it packed very well and lit very well and i somehow got away with not having to relight a single time all the way to the end.

i took other reviewers' advice and smoked it patiently and i was very much pleased with how cool and evenly it smoked all the way to the bottom of the bowl.

i've yet to develop a good taste for burley, like i said this is my first attempt at getting away from aromatics, but i really enjoyed the "lightly sweetened" flavor, every hit was at first a bit spicy, but tasty like a cinnamon sort of spice (doesn't taste like cinnamon) rather than a pepper sort of spice, and later as i exhaled there was a very sweet chocolatey flavor after taste.

i have to say i really enjoyed this tobacco.

I like burley blends, and this one doesn't have a lot of flavor. I'm not sure what they did with the leaf, but it almost seems to have had the flavor removed, if such a thing is possible. I prefer Prince Albert, Carter Hall, and pretty much any of the C&D burley blends to this.

It doesn't bite, or at least I can't report the classic MacBaren blowtorch phenomenon, and it is well behaved in the pipe, smokes dry and relatively cool.

I will smoke another bowl or two just to confirm my opinion, but at the moment, this is a candidate for the give away pile...

UPDATE Jan 31 2010 I'm confirming my earlier review, and basically, I just don't see the point of smoking this tobacco. It does have a slight bite, and essentially zero flavor. When most of the flavor I get in the smoke is the tobacco I last smoked in the pipe -- note I said most! -- then why bother?

This is an all day smoke especially for summer time, however, I would recommend the tin container rather than the bulk one, which has less flavor and aroma.

This is another nice, mild blend that can be smoked casually and often with no fear of bite or harshness. It is packed tightly in the tin and presents that quintessential "Mac Baren" tin aroma of figs, raisins and pastry. While I remember pulling it out of the tin and packing it "as is" when I smoked it back in the day, I now rub it out really well, despite the "ready rubbed" legend on the label.

It takes to the flame nicely and once the second flame is applied, it stays lit and burns slowly and evenly. This tobacco wants to be sipped slowly and will bite back if smoked agressively. A large-bowl pipe that's carefully and firmly packed will provide a long, slow and pleasant smoke with subtle flavors that don't get too strong or complex, but stay mild and even from start to finish.

I have fond memories of this 'baccy, and will keep it in my rotation for a good long time.

Anyway, about this tobacco... this is a fairly dry tasting straight burley that smokes cool and is extremely monodimensional. I taste just a bit of the typical Mac Baren sweetness and a surprising lack of nuttiness to the burley. I find it interesting that Mac Baren has such a reputation for blending tobaccos that produce tongue bite. I couldn't get this one to bite unless I puffed furiously... and I should note here that I smoke all tobaccos with varying degrees of puffing speed to see how they behave in all situations. Even a fairly fast puffer should be able to smoke this one without peril. However, smoked very fast, it will bite and it will also give off a bit of a soapy flavor as the tobacco cells burst too quickly. But who smokes like a Hoover, anyway?

To keep my ratings consistent, I gave this a "somewhat recommended" because I personally found it too bland to smoke on even a semi-regular basis. But I also found it a very genial and cool smoke with a nice breadth of earthiness and something that could be smoked all day by someone who just wants a good honest tobacco taste with a touch of sweetness. I think Mac Baren did a good job with this one. If you like straight burley, increase my rating to at least "recommended" because I think you'll like it!

Here's the thing: it is good, but it bites all over the palette if you smoke it hard. Otherwise, if you can slow yourself down, it is an enjoyable - plain and simple blend. There is a nicely embedded darkness - like a dark unsweetened chocolate - that can be appreciated if you look for it. It seems to come on mid-bowel. It is said to be air dried; the nicotine content seems appropriately low for the process. This is a plus if you don't like getting buzzed. I like getting buzzed, though.

Also:

1) Because it does not knock you over the head, {except for the occasional big bad bite on an aggressive light) there is a tendency to want to smoke it fast to get more out of it. As above, this is a huge mistake. Let it come to you, and you will be rewarded.

2) It doesn't cost as much as some of the other touted Burleys. $7.50 for 4 ounces is not a show stopper.

3) the more I smoke it, the more it reminds me of smoking a cigarette! I have to consciously tell myself not to inhale as in yesteryear. That is where I place it, actually: cigarette= like. This is not at all demeaning. There were some strong cigarettes [particularly European] that I used to enjoy for taste without inhaling.

4) This requires a pipe that is not contaminated by previously strongly flavored smokes. I look forward to trying this blend in a sweetened pipe in a month or so.

In conclusion, this can definitely be a part of my growing tobacco gallery. It is good for me as the opening act, or as an intermission between more exciting offerings. That is a good thing. If it is your all day smoke, then I mean no disrespect Just know that people have different chemistries.

I have re-introduced myself to Golden Blend (my tins read Golden Extra) after a lapse of many years. This review is of the tinned version (stamped Oct 2008) and freshly opened. The tin note is a tad sweeter than Mac's London Burley Blend which is a favorite of mine. Moisture level right for me, packed and lit easily. There was no problem keeping this one lit. I would say that it is similar to Mac's London, but differs in that it is not as full-bodied as Burley London Blend. There is no typical honey casing as with many of Mac's offerings. What I detect is the very mild presence of chocolate, and bittersweet. If any honey is present, I can not detect it. Although the tin description lists it, I do not detect the inclusion of any Virginia in Golden Blend. Slow smoking reveals a mildly sweet tasting Burley. It is more astringent/sour than BLB but not bitter or harsh on the throat.

Before lighting my pipe, I like to suck through the stem to taste the tobacco and rate its flavoring. As stated, this one had a very decided chocolate taste before lighting. After lighting, the chocolate presence took a back seat, but not in a bad way. The solid tobacco taste was the front runner. There was no bite whatsoever. Sometimes the Mac's produce a slight sting to the tongue, but not with this one. I puffed on it fairly aggressively to test this out. I eventually settled to a more paced smoke which was very enjoyable from start to finish. Golden Blend is a pleasant smoke. Although I find BLB fuller tasting as a Burley, Golden Blend is a nice change of pace for when I want a lighter Burley with a touch more sweetness.

ADDENDUM 7-28-10: I just want to mention that I have been smoking this and Mac's Burley London Blend for nearly 35 years now. They may be similar, but they ARE NOT the same.