Mac Baren - Golden Extra pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 30 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >
Tantric	03/31/2013	Medium	None detected	Medium	Pleasant
After a long, dry spell without pipe tobaco (due to the stupidity of Mexican government regulations), I got hold of this one in a recent trip to Cartagena de Indias. Very much surprised by the quality, craftmanship and balance of GE. Similar to London Club, but with the added touch of matured Virginia leaf, this is truly a classy and a classic smoke. Smooth, flavoursome, dense, with an excellent room note. I much prefer it to Mixture because it has a more defined tobacco structure. It does not pretend to be fancy. Who ever designed this blend knew perfectly well what he/she was doing. A no-nonsense smoke for any time of the day, with a very traditional Burley aroma, inviting, not entirely sweet and not at all flat (something I do get from other Burley blends). If found, try it. This is very good stuff. Should deserve better publicity and marketing.
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cturnitsa	03/28/2013	Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant
A good friend shared some of his that has been aged a NUMBER of years, and it is an extremely mild, and enjoyable, smoke. I took it nice and slow to avoid Mac-bite, and it paid off. A nice touch of the nuttiness that others have commented on, but I found no chocolate. Extremely nice in a 30 year old kaywoodie straight billiard I inherited from my pipe mentor from the mid-80s.
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Buster Bluth	02/08/2013	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
I consider this a passport to Burley Heaven. I smoke in a Mark Tinsky Rhodesian devoted to it. The primary note is cocoa to me. I feel the nutty flavor intermittently. There is a sweetness under the surface likely due to a little Va in the mix. If OTC burleys like Carter Hall are one dimensional, I find Golden Extra to be 2 dimensional. There is a thicker and more flavorful feel on the tongue. It is hearty to me. Does best for me gently coaxed in a bigger bowl. In my opinion, this tobacco needs some time and air to perform right. I find that the case with all MacBarens. I've ordered bulk online which I found better behaved. In the case of the more readily available tins, I open and let it air overnight. I then transfer to jar and wait a few weeks. Golden Extra mellows even more with some age, and the tendency to burn hot when fresh seems to go away. This is extra work, but worth it. I am currently on a jar I stuffed a year ago, and find it perfect.
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Perique	01/25/2013	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
An excellent choice for burley lovers. Presentation is broken flake, tightly pressed into a round tin. Tin note is classic VaBur hay. Mild cocoa on the palate, as expected. Virginias in the background but serve as a little speed bump against the tendency of many (myself included) to speed-smoke a nice, light burley. After the charring light, smoke this one slow, as you would a VA, to really get at the subtle sweetness. It will require self control. A great, every day smoke. Excellent value in a 100g tin. I especially like this in a large cob such as an MM Country Gent.
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JimInks	01/20/2013	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant
There's not much nuttiness in this, but the light chocolate and general sweetness is very pleasing. Burns well, and tastes better when you sip it and don't puff away like a train. MacBaren blends tend to bite if you do that. Kinda light in strength, but it's meant to be that way. A pleasant smoke that pleases when you have the urge for a little sweet flavor in your smoking life.
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Kilmarnock Piper	12/06/2012	Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant
Review is of a tin that is most likely 30 years old; I have not had a more recent version to compare it to. Burley changes less than Virginia in a decades-long timespan, and though I really don't know without a new sample how much this has changed, change or not, I like it. Others have compared it to a lighter Burley London, another tobacco I have had only in a well-aged version, and I could agree with that. It is a fine, slightly sweet and pleasant smoke. I have recently had the chance to try several Mac Barens from the 80s, and though the aged roll cakes are my favorites, this is great for a long, slow smoke on its own, and I sometimes mix it with my classic roll cakes to preserve them. It is burley, but light burley, and at least at this age is never harsh or biting. There is certainly some topping here, evident in the tin, but 30 years tones this down to the point where all one gets is a touch of sweetness in the lit pipe itself. Very good burner, with very little problems as to overheating, uneven burning, or waste. With three tins in reserve, I should have plenty more time to continue to evaluate it, that is if I can get to it along with everything else I have to smoke!
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grumpyoldprofessor	10/16/2012	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
There are times when only a good clean, simple burley blend will do and this one fits the bill. Easy to pack, easy to light and easy to keep lit. I find the taste to be similar to Prince Albert, but more earthy and about twice as "full." Definitely a high quialty tobacco from Mac Baren. It's not as flavorful as Burley London Blend, but that's not a bad thing. Sometimes simplicity wins the day. If you're looking for a good, quailty, affordable burley that's about medium all the way through (strength,taste,flavor), this is it.
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Ecdycis	04/30/2012	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
If you like Virginias give this a try. I bought this as a gift for my friend who was an aromatic smoker. I figured since he liked Connecticut wrapper cigars, he might like this. It smells of natural fruit rolls or dried plum. Flavor is grassy, hay, dried plum, and lemon zest. It is fairly nice, but it leaves a taste I am not fond of when finished. He liked it enough to dedicate a pipe to it.
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ecce_ego	04/13/2012	Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Well, I was surprised when I opened the tin, because I was not aware that this baccy came in such long 'flakes'. After that I was quite taken with the smell- very sweet and rich, like dark chocolate. Seemed the perfect moisture content out of the tin, but gurgled heavily about halfway through. After learning how to load this in my bowl, I found it smoked quite cool and mellow, and tastes like your normal everyday tobacco, with a sweet tone that gets sweeter if you take your time and keep it cool. Not bad at all.
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Trippwire	03/30/2012	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
This is very very similar to london burley blend. The only difference I can tell, is that its sweeter and lighter. I found rubbing the broken flakes brings out the taste significantly, in a corn cob it's great. This goes well in the morning before work, rather low in nicotine, but not too low. Classic burley taste, but sweeter rather than nuttier. A good solid 'standard' smoke, nothing amazing, but it's one of those ones you could have as a 'your' smoke, all day every day, like an old person. I won't be buying more of this, so far burley london blend is winning the mac barenathon.
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StylesSharpman	03/01/2012	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
A real treat when craving a sweet nutty smoke.
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Darth Vader	11/24/2011	Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant
Nice easy smoke that is very good value for money (i paid $9 for 100gram tin from 4noggins). I get no bite at all from this and while it has a burley taste, its a fairly mild smoke. Very easy all day smoke. Probably the only negative is i find it has a slightly earthy/anty (think those little black ants on picnics) taste to it. But this is only very mild and doesnt really interfere with enjoyment.
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juvat	10/14/2011	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant
This blend is just wonderful. Its a straight burley with a touch of virgina. The tin smells like chocolate and the smoke itself has that wonderful sweet cocoa, nutty flavor. Very mild and smooth. It is one-dimensional, but then again, isnt that the point with a blend like this? Its a flake tobacco thats been partially rubbed out. I honestly cannot say enough good things about this blend, it's just that good. If you love burley, you HAVE to try this. It's wonderful!
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Puffingstuff	08/13/2011	Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant
The only MacBaren's I would smoke was London Blend Burley. All that has instantly changed! I'm ordering a pound of this. I Love Burley tobacco and this is amazing!!! MELLOW-MELLOW-sweet-Mellowy- roasted nut burley lightly sweetned by what, I don't care. I salute you MacBaren. This, I really really like.Four stars.
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sirchud68	08/13/2011	Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable
I'm not a huge burly smoker but I have acess to plenty of different MB blends, Golden Extra being one of them. To me, out of the pouch, this stuff does smell quite a bit like Hersheys cocoa powder. Taste like a mild burly. Been sitting on a couple of ounces for a year or so but am not sure how well burlys age. Worth a try if you come across some.
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TK Pipe	07/23/2011	Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
McB Golden Extra … Let me start off by saying I’m not a McBaren fan, for reasons I don’t chose to go into here. But burley is one of my weaknesses, and Golden Extra is a burley, so I could not resist trying at least one tin. Add to that the ever increasing cost of OTC burley blends, this stuff is even more inviting. My sample was a 100g tin, (not plastic) filled with attractive broken flakes. What’s worth the mention because most of my favorite burleys are not flakes. I prefer flakes, as they provide (IMO) a longer/cooler smoke, especially outdoors,which is important to me. As for taste, GE has its own worthwhile character, nothing fancy, but gives me what I expect from a fine burley, with zero tongue bite and clouds cool mild smoke. At the very least, I can see this weed being my “stuff & puff” go too tobacco, for many of my daily routines. So if you enjoy OTC type tobaccos, and have not tried GE, for whatever reason, rest easy, this is a good one.
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BingCrosby	02/17/2011	Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I was lucky enough to find a well aged tin of this fine burley/virginia blend.. I'm not sure of the exact age but based on the rusty weathered nature of the tin I would guess it had at least 5 years on it.. Not being much of a Macbaren or burley smoker I was slightly hesitant.. but how often do you get the chance to experience something with age on it without the need to wait patiently - so I jumped at the chance.. The tin popped easily but was a little tricky to get open since it was slightly fused together.. The smell that was released from the tin was amazing.. very sweet fermented bliss.. almost too sweet but overwhelming in a pleasant way.. The same sweetness came accross in the smoke along with an old musty flavor that was curiously intoxicating.. this is a light blend but aged it seems almost heavy.. a little chocolate comes through but deffinately a natural tasting smoke.. It does bite a lot when you first open it.. but after some drying it mellows.. beautiful smoke.. I prefer straight virginias but this is a case of age making the difference.. I would say 4 stars with age.. maybe 2 or 3 otherwise in my opinion.. but a gorgeous old tobacco.
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Xeneize	08/17/2010	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable
Similar to Burley London Blend, just a bit sweeter. A solid burley blend.
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Claudius Stradivarius	07/28/2010	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This looks, at first, exactly the same as London Burley blend! Same cut, same leaf, same tin aroma. But the taste is different. I think there are some VAs in there...Which makes things interesting.
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Novangelus	07/20/2010	Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant
This is my first venture into Burley blends, other than PA, which I did not particularly like. However, I like this tobacco. It can be smoked all day. It is subtle and not overpowering. I particularly like the straightforward tobacco taste of this smoke and I detect just a lite sweetness as an undertone flavoring. I do pick up the chocolate taste others have experienced, howbeit ever so vague in the background. Unlike some other reviewers, I do not experience the tongue bite. However, my tobacco was drier than many blends I have smoked.
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 30 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >