though. But I will try it fresh soon and compare it to the aged later.

Also, thanks for all the comments. I appreciate it.

 

[lukasstrifeson]

I was thinking about aging it like 1-2 years

I don't think I'll have the patience for it though. But I will try it fresh soon and compare it to the aged later.

Also, thanks for all the comments. I appreciate it.

Oh, young padawan. Soon, time flies, you will see. LOL

Jokes aside, you can wait 1-2 years and then open them and give it a sample. If you like it, smoke it. If it's still too 'simple' for you, throw it in a mason jar and forget it for 1-2 more years and suddenly it's almost 5.

Tobacco's looking a lot like cryptocurrency. Everyone's trying to get into it on some instant gratification, but it's the set it and forget it crowd that'll win most I think.

 

[ofafeather]

I was thinking about aging it like 1-2 years

I don't think I'll have the patience for it though. But I will try it fresh soon and compare it to the aged later.

Also, thanks for all the comments. I appreciate it.

It should smoke well fresh. Maybe dry it a little. Also check the date on the back to the tin if you haven’t already. You’d be surprised.

 

[TheWhale13]

It should smoke well fresh. Maybe dry it a little. Also check the date on the back to the tin if you haven’t already. You’d be surprised.

If I read it right, it's just from earlier this year. So nothing special unfortunately

 

[anotherbob]

I was supposed to buy Mac Baren HH Pure Virginia but managed to buy Mac Baren Virginia Flake instead. According to some forums and tobacco reviews it's pretty bad. So just gonna cellar it to see how it gets.

Do you know what to expect from this blend?

Feck forum opinion and tobacco reviews. They're one of the most useless things in the world. Unless you find some people you agree with on most of their reviews (instead of scratching your head and wondering if they never clean their pipe or something). I mean go ahead and read them but they are no substitute for actually smoking a blend and seeing what you think of it. Heck these things move in waves certain blends are the gold star for a few months and then they are often the next that blend sucks.

 

[workman]

I was supposed to buy Mac Baren HH Pure Virginia but managed to buy Mac Baren Virginia Flake instead. According to some forums and tobacco reviews it's pretty bad. So just gonna cellar it to see how it gets.

Do you know what to expect from this blend?

It's a fine blend. Virginias on the brighter side topped with something best described as juicyfruity, like the chewing gum.
I don't think I would sit on a tin of this for 25 years before sampling it. I say smoke it and find out if you like it or not. I bet you will. If you like it a lot, buy more, if you only like it a little, jar the rest and try it again in a year or two.