Classic Mac Baren "Omnibus" Review

[karam]

Thank you for these great reviews! I had my eyes on the Dark Twist for a long time. One note on the vanilla, I've only smoked the rubbed version, and my experience was "great for the first half of the bowl, terrible and chemical on the second". I had to mix what I had 1:1:1 with straight burley and Virginia to be able to smoke it, and recall @workman writing that even a twig of this blends flavours a whole bowl with vanilla.

Well, about a year after first trying I got another pouch and this time things went a lot better: I get vanilla, I even get cream sometimes, but backed by what was missing for me the first time 'roung: tobacco. All in all it'll likely become a staple for me.

 

[davidy97]

Great reviews!

 

[lightmybriar]

Great and well written reviews!

 

[seanv]

Great reviews. Thanks for posting them.
For the record I am the lucky recipient of the vanilla flake. I split it with a friend who enjoyed it but I still haven't made my way to it yet. Too many open jars to finish before I smoke anything new.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Thanks you for taking the time to share your experience,
Ps, Then there is this mixture flake which If I'm not wrong is about the same as Scottish mix but in the flake form?

 

[FurCoat]

Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for the reviews.

 

[judcole]

Thanks you for taking the time to share your experience,
Ps, Then there is this mixture flake which If I'm not wrong is about the same as Scottish mix but in the flake form?

Correct. As I find myself enjoying this blend more often, I am considering a revisit of Flake.

 

[NomadOrb]

Thanks for the reviews!

I've recently been diving back into the MacBaren classics and haven't been disappointed. Dark Twist and Navy Flake are favorites of mine. I haven't tried Scottish mixture, but I have a tin with 3 years of age on it that I'll get to eventually.

 

[highwaycobbery]

Modern mixture is also one of my daily smokes, does anyone else taste a slight floral note or is it just me?

 

[sasquatch]

Modern mixture is also one of my daily smokes, does anyone else taste a slight floral note or is it just me?

For sure, floral/fruity, it's dominant to my taste buds, I don't taste anything else in the blend.

I agree with your assessments Spinkle, particularly Navy Flake and Club Blend are two of my long time favorites. And what happens to most of these mixtures as they age is also magic. I think Mac Baren is overlooked often because it's not terribly expensive, it's easily available.... and yet the quality is tip top. It is "expert" tobacco, you have to really have slow, measured technique to get the most from it. The reward when you do find it is extraordinary.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Excellent reviews! I haven't smoked all of the blends you mentioned but concur on the ones I have. Golden Extra, Virginia Flake, Virginia No 1, Dark Twist and Club Blend are all blends I have more than a pound of. Based upon your strong recommendation, going to try Scottish Blend. Thanks for the write ups.

 

[mso489]

I've never had a great experience with Mac Baren blends, but I was interested to see them reviewed in a group to see what might be there.

 

[Spinkle]

Modern mixture is also one of my daily smokes, does anyone else taste a slight floral note or is it just me?

Now that you mention it I do get a bit of floral from it, my notes didn’t mention it but I just had a bowl this morning when I saw your comment. It’s not overpowering to my taste and pleasant in the context. I would say it’s far different from those “Lakeland essence” florals though.

Based upon your strong recommendation, going to try Scottish Blend.

I am very curious to hear your take on it.

 

[highwaycobbery]

Yes, it took a while for me to put my finger on that but then I had a bowl of ennerdale and it was a aha moment. Definitely a SMALL amount, actually perfect amount of Lakeland IMO.

 

[kg.legat0]

Awesome reviews, thoroughly enjoyed. I love all the Mac Baren classic blends, especially Mixture and Navy Flake. I have not tried Golden Extra but have loved Symphony...think it's time to order up some GE. Cheers!!

 

[Spinkle]

Thanks you for taking the time to share your experience,
Ps, Then there is this mixture flake which If I'm not wrong is about the same as Scottish mix but in the flake form?

I’ve been meaning to try mixture flake but it seems to have disappeared from smokingpipes.com in the tin and they are only selling the pound flakes. I hope it comes back so I can try as I’m not one to buy a pound without testing first.

 

[highwaycobbery]

Golden extra is a amazing burley blend, smoking some now. Definitely worth a try

 

[strave19]

This was an awesome series of reviews - thanks for taking the time to do it and to post! I have never been a huge Mac Baren fan but I think I might need to give them a second chance... I'm definitely going to visit and re-visit some of these blends based on your reviews.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Now that you mention it I do get a bit of floral from it, my notes didn’t mention it but I just had a bowl this morning when I saw your comment. It’s not overpowering to my taste and pleasant in the context. I would say it’s far different from those “Lakeland essence” florals though.


I am very curious to hear your take on it.

Just got my 1 lb order in from TP. Loaded up a little 320 shape Brebbia with a little wider bowl and applied fire. Happy I bought this, will buy more. Kind of like an English blend without the wretched Latakia. Lol. I find it reasonably complex, smooth and very pleasant. I get some sweet Maple and molasses along with caramel and vanilla. But comes across as natural flavors. Also some meaty, spicy flavors as well Mild to medium nicotine, medium plus on body and strength of flavor. Smokes really cool, at least to me.

Thanks for bringing this blend to my attention. A great diversion from my steady diet of Virginia Flakes.

 

[Spinkle]

Just got my 1 lb order in from TP. Loaded up a little 320 shape Brebbia with a little wider bowl and applied fire. Happy I bought this, will buy more. Kind of like an English blend without the wretched Latakia. Lol. I find it reasonably complex, smooth and very pleasant. I get some sweet Maple and molasses along with caramel and vanilla. But comes across as natural flavors. Also some meaty, spicy flavors as well Mild to medium nicotine, medium plus on body and strength of flavor. Smokes really cool, at least to me.

Thanks for bringing this blend to my attention. A great diversion from my steady diet of Virginia Flakes.

A new Scottish Mixture convert!

glad you like it and enjoyed your thoughts. I never had a doubt a pro like you would be able to smoke it cool, but it took me a while.