Maybe it's just me, but I've no beef with any other tobacco like this one. It simply won't be smoked by me.

Ready rubbed for ya, with loose cut sweet cavendish, but that does not help me at all.

Sweet scent of honey, corn and raisin - but I don't think the taste lives up to it.

Do try it though, 'cause if it really IS the most selling tobacco, it's gotta be for someone. I just miss nicotine, taste and smoking ability way too much to enjoy. So now I've boxed it with other aromatics to sit for a couple of years. In my own voting system I give it a 3/10

Delicious peppery spicyness when blow through the nose. Mild tropical sweetness that has a roast nutty, creamy taste.

Overall, burns evenly, tastes great and no tongue bite. Good all day smoke.

*update* 9/26/2009 so far i've tried MacBaren's Vanilla Loose Cut, Plumcake and Navy Flake. This Mixture beats them all...a nice allday smoke. worth a try & maybe you'll fall in love with it...Great stuff!

ORIGINAL REVIEW: Pleasant taste of honey and toast, with an aftertaste of tea. The Virginia delivers a slight tang. Overall, just a tad too mild and bland for my tastes, and also not the best of burners.

The room note is very pleasant for smokers but only tolerable for non-smokers due to the absence of a confectionary type of aromatic casing.

An enjoyable smoke but, all things considered, only slightly better than average. 6 out of 10. For a similar tobacco with a much fuller flavour and better aroma, as well as better burning properties, try Holland House Aromatic.

Like others here, I have noted a spiciness to it that I'm finding more and more enjoyable. It doesn't seem to bite much at all, especially in comparison to the other MacB choices. This may be partly due to the tobacco itself, or just my own caution from past experiences.

It burns great for me and I haven't found it 'goopy' like some of my other favoured brands, which is a plus. Smells great, tastes great, and when I'm finished a bowl I immediately want another. (I don't do it, though. It's like leaving a room on a high note- Seinfeld reference...) Personally, I enjoy it in a smaller bowl, and it's perfect with a good crossword puzzle. Very little attention is required.

Three stars instead of four for now. If I'm still really into it after another 6 months or so I will upgrade it to a four, but I can't see any reason to give it less than three.

The Virgina tobacco is the most predominant taste and it is very similar to their Virginia No 1 offering but sweeter (combination of the natural Virginia leaf, cavendish, and the typical Mac Baren honey flavor). There is also a spiciness to it which adds a peppery sensation to the tongue. I am not talking bite. However, if you puff on this too hard the bowl has a tendency to burn hot and it will scorch. Interestingly, in a larger diameter bowl, I bunch up the tobacco like a flake for packing and do not experience any tendency for this to smoke hot. Gentle puffing never gets it above the pepper sensation on the tongue. Its overall taste and strength maintained itself consistently throughout the smoke.

This is a very nicely put together blend. As I stated in another review, many of the Mac Baren blends have been criticized for being too similar in taste. I felt that way during my beginning years of pipe smoking. Today, however, many of the Mac Baren blends are among my favorite smokes. I smoke more of their offerings than from any other manufacture and I have been rewarded in discovering the subtle differences they offer. It took time and patience, but the results were well worth it.

All of the qualities represented by Scottish Mixture are enough to make it a candidate for daily pipe smoking enjoyment; one that you can go to exclusively if need be. 4 stars!

Given that meagre range, and the mind boggling number of blends available overseas, it wasn't long before I started importing direct from suppliers in the US and Europe and paying the ridiculously high customs duties and taxes associated with the priviledge.

I've now managed to build up a nice little stockpile of blends from McClelland, Dunhill, G L Pease, Samuel Gawith and Gawith Hogarth but - surprisingly - Mac Baren Mixture remains a favourite morning smoke.

Like many tobaccos, Mac Baren Mixture needs to be smoked the right way to bring out its full potential. In Australia, Mixture is available in pouches rather than tins and I like to open a fresh pouch about a week or so before I'll need it so the tobacco can dry out a bit.

Packed tight and puffed hard Mixture can taste sour and punish you by biting hard. But packed on the loose side and puffed gently it gives a well behaved, bite free, slightly sweet 'honey and toast' smoke that goes very well with a morning coffee.

It's probably blasphemy to say it, but I find Mixture smokes particularly well in a Falcon.

Not much to add to the other reviews so I'll highlight:

- Bland taste with a hint of sweetness

- Smokes very hot unless you're extremely careful - more careful than this blend warrants.

- No goopiness in pipe after smoking.

- Boring. Aside from the tongue bite, there's nothing inherently wrong with this, but there's not much to recommend it, either. I give tobaccos 1 star if I absolutely detest them. This gets 1.75, rounded up to 2. But if you like mostly bland, slightly sweet Danish blends, give this a try... SLOWLY!

I had smoked a few pouches of it before going on to other things, and never looked back until very recently, when I was out of tobacco, and only had a small convenience store to go to. The general availability of MB Mixture served me well there. I bought a pouch for the first time in two decades.

The pouch aroma was less strong than I remembered, but that is most likely due to my having experienced some really strong aromatics in the years in between. It still smells of honey with a spicy, fruity note. The leaf is mostly a coarsely-rubbed VA flake, with a little Burley in there. I think I can detect some Perique and Kentucky in there, too, but in the profusion of tobaccos used in this blend, who really cares?

Easily stuffed into a wide bowl, the tobacco lights readily if one makes the effort to rub some tobacco more finely before topping off the pipe. The pouch I got was perfect for smoking, not too wet, not too dry. The VA dominates the smoke, burning coolly, evenly and gently down to the very last crumbs without turning nasty or losing flavour.

The room note is less pronounced that I remembered, but there, too, the intervening years spent with some rather strongly-accented tobaccos may have played a trick on my memory. It's pleasant, though, not obtrusive or too dominant; certainly one of the factors in this blend's long survival in a highly competitive market.

Overall, after smoking a few pipes of this, I found myself wondering why I hadn't smoked it for so long; it's a very well-behaved tobacco which is easy to stuff and smoke, and socially highly acceptable even in mostly non-smoking environments. Beautiful, and highly recommended for beginners, too.

In one hand, it's quality is good, price is more than fair and it burns fine. In other hand it likes to burn tongue and if you are not Virginia lover, it would not bring much of excitement.

My grade is 2,75...

Its not a waste of money, but can also be a sub-optimum choice, depending on your mastery of the puffing art. A most subjective tobacco.

Mixture is the very best representation of the McB basic philosophy, and a pleasant smoke on condition that you really care how to smoke it.

I just add my two cents. It comes on the dry side in the pouch - not so dry, the smell is wonderful - and needs loose packing, just gravity fill and light tamper after charring, that's enough to avoid extra-hot pipe and the famous Mac Bite. Delivers mild but very interesting sweet, biscuity and spicy notes, never boring indeed. I haven't experienced gurgles nor goopy end.

Navy Flake and Dark Twist are my other preferences in their Va-B-BC line, but sometimes I think it's a bit non-sense to choose them when with Mixture you find something really close but 30-40% cheaper.

This is a mainstay in my rotation of tobaccos. I like to rotate this with a sweet Virgina, Frog Morton, and quality black Cavendish (BCA by Lane for example). I find that these selections pretty much represent my favorites of all time.

My recommendation is to "puff" slowly and lightly with Mixture. I find that this is the best way to obtain the full flavoring that this tobacco has to offer.

4 out of 4 stars.

Enjoy!

Mixture and Virginia No.1 are my ever top favorite tobaccos; In fact, this is what I have been smoking, everyday, Exclusively, from bed to bed, all day long, since many years and I buy this in barrels!

These 2 blends are my lifetime best friends, while Virginia No.1 tastes great with black tea, Mixture is best with black coffee. Sometime I mix them together (50/50 or 30/70, or 80/20 and so on) and every time I am getting something great!

I have hundreds of tins from other blends, brands and tobacco makers in my "cellar", some are opened some are not, some are good some are less good, I buys and keeps them for trial purpose, or by simple curiosity, or just for fun (I love tobacco tins art!).

As for my everyday smoke, Mixture and Virginia No.1 are the best!

Life is simple, easy and good!

Happy New Year to all!

Thx Medhat Egyptian Pipesmoker

So far, I've only tried a few tobaccos, and Mixture was my first one... and I still go at it some times.

I've never experienced the infamous tongue bite with any tobacco (and I've been smoking 3 bowls a day over the last few months), but Mixture burns too hot. It has some sweetness (from the Virginias, as I´ve learned with your reviews) but in an appealing way to the ex-cigarette smokers.

However, when this pouch in finished (the 2nd I bought) I´ll only return to it if nothing better is available. My main problem with Mixture is that I find it very harsh on the throat. (maybe because my weed is too dry?)

Not many surprises, not pricey, it fullfilled all my demands to become an all day smoke, untill it bit the hell out of me, when I smoked it once out on the golf course. The bowl did not get hot, anyway it burnt down quite fast, which of course is normal when smoked outdoors.

After this experience, no matter of what tabacco I smoked and how slowly I puffed, my tongue always got barbecued on the same side. I had to stop pipesmoking for a couple sof years, and now I am "back in business". At least one thing I have learnt: I choose good quality leaves, which are unlikely to bite, when smoked carefully. There are many tabaccos out there, on the this fantastic database.

If you are looking for a similar smoke like Mixture, but with almost no casing and pure tabacco taste, and way better harmonized, I would highliy recommend: Dafidoff - Flake Medaillons

Mellow, mild, good for the mornings. Too bad I don't smoke in the mornings anymore.

Overall, I think this is excellent IF you like the components that make this up and "mixed" together.

If you are a Virginia purist, stay away. There is some Burley here which may disappoint if you are looking for tobacco with only subtle taste nuances.

Heavy Burley man? Sorry, this is mostly Virginia.

Enjoy Latakia? Nope. None here.

Sensitive tongue? Like all Virginias this will tingle the tongue a little (and maybe bite if puffed hard).

Hate aromatics? Stay away. The Cavendish makes this a "near" aromatic.

But.... if you like a balanced tobacco (or are willing to put a balanced tobacco into rotation) this is a GREAT one in my opinion. This is clearly a candidate for an all day tobacco. And the room note won't send the ladies running for the door.

As the wise reviewers have advised, let it dry and don't pack it tightly or even attentively! Just take a wad, put it in the pipe, light and go. Don't, don't tamp too much or you will find out for yourself why Mac Baren has such a reputation. But if you follow the advice on how to smoke it and don't get too enthusiastic with the puffing, you'll be rewarded with top quality tobacco and great flavor!

While this is certainly an aromatic blend, you can always taste the fine tobacco and no one in the room will think that you are puffing away on vanilla incense. To me, that makes all the difference in the world!

Three out of four stars, for that MacB bite that I have received too many times.

Accompaniment: Bach's Goldberg Variations.

Update: Since I seem to be reaching for this more and more lately, I decided to up the rating. There are several factors that I consider necessary to truly enjoy this tobacco. Comments about it's tendency to bite are not unfounded but this can be avoided.

Firstly, a pipe dedicated to this blend really helps bring out the flavor......and there are some subtleties to enjoy once the taste really comes through.

Secondly, I try to draw in some sidestream air when puffing on this. This not only cools down the smoke, it really brings out more flavor.

Thirdly, I cannot overstate the importance of giving this tobacco a very light pack.

Finally, I much prefer this in bulk form as it comes drier, making it less bitey and much easier to stay lit.

As far as quality goes; 50 years of production and sales must account for something......

Pipe: Austin, estate straight Dublin

Tobacco: Two small sample pouches given to me by my tobacco guy. Actually suprised at the perfect moisture level coming out of these pouches, but, I let it air a bit anyway. Nice Ready rubbed, good pouch aroma.

Light/Burn: Lights well, even on the first shot, little tamp, and enjoy. Burns reasonably cool... Im a slow puffer, so no problems here. Tounge bite is not noticeable... but again, got mine fried last night, so I wouldnt notice anyway.

Smoking: After the first light, I can taste the VA's peek through... just what I love the most. Naturally sweet VA's. I dont taste much in the way of the cavendish... and the burley comes in a little nutty with the VA's, its kinda like smoking a really really mild fruitcake... not bad at all. Last 1/3 of the bowl is tasteless for all the smoke it produces... like smoking cool air... really strange. Burns clean, white ash, just a touch of dottle.

Overall: Enjoyable smoke... need to try some more before It would make it into the rotation, but I enjoyed it.

8 out of 10 - 3 stars

This may or may not bite your tongue depending on your body chemistry. If you don't chug on it, you hopefully won't have any problems. The blend burns nicely and packs easily.

This is a blend I've been reaching for at all times of day. There's good reason it has been as popular as it is, for as long as it has. This just barely qualified for my four stars, but deserves them none the less.

Oh! BTW, I have started getting bad reviews for the room note!

In any case - one must still try this. It is worth the time.

ORIGINAL: All that could be said has been said by others.

I really enjoy and recommend this one!

Let me just add: I find that, given the choice, I reach for this any hour of the day. (Well, Calume is another favorite of mine which can be a great smoke in the morning and W.O. Larsen Old Fashioned is a great after dinner smoke).

In the unlikely event that anyone cares to read my opinion on ANY Mac Baren's blend, please cut and paste the following review:

This is a blend of quality tobaccos, nicely flavored that BURNS HOT and BITES.

1. It is far away from what one would expect from a Scottish Blend. Why did they decide to call it like is a mystery to me.

2. It is an excellent aromatic. Very pleasant taste, no tongue bite.

I even put it to a hard test. I smoked it for a few days (4-5 bowls/day) without smoking any English/Scottish blends at all. I cannot say I did not miss them, but now I have a viable alternative. Well done Mac Baren.

Update!! After More than test smoking this blend, I feel I must downgrade this some. I find after smoking back to back bowls, it leaves my mouth dry. I still really like this blend, but not an all day smoke.

This is a world favorite for a reason. In my tin it seems to be mostly a broken VA flake with some cavendish scattered throughout. It rubs out instantly and packs like a dream-- don't go too tight. The moisture is ideal-- dry, but not too much so. I smoke this with a 6mm charcoal filter and it has zero bite no matter how hard I puff. Fairly consistent flavour through the bowl; there isn't really a "zone" you have to wait for. Has subtle hints of honey, maple and licorice atop a truly quality tobacco base. Not at all fruity. The room note is nice, but not excessively sweet. For this reason, it may not be totally acceptable for those right close by, but it certainly will win some nods in well-circulated air. This is definitely an everyday, all day blend for those whose tastes haven't terminated at only purely natural blends (I myself smoke VAPer's mostly). Give it a go if you don't mind frangranced tobacco and want a proven blend that isn't too tacky or cloying.

I had read all about MacBaren tobaccos but was wary of trying them because of all the reports of tongue bite, tongue bite and tongue bite. However, being a fan of mild aromatics I bit the bullet and ordered 50g of Mixture loose.

Very pleased with this tobacco. In fact so pleased, I finished the 50g in record time and have since ordered more (pre pack pouch - tastes the same) The flavour is mild (honey on toast as many people say) and changes throughout the bowl. Burns well and I personally don't get that much bite unless I puff it really hard. Any bite is worth it for the tasty smoke.

I've been smoking this constantly and neglecting my other staples - McConnell Glen Piper and Erinmore Mixture - so the people at MacBaren must be doing something right.

For me this is, so far, the perfect tobacco. Slightly aromatic, not too sweet and sickly and with multi-dimensional flavour. If the sound of this appeals to you, don't be put off by the MacBaren tongue bite rumours like I was, give it a try.

I'll definitely be "exploring the world of MacBaren" further.

I first tried this as a run-up to our club's annual slow smoke. I'd noticed that it was the tobacco used for the national contest in Chicago last year, and thought it likely that our club would pick it as well, since they seem to follow the national's lead. I was right. In practicing for the contest, I quickly found out that unless smoked very gently it burned my tongue like a welding torch. Smoked gently, lips parted, in a small bowl, it rewards you with a pleasant and (for a flavored tobacco) complex smoke. A good choice for the slow smoke, as smoking it too quickly just don't work. As you pass the midbowl and come to the bottom, the tendency to bite is diminished, though, and it's on this that I blame my fourth-place finish. I just forgot myself.

As I said, moderation is the theme. This isn't a tobacco that's much of anything but the middle of it all. Not bombastic, not strongly flavored, the only intense experience here is the pain you'll feel if you smoke it carelessly. Just the same, it's a pleasant smoke that remains a pleasant smoke to the bottom of the bowl. I'm not going to go out of my mind stockpiling it, but I expect I'll always keep some on hand. Like a turkey sandwich, it's not something terribly outstanding, but sometimes it's just what hits the spot - in the middle.

ADDENDUM 2/1/2007: This blend, for me, is much better than my initial, short review might indicate. If any of you have doubts about the true essence of this blend, the subtle flavors it presents and its overall fine qualities, I would suggest you break in a new pipe with it and smoke slowly to taste it in all its glory. I have been using MB(S)M as a ?break in blend? for about 20 months in most of my new pipes. It especially ?sings? in natural, unfinished pipes such as new Sav naturals, Bentons and 50 year old Wilkes (from Pipeworks & Wilke). I am always reluctant to switch tobaccos after breaking in a new pipe with MB(S)M but, as evidenced by the number of my reviews, I relent: variety is the spice of life.

While it is an aromatic tobacco (I suppose), it isn't in the Vanilla or Cherry cavendish way at all, so I think a lot of people don't know what to make of it. Taken for what it is, this is a delightful tobacco, with the "honey on toast" taste coming through a spicy Va and Burley base, this tobacco is one that burns very easily, and is easy to oversmoke. This results in tongue bite. I can, for instance, take a pipeful of Mixture into a store, make a purchase, and leave, and then get the pipe to rekindle with no match. The tobacco is happy to burn (once it is dried just a tad).

Sipped at, this is a lovely first smoke of the day, with rich honey sweetness balancing a bit of spice. Puffed without regard, it will torch, yes.

I rate this stuff at 3 stars rather than 4 due to two things. One, I do have the occassional pipeful that is rather harsh, and two, any tobacco that gives so many people so much trouble is not a 4 star tobac in my books. It could be more user friendly, I guess. Anyhow, for what it is, a light, sweet, good smelling blend, I really enjoy it once in awhile.

The tabac packed well and lit fine. The aroma was pleasant. I enjoyed the way the taste changed as I worked through the bowl. There's a slight "spicyness" that was particularly nice. Towards the bottom of the bowl moisture began to become an issue, but that could likely be fixed by airing it out a while before firing up. Either that, or maybe a bit more self-discipline...

Smoke this guy slow. It does smoke on the hot side, but I found that with a little self-discipline, this is a most enjoyable smoke. I'll be keeping this one around awhile. I'm going to set a tin aside for a year or two to see how it ages....

This is the case here. If I'm desiring something sweet (like after dinner) or mild (like early in the morning), if I don't want to drive people way with a strong room note, and have the concentration or are relaxed enough to pay attention to what I'm doing, I'll reach for it. On the other hand, if I want something stronger, don't care what others think, or don't want to fuss with the sipping that this one seems to do best with, I'll generally grab an english blend. As others have said, the tobac seems to be of high quality with a mild honey casing that seems to burn off by the second half leaving a good clean and enjoyable smoke.

I can see why Mixture is so often smoked. It is an utterly pedestrian aromatic with absolutely nothing to frighten anybody off. It is the basic combination of Burley, Virginia, and Cavendish all working under a soft and simple aromatic casing that tastes much like every aromatic the Danes put out: not quite fruit-like and not at all lingering or invigorating. More like powdered sugar and baking spices.

What I didn't like about this mixture called Mixture was its inconsistent performance in the pipe. Throughout the day I could have one smoke that was passable and even pleasant only to find the next to be harsh, hot and even a little bitter. Pipe smoking has become a very individual pursuit and there is no reason for a company as good as MacBaren to make an attempt at an everyman's tobacco when they make so many other distinguished blends.

Regards,

A. Morley Jaques

I think it's the best tasting aromatic, ever. It's not candy, though it is sweet, and there is a good amount of tobacco flavor. Virginia and cased burley. I am at a loss to describe the actual flavor of the blend though. Sad, yes. But it just means you'll have to try it yourself. Be careful. If you get bitten during the light, set it down and come back after an hour, or a day. Mixture will handle a relight without any ashtray flavor, as I remember. If It takes a week to get the thing lit, well who cares? You're not going anywhere important, you smoke a pipe. It's worth it. C'mon. Everybody's got to try the world's (possibly but not probably) best selling tobacco ever.

Ok, wait, I just read the 'tin description' -I was sorta right, kinda. .

UPDATE 29/07/2006: I have smoked Mac Baren Mixture several times again (I received 5 pouches as a gift) and I must say it truly ain't bad! With slow smoking and it it's not too dry, it's a pleasant, sweet tobacco. It can be a bit mouth-drying, but in a small pipe it's quick and enjoyable smoke. Honeyish but not cloying, fragrant and interesting. A good balance between natural Virginia taste, some burley nuttiness and a moderate cavendish sweetness. Definitely one of the nicest pouch "aromatics" around. As such, I am raising my recommendation.

Emptied the pack into my pouch on a Saturday morning and after initial misgivings, probobly due to experiance I had with the Symphony I had no problem with going back to the pouch for more. Smokes best in a medium sized pipe, seemed to stay lit quite well, without burning away.

The virginias are all there, and bring out the taste of the Burley,it is a traditional tobacco.

Pipe gets a bit hot if you are not carefull, probobly not a tobacco for the beginner.

I would buy it again if I find it on offer

The tobacco is said to consist of 35 (!) different types and is MacBaren's oldest mixture. This makes the presentation as complex as the taste(more later on that), with broken flake mingling with odd pieces and strands.

My first encounter then was on a pub crawl on one of those all too sparse hot summer nights, when you can stand in a short-sleeved shirt outdoors and drink cool beer in the vaning light (Sweden).

I had brought a small Chacom and unconciously did what OSR below describes; took a wad of the broken flake and stuffed it into the bowl, no rubbing no nothing just stuffing the bowl and strewing a few loose bits on top for lighting.

The lighting puffs rewarded me with thick, rich white smoke which had a complex sweet taste, the VA could be traced, the Burley and Cavendish as well and all held together by the sweet-sour flavouring. An aromatic, but not a candy, more of a weird caramelised eel pie (in a good sense, if that is possible). A truly great taste!

Although I smoked in a haphazard way, putting the pipe down for a sip of beer now and then, the pipe burned really hot towards the end of the first bowl, maybe as a result of the chemistry in the residues of previous tobaccos as someone suggested in an earlier review?

The taste was so good, I cursed myself for only bringing one pipe, so I cleaned it out with a furry cleaner, and let it lie for the time it took me to finish and order a new beer.

Once it had cooled down I repeated the stuffing procedure and lit up. Aahh, this was just as good as the first one! I repeated til I had smoked four bowls and the night chill forced me inside (where we are no longer allowed to smoke in a pub in Sweden :( ).

The day after I woke up with the slightest burn on my tongue and palate (probably due to the hasty smoking of the last part of the fourth bowl, although while I was drinking a few more beers before I went home and to bed, I did not notice it earlier. I even ate a kebab on the way home and ... wait a minute! The peperoni!), but it subsided in a few hours...

All in all this will be my regular smoke for outdoors activities like fly fishing for trout, pub crawling (outdoors) and the like, a pleasant surprise since it is readily available almost anywhere, and at a competitive price (at least in Sweden) compared to let's say Rattrays or G&H.

There are a few things that make this tobacco worth smoking. First, the taste is pleasant. Its not sweet like a good aromatic, nor is it overly complex like an English, but falls somewhere in the middle. You can definitly find the Burley and Virginias in this one, although the Cavendish doesn't really come out until you've had a bit and really start paying attention. The room note isn't great, but its relatively inoffensive as well.

On the downside, this tobacco smokes rocket-hot. If you read through the other reviews of this tobacco, you'll find that most of us agree on this point--trust the lot of us, this one needs to be smoked VERY VERY SLOW! It will either get too hold to hold the pipe, or bite you'll think your tongue was to fall off.

As I said, this isn't a great smoke, but it passes as 'ok.' If you have some on hand that you haven't opened, or have given up on it, it might be worth coming back to for a very occasional smoke. For those who haven't tried it but are considering getting some, well...honestly there are better options out there for you.

Oh, and if you do smoke it...a recommendation: only smoke it in a smallish bowl (no bigger that a group 3), or even a smallish cob...and make sure the pipe already has some cake on it. Tnis is the only way I've managed to win (or at least draw) in the battle against the heat of the burn.

A lot of reviewers had a problem with this stuff biting the tongue. This only occured on my second bowl. My biggest problem with Mixture is that it has no taste whatsoever. Except for the nasty sour taste it imparted to the pipe, that is. You might as well just puff on an unloaded pipe; it'll give you the same taste, minus the nasty sourness, and smoke much cooler.

"Explore the world of MacBaren," they say. I'm reasonably sure my exploration of that world has come to an abysmal conclusion.

Firstly, I agree with the packaging: "mild and light." This is fine by me because "mild and light" has its place and it does not necessarily mean 'tasteless'. There is enough flavor there to keep you (which I found came at me from different angles after a few sessions).

I bought a 50g satchel of "Mixture" for a local shop after my imported supply ran out. I live in Hong Kong and there are few tobacconists who carry pipe tobacco (think Cigar shops with $100USD cigars but only "Captain Black" pouches in the corner collecting dust....hell on this earth). There is one local shop here that carries more than one packet but, I am nervous of the mass produced tobaccos (label 'aromatics').

I packed it too loose at first, fearing tongue bite. But, then stuffed the bowl a bit more ambitiously the second time (w/ second pipe) and it walked along on its own taking the occassional puff here and there. It is forgiving if you are trying not to pack a furnace ( to save your tongue a good burning). Just pinching and stuffing a bowl was definitely liberating.

I Tried it on 3 different pipes (corncob-Washington, Canadian, and a Churchwarden). The first two pipe utilized during and evenings pub crawlings and the third at home on the balcony ( a churchwarden in public: never).

Did I suffer tongue bite; only once, and midly at that. It had more to do with the end of an evening in which I was favoring equal parts alcohol and tobacco. I tend to draw on a pipe deeply after a few drinks. I slipped and packed the Canadian unconsciously as I would any other bowl (methodically). Half way through and a few deep draws and I was burned. I had to set the pipe down several times due to its heat as well. That will teach me.

But, without distraction and knowing "Mixtures" requirements; tongue bite does not become an issue. As others have mentioned; a loose packed bowl and you can really enjoy it. And it's subtle nature has me contemplating it as an all day smoke.

Can't explain it, but I'm glad I've kept an open mind about Mixture.

MacB claims to have over 35 dofferent tobaccos in this one. Unfortunately, none of them have any real flavor.

The flavor that is there is pleasant, just not enough of it for me.

Mixture smells like nothing else. Mixture smells so good out of the tin that you'll want to take a fork and EAT the tobacco.

Mixture is waaaaay too mild for people who want something "round" with flavor. This is very mild tobacco and has to be loaded and smoked with care to be enjoyed, IMO.

The Danes have a way of explaining how to fill a pipe, it's called "plug". My experience has been that the best way to enjoy Mixture is to pull a "wad" of tobacco out of the tin and to "plug" it into a smaller bowled pipe. Don't rub it out, don't take a lot of care in loading the pipe... just take a wad out of the tin and plug it in the pipe.

Once plugged (not CRAMMED) into the pipe, light the bowl and then smoke the tobacco. Don't worry about an even burn, just light it and smoke it. If you smoke Mixture haphazardly and sip at the tobacco you'll be rewarded with a tasty, light and pleasant smoke.

If you try to treat Mixture like other flakes by rubbing it out, applying a good light to the pipe and then tamping and relighting....well, it will bite your tongue off. Period.

Hey, don't take my word for it - try it. Pull a wad out of the tin, plug it into the bowl, light the bowl and go. It'll smoke great! Try to turn Mixture into a science and rub it out, light it, tamp it, light it again... it'll turn your tongue into a blister that won't soon forgive you.

This tobacco has a very fond place in my heart and about once every three years I'll open a tin... and then I'll give it away.

If you like the taste of this mixture but hate the blisters it leaves on your tongue, buy a tin of Gawith and Hoggarth Ennerdale Flake - or, a tin of Gawith and Hoggarth Rum Flake.. both of these blends will treat you much better than Mac Baren Scottish Mixture.

But Mixture is like nothing else. The flavoring is unique. Too bad it's a tongue destroyer. Like someone else said, I give it an extra star (old system) for old times sake. I wonder if the new Flake version is as bitey as this is?

This is the blend that took me from "Fruit Loop Cavendish®" to virginia flakes.

Mixture smells like nothing else. Mixture smells so good out of the tin that you'll want to take a fork and EAT the tobacco.

Mixture is waaaaay too mild for people who want something "round" with flavor. This is very mild tobacco and has to be loaded and smoked with care to be enjoyed, IMO.

The Danes have a way of explaining how to fill a pipe, it's called "plug". My experience has been that the best way to enjoy Mixture is to pull a "wad" of tobacco out of the tin and to "plug" it into a smaller bowled pipe. Don't rub it out, don't take a lot of care in loading the pipe... just take a wad out of the tin and plug it in the pipe.

Once plugged (not CRAMMED) into the pipe, light the bowl and then smoke the tobacco. Don't worry about an even burn, just light it and smoke it. If you smoke Mixture haphazardly and sip at the tobacco you'll be rewarded with a tasty, light and pleasant smoke.

If you try to treat Mixture like other flakes by rubbing it out, applying a good light to the pipe and then tamping and relighting....well, it will bite your tongue off. Period.

Hey, don't take my word for it - try it. Pull a wad out of the tin, plug it into the bowl, light the bowl and go. It'll smoke great! Try to turn Mixture into a science and rub it out, light it, tamp it, light it again... it'll turn your tongue into a blister that won't soon forgive you.

This tobacco has a very fond place in my heart and about once every three years I'll open a tin... and then I'll give it away.

If you like the taste of this mixture but hate the blisters it leaves on your tongue, buy a tin of Gawith and Hoggarth Ennerdale Flake - or, a tin of Gawith and Hoggarth Rum Flake.. both of these blends will treat you much better than Mac Baren Scottish Mixture.

But Mixture is like nothing else. The flavoring is unique. Too bad it's a tongue destroyer. Like someone else said, I give it an extra star (old system) for old times sake. I wonder if the new Flake version is as bitey as this is?

The "nuances of taste that keep changing all from a single tamp" promised on the tin never seem to appear---at least to the level of objectively affirming this claim---and the experience is more like what one would expect from a Danish-topped VA flake that tends to burn too hotly: Sweet and sharp at best, and a rain of saccharine, powdered sugar pin-pricks on the tongue at worst.

When smoked with an open mind, and with a patient cadence, there are some nice flavors and a decent smoke to be had from Scottish Mixture. Without these, be prepared to be disappointed---and possibly scorched.

UPDATE: After experimenting with this blend for over a month now, I've found that it seems to suffer the least negative effects when smoked in a smaller billiard, say a group 2; I've dedicated a little Grabow to this and the results are much more pleasing---a softer smoke, with far less sharpness and bite, and more subtle flavor. Slight and patient puffing is still required, however.

Four of five stars

It seems every blender has an ingredient motif that gets repeated in much of what they sell. GH has its soap, McClelland is famous for ketchup. Lane has its propylene glycol, Pease, perique. MacBaren's thing is honey. While I like honey, it becomes associated with pain and I unconsciously start avoiding other fine non-biting, cool-smoking blends like Navy Flake. Definitely not cool.

Here's what I'd recommend: If you want to smoke MacBaren hotties, either by choice or, like the rest of the world, lack of choice, smoke them consistently enough so the required techniques become second nature.

Mac Baren's Scottish Blend is totally different than what one might expect -- unless of course, you are familiar with Danish tobacco blenders. If, for instance, you have tried McCranie's Murdock's Pipe, which is touted as a Scottish blend, and then sampled this one expecting a similar taste sensation -- well, you are going to receive a surprise. Murdock's Pipe has Latakia and Oriental tobaccos located within the blend. You will find neither here. Scottish Blend is a typical Mac Baren in that it is sweet smelling when you open the tin, and sweet tasting upon lighting. The flavor here is delightful, but keep that puffing rythem down or you will get tongue blisters. Unlike most other Mac Baren blends, this one actually has several layers of differing flavors as you work your way down the bowl. I found this to be a nice change of pace tobacco, but it is far too mild for me to consider it as regular fare.

06/12/2005 Update: After drying in the unsealed tin for the better part of a year this is a very tasty smoke. There are just enough Burley and Cavendished tobaccos to smooth out the tangy Virginia. No tongue-bite with normal Virginia smoking techniques. Let it dry out!

So I knew before the break how to smoke this one whithout getting tongue bite - see other reviews : the "plug-method", and I already liked it, but now this has become one of my favorites. A real come-to blend. There's enough nicotine in there to keep me satisfied, although, of course, it is realy a mild blend. But it is tastewise that this blend gets to me everytime. A nice ever so mildly cased (typical mac honeylike casing) cavendish, that blends so perfectly with the virginias and the burleys, makes this an aromatic, but so subtle - do NOT expect BIG TASTE, or BIG KICK- that it borders on a straight smoke with a cavendish undertone always present. Roomnote is delicate and nicely sweet. Highest recomendations for pipers who can appreciate subtle smokes.

A classic mixture with a great reputation over the years.

It also has a sweetness to it that is present from the first opening of the tin, and generally remains as you smoke the entire bowl.

All in all, there are better alternatives out there should you wish to endeavor to try "Scottish" mixtures. This one is one you should probably pass on. It's simply not worth it.

It's got a nice honey taste throughout the bowl, which can get boring after a while.

If you choos it as an all day smoke you'll get bitten unless you have a leather tongue.

I recommend Mac Baren Mixture to experienced smokers who are looking for a milder blend to start the day, or as an all day smoke.

Scottish Blend is a typical Mac Baren in that it is sweet smelling when you open the tin, and sweet tasting upon lighting. The flavor here is delightful, but keep that puffing rythem down or you will get tongue blisters. Unlike most other Mac Baren blends, this one actually has several layers of differing flavors as you work your way down the bowl. I found this to be a nice change of pace tobacco, but it is far too mild for me to consider it as regular fare.

Oh yeah- also see the listing for Scottish Mixture on this webpage. Same blend. And the tinned version of this stuff is better than the pouch IMO.

I've had an ongoing 30-year love-hate relationship with Mac Baren's Mixture. For most of those years, there was more hate than love. I stubbornly held to the belief that the typical "Mixture fan" was simply a well-intentioned pipe smoker who had fallen prey to Mac Baren's excellent presentation and marketing savvy. After all, the company chirps incessantly about Mixture's wonderful qualities and market-leadership position. So, if they say it, it MUST be true, mustn't it?

Alas, my experiences with Mixture were often disappointing. Compared to my beloved G&H flakes, this Mac Baren offering was at best boring, and at worst bitey and hot smoking. Hmm, you may be wondering, isn't this supposed to be a favorable review?

Well, two events conspired to open my mind. The first was an act of supreme generosity by Mr. Karl-Heinz Krebs (of German DAFT website fame) who donated a tin of 15-year-old Mixture to our Old Pueblo Pipe Club here in Tucson. Mere words can't describe the lusciousness of this dark, fragrant, chocolately tobacco. It's impossible NOT to like Mixture when smoking tobacco of this quality and vintage.

The second event was what I like to term "unconcious smoking". One day, while in a hurry, I packed a bowl of Mixture in a thick-walled Cavicchi bent dublin and went about my work. Being in a rush, I neglected to pack the bowl carefully: clumps of tobacco were fed loosely into the chamber, and not even packed down. About 30 minutes later, I noticed how wonderful the tobacco tasted, how beautifully it smelled, and how cool it smoked. And, I had done absolutely nothing to deserve this marvelous experience other initially lighting the tobacco and tamping it down. It didn't even require a second charring light.

Mac Baren Mixture is an absolutely superb tobacco IF you know to approach it. The less fussy you are with it, the better. Simply pack the bowl loosely, as meerschaumj advises, then light, tamp, relax, and enjoy. Mixture is actually a fairly complex tobacco, so once your palate becomes accustomed to it, you'll begin to discover a wide range of flavors and aromas.

This is a remarkably portable and consistent tobacco. You can find it just about anywhere in the world, and can always count on each bowl to have the same smoking characteristics. Mixture burns to a nice dry ash, and leaves the palate ready for additional bowls if desired. I've grown to appreciate this satisfying, yet non-filling character of Mixture. It's even possible to run a couple of pipe cleaners through the stem after each smoke, and then refill. My pipes have yet to go sour doing this, whereas doing the same with G&H flakes would be unthinkable.

My advice is to view Mac Baren Mixture as a sturdy and faithful companion. To repeat, just forget all the fuss: simply pack the bowl loosely, relax, and follow your instincts. No need to try. The less effort, the better.

Update: I have observed when smoking this blend in older pipes, which were previously smoked and "broken in" with other tobaccos, that the first bowl seems to smoke hot. But, after a few bowls of mixture, strangely enough, they mellow out and smoke just fine. The "hot" effect that most people experience when trying Mixture for the first time, may partly be a reaction (at first)to residues from other tobaccos previously smoked. I've tried this out on 4 older pipes, all with the same results.

The initial flavor was bland, I could almost detect no Burley at all and it started to bite after ten minutes. It smoked quite wet too, but that could be cured by adjusting, of course. I don't know if I got a bad pouch or something. I will try it again in a few months. For now I will stay away from it.

An unassuming but notable blend, this is a good stand-by. Predicable and tasty with little bite and a good overall aroma.

The flavor is a combination of honey and licorice. It has the MacBaren burn and if smoked properly it's good to the last puff. I now smoke this regularly.

If you are a slow puffer and like a little flavoring in your tobacco, this MacBaren blend may be a home run for you. I couldn't make it past 2nd base.

The tobacco texture is soft and pleasant to look at and, at least in the pouch (there is a tin version I have not yet tried), it has a slightly honey-on-toast aroma, a peculiarity that wears off if allowed to air for a few hours. I believe there could be some PG in it, but the tobacco is not at all moist or goopy. Rubbing it out a little, it facilitates the packing. I tried this in a Stanwell Golden Danish free hand.

The first few puffs reveal a slightly sharp taste, albeit rather sweet. Drawing very slowly for fear of tongue bite, the mixture burns dry and smoothly. By the ¾ bowl mark, the initial sweet undertones are replaced by a toasty flavour, a little bitter, but not at all unpleasant. No need to relight. By mid bowl, the different components seem to be better integrated, yet there is still a certain amount of competition between the black Cavendish and the Burleys, keeping the Virginias on the background. By the end of the bowl, there is the full flavour of a well balanced tobacco. Nothing extraordinary, definitely not an all day smoke, but a good pipe tobacco for a change of pace. It is a little bit harsh on the palate, but not terribly bad.

I think this is a mixture that would be enjoyed by those who want to break from strong cased aromatics without standing up to pure Virginia or Latakia based mixtures, or else by former cigarette smokers who would like to venture into the pipe experience.

pre-light smell: in the pouch, this smells sweet in a candy-like and almost medicinal way, like tutti-frutti cough syrup flavoring, but more pleasant. almost no distinguishable tobacco nuances here.

appearance: well-broken flake, inch-long ribbons with some very small pieces. there are also quite a few unusable inch-long hard stalks in there.

loading: whatever flakes remain are very easy to rub out. in any case, loading is easy because of the small pieces. it "loads itself". i usually have to do only 2 layers because there's very little compression needed for the 1st layer.

the smoke: this pouch was opened 5 months ago and it's a bit drier (and better) now. lighting was no problem, and from the first puff i got a pleasantly large, thick, satisfying amount of smoke. flavorwise though, the tobacco taste is quite mild. what i'm getting here is body, maybe from the burley. there is sweetness, but hardly a natural VA sweetness, more of the medicine-flavor kind (which is better than it sounds). the VA does make its presence known in the tongue bite. it bears smoking carefully because of this.

when in the zone it is complex and interesting enough, with honey and fruit sweetness and sourness, plus some nutty nuances. if you pay attention, you'll even get whiffs of the actual tobacco flavor. unfortunately, i find that the zone straddles a fine line between tongue bite and the cherry going out. even when smoked carefully, my tongue still feels raw at the end of the smoke.

also, i recommend smoking this in a small to medium bowl because i find no appreciable development from first light to last puff so it might get boring in a big pipe. it does burn clean and dry to the bottom.

the strength of this tobacco is in its body, not flavor. still, it's good to have every once in a while.