MacBaren's Plumcake!

[nathaniel]

So I'm smoking my first bowl of MB's Plumcake. And WOW... how marvelous!

I took a trip to the local B&M after getting some $90 back from a return of another product elsewhere, as I figured it was time to get some good tobacco again. I've been smoking alot of Latakia heavy blends of late, and wanted either some straight VA or an aromatic to lighten the mood some. Well, my B&M is mainly cigar oriented and I'm pretty sure I'm the only pipe smoker in town at this point, from the way it would seem. And as such, there are probably 3 dozen tins of different tobaccos lying on the shelf since at least I started smoking 4 yrs ago(mainly cigars at the time). So I stumbled across some of this MacBaren Plumcake and had heard of it, so I figured why not? right? When I got home, I saw that the tin was dated Feb. 2009! 2yrs! So I lit up immediately, and my goodness I'm glad I did! It's so complex, I can't contain myself... The bowl keeps evolving as I smoke, into wonderful bits of divine gifts.
So what do you folks think of this stuff? Also, it was marked for $29.68, I got him to sell it for $20, because I'd seen it for $13 at cupojoes.com and he obviously didn't have a chance to sell it to anyone else I figured. But he said it was so high priced because of taxes. Well I'm in Florida, and I ordered from pipesandcigars.com a few times and haven't noticed taxes to be that outrageous. Is this guy just fooling me, or what?

 

[nathaniel]

Oh, one other thing... What would this blend be classified as? An aromatic? Though, it seems rather strong in flavor to be so. not to mention Nicotine kicks... I mean I this stuff is about to make me pass out, and I smoke rope baccy!

 

[marmal4de]

Sounds tasty, I'm gonna drop by my local b&m today, I'll have to pick some up!

 

[papipeguy]

Plumcake has a rum flavoring si I guess you could call it an aromatic. Good stuff.

 

[unclearthur]

I have loved Plumcake since I started smoking WAY back. Never noticed that it was all that strong though. Now days I always try to keep some on hand!

 

[domd]

I'm gonna have to give that a try haven't smoked many aros.

 

[python]

Plumcake is a pretty good blend and I would classify it as an aromatic.
As far as the taxes go; the guy at the B&M is correct. The taxes on pipe tobacco in Florida are quite high.
The reason that tobacco is cheaper when you order out of state is because every state has their own sales tax and tobacco tax. Some states are obviously a lot higher than others and when you buy online or mail order, they do not add state sales tax and state tobacco tax onto the order unless you live in the same state as the retailer.
Using Pipesandcigars.com as an example because you mentioned them; when you are checking out to pay for your order it says that if you are a resident of New York, the taxes will be added manually to the order. New York tobacco tax is 75%. That mean that a resident of New York will be paying an additional $6.00 for every $10.00 worth of tobacco that is ordered. So if a tin is listed as $10.00 on their site, it costs $16.00 to a resident of New York.
So in the case of Plumcake it would look like this; it is listed for $12.13 on their site. If you live in NY, you would have to add the taxes to the price. Taxes would add around $7.50 to the cost of the tin so the price would really be around $19.63 for that 1 tin of tobacco.
Out of state customers are responsible for paying the tax duties to their respective state when they receive their tobacco in the mail.
It is not the B&M's fault for the prices on their tobacco products, it is the governments fault for the outrageous taxes that they levy on tobacco products.
Even though the costs is higher at your local B&M, I suggest trying to support them as much as you can. Once they are gone you will miss them more than you think.

 

[python]

Also since you got almost $10.00 off of the tin, he probably lost money on the sale.

 

[rupert]

I have a tin of the stuff on my shelf and after a few tries I just can't get into it. I'm partial to virginias, but occasionally get a craving for an aromatic. Unfortunately it just doesn't do much for me and I tend to wish I had packed up some bob's chocolate flake or mac baren vanilla cream instead. I'll give it another go eventually. It certainly smells good in the tin.

 

[flipflopsandshades]

I like it a lot. I didn't notice any "nitcotine kick" because I am especially a nicotine wimp/pushover. I did notice there were lots of different flavors which I like.

 

[sparroa]

Plumcake sounds delicious to me. It remains to be seen whether I will enjoy it or not - it's on my TAD list from the get go. MacBaren's tobaccos sure are economical, if nothing else. Twice the tobacco for the same price - sounds like a good deal to me!

 

[jjtroutbum]

One of the first tins I bought. Smoked it up and lots of it. Grabbed another a year or so back along with a tin of Navy Mixture that I have opened and have been slowly having an occasional bowl. Like just the other night. They are tasty and do not seem overly cased to me.
But in all honesty since finding the English blends they rarely get smoked.
NO snobbery intended just that tastes change and occasionally is nice to go back and re taste old favorites.

 

[cornguy]

Man, Plumcake is a trip down memory lane for me. I remember buying that stuff in tins back in the mid-70s. It was my favorite back then and very affordable as I recall.

 

[classicgeek]

I've got a jar with some Plumcake left in it. I smoke aromatics most of the time, and I keep Plumcake on hand for when I want something light and not heavily flavored. It rides that line of aro/non-aro pretty well. The tin note is very much like its namesake.
I had a fantastic bowl of it not too long ago. It really rewards a slow smoke, and that night I was just in the zone.
Simon