Burley blends are generally nothing Earth-shattering, and are just decent and solid smokes. MacB BLB is no exception, but it is a very well-done Burley blend. I think it's one of the best Burleys out there, and it's my personal favorite - even beating out my beloved SWR. Like any good Burley, if you go looking for the goodness then you'll miss it. The trick to finding the goodness is to pack it loosely, gently get it going, sip on it, and clear your mind. As you get into that slow puffing cadence and allow your thoughts to float away on the wonderful billows of smoke you'll discover that its goodness has found you. And unless you're tongue has been totally corrupted by syrupy aromatics or leathery Lat-bombs, or you think that pipe tobacco must be a complex or nuanced affair, then I think you'll find that it is a wonderful smoke.

If you're a lover of classic Burley blends like Sir Walter, Carter Hall, or Prince Albert, then I think you're gonna love it. If you're new to pipe smoking, I think you need to try this so you can see what pipe tobacco is really all about: No heavy casings, no sticky sweet additives, no complex mixture of a hundred different tobaccos, and no adventure in every bowl - just good old fashioned tobacco flavor with a hint of cocoa-honey sweetness, and a room note that most people find pleasant.

For me, BLB is best enjoyed when all I want to do is enjoy an honest bowl of tobacco. I sit back in a big, comfy chair. Let the cat sit on my lap and purr or reach down and scratch the dog's ear, kick back in a comfortable shirt and a pair of well-worn blue jeans or khaki trousers, have a nice beverage by my side (coffee, iced tea, or a cream soda), and just enjoy the peace and comfort for their own sake. Puff slowly and without any particular purpose in mind, and just enjoy being alive.

Love all, as Christ would, and peace to my brothers and sisters of the leaf.

Wonderful burley tin note of wheat, dry oats, wheat straw. Broken flakes. Just the right moisture level. Takes a match very well and burns evenly. Not much to dislike here. Straightforward burley flavors: wheat, parchment, tiny hint of cocoa. I detect little if any Virginias and the top noting mentioned in the blender's description is extremely mild. Wouldn't call this a VaBur. And despite the top-noting mentioned, this is nothing like a flavored burley or aromatic. Very dry, cool, white smoke.

Overall a pleasant enough smoke for burley lovers, and doubtless an excellent mixer. No bite, even when puffed hard. An extremely 'neutral' tobacco, as a fine burley should be.

Given a choice, however, I would recommend buying Golden Extra over Burley London Blend. But if you are looking for a purist's burley, this is the one to buy.

I will experiment with mixing a little Perique into this. The neutrality of this blend should allow a moderate amount of Perique to really shine and take center stage.

Subjective: This tobacco is topped with a good amount sugar and tastes like soggy Wheaties and burned sugar. This stuff bites if not very careful, so diminshed must be the sip that it's truly not enjoyable. This characteristic seems constant with most MB blends. Will not go down this road again.

Having said that, at 8.50 for 100g it is very cheap and nowhere near the worst I've smoked, its not even bad, just not special or remarkable in anyway, shape or form.

It was good enough for me to finish the tin, but I can't even remember what it tasted like. That, for me anyway, says it all.

PS I do remember it smelled very nice out of the tin, its a shame it didn't taste anything like it.

While not great it's perfectly smokeable and very reasonably priced for tinned tobacco ($9 for 100g). I prefer the Golden extra which is similarly priced. Good budget baccy with a classy tin.

Smokes like hot air for me, two bowls in two different pipes and I just didn't like it. I didn't waste the tobacco though, used it for filler in some home-blends and with some other tinned tobacco.

I won't purchase another one. I usually like Mac Baren's tobacco, but this one wasn't for me.

Opening the tin, there is a waft of cocoa and chocolate, as befits a Burley blend, and also a goodly amount of sweetness. The tobacco is MacBaren's typical rough rubbed-out flake, with a uniform brown colour.

The moisture in the tins I get here is perfect; just crumble some leaf into a large pipe, light up, and enjoy. The room note is typical Burley, a gentle, dry sweetness. The taste is notably sweet for a Burley, though, with a very solid chocolate note (not a topping!) and the room note a fragrant, cocoa-ish beauty. The Nic kick, however, is quite noticeable -- in the wide range of Burley-based, non-aromatic blends, this one stands out.

If you like a solid Burley, this is your ticket. If you like MacB's Norwood or Golden Blend, try this one, by all means. This blend is not exactly weak, but easy to stuff and maintain. The VA additive is beautiful, but this is all about Burley... few Burley blends, if any, are better.

Note as of 2012-02-27: This is in my standard rotation. When I want a good Burley, this is what I smoke. Enough oomph for me, good taste, airy aroma... OK, it makes me smile. Up-rating to 5 out of 4.

This is a great burley tobacco that is relatively simply & inexpensive. The smoke is consistent throughout the bowl with little to no development. Like many burley blends, if you smoke it slow, it wont bite much.

Taste is a sweet and nutty smoke while the Cocoa is generally dim yet present.