Straight to the point, Mac Baren has created one of the finest blends on the planet, which is "Scottish Mixture".

My impressions are based on a 100g tin: some people complain that the pouch version is often on the dry side, but the tin verson does a much better job in preserving the moisture and aroma of the tobacco. I would even dare to say that my tin could actually improved after a few days due to a slight drying of the content.

The tin aroma (and also the taste of the smoke) has something familiar to me. It's a similar smell to the one that I have experienced with other flavored Virginias/Burleys: it has the same earthy fruitiness of Dunhill's Three Years matured Virginia (though less sweet), and it also reminds me a bit of Peterson's University Flake, Erinmore Flake, or St. Bruno. Luckily, Golden Ambrosia will prove to be actually better, to my taste, than each of these tobaccos (not that Erinmore Flake or St. Bruno are bad tobaccos: simply they are a bit overwhelming in flavoring and nicotine content for my personal taste). If I had to say what the flavoring is... well, it's hard to tell, but to me it smells like bergamot, like an intense Earl Grey tea. Sure, one can detect other fruits too (berries?) and a hint of vanila.

My tin was not particularly "golden" in color. The tobacco was more on a brown reddish tone, with a good appearence consisting of broken flakes partially rubbed out. Definitely a coarser cut than other aromatic mixtures, and the tobacco seems of high quality. No cavendish, as far as my eyes can tell.

At the test of fire, it burns fine like most Mac Barens do. Quite slow, thanks to the cut, and producing little moisture. No tonguebite at all. The smoke is thick, very rich, and (surprisingly for a Mac Baren) with a stout body and intensity. Even nicotine content seems higher than other tobaccos from this brand, although this certainly isn't a heavy smoke. Anyway, it's exactly the opposite of Black Ambrosia's light and breezy character: here you can distinctly feel the raw tobaccos used. The taste is intense, and the flavoring does quite well to enhance the tobacco (nice mature Virginia sweetness, earthy Burley)... if you like this kind of flavoring. Personally I am not crazy about this kind of taste: mind you, it's not bad, or nauseating, or irritating. It simply doesn't make me want to have another bowl of it soon. A minor complaint is that there is a slight fermented/astringent taste in the second half of the bowl, with some of the same "dirty" feeling that I got with the Dunhill Three Years Matured or the Peterson University Flake. Nothing really bad, anyway.

So, I won't rush to buy another tin, but if you are looking for an aromatic with a fruity/citrusy flavoring and still having an intense toabccos backbone... give it a try!

No grand surprises, little tongue bite. At times one receives during smoking hints of creaminess and other vanillic scents. Certainly decent as an aromatic, though I cannot see myself pursuing it again.

The tin aroma is really good, you almost want to eat the tobacco. Something raisiny with white wine somewhere in there. Room note is quite nice also, but leaves a stingy sensation in the nose.

Tastewise it is somewhat similar to that fruity stuff. It's quite mellow, due to the extensive use of cavendish. But as mentioned it doesn't last very long and goes from that to something usually too harsh to enjoy properly.

Tongue burning isn't an issue with this one, but it just gets too flat. Mac Baren has so many other great blends, unfortunately this isn't one of them, at least not in my book.

I suspect this tin will live on in my tobacco cabinet for quite a few years, but I keep it around for sentimental values, the pouch variant was the very first pipe tobacco I tried.

I rate this 2/4.

Same as Glen Piper it is a bit boring after a while but good as a reliable quality smoke. As it is very light and neutral in flavour (for an aromatic anyway) it is probably good for breaking in a new pipe if you are an aromatic fan - that's probably what I'll be using the remainder of my pouch for.

As a moist, sticky tobacco this requires a few matches to get lit but does stay lit. Provides a nice long slow burning smoke. Better smoked in a larger bowl. Like other MacBaren tobaccos I smoke I find it does leave some gunk in your pipe.

I am almost throught the third pouch and I tried some additional rubbing. It works perfectly. The result is very enjoyable. I am returning the star!!!

(UPDATE 1, 2007/03/15)

Just through the second 50g pouch. I am not as excited any more. Perhaps the pouch was not fresh? It burns hotter than before - it made one my "low end" pipes blister. Also, the taste is not as refined as I remembered it.

Actually, after a series of indifferent smokes, the last few are good to great again. Could it be that this is because the last pinches from the pouch are more rubbed?

It still is better than most of the other aromatics I have tried so I will experiment more with this, with one more pouch, rubbing it a bit more by myself.

Nevertheless, until I make up my mind, I am taking away a star!

(ORIGINAL)

My experiences with Mac Baren Blends have never been bad - but they have never been superb either.

However, Golden Ambrosia is very nice. I will keep it in my rotation - primarily as an afternoon blend.

This is half way between non-aromatic and aromatic. The pouch aroma is nice but not strong. The room note is pleasant and mostly discrete.

It does not scorch my tongue and it burns cool. My wife does not dislike it.

A comparable blend might be BREBIA No 4. Golden Ambrosia is better balanced however (stronger with less imposing room note).

I submit that those of my briar brothers and sisters who enjoy lighter fare with added flavoring will find this particular Mac Baren offering to be tasty.

All Mac Baren blends seem to burn evenly right down to the bottom of the bowl and this one is no exception.

As I was not planning to go back to the hotel anytime soon, I decided to try the Mac Baren tobaccos, and bought some Mixture Aromatic and Golden Ambrosia.One must hand it to them: as far as merchandising and distribution go, Borkum Riff and Mac Baren can be really found ANYWHERE (if only Dunhill or Rattray had the same market oriented strategy!).

I then found a small café, with a magnificent view to the Alhambra on the hills in front and, down below, to the rest of the city. Lamenting my lack of prevision (what an excellent time this would have been to smoke an Oriental mixture! I thought to myself), I asked for a ?cortado?, took a seat and proceeded to fill in and light up, as I took in the wonderful views that so inspired Washington Irving and Lord Byron.

Mid morning, balmy weather, blue skies above, almost no other tourists in sight, I sipped my coffee and then lit up the pipe. I had chosen Golden Ambrosia. In the pouch it had a fruity aroma, but nothing to really put me off. It was more of a topping than a casing. Not at all moist, the tobacco was supple enough to be rubbed up a little more, making the loading process rather simple. I followed the suggestions from other Mac Baren reviewers and packed it in a little loosely, to help in the cumbstion process.

Expecting the traditional incendiary experience from Mac Baren, I was surprised to try instead a gentle, mellow, yet very well structured tobacco taste! Slightly sweet, yes, but nothing compared, say, to Borkum Riff or Captain Black. This is in fact a medium strength tobacco, cool, with excellent burning characteristics. It is a mixture in almost equal proportions of aged Burley-the predominant flavour-and Golden Virginias, with some Black Cavendished Virginia leaf. The tobacco is of a dark brown hue with some black strands, partly rubbed, partly in broken flakes, very similar in texture to Mixture or Virginia No 1.

I don't know what the topping in Golden Ambrosia is. It has a winy, fruity undertone, very gentle and discreet, that, in my opinion, does not really interfere with the tobacco flavour. As I was sitting in an open terrace, the aroma quickly dissipated, but I was complimented on its smell by some of the locals (huele bien, señor, huele bien). Tasty, rich, slow burning, the agreeable sweetness of Golden Ambrosia complemented perfectly the dark, roasted coffee (I drink mine with no sugar). The flavour is rich and nutty, and surprisingly gentle on the palate, provided you puff in slowly and calmly.So I just sat back, enjoyed the flavours and let my self be carried away by the views and the whole experience.

If you like slightly aromatic tobaccos, and are willing to puff in gently and slowly, you may find Golden Ambrosia is a very nice change of pace. I plan to buy some more in the future. Not at all a bad choice.